Newbie Questions!

[Norledge]

Hi guys/girls!

I'm a bit new to the BMW world - grown up building trackday peugeots/jap crap!

Basically i've bought an E36 325 off a friend of mine - it's a 1996, and it has no back end - basically a total write off.

As i'm currently projectless, i've bought it off him for the value of the scrap (£120 ) to swap into an E30.

I've always wanted an E30 touring, so sure enough on Saturday i'm collecting an 1988 E30 318i Touring Lux - with tax and test for a princely £300!

2 + 2 = i want a 325 e30 tourer! After a bit of searching on here, the Engine swap seems simple with a few extras, but i'd like to know if anything else is worth transfering from the E36?

I'll be using the car for trackday, so handling is a priority. - Will the E36 have ARB's where the touring might not?? Are the rear brakes disc or drum on an 88 touring?? Which diff would be the best choice to use??

Thanks!

[Duke137]

The E36 has the M50 lump obviously

The diff ratio depends on what gear box you use, for example, E36 M50 box = low ratio diff (usually from an E30 M3 LSD) and if you use an E30 M42 (318is) box you can use a 3.64 from a 325i E30.

Your Touring will have rear drum trailing arms, if you want discs you will have to source from another E30 (325i or 318is), E36 is not transferrable as are pretty much all of the suspension parts, they are totally different. Not to mention 4 and 5 stud differences. Diffs are also non-interchangeable.

I think tourings have a rear anti-roll bar, I may stand corrected on that though

The other thing to take from the E36 is the steering rack, that has 3.2 turns approx lock to lock compared to the bus like 4 turns of the standard E30 rack.

Hope that helps

[Norledge]

Ok thanks for the reply - i guess with the suspension swaps i was hoping it'd be like the VAG world where everything interchanges!

So the current diff won't be suitable for the M50 engine?

What about front ARB's?? Standard on E30's?

[Duke137]

Ok thanks for the reply - i guess with the suspension swaps i was hoping it'd be like the VAG world where everything interchanges!

Sadly not between E36-E30 (unless its E36 compact where you can pinch the 5 lug trailing arms)

So the current diff won't be suitable for the M50 engine?

Your E30 will probably have too high a ratio as well as being a small case (not ideal), an E36 diff won't fit.

What about front ARB's?? Standard on E30's?

Front ARB's vary in diameter, 325i and 318is have a "thicker" larger diameter as far as I know, but all E30's have a front ARB of some sort

[Duke137]

In addition, there is some good info if you search on the E30wiki (tab at the top of the page) Explains the diff differences etc comprehensively

[Curr946]

The E36 has the M50 lump obviously


Your Touring will have rear drum trailing arms, if you want discs you will have to source from another E30 (325i or 318is),

sorry but this is wrong.....

ALL tourings have disc brakes front and rear the touring also benifits from the vented front discs and 51mm struts as standard

the touring will also have front and rear anti roll bars as standard

[Rav335uk]

The E36 has the M50 lump obviously


Your Touring will have rear drum trailing arms, if you want discs you will have to source from another E30 (325i or 318is),

sorry but this is wrong.....

ALL tourings have disc brakes front and rear the touring also benifits from the vented front discs and 51mm struts as standard

the touring will also have front and rear anti roll bars as standard

I was just going to reply the same thing

[Duke137]

Cool, didn't know that

Shame they didn't put rear discs on all E30's tbh

[Norledge]

ALL tourings have disc brakes front and rear the touring also benifits from the vented front discs and 51mm struts as standard

the touring will also have front and rear anti roll bars as standard

Is this 100%?

[Rav335uk]

Yes 100% on tourings, and ALL cabs too

[Curr946]

ALL tourings have disc brakes front and rear the touring also benifits from the vented front discs and 51mm struts as standard

the touring will also have front and rear anti roll bars as standard

Is this 100%?

yes even the 316i touring would have disc brakes front and rear plus vented front discs, 51mm front struts and front and rear anti roll bars. im sure the anti roll bars are the same as the 325i ones as well

[Norledge]

Perfect, just what i want to hear!!

Thanks a lot!

[Jhonno]

Engine/box/steering rack from the e36

3.25 or similar diff to suit.

Or engine from e36, with e30 iS box/prop/diff is another way round it.

[Norledge]

Bosh.

Got it now, already got the M50 engine out to start rebuilding.

But the rear ARB on the E30 is pathetic. Is there an easy upgrade from another model??