The Official Transmission Thread

[vtechnik]

Sorry if I'm about to beat a dead horse but I need to clarify before attempting a swap because my e30 is my daily driver and I want to make sure everything goes smooth over the weekend of the swap.

So, i have a 1988 325iS. I am going to buy a 1987 325e that is manual. If I take everything from the 325e from the flywheel to the driveline, the only things I need to be concerned about is:

- late model csb
- Use the dual mass flywheel and stock throwout bearing
- 325i clutch
- 325i shifter linkage
- leave the cps sensor in but just don't wire it up obviously
- 325e manual driveshaft
- stock 325e guibos

My questions would be:
1. Do i have my info on the dm flywheel and stock tob right?
2. Do I absolutely need to have 325i shifter linkage to drive around or is it recomended?
3. And a stupid question: can i put the manual pedal box in while the car is still auto? I hear the pedal box is one of the harder parts to do and I'd rather get it out of the way while the car is still driveable.

Any help is much appreciated, if anyone has done this exact late eta to late i manual swap please let me know. Hopefully its pretty straight forward.

[superj]

I think the shift linkage is just recommended because not all trans will take the newer style shift plate, from what I have read.

I have a few 86/87 325e and I am going to swap one from auto to stick but its same year cars so my swap won't really have any good info for you

the other stuff I don't know.

[vtechnik]

Alright, thanks for the help. From what I hear the shifter linkage is pretty easy to get to once the tranny is in the car anyway

[superj]

It was on my 89 325i. I could do some of the work from above (through shifter area) and some from under the car

[Sea Aych]

I would just like to add some information about the transmissions and figured this would be a good place to do it.

The "straight selector rod" (10) and "shift rod joint" (13) for the late G260 transmissions are different between <88 and 89<. My car is a 1990 325is Auto (production date 10/89) and I have a G260...1346.91 code on the side from a car with production date 12/88. The straight selector rod that came with the transmission has the arm that connects to the shift rod joint and eventually the transmission which is longer than the arm that connects the shifter to the whole system. I bought a replacement arm for the model year of my car (and not the one which the tranny came with) and it was incorrect.

To tack some more information on here:

If you've got that "early late" linkage, and a 1376 code on the side of the trans, you'll likely also have the boss for the crank sensors on the side of the bellhousing, as I did. They may or may not be drilled. This doesn't mean it's an ETA trans, just an "early late model 325i" trans. You'll then also have the straight selector rod as benyen has said

Just adding this because it confused the hell out of me when I was trying to figure out what was going on with my 5spd swap.

[captain confused]

sorry to bring up an old thread but i wanted to make note of correction on the OPs post and this is the official trans thread. The M3 shifter bracket that is mentioned to convert an early to a later style shifter mechanism is wrong. You cannot use that bracket. The bolt holes on the trans and the bracket do not line up at all. It probably could be done if someone welded up an additional bracket, but as a straight bolt up piece, it wont work.