Late model coolant tank in early model car?

[haaken675]

Hey everyone. I think I can finally start my swap this weekend, and the last mechanical thing is the coolant expansion tank. Due to my car being turboed now, I purchased a late model tank to go with the z3m radiator as well. I am running into the issue of the main line going into the tank either running directly into brake lines from the abs module, or being blocked completely by the air box bracket. If I love it higher up to let the lime go through the bracket, I’m afraid the hooks won’t close...







Am I doing something wrong here?


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[haaken675]

And by start I do mean start up...the motor has been swapped in for months, lol


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[ZekeTheSneak]

This is a m42 318is? Did you weld in the bracket for the coolant bottle? 325s have the little bracket that's welded to the chassis just like the washer fluid bottle. It slides in on the bottom and snaps in up top. You might have to cut off the m42 intake box bracket.

[ForcedFirebird]

Looks like the tank is too far forward. That hose slips between the brake lines and inner fender well.

[haaken675]

This is a m42 318is? Did you weld in the bracket for the coolant bottle? 325s have the little bracket that's welded to the chassis just like the washer fluid bottle. It slides in on the bottom and snaps in up top. You might have to cut off the m42 intake box bracket.

It's a 325is. And I get that there needs to be a bracket, right now there is no way to route the hose without cutting out the factory air box bracket (which I am not apposed to).

Looks like the tank is too far forward. That hose slips between the brake lines and inner fender well.

Not sure what you are referring to as between the brake lines and fender well. I do agree that it's too far forward though. The thing is, if I move it back, it gets blocked by the air box bracket, or it goes so far back that there couldn't be a way to close the hood I wouldn't think.

I guess I'll just cut the bracket out since I don't need it anyways. I just would have thought that since the airbox is the same on all the cars (or at least I thought it was) that the coolant reservoir would fit without me having to cut it out.

[ForcedFirebird]

Between the bracket and brake lines. It fits. Don't have an easy way to post a pic, and there's over 10 e30's here today. :/

[haaken675]

So I am starting to think that someone might have replaced some of the brake lines at some point since they really aren't neatly organized like some pictures I have seen. That's probably why I have had a hard time trying to get the hose in between, or at least why it didn't seem like it wanted to go there.

I finally found a pretty clear pictures, and just like you said, that's where it should go...

[ZekeTheSneak]

Your break lines look normal to me. The m20 coolant line dives pretty hard and under that bracket. Then heads back toward the firewall and over to the middle of the engine.