some 325i questions

[fastcarz464]

i am currently stripping a 1988 325i se auto and using the engine and diff to put into my 318i cab. i was emptying the bood and found on the passenger side in the boot there is some sort of box, very similar to the ecu, also, i will have to do the engine loom myself, so i took a look at the wireing in the engine bay and it looks complicated, is there a website with some help tips on doing the 318 to 325i converstion?cheers!

[E30Mark]

The box inside the boot on the n/s will be for the check control, it's wired to the rear lights and monitors their status.

Your probably going to have to learn by experience! take a few photo's before you go ripping everything out, should make the swap a whole lot easier.

Best of luck

[fastcarz464]

cheers mark, thats a good idea, i will take photos of everything before it gets taken out, ive never done something like this before as im only 19 and still learning, but ive managed to do a full install in my car myself including installing tvs in my headrests which was not too hard to do!

carnt wait till this 2.5 goes in my car, i took the doner car for a spin and used the sports mode and kickdown on the auto box, suprised me on how quick it was! cheers!

[Andy335Touring]

Is the auto box brain in the boot ?

[fastcarz464]

i dont know, it looks larger than a ecu i think, was just curious to see what it is, cheers guys!

[MONSPORT42]

Autos have a separate ECU situated in boot nearside inner wing. Connected by a multi pin plug. Should have a carpeted shaped panel over it.

[A1BMW325iSport]

yeah thats the auto ecu,

as you remove the loom label anything your not sure about to save confusion later on.

feel free to drop me a PM if you get stuck at any point swapping the looms over.

Matt

[William]

hi fastcarz, whats your insurance deal, who are you with and what are they stinging you before/after the swap?

[fastcarz464]

im not swapping the looms over, my car is a 92 318i convertible and i have bought a 88 325ise auto as a doner car, i am taking both cars to a garage and the 325i engine is going to be dropped in my cab and i am buying a early 325i sport gearbox, propshaft and LSD, the garage agreed to put all that in but not do the engine loom, so ive agreed, when all the 2.5 stuff is in my car, it will be transported to my house where i will do the engine loom, i was just curious about the box in the back, i wont be using the auto box so its no use to me,

if i get stuck, i will take sum pics and put them up on here, cheers guys!

[Brianmoooore]

The engine loom can be left attached to the engine. All you will have to do then is plug in the C101 connector and feed the ECU plug through the bulkhead to it's home above the steering column.

[Adam318i]

I want to do a 318i to 2.5 conversion aswell, just wondering can you keep the 318i exsuast because ive got a nice S/S half system?

Also are you upgrading the brakes at all, or do cabs already come with discs because of the extra weight?

How much is the garage charging?

Also let me know how you get on mate,

Cheers Adam

[fastcarz464]

William, i am on my uncles traders policy, im paying my uncle 900 a year to be put on, so it wont affect my insurance when i do the conversion, im sure if you ring up your insurance they wont be too bad if you have some no claims bonuses, just make sure you change the brakes/suspention over,

Adam318i, i carnt keep the exhaust im afraid, i have a really nice exhaust at the moment but it has to go when the 325 goes in,
i have drilled/grooved disc brakes all round (my cab came with solid disc brakes as standard), u might need to upgrade your suspention, i have Koni adjustables all round and according to karan, it should be ok with this setup, if not ill just upgrade later,

Garage is charging 250 to put the engine, gearbox, diff and prop so ill be left with doing the electrics,

thanks for the advice brianmooore, sound to easy to be true, ill make sure i tell them to leave the wireing on the engine when they put it in.

cheers guys!

[William]

well done mate, if you can do that then go for it. I insure myself and Norwich Union will have none of that, won't let you do any engine mods at all, incase you don't do the brakes/suspension properly. seems shit to me - if you declare you have also upgraded the running gear to manufacturer's spec for that engine, I can't see the problem, but they can. So its a no go for me, just a replaement car when im 21 with a 2.5 already in there! cant wait....

[fastcarz464]

william, u should ring around, im sure it might be cheaper to convert your car to a 325i and some insureres might give u a cheaper quote on a converted 318i than a proper 325i cab, not sure on this tho, cheers!