5-speed conversion questions?

[bimmer206]

So here's the story. My car wouldn't start and after having a shop track down the problem we found out that the TDC pin on my flywheel has ground off. The shop (like always) wants too much money so I will be doing this project myself with the help of my step dad who is very mechanically inclined and a few other mechanically inclined friends. We will not be using a lift but will have pneumatics. My car was originally an auto and I have been collecting parts to swap to a manual.

The problem is that my mother who I currently live with is worried about the time it will take me to complete this project versus if I were to simply pull out the auto tranny and put my spare flywheel in. I'd like to swap in the manual (what did i buy all these parts for in the first place). So you can see where the conflict comes in.

I have questions regarding the swap but if you have additional information (not just 5-speed > than Slushbox) why a manual would be a better choice to swap in than my auto.

Questions

• I have the front half of a manual drive shaft for my engine. I was planning on using the rear half of my auto drive shalf and the front half of my manual one. How do you balance out the two halfs? What other maintenance can be performed on these parts?
• What other parts are commonly forgotten?
• Do i nee3d to replace all the hardware? If only some what hardware should be replaced.
• Where is the best place to buy the metal hose that connects the master cylinder to the slave cylinder?
• Is their a cheap shifter kit?
• Is there a number on my manual trans that i can check to make sure it will fit? It's from an 87 325 and my car is an 86 325.

Thanks

[jlevie]

Source a complete drive shaft from a manual transmission car. If you mix-n-match to make up the drive shaft you'll have to find a shop that can balance the resulting assembly. Get the hard line for the clutch from a dealer or salvage yard.

If the 5-speed is from an ETA car, it will work on your 86. But if it is from an 87 325is, it won't have the holes in the bell housing for the ETA timing reference sensors.

If you have all the parts necessary to do a swap, the job will only take slightly longer than just replacing the flywheel.

[bimmer206]

Thanks jlevie.

Here's what i have in terms of shifter. What else do i need?



Do i need all new hardware? What nuts and bolts should be replaced?

[u3b3rg33k]

The holes may not be there, but I think the bell housing casting is the same. Drill out the "holes" and there will be holes there.

[imprttuner88]

I have an '88 325, I "ASSume" its an eta as well. I Have a 260 tranny to go in it as I am converting to manual as well, do I have to worry about these referance holes as well? What do they look like?

[StereoInstaller1]

Do you have the correct flywheel, or are you planning on swapping to Motronic 1.1 or later?

[99em1]

I have an '88 325, I "ASSume" its an eta as well. I Have a 260 tranny to go in it as I am converting to manual as well, do I have to worry about these referance holes as well? What do they look like?

What car is the G260 out of? If you have one of the ETA's with the big guibo and large output flange you'll need to swap flanges with the "new" transmission if it has the small guibo design.

[imprttuner88]

pics of my tranny







this one work with my eta?

Car info:

Type code AB64

Type 325I (USA)

Dev. series E30 ()

Line 3

Body type LIM

Steering LL

Door count 2

Engine M20

Cubical capacity 2.70

Power 0

Transmision HECK

Gearbox AUT

Colour LACHSSILBER METALLIC (203)

Upholstery SILBER STOFF (0270)

Prod. date 1988-01-18


Order options
No. Description
209 LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL (25%)

210 ANTI-BLOCKIER-SYSTEM ( ABS )

286 BMW LM RAD/BMW STYLING

300 ZENTRALVERRIEGELUNG ELEKTRISCH

401 SLIDING/VENT ROOF, ELECTRIC

410 WINDOW LIFTS, ELECTRIC AT FRONT

530 AIR CONDITIONING

540 CRUISE CONTROL

556 EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE DISPLAY

[BMWerke]

i just did my swap i took the tranny and drive shaft from a '86 325e and swapped it in my '90 325is, went flawlessly.

[imprttuner88]

updated info two posts up. trying to figure out if this tranny will work with my car and if the output of the tranny is indicative of a particular driveshaft I need to look for

[will61]

when i did mine the pedal assembly was a huge pain in the ass. i didnt remove the gas pedal, i just addes the new brake and clutch pedal.

also i forgot about the clutch slave. you have to get a line that goes from the slave to the trans. theres another line that goes from the brake fluid reseviour to the slave. you have have to cut the little plastic nipple on the resevior to connect it.

and ya its a bitch to bleed

[bimmer630]

did anybody run into problems with removing the automatic trans and getting gearbox warning lights? my buddy swapped a 5 speed into his 635 and ended up with a warning light among other things.

Im gonna be swapping the driveline from my 89 325 into an automatic '90, ive got the pedal setup, slave, master, trans, shifter, and driveshaft. I was just wondering if there are any other issues im gonna run into. I checked the firewall and the slave line holder is there on the auto car, im guessing the shifter support bushing will be there too

[jlevie]

did anybody run into problems with removing the automatic trans and getting gearbox warning lights? my buddy swapped a 5 speed into his 635 and ended up with a warning light among other things.

Im gonna be swapping the driveline from my 89 325 into an automatic '90, ive got the pedal setup, slave, master, trans, shifter, and driveshaft. I was just wondering if there are any other issues im gonna run into. I checked the firewall and the slave line holder is there on the auto car, im guessing the shifter support bushing will be there too

With an entire car available for parts, you shouldn't have any problems doing the swap.

It sounds like the 635 had an electro-hydraulic transmission. There is more to a swap in that case than just the transmission, clutch, etc. You have to also deal with the transmission computer. That isn't an issue on an E30.

[DaveSmed]

pics of my tranny

I don't see holes for reference sensors.