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Starting M54b30 > E30 swap looking for right motor & harness

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    Starting M54b30 > E30 swap looking for right motor & harness

    Hi all

    I'm gathering info and parts for a swap and trying to educate myself about souring the motor itself. I plan to use the G260 and run the factory ECU with flash, adapter harness etc.

    I've read the sticky and several other threads where the 2001/2002 530i or X5 is recommended as a donor for the length of the harness. I have done a lot of motor work in my past but never purchased a motor from junkyard etc. I do not have the space for a donor vehicle and often see long motors being sold without the harness. Please help me understand - is it greatly preferably to get a motor + harness from one of the above vehicles or can I shop for more or less any manual trans M54b30 equipped car to find the best motor, the source the ECU/harness separately?

    Places to look (besides CL, carpart, ebay) ?

    Appreciate the help

    #2
    My m54 came out of an e39 and the wiring is long enough to place the ECU inside the cabin. You only need the engine wiring loom, something you could buy seperately. But it's nice if it's already there.

    Why buy a manual car and use the g260? The transmission of the m54 is stronger than the e30 one.

    You can also buy an automatic car and remove the trans ecu with all it's wiring. (Something I did)
    M54B30 E30 build:
    https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/sho...d.php?t=426585

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      #3
      My intent is to reuse the G260 from my E30 because its there, its healthy and it simplifies things a bit.

      I am looking for guidance on sourcing the M54 - you are saying that automatic donor cars (which i presume are more common in the USA) are usable after trimming the harness?

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        #4
        Originally posted by r-mm View Post
        My intent is to reuse the G260 from my E30 because its there, its healthy and it simplifies things a bit.

        I am looking for guidance on sourcing the M54 - you are saying that automatic donor cars (which i presume are more common in the USA) are usable after trimming the harness?
        I don't think that using a g260 is more simple than using a zf320 but it's a matter of taste.
        Yes I used the engine and wiring of an automatic European e39 530i, and it works fine.
        Last edited by maxpostma; 02-19-2019, 03:23 PM.
        M54B30 E30 build:
        https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/sho...d.php?t=426585

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          #5
          If you're using your g260 and flywheel, then an auto donor with a 330 in it is fine.

          I am using an auto car with blown trans- whole thing set me back $1300,
          but that included a full manual swap, which I plan to use (I like the 320, and need
          all the 260s I can get for the race car)

          A whole donor makes things a LOT easier in that you have everything (pretty much)
          that you need in one place. It makes it harder in that you get to dispose of the
          remains when you're done. Me, I just dig a hole out back...

          t
          hasn't gotten very far with his yet. Lots of parts cars, tho.
          now, sometimes I just mess with people. It's more entertaining that way. george graves

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            #6
            Sourcing a harness from an e39/X5 or the z3 is a bit easier for the e30 chassis because of the length. However, the mounting of e46 harness can be tweaked a little bit and achieve the same result in the end. With my harnesses, I have a link which can assist in making the e46 harness work for the e30 chassis.
            Also, yes, an auto harness can be used without trimming anything.
            PNP Adapter Harness Wiring for M52TU, M54, S54, M60, M62, M62TU, S62, M50, S50, M52, S52 & MORE

            sigpic

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              #7
              Only the main harness has to come from a 5 series. The injector harness and the o2 sensors /relays/fuses harness from an E46 work great. The later e46 run ms45 which is the same except they have wide band o2 sensors. You’ll want the earlier ms43 with regular o2 sensor (connector is circular)

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