m50e30 with Getrag 260 transmission bracket

[kylebes1]

Ok since the DOHC thread is getting so huge, i though we could break it down some.

I will start this one of with a question of my own:

How hard is it to make the custom tranny mount when you use the e30 five speed? and what goes into it?

I may use the five speed in the 325 I picked up, instead of the one from the e36 i was using before.

[tranceguy]

If you have welding skills, it's not too bad. 1 mounting location can be used on the e30 manual tranny bracket. I still want to compare my auto tranny bracket to see if it lines up any better.

BTW, I agree that the DOHC thread is getting rather lengthy. If anyone else is interested, I'm thinking of making a free version of Project ORCA. Something that breaks everything down into categories and covers the stuff that they missed. I have a quite a bit of information on my computer right now. If anyone else wants to summarize their experiences, take pictures or anything else, I'd be more than happy to put it in the program. I'm also open to ideas as far as to what the best GUI layout for the program would be.

[Brew]

Its a pretty simple part to make according to my mechanic. I can take some pictures of mine at some point if you want.

[kylebes1]

I would like that. I may or may not do it though. I am on a TIGHT schedule again.

[Brew]

Alright, I'll see if I can snap a pic at some point this week. I'm on a tight schedule too with work and school.

[kylebes1]

My schedule is pretty tight too.

[PanamaE30]

If you have welding skills, it's not too bad. 1 mounting location can be used on the e30 manual tranny bracket. I still want to compare my auto tranny bracket to see if it lines up any better.

When you mount the M50 with the Getrag 260, which way does the tranny sit?

I've got an Automatic transmission brace at the moment and it's leaning my tranny left about 30 degrees. :(

[tranceguy]

If you have welding skills, it's not too bad. 1 mounting location can be used on the e30 manual tranny bracket. I still want to compare my auto tranny bracket to see if it lines up any better.

When you mount the M50 with the Getrag 260, which way does the tranny sit?

I've got an Automatic transmission brace at the moment and it's leaning my tranny left about 30 degrees. :(

When I'm under the car looking at the rear of the transmission, it is leaning to the right.

[PanamaE30]

Well, an Automatic transmission crossmember could possible resolve the issue. It'll be a PITA though. I have no idea how the PO mounted the 260 on that thing, but it's there. My tranny leans so far left that when i stick reverse in, I hit the plastic surround :(

I really need to change that part.

[Brew]

If you have welding skills, it's not too bad. 1 mounting location can be used on the e30 manual tranny bracket. I still want to compare my auto tranny bracket to see if it lines up any better.

When you mount the M50 with the Getrag 260, which way does the tranny sit?

I've got an Automatic transmission brace at the moment and it's leaning my tranny left about 30 degrees. :(

How the hell does that work? The tranny is bolted to the engine, the engine is bolted to the subframe. The reason the 260 sits at an angle is because it bolts up to the m50 at an angle. If your tranny is sitting with a rotation, your've got more problems then just the wrong tranny crossmember.

[PanamaE30]

Hell if I know, that's what my mechanic was saying. He had the car up on the lift and you could see where one mount was compressing more than the other due to the transmission trying not to lean that way.

I asked him if I had a Getrag 260 in there and he said yes, but I guess I shoulda checked on my own. Problem is, the PO was the one that did the transmission swap, so I have very little information as to how it was done. :(

Any ideas?

[Brew]

Umm, your mechanic is a retard?

Simple fact- the transmission is bolted directly to the engine. One can't twist without the other.

[PanamaE30]

hmm. News to me. That's a problem then. I really hate that lean.

Any ideas as to the possible culprit then?

[Brew]

Broken motor mount?

[PanamaE30]

I had originally considered that, but I don't think so. There are no symptoms of that. The engine seems to be in the proper position and there's no unusual vibration coming from the car...

Your reply got me thinking though.. What other transmissions will bolt up to an M20?

I'm trying to think about the PO's situation trying to find adequate parts. Now, finding a Getrag 260 isn't too hard for me, but I don't know about the other dude.

Can you mount a transmission from a 318i? What about an E28/34? What about the ZF off an E36 with an M50? I'm having trouble visualizing it properly. What really affects here?