M20 A/C & P.S. parts on M42 engine/chassis?

[Garemie]

Can power steering and A/C parts from an M20 donor car be used on an M42 block?

Someone gutted the P.S. and A/C pumps from my M42 project and I am looking at buying a wrecked M20 car to salvage from.

Curious if this will work? I recall that there are 3 styles of A/C compressor for the E30 but I don't remember if they were block specific.

Thanks

[roguetoaster]

The M42 has an insane compressor bracket, so I'd bet they won't interchange easily, but the PS pump probably will be close enough, depending on the year/specific pump.

Clearly, a new compressor would be best (new Denso units are still out there is you search carefully), and there are loads of used M42 PS systems lurking in sheds, so unless you need the shell for other parts it's probably not worth it.

[Garemie]

The problem is, people want more for just parts than a parts car is worth at the moment. The E30 scene is completely broken.

Thanks for the info.

[prisonerofdoom83]

What’s up man I bought your old car a few years ago . I’ll buy this one in a few years if you want also lol

[Garemie]

What’s up man I bought your old car a few years ago . I’ll buy this one in a few years if you want also lol

How's that 318i treating you? That was unironically the best E30 I've owned.

I'm as dumb as a box of rocks and I've been through two E30s since then. Most recently I found a coupe 318is slick-top that I'm gonna dump my life savings into.

[prisonerofdoom83]

How's that 318i treating you? That was unironically the best E30 I've owned.

I'm as dumb as a box of rocks and I've been through two E30s since then. Most recently I found a coupe 318is slick-top that I'm gonna dump my life savings into.

I thought you had told me you already had an IX as a replacement . Well your old car now has a bar’d s50 mtech 2 kit and some bbs . I got rid of the whole m42 g240 setup for soooo cheap . But at the time no one wanted it . I may know someone in Fresno that has that setup for sale though

[ForcedFirebird]

All the BMW PS pumps are the same, with two caveats. Pulley diameter, and pressure. The hydro-boost cars got slightly more pressure, but have found they exchange with little noticeable difference to the driver. The way they bolt to the car is what makes them unique (bracketry).

A/C is similar. There's really only about four main ways a compressor bolts up, so just matching comp brands usually will work across engine platforms.

[Garemie]

I thought you had told me you already had an IX as a replacement . Well your old car now has a bar’d s50 mtech 2 kit and some bbs . I got rid of the whole m42 g240 setup for soooo cheap . But at the time no one wanted it . I may know someone in Fresno that has that setup for sale though

I did have an IX for quite some time. I did a full interior/exterior restoration on it, got bored, sold it, and immediately regretted it. I bought a Focus RS and had fun with that for a year, and now I'm back to my junkbox E30's. Luckily I got back into them right when the prices went through the roof, so naturally I'll probably never finish this project on cost alone.

All the BMW PS pumps are the same, with two caveats. Pulley diameter, and pressure. The hydro-boost cars got slightly more pressure, but have found they exchange with little noticeable difference to the driver. The way they bolt to the car is what makes them unique (bracketry).

A/C is similar. There's really only about four main ways a compressor bolts up, so just matching comp brands usually will work across engine platforms.

Thank you for the info. People are asking a fortune for shitty old E30 parts on here so I guess my best bet is to search the junkyards.

Cheers all.