What diff Fits E30?

[Funkmasta]

I am putting an S52 into an M3, and the 4.10 diff is NOT going to cut it.
What diffs will bolt up? (E28, E24, E34, z3????)

and anyone know of a diff that will bolt up that has between 3.2 and 3.4 LSD?
thanks!!!!!

Joe

[Addissimo]

the e28 535i has a 3.25... all you have to do is take the diff cover off of your 4.1 and put it on the 3.25 and it'll fit.
Look on ebay, there are ususally a couple floating around at any given moment.
-Addis

[Jordan]

the e28 535i has a 3.25... all you have to do is take the diff cover off of your 4.1 and put it on the 3.25 and it'll fit.
Look on ebay, there are ususally a couple floating around at any given moment.
-Addis

Its a bit more involved then that, but yes a e28 diff case is the same.

The output hub stubs are different, you will have to swap the ones from a e30 diff into it. Also the cover needs to be changed.

[ed94r]

I started out my 3.1 s50 swap w/ an m20 trans and a 4.10. You will not be able to put the power down until 3rd gear. The 4.10 w/ stock 14" wheels(and a passenger) will smoke the tires in second gear @ 40 mph on a roll. No bs.

I've got 15" wheels now w/ 3.73's and it's much more manageable ( and somewhat slower) but now I can put most, if not all of it down in second gear with minimal wheel spin...I recommend the 3.73 w/ the M20 trans and the 3.25 w/ the E36 trans.

4.10 is fun and fast and some folks around my area run this set-up full time, but it really is too much gear for the street. Killer track gear tho.

Ed

[Funkmasta]

I started out my 3.1 s50 swap w/ an m20 trans and a 4.10. You will not be able to put the power down until 3rd gear. The 4.10 w/ stock 14" wheels(and a passenger) will smoke the tires in second gear @ 40 mph on a roll. No bs.

I've got 15" wheels now w/ 3.73's and it's much more manageable ( and somewhat slower) but now I can put most, if not all of it down in second gear with minimal wheel spin...I recommend the 3.73 w/ the M20 trans and the 3.25 w/ the E36 trans.

4.10 is fun and fast and some folks around my area run this set-up full time, but it really is too much gear for the street. Killer track gear tho.

Ed

I was hoping for a little closer to a 3.38 (since that makes a KILLER drivetrain in an E36, I can only imagine how it would feel a couple hundred lbs lighter in an E30), but a 3.25 will do. thanks guys!
anything closer to a 3.38 that will fit?

[Funkmasta]

and is the E28 diff a direct bolt in (after shafts and cover have been changed) for an M3? What about an E23 7 series diff?

[BimmerToad]

I started out my 3.1 s50 swap w/ an m20 trans and a 4.10. You will not be able to put the power down until 3rd gear. The 4.10 w/ stock 14" wheels(and a passenger) will smoke the tires in second gear @ 40 mph on a roll. No bs.

I've got 15" wheels now w/ 3.73's and it's much more manageable ( and somewhat slower) but now I can put most, if not all of it down in second gear with minimal wheel spin...I recommend the 3.73 w/ the M20 trans and the 3.25 w/ the E36 trans.

4.10 is fun and fast and some folks around my area run this set-up full time, but it really is too much gear for the street. Killer track gear tho.

Ed

I was hoping for a little closer to a 3.38 (since that makes a KILLER drivetrain in an E36, I can only imagine how it would feel a couple hundred lbs lighter in an E30), but a 3.25 will do. thanks guys!
anything closer to a 3.38 that will fit?

Keep the 4.10 in the back with a 260. 5th gear 260 is an overdrive gear 0.81:1, and 0.81 X 4.10 = 3.32 final ratio. An E36 tranny has a fith gear of 1:1, so 1x3.25 = 3.25

A 4.10 and a 260 is closer to the gearing set up E36 M3 guys want for the track (3.38 )

On 2nd thought, I don't know if a 260 is capable of handling S52 torque :?

[Funkmasta]

we are using the ZF E36 M3 transmission...

[nickmp0wer]

damn joe, are u going to be keeping this car?

[Funkmasta]

damn joe, are u going to be keeping this car?

No :( its not mine.

[Screaming_bmwe30]

I started out my 3.1 s50 swap w/ an m20 trans and a 4.10. You will not be able to put the power down until 3rd gear. The 4.10 w/ stock 14" wheels(and a passenger) will smoke the tires in second gear @ 40 mph on a roll. No bs.

I've got 15" wheels now w/ 3.73's and it's much more manageable ( and somewhat slower) but now I can put most, if not all of it down in second gear with minimal wheel spin...I recommend the 3.73 w/ the M20 trans and the 3.25 w/ the E36 trans.

4.10 is fun and fast and some folks around my area run this set-up full time, but it really is too much gear for the street. Killer track gear tho.

Ed

I was hoping for a little closer to a 3.38 (since that makes a KILLER drivetrain in an E36, I can only imagine how it would feel a couple hundred lbs lighter in an E30), but a 3.25 will do. thanks guys!
anything closer to a 3.38 that will fit?

Keep the 4.10 in the back with a 260. 5th gear 260 is an overdrive gear 0.81:1, and 0.81 X 4.10 = 3.32 final ratio. An E36 tranny has a fith gear of 1:1, so 1x3.25 = 3.25

A 4.10 and a 260 is closer to the gearing set up E36 M3 guys want for the track (3.38 )

On 2nd thought, I don't know if a 260 is capable of handling S52 torque :?

First off...it's not the 5th gear drivablity they are talking about....they don't want super short 1, 2, 3 gears with the amount of tourque it's gonna be putting down. Second of all..your calculations/speculations must have nothing to do with anything besides how long 5th gear is....because an e36 with a with a 3.25 rear end will top out ENORMOUSLY faster than an M20 with 4.10's....use common senser here.

Secondly...S52's aren't that torquey at all. A 260 tranny can easily handle over 300whp and 300ft-lbs....using slicks....launching at 6000k rpms. Just ask bimmerjim :) I'm putting out way more than an S52 on 10psi....and the 260 is holding up just fine. Bimmerjim's ride is more of a testemant to the duribility of the 260 gearbox though.

[equate975]

Yeah this was for my car, im putting the diff in now, What do I do to change the axle stubs? More specifially what are the torque specs?

[DanGillan]

there's no torque spec, the output flanges just slide in and out, use a pry bar if nececarry to take the old one's out, and a light mallet to get the new ones in if you need it.

[AdamF 88iS]

E24 diffs will work too, but like Jordan said you'll have to play with flanges and covers to get it in.

Z3 diffs ar a direct bolt in.

E32/34 diffs will not work.

[Matt86es]

There is also a 3.43 from an E28, i think.