gifted engine

[xavier]

Someone has given me a free 323i motor and Auto box(I've got a 323i manual 1984). I will pull off all of the useful ancilaries and store them. I will advertise the autof for free if anyone wants it. The question is the head. Is the 323i head 325e combo a do able project, or will it require a Phd in spannering? I thought about building one up so that in the unlikely event of my old motor failing I could have it as a spare.

[Grrrmachine]

The bore on the 323i block is only 80mm, whereas the 325e head is 84mm, so you'll have some issues with the combustion chamber shape.

IIRC, both heads are the version 200 (not 731 or 885), so there's little benefit to be had in terms of valve throughput.

[pacerpete]

The bore on the 323i block is only 80mm, whereas the 325e head is 84mm, so you'll have some issues with the combustion chamber shape.

IIRC, both heads are the version 200 (not 731 or 885), so there's little benefit to be had in terms of valve throughput.

E30 323i has a 731 head and will work fine with 325e/ 525e pistons.

[Grrrmachine]

Cheers pete. Did the 200 head ever see action in an E30, or was it only an E21 thing?

[pacerpete]

Cheers pete. Did the 200 head ever see action in an E30, or was it only an E21 thing?

E21 scrap only. The E30 325e and E28 525e had a variant of the 200 casting but it was eta specific and not compatible with anything else.

[Grrrmachine]

Cheers for that. I've cleaned up the Wiki to make that a bit clearer.

For the OP, this is the guide on mating the 325e block to a 731 head:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... ding_a_2.7

Daimlerman wrote it, so he's the man to pester if you get stuck

[xavier]

Ok so it looks likes I can use the 323i head on an ETA block. The Wiki gives a few options. Back to my first Questions: does it require huge spannering skill?

[HairyScreech]

Not really, just care, attention and an if in doubt ask approach.