Joey's iS

[stoja e30]

M20 is dying.

Every day I feel like its putting out less and less power. Yesterday I just filled it up with 1.5 quarts of oil at 4000 miles (which, coincidently, I'm due for an oil change sometime soon anyway). My previous M20 only burned oil at .5 quarts every 6000, which means im burning oil like a mother(or at least, at a rate I am not happy with). Cold/morning starts are something my current m20 is not a fan of and will stutter/bog whenever power is put down for the first few moments of taking off; midday cold starts are no problem, but stone-cold starts suck. Plus, I have to floor it just to keep up to a Corolla; my previous m20 took Corollas all day. (and had extensive engine work done with receipts to prove legitimacy of proper maintainence)

Sokay..

Thinking about refurbishing a budget 2.7i build and swapping out this tired m20. If I have to live with this m42-like power in an m20 weight car, I will not be enjoying my future with this e30. Sorry to blow you m42 guys out of the water, but 100whp sucks, period. I have to romp my car just to keep up in traffic. I'm thinking a 2.7i build wouldn't be too expensive as I'll be do the work myself/know people that would hook me up and can be an attainable swap by next spring.

This isn't my "final" swap I have for this car, but I can't live with this dying m20 anymore, so I will be swapping it soon. I figured a 2.7i would be a decent budget swap that will give me a little more power to satisfy me until I reach the final goal.


What I've gathered so far (basic knowledge of a 2.7i build) is the one option that would be the way to go for a $1k budget build:
2.7i block
2.5i head
2.5i intake
173 ECU

From what I understand, the only difference in a 2.7i from a normal 2.5i m20 is the eta bottom end. I am assuming a 2.7i is exactly the same as a 2.5i m20 except for the complete eta bottom end. I'm assuming the rest of the engine is 2.5i build. The more I research this topic, the more the answer becomes less and less clear cut because there are so many options. I'm finding it hard to get a definitive answer without asking questions from my understanding.
Any thoughts r3v?

hi joey, great build and nice save did the same myself to a 89 4 door, save it that is.

when doing the 2.7i build you have to be careful when putting the 'i' head on the 'e' block you have to make sure the valves clear the pistons ('e' and 'i' pistons are different, the 'i' pistons have grooves in them to allow for the bigger valves). I have a rebuilt 'i' head and I am also going to check the clearance for the valves. will let you know how I do

[JinormusJ]

I always thought I would do a full "restore" on my car at one point. But, like you said, I have realized that it is going to be a slower process in which I do something, drive it, do something else, drive some more etc. I think it'll be neat feeling a progression in the drivability and feel of the car with each new step.

Oh yeah

I'm already itching for a manual. I'm becoming sooo impatient for a third pedal and a nice firm 1.9 shift kit. I hate the Magnaflow sound with a slushbox... It's so loud and all it does is rev at 2k during shifts/acceleration, do I can't even enjoy the loud exhaust. Everything with an automatic is just.. UGHH..! It's killing me! :D



I'm so FREAKIN excited!

[stoja e30]

also check out strictlyeta.net, tells you everything you need to know, good luck

[JinormusJ]

Yeah man!

I've done it before, so I should be good to go. I think I've read and reread the strictlyeta and Yoshi's write up 20+ times by now haha

[JinormusJ]

And so it begins...


Non destroyed rear bumper trim! (FINALLY!)




New fogs!





AND...!
5-Speed Swap!



Thanks again to my good friend Dustin (rede30) of Redlands CA for the huge hookup. Wouldn't have been possible without him! Just dropped a good chunk of change for some refurbishing parts as well

Specs:
135k Miles
1987 325e Getrag 260 (Late model Getrag)
Red Label (ATF if is!)
3.73 LSD


So, current budget is at around...
$500 for full swap (Including Flywheel, 3.73 LSD, and low milage clutch kit)
-$250 for 4.10 LSD that will be sold after
$98 to Blunttech for misc. flywheel/clutch Bolts and Z3 Short Shifter
$25 to Topgaiters for Shift Boot
$39 to Pelican Parts for misc. Shifter Components
$16.09 to Garagistic for their Derlin shift carrier bushings
$misc.95 to (insert popular autostore/hardware store here) for fluids and/or last minute bolts, etc.
________________
Which puts me around $430 at the very moment. expecting it to go higher, but not over $500 for this swap for sure. Valvoline ATF and some Redline for the LSD shouldn't be more than $50, and $10 should cover miscellaneous bolts here and there that I know I'll need.
The 4.10 LSD is going for sale straight after the swap as well, so if you're looking for one and have the patience/need to save up cash, hold tight!




Also, if anyone is looking to upgrade to a Z3 1.9 SSK (Which I HIGHLY recommend), you can make your own for less than $80 if you piece it together yourself separately. You can get that and all the bushings to refresh everything for less than $90 depending on what you want to buy new!

