Auto to 5 speed swap: Opinions

[Kcaps]

I've just purchased a 89 325i sedan, Alpine white with a broken Auto tranny. IT has only 110,000 miles and the engine is running strong. The interior and exterior are clean, with only a few small surface rust spots, which I will take care of when I repaint. I have lots of plans for the car and I cannot wait.

As for the topic of the post. Because the tranny is broken, he is selling it with an 89 5speed tranny, with the driveshaft, pedal assembly, etc. The car was purchased sight unseen, as he live a few hours away from me. I have yet to see and pickup the car.

First, I have never done anything remotely close to as ambitious as a tranny swap. I have pretty limited car experience, but always learn on the fly. I have done pretty minor things on my previous cars, but would be more than willing to try the swap myself.

Two main questions:

1) The seller "knows a guy" (a licensed mechanic) who is willing to do the swap for me for $700. Seems like a lot considering I have seen ads on here for guys willing to do swap for $350. This would save me the headache of trying such a large job myself and time (as it would likely take me weeks, maybe months, to piece enough time together). It will cost a lot, and there is always a risk that the "guy" messes it all up, and the car blows up while I am driving (worst case scenario?). I could always get another quote, or find someone else, but I am not confident that I could get it much cheaper as shop rates around here are usually around $120/hr. I also do not currently have a garage, but would consider renting one close by to work on my car, but the extra $100-$200 a month for renting space needs to be factored in.

SOOOOOO, should I hire someone or do it myself?

2) I have read all the swap threads I can. I know pretty much what happens and I have read most of the stuff that others have done at the same time. I know nothing about this manual tranny. Miles, wear, nothing. I have thrown around the though of replacing the entire clutch, having the flywheel machined, and anything else that needs to be done. I already plan on doing a timing belt as the previous owner does not know when the last time it was done.

SOOOOOO, What else should I do when doing the swap? Clutch? If so what kind? Other transmission/engine parts and maintenance?

Thanks in advance for any assistance! This is my first e30, but I am extremely excited for the build. Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated.

[LJ851]

if you dont know what you are doing take it to someone who does. If $750 gets it done right, that is a fair price, it is not a simple, afternoon job. i converted my '89 over a long weekend but you cant tell my car was ever an automatic now.

[FLG]

I think you better go see the car first, NEVER buy a car sight unseen. A few hrs shouldnt be an issue for an expensive purchase.

[Kcaps]

Deal is done on the car. I work to much for a 6 hour trip to buy a $700 car... I figure at $700 if something is wrong with it I can afford to fix it.

[jlevie]

$600-800 is about right for the transmission swap, depending on local labor rates. In addition the transmission & pedal box you will need a shifter, clutch master cylinder, lines, flywheel, pilot & throwout bearings, clutch, rear main seal, transmission cross member, and mounts.

[iamsam]

only read the title of your thread. In the general case, always do a 5-speed swap if you can, and do it yourself. All you need is the trans, clutch, flywheel, slave cyl, pedal/master cyl assembly, driveshaft, diff, and shift linkage. No wiring needed, except to jump the switch that prevents you from starting the car if the auto shifter isn't in "park".

The only "custom" fab needed is to weld or bolt the rear shift bushing mount thingy into the trans wall. I just drilled a couple holes and ran bolts.


EDIT: ok just read your first post. Don't pay some random guy $700. A better bet is to find an r3v member nearby who you can rent a garage from or something, and do it yourself (with his help for beer?). The swap is not as ambitious as I think you are making it out to be. Also, I would recommend a new clutch (unless the used one you have has lots of life left), and DEFINITELY do the rear main seal on the engine, and the output flange seal and shift rod seal on the trans. Suuuper cheap part cost, and super easy to do when the trans is out, and ridiculously hard to do when the trans is in. So do it when the trans is out, well worth it.

[nando]

only read the title of your thread. In the general case, always do a 5-speed swap if you can, and do it yourself. All you need is the trans, clutch, flywheel, slave cyl, pedal/master cyl assembly, driveshaft, diff, and shift linkage. No wiring needed, except to jump the switch that prevents you from starting the car if the auto shifter isn't in "park".

The only "custom" fab needed is to weld or bolt the rear shift bushing mount thingy into the trans wall. I just drilled a couple holes and ran bolts.


EDIT: ok just read your first post. Don't pay some random guy $700. A better bet is to find an r3v member nearby who you can rent a garage from or something, and do it yourself (with his help for beer?). The swap is not as ambitious as I think you are making it out to be. Also, I would recommend a new clutch (unless the used one you have has lots of life left), and DEFINITELY do the rear main seal on the engine, and the output flange seal and shift rod seal on the trans. Suuuper cheap part cost, and super easy to do when the trans is out, and ridiculously hard to do when the trans is in. So do it when the trans is out, well worth it.

the holes should already be there for everything. at least they were on my car.

it's better to remove all the auto wiring rather than just jumping the switch, at least if you want your cruise control to work.

[iamsam]

the holes should already be there for everything. at least they were on my car.

There are no holes for the shift lever bushing holder thing for any BMW. They are welded into the trans tunnel. You have to cut one out of a manual car and bolt or weld it into an auto car, or fab your own. It's the rubber bushing that the lower shift rod "spear point" sticks through, if you know what I mean.

[nando]

*shrug* it bolted on in my car. maybe the ix is just different? the standard E30 part shows a bolt too but it also shows that part for the ix except it doesn't look the same.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=1593&mospid=47324&btnr=25_0074&hg=25&fg=05

#8

[jlevie]

There are no holes for the shift lever bushing holder thing for any BMW. They are welded into the trans tunnel. You have to cut one out of a manual car and bolt or weld it into an auto car, or fab your own. It's the rubber bushing that the lower shift rod "spear point" sticks through, if you know what I mean.

I've done a few 5-speed conversions on 87 and later cars, but I've never had to add the rear shifter support bracket. That might not be true for early cars.

[LJ851]

OP's car is the same year as mine, i can assure you no fab work is required. An '89 chassis is the same auto or manual. Hell, all of my trans/flywheel/shifter parts came out of an '84 euro 323 and bolted right in.

Also, get the manual wiring sub harness and use it. The base wiring harnesses for '89 are the same manual or auto. If you do/have done for you the swap using the bmw wiring everything will look and work as bmw intended and it is very simple.

[nando]

you don't really need to swap the whole harness. carefully study the ETM, the manual wiring is much simpler and removing the auto start relay/neutral detection wiring is fairly straight forward.

in the short term, jumping the neutral switch does work just fine, but CC won't work.

[Kcaps]

Thanks for all the input guys. So clutch and seals in addition. What about the fly wheel? It's a single mass right? Do I wait until I see it before I know if it needs to be machined, or should I just get it done as preventative maintenance?

[LJ851]

^ Can't go wrong with getting it properly machined, but if it is in good shape there is no need.

[bimmer630]

There are no holes for the shift lever bushing holder thing for any BMW. They are welded into the trans tunnel. You have to cut one out of a manual car and bolt or weld it into an auto car, or fab your own. It's the rubber bushing that the lower shift rod "spear point" sticks through, if you know what I mean.

Ive been told BMW built all e30s to be manual first and foremost, and if you wanted an auto then it was built that way, but they all had the bracket on the firewall for the clutch slave line, and the bracket in the trans tunnel for the rear shifter bushing.

I swapped a 5 speed into my 90 auto 4 door car and it had everything in there just like a 5 speed car would