Engine and tran switch. Auto to 5sp; advice?

[GillesBigCowboy]

Looking for advice/voices of experience.
I have a non-running autotragic vert with a really nice rust free body, and a rusted out 5spd 4dr with engine and tranny that work well (rusted, leaky rear brake lines convinced me to take this off the road). Both cars are 1990 325i. I have some experience with brakes, suspensions, timing belt changes, bolt on muffler, etc, but I have never attempted to pull an engine, and this is the biggest project I have ever attempted. I have been doing some research on the process, and I am planning to pull both of the enginestrannies as a unit. I am trying to do this as economically as possible, so I don't want to replace clutch or do any additional work unless it is just so cheap that I would be a fool to not do it while I am doing this job. I have the bentley manual, but it does not cover the transmission and pedal switch details.

Outline of plan:
Need to acquire engine hoist with leveler.
Remove exhaust up to manifold.
Diconnect at guibo or somewhere on driveline...
Follow bentley steps to prepare for pulling engine
Remove shifter handles... Maybe drop/tilt the engine to get better access?
Pull both engines
Put 3 pedal system in vert... Any good pics on this process?
Put clutch hydraulics in vert
Put engine with manual tranny in vert
Make some wiring changes around shift console
Reconnect everything else per Bentley instructions
Bolt on exhaust
Bleed clutch
Start

New parts (again let me know of other little inexpensive bits I should replace)
any hose or other item that is broke or deteriorated
Shifter bushings
Engine mounts
Tranny mounts
New timing belt, tensioner, and other belts (maybe a new water pump)
Sparkplugs, maybe rotor
Fuel filter

I plan to work on this during weekends over the next couple of months, and I expect some frustrations, but I just hope I can get this vert running!!

Please post any links to resources, steps, pictures that could help me.
Muchas gracias.

[jlevie]

That is a pretty solid plan and will work. When removing the engine/transmission from the rusted out car, remove the exhaust at the headers and remove the drive shaft. Then support the rear of the transmission with a jack and remove the transmission cross member. When you lower the jack the rear of the transmission will sag down and give you more room to disconnect the shift linkage from the transmission. Installation of the linkage in the vert is the inverse.

If the 5-speed package has over 150k on it, I'd have the flywheel surfaced and replace the pilot bearing, engine main seal, clutch, throwout bearing and clutch fork pivot pin. This is an easy job with the engine and transmission out of the car, and rather a pain to do later. I'd also replace the transmission seals and change the transmission fluid. Replace all of the bushings in the shifter while it is out of the car.

As to the engine, while it is hanging from the hoist (or better yet on an engine stand), give it and the transmission a good cleaning. I'd replace the oil pan gasket, intake & exhaust gaskets, oil return tube seals, front main and intermediate shaft seals, and the seals for and in the oil filter adapter. Use new o-rings for the oil cooler lines. I'd also replace every part of the cooling system and all the hoses associated with the intake. And adjust the valves and replace the valve cover gasket and the rubber bungs.

You will need to use the drive shaft from the 5-speed car on the vert. Use a new guibo, but if the CSB rubber mount looks bad, there is little point in replacing it as a failure of the CBS means that the drive shaft is bad and will need to be replaced before long. A rebuilt comes with a CSB installed, so changing it now would be a needless expense. Use new motor and transmission mounts when you install the engine into the vert.

This may sound like more money than you intended to spend, but these parts aren't all that expensive and all of this work is easy to do with the engine out.

[GillesBigCowboy]

Thanks for itemizing all of the seals and gaskets I should replace, as well as the steps in the tiltremoval process, Jim, I was hoping to hear from you (I hope to see u on track in 2013)... I think the engine has about 130k on it and I think the clutch is at least that young, so I am going to roll the dice and drive gently while teaching my near 15yr old to drive on Rosie (she came to me with a nearly-new UUC clutch).

If you have any other done that lessons learned or tips about adding pedals and other clutch systems, please share.

[jlevie]

130k is very close to the point that I'd expect a clutch to give out. You can take a change on it, but it will be a lot easier to change the clutch now.

[GillesBigCowboy]

Regarding all the seals and gaskets, what vendors can be recommended for obtaining good quality at low price, dealership? Bavauto? Other?

If I do replace the clutch, I want a stock-like feel which I guess is Sachs, but if there are other replacement clutches with similar light pedal effort and quality for less money what vendors can anyone recommend?

Guibo source recommendations?

[jlevie]

My first choice for most parts is my dealer, but you can pick OE vendor parts from rmeuropean.com (and other places).

[GillesBigCowboy]

I kept saying that it wasn't really possible that the first twist of the key would work.

I twisted the key as I sat in the floor (filthy carpet).... 4-1000, 5-1000, ... 0.

Twist again, 3-1000, boom! Accel cable needs adjust. Goes forward, goes reverse, idles rough.... Probably very old gas.

Clutch bleeding was kind of a pain, and I did not get clutch helper spring on but the shifter feel is so sweet and tight, that leather-suede shift knob may be my next purchase.

[jlevie]

Could be old gas, or could be intake leaks. A smoke test will till if and where there are leaks. Given the age of an E30 intake leaks are likely.

[GillesBigCowboy]

I noticed some big cracks in the rubber intake body thingy, and one of the vacuum hoses on the right side of the throttle body will not fit in the throttle body so I would guess there are some intake leaks I need to address.

One more thing i just realized is that I put the guibo on wrong (arrows not pointing in right direction). I figure that I can correct this in coming months, but it is not high priority right now... Correct me if this is wrong.

[jlevie]

I noticed some big cracks in the rubber intake body thingy, and one of the vacuum hoses on the right side of the throttle body will not fit in the throttle body so I would guess there are some intake leaks I need to address.

Replace the hoses associated with the intake, then have the smoke test run.

One more thing i just realized is that I put the guibo on wrong (arrows not pointing in right direction). I figure that I can correct this in coming months, but it is not high priority right now... Correct me if this is wrong.

I don't know how serious that is, but I'd fix it immediately. Once the car is up in the air it is a 15 minute job. Just not worth the risk of leaving it that way.