Help!!!

Post Wed May 25, 2005 4:02 pm

I hope somebody can advise me here! Just machined the flywheel on my e34 m30 (335 conversion) and its fallen to bits! I cut through to the damping mechanism on the inside. What i want to know is does the e34 clutch work with the e28 flywheel as it doesnt seem to have any of this damping stuff? Ive got a new e34 clutch and i dont want to buy another one to fit on a lightened e28 flywheel. Should i just get another e34 flywheel and not lighten it? help!!

Post Wed May 25, 2005 4:23 pm

I think there pretty well balanced from the factory mate,thing is if you lighten it too far it either falls apart!

,or the engine can become quite lumpy and vibrating quite a lot at idle and low speed,its all to do with harmonics and technical stuff!

Post Wed May 25, 2005 4:27 pm

So I see

I was just wanting to lighten it a bit to liven it up a bit. Beginning to wish i never bothered

Im pretty sure the clutch isnt compatible with the e28 flywheel, ECPs part nos are different.

Post Wed May 25, 2005 4:31 pm

Have you tried asking at the local dealers parts dept,about the compatibility,as quite often aftermarket can have different part nos but be the same parts just for a different model mate

Post Wed May 25, 2005 4:38 pm

Whats the problem with the compatibilty,are they physically different sizes or just dont meet/sit properly?

You might end up having to use a the friction plate from one and the cover plate from the other

Post Wed May 25, 2005 5:19 pm

as you probably know the e28 flywheel goes on the e34 crank fine (i have e34 engine and box with e28 fly and clutch)

the only possible issue i can see is if the e34 flywheel is 'thicker' than the e28 one (i.e. the clutch face sits further away from the back of the engine) then the clutch housing might be incompatible with an e28 fly.

maybe take your clutch kit to GSF and ask to have a look at an m535i clutch kit to see if they're different? my local branch are very helpful with that sort of thing... make it look like you're going to buy their e28 kit if it looks different to yours?!

if you can use an e28 flywheel then you should be able to lighten it a fair bit, it's a hefty solid lump of metal!

and as for being lumpy and vibrating, that isn't really something to worry about, i ran my engine with effectively no flywheel (just the automatic box's ring gear which is 1-2kg) and it idled nicely... the manual e28 fly is 12kg-ish.

Post Thu May 26, 2005 8:03 am

I think goin by pictures ive seen, the e34 flywheel is thicker than the e28 one .Im gona phone ECPs and see if they will swap my e34 clutch for an e28 one, if they are different. If they will then the hunt is on for an e28 flywheel! If they wont then its another e34 one

Didnt like what you said about the fuel Toby

I was trying to kid myself that the higher gearing would help the keep the economy a bit.

Post Thu May 26, 2005 9:27 am

hope the mounts are ok dude,,....

is the lump in yet?

Post Thu May 26, 2005 10:46 am

Mounts look perfect matey

Kinda got a bit sidetracked from the 3.5 mission for a while. The lump isnt in yet as i need the transport at the mo to get around.Trying to buy a house and do a conversion at the same time is not advisable

Cant wait tho

Post Thu May 26, 2005 11:29 am

Ritchie wrote:I think goin by pictures ive seen, the e34 flywheel is thicker than the e28 one .Im gona phone ECPs and see if they will swap my e34 clutch for an e28 one, if they are different. If they will then the hunt is on for an e28 flywheel! If they wont then its another e34 one
Didnt like what you said about the fuel Toby I was trying to kid myself that the higher gearing would help the keep the economy a bit.

they'll swap it if you argue! but i wouldn't think it's a massive problem just to use a standard e34 fly if you can't swap for any reason.

what diff are you going to use to get high gearing? i have the standard e34 manual box and a 3.91 LSD which is why mine drinks a bit, only geared for around 140mph real speed. higher would be nicer (although it does get there fast!)

Post Thu May 26, 2005 11:58 am

Im just gona use my standard sport diff. Im assuming that 5th on the e34 box is higher than the 5th on my sport box. So i should have lower revs when cruising. It is a guess tho! How fast is your one? I know its hard to describe how quick a car is, 0-60 times dont really get across the feel of the thing. I was wanting to use an e28 flywheel so i can lighten it cos i think its a bit of a lazy lump and i wanted to make it a bit snappier. ECPs say that they will swap if i can find my invoice so does anybody have an e28 flywheel? I will post it in the wanted section.

Post Thu May 26, 2005 12:13 pm

u assume wrong dude....

ull need a 3.64 lsd.....

sport will be great round town but once ure on the mway

, as toby has said

Post Thu May 26, 2005 12:21 pm

find someone breaking a manual m535i on ebay, i got my flywheel from there for about a tenner. the e28 fly really doesn't need lightening, if you can have a go in mine or Andy's you'll agree, we both have standard m535i flywheels.

e34 box is the same ratios as a non-sport 325i box in a diferent casing if what i'm told is correct.

it doesn't really need a diff as low as mine, i never ever use 1st gear because it's pointless, the engine is too torquey and will pull 2nd (~max 50mph) like a first gear.

so effectively i only have a 4 gear car. still fast though!

if you're anywhere near leicester you're welcome to come and have a go in it to see what you think.

Post Thu May 26, 2005 1:06 pm

Thanks mate but im in Aberdeen, a bit of a trek from you! Ill try ebay for a flywheel tho. Ill probably leave my diff the way it is at the moment until i get everything up and running then ill see about changing it if i want to. Thanks for all the help guys. Again