Below is a list of what I bought and from where for the best prices:

Pelican Parts
25 11 1 220 439 - Yellow Plastic Connector Rod Washer $1.25 x2 (I bought 3 because these can break easy if not careful and they're super cheap. why not?)
25 11 1 469 397 - Shift Lever Bushing $5.00
25 11 7 501 309 - Shift Linkage Gear Selector Knuckle $15.25 (Not needed if yours is in good condition, mine was destroyed and buying one from anywhere else besides Pelican Parts is $$$)

Blunttech
25 11 1 434 148 - Z3 1.9/2.5 Shift Lever $56.67
25 11 7 571 889 - Circlip $1.18 x2 (I bought 2 since old ones are reusable if you accidentally break a new one somehow)

Garagistic
Derlin Shift Linkage Transmission Bushing $16.09







Progress and Cool stuff?
The people have spoken

[cmcgrogan]

god i cant wait to do a 5 speed swap in my car. almost have everything i need.

[stoja e30]

Yeah man!

I've done it before, so I should be good to go. I think I've read and reread the strictlyeta and Yoshi's write up 20+ times by now haha

yea ive read it a couple as well. just discovered i have the 2.7i set up ready to rebuilt:) next project

[WhorifyingHunty]

My car came with a 5-speed but .. connected to an m10 :/

[JinormusJ]

M10 power never sours

OFFICIALLY BEAT

Spent all of 3 hours today and all day yesterday running around the yards and house doing stuff for the swap/e30.

My transmission didn't have an output flange, but luckily a friend and I went uarding together and found a 5-speed with a flange that was ripe or the picking. We had to grind down a 30mm deep socket to fit in the tight clearances for the output lock nut, and on top of that, jam a huge beam into the pistons of the engine to stop the crank/tranny from moving so that I could put enough torque down to break the nut loose

20 minutes of WD-40 soak and 15 minutes of using my leg on a breaker bar; success

Spent 3 hours today cleaning the disgustingly dirty tranny. Aswell as replacing my output seal and slipping on the output flange and torquing down to 25 ft/m. Got most of the crud off, and put all my parts together (Garagistic pushing a, z3 shift kit, random bolts and nuts).

Redline 75w90 came in the mail for my 3.73 and Valvoline Dexron III ATF for the tranny (it has a red label).

Soldered up a crack in the reverse light wiring and got it ready to go

Also wired up some e36 switches the other night
Tomorrow I will be modding an early console to fit the e36 switches; still debating if I want to do this again, or delete the window breaker (wiring the wires together permenantly) completely.




Sorry, No pictures, so try to use your imagination
I was incredibly dirty, sue me

[benyen soljax]

Old one out and new one in in the same day?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[JinormusJ]

That's how we did it last time

[IRON-E]

This is looking very promising Joey, I like the progress.

[JinormusJ]

I hope it does

5-Speed swap in T-Minus: 1 day, 20 hours, 30 minutes

[JinormusJ]

5-speed swap done. Using this guide:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpost.php?p=2677948&postcount=15

I was able to make my swap plug and play. Cruise works, and after making a custom wire harness (the stock one broke) for my reverse light switch, Back-Up lights work too.

Replaced rear transmission seal with Elring
DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE
Barring previous warnings about this seal I bought this anyway, and now my rear seal is still leaking 10-20 drops every trip. Ended up buying a new OEM dealer one, and a rear shifter shaft seal from BMW for $35. I know, its a lot, but its dealer parts and I've never heard anything go wrong with dealer tranny seals. Cant wait to toss this OE junk to the curb and drive this thing

Rear Tranny seal ordered
Shift Seal ordered
MT90 on its way too (Had 2/3 of a quart leftover from my last swap in the garage; just enough to get by by only ordering 1 new quart)


Looking for a local shop to do this work for me as I am not mechanically confident in this area, and would like to get it warrantied. Car is not being driven much in its current state, and is turning into the money pit so many e30s have known theirs to be

[JinormusJ]

5 speed swap pic dump
(Sorry about the pics, they're not mine!)



Getting her up and ready; at this point, just finished the diff swap to the 3.73 and was starting on the driveline




Old tranny coming off, bucket for excess ATF spillage, 6+ year old velcro Vans, awkwardly staring into the camera pictures of someone who is not me a-go
(I'm homeboy under the car)






Getting the exhaust off (OP welded the catback to the fore-pipe, so I had to take it off and pit it back on as a whole unit! UGH!)




Admiration by Beats?




Pedal Box check
clutch fluid check
clutch hydralics check
war-paint, check




The peice de resistance




And a completed tool box
(Just need an e34 tow hook)




Slowly but surely...