I'm creating this thread to compile some info on this topic. I am interested in this at the moment as I have an '84 520i with a bretty much dead M20B20, and a fresh sub-100k mile M50 NV sitting on an engine stand in my garage.
I will do research and compile some info here, but in the meantime, I have a few questions that some people may be able to answer:
1. Do you need a special oil pan? i.e. does the E36 pan work for an E28? I hear that you need the E34 pan, but I will confirm this with mine
2. Do you need a special brake booster, or is their sufficient room for the stocker? I also hear you do not need a special brake booster
3. You WILL need to mount the engine a few inches forward of the stock mount locations, one option being custom motor mounts, another being extending the subframe mount points forward with steel (I have seen angle iron used). Anyone have any other solutions/input? I took some measurements on my M20B20 equipped E28 520i and my M50NV I have on an engine stand. It appears that both motors have two possible motor mount arm locations on the block. The E28 used the rearward bolt pattern, the M50 (from an E34) uses the front. ALSO, both motors have the bolt patterns at the SAME distance forward from the rear of the engine. So my conclusion is I CAN put the E28 M20 motor mount arms onto the M50 rearward mounting, and it should go into the E28 bay smoothly. The only issue I see here currently is the M50 exhaust manifold may interfere with the motor mount arm in the rearward position.
4. Driveshaft options? I have not looked into this, but this is the next item I need to tackle
I found a post on MyE28 that has answered some of my questions: http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=12373&
Below taken from MyE28 regarding motor mounts:
I will do research and compile some info here, but in the meantime, I have a few questions that some people may be able to answer:
1. Do you need a special oil pan? i.e. does the E36 pan work for an E28? I hear that you need the E34 pan, but I will confirm this with mine
2. Do you need a special brake booster, or is their sufficient room for the stocker? I also hear you do not need a special brake booster
3. You WILL need to mount the engine a few inches forward of the stock mount locations, one option being custom motor mounts, another being extending the subframe mount points forward with steel (I have seen angle iron used). Anyone have any other solutions/input? I took some measurements on my M20B20 equipped E28 520i and my M50NV I have on an engine stand. It appears that both motors have two possible motor mount arm locations on the block. The E28 used the rearward bolt pattern, the M50 (from an E34) uses the front. ALSO, both motors have the bolt patterns at the SAME distance forward from the rear of the engine. So my conclusion is I CAN put the E28 M20 motor mount arms onto the M50 rearward mounting, and it should go into the E28 bay smoothly. The only issue I see here currently is the M50 exhaust manifold may interfere with the motor mount arm in the rearward position.
4. Driveshaft options? I have not looked into this, but this is the next item I need to tackle
I found a post on MyE28 that has answered some of my questions: http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=12373&
I have an S50 on the floor of the garage right now for my 528e. The E30 M50/S50 swap guys can provide tons of useful info but us E28 guys have some unique issues to deal with.
Most of this info comes from a variety of sources, none of which is verified by me:
Intake manifold - M50/S50 manifold will clear the brake booster unlike in the E30.
trans - the smaller 325 transmission is probably a better fit than the M3/328 trans.
driveshaft - I believe an E28 535i driveshaft should work although I may need to modify the length of the front half. I think the Guibo bolt pattern is the same for the E36 M3 and E28 535i.
Oil pan - E34 M50 pan, same as the E30 swap
Engine mounts and brackets - Nothing is a direct fit so factory stuff will need to be modified or new stuff fabricated.
Exhaust - E34 525 front exhaust manifold fits better than the E36 325/M3 front manifold, rear manifolds are the same.
AC - hoses will need to be modified to bolt up the the E36 compressor. A local AC shop should be able to braze ends on existing 528e hoses.
Power steering - The stock 528e hoses might work
Trans cross member - Stock 528e with a minor mods or some spacers should work
Radiator - E28 535i should be OK, some juggling of hoses to fit
Coolant tank - stock 528e coolant tank and location and just use hoses/elbows to reach around the front of the car.
Shifter - bent/cut/welded factory shifter
Most of this info comes from a variety of sources, none of which is verified by me:
Intake manifold - M50/S50 manifold will clear the brake booster unlike in the E30.
trans - the smaller 325 transmission is probably a better fit than the M3/328 trans.
driveshaft - I believe an E28 535i driveshaft should work although I may need to modify the length of the front half. I think the Guibo bolt pattern is the same for the E36 M3 and E28 535i.
Oil pan - E34 M50 pan, same as the E30 swap
Engine mounts and brackets - Nothing is a direct fit so factory stuff will need to be modified or new stuff fabricated.
Exhaust - E34 525 front exhaust manifold fits better than the E36 325/M3 front manifold, rear manifolds are the same.
AC - hoses will need to be modified to bolt up the the E36 compressor. A local AC shop should be able to braze ends on existing 528e hoses.
Power steering - The stock 528e hoses might work
Trans cross member - Stock 528e with a minor mods or some spacers should work
Radiator - E28 535i should be OK, some juggling of hoses to fit
Coolant tank - stock 528e coolant tank and location and just use hoses/elbows to reach around the front of the car.
Shifter - bent/cut/welded factory shifter
Originally posted by mtnman533
A little progress. The engine is back out of the car, and I have a nice box of new bits to put on. New hoses, new trans oil, new spark plugs are already in, and a bunch of other bits.
Right now just waiting for a day where I have access to one of the parents BMWs (BMW family...) to be able to go and meet Logan, he's making the wiring harness for me (so awesome).
Here are some pics of the work done over the last few weeks. I'm a pretty slow worker.
The engine before being put in for mount making, cleaned up some, but still not totally clean.
]
The engine chilling in the bay. That is basically final resting place, the drivers side mount is done in this pic, and bolted at both ends. The passenger side mount is clamped down, so that the engine didn't move while I was making the drivers side. Things that need to move so the air intake will fit... the bracket for the expansion tank (using a radiator with a built in tank, so no worries) and the power steering reservoir needs to move, along with relocating the battery to the passenger side.
The passenger side mount. 1/8th inch thick 2x2 angle Iron. It seems to hold the weight for the engine not problem. I might still try to make the engine sit a little further back in the bay.
92 e36 M50 NV harness.
So many M30 parts... You can expect a for sale thread in the not too distant future.
Clean bay, with the new mounts. I have new motor mounts, the old ones are ripped. The mounts will be painted black so they don't stick out like a sore thumb.
Right now just waiting for a day where I have access to one of the parents BMWs (BMW family...) to be able to go and meet Logan, he's making the wiring harness for me (so awesome).
Here are some pics of the work done over the last few weeks. I'm a pretty slow worker.
The engine before being put in for mount making, cleaned up some, but still not totally clean.
]The engine chilling in the bay. That is basically final resting place, the drivers side mount is done in this pic, and bolted at both ends. The passenger side mount is clamped down, so that the engine didn't move while I was making the drivers side. Things that need to move so the air intake will fit... the bracket for the expansion tank (using a radiator with a built in tank, so no worries) and the power steering reservoir needs to move, along with relocating the battery to the passenger side.
The passenger side mount. 1/8th inch thick 2x2 angle Iron. It seems to hold the weight for the engine not problem. I might still try to make the engine sit a little further back in the bay.
92 e36 M50 NV harness.
So many M30 parts... You can expect a for sale thread in the not too distant future.
Clean bay, with the new mounts. I have new motor mounts, the old ones are ripped. The mounts will be painted black so they don't stick out like a sore thumb.
:wgaf:
Comment