E36 2.8 conversion

[riklusby]

Hi guys, ive just found an E36 328i coupe thats breaking for parts close to where i live, how easy is the conversion and what would be a fair price for all the parts needed off the donor car ?? did a search but not knowing the engine type hinders it slightly and for some reason after ive looked at an entry i have to start a new search !!

[bigdek]

same as the m50 swap

[riklusby]

does that mean headaches with brake servo etc ??

[bigdek]

only small ones though

[riklusby]

Have to find out what he wants for the car first, fancy some headaches dek

[DanThe]

only small ones though

Nothing compared to yours eh Dek

[jmc330i]

same as the m50 swap

Except the extra wiring for the EWS system. You will need the ECU, EWS module and ignition key from the car (and the antenna loop and loom etc).

Other than that its pretty much the same as an M50 swap. You will need the sump and oil pick up pipe from an E34 M50 engine to fit the E36 engine to an E30.

[Brianmoooore]

Engine is M52B28, and fitting is exactly the same as the M50, with the minor additional electrical problem of EWS.
One advantage of the M52 is that you get a tubular exhaust manifold to modify, instead of the M50 cast one.
Consider changing the inlet manifold for a M50 one to unlock an extra potential 30 bhp.

[riklusby]

Im getting the engine for 400 quid, but there is no key and no MAF, ive been reading about the conversion and looking for the parts, a lot of people say the MAF from E36 323i will fit ??? is this true, and according to what i have read so far, if you use a 2mm spacer on the original E36 exhaust side mount and the intake side mount from an E36 m3 and the master cylinder from an E30 325ix then it slots in no problem utilizing the gearbox, gear linkage, driveshaft diff etc from the E30 325i ?? can anyone verify this pls

[jmc330i]

Im getting the engine for 400 quid, but there is no key

Be careful. Without the matching ignition key, ECU and EWS module from one car, the engine will not run.

according to what i have read so far, if you use a 2mm spacer on the original E36 exhaust side mount and the intake side mount from an E36 m3 and the master cylinder from an E30 325ix then it slots in no problem utilizing the gearbox, gear linkage, driveshaft diff etc from the E30 325i ?? can anyone verify this pls

From a US site?

The E30 325i gearbox can be used, but the box is rotated slightly meaning you need to mod the gearlinkage and gearbox mount. Maybe using the spacer and different engine mounts helps this problem, but I doubt anyone in this country has tried that.

When you say "the master cylinder from an E30 325ix", you probably mean the brake servo as its the servo that gets in the way of the inlet plenum - easily solved with the VW servos.

[Jhonno]

£400 without maf or keys etc isnt a bargain, or even a decent price imo. the hassle of sorting those issues are quite large

[old_skool]

Consider changing the inlet manifold for a M50 one to unlock an extra potential 30 bhp.

Really? Wow, I didn't realise that! Would you need to make any other "considerations" to the running of this engine if you did that?

This must be a popular mod with the E36 boys then!

[Brianmoooore]

This must be a popular mod with the E36 boys then!

It is! 2.8 engine, as it comes, produces the same power as the 2.5. This is done by strangling it with a very restrictive inlet manifold.
192 (bhp) X 2.8/2.5 =215 bhp.
Needs a chip for the ECU as well to provide more suitable fueling.

[riklusby]

Thanks for the advice guys, i think ill let this one go and keep saving

just goes to show, not everything cheap is a bargain !!

[gorgeee]

is this m52 engine double vanos then?

[stonesie]

No its just the inlet cam (single vanos), IIRC its the later (M54??) engines in the E46 and the S50 B32 that use the double vanos.

[gorgeee]

cool i got a spare head for 1 of these if anyone knows what its worth cause after reading this im keeping the bottom end either for my m50 or my m20

got no idea what the heads worth?

[waynie325]

you can fit the dash board in aswell. it saves alot of messing about later getting things to fit.

[DanThe]

How is fitting a dash going to benefit an engine conversion?

[m-dtech]

How is fitting a dash going to benefit an engine conversion?

suppose if you took dash and whole loom ???

[dasparkybad]

I have done this conversion myself but used e28 m535 engine mounts and the 328 gearbox and prop with a e28 525e diff 3.08 i think.
The ews set up came from a 318 is (ews,antenna,key) it just has to be aligned too the e.c.u with a laptop carsoft ect.
The 325 gearbox will fit on the back of the m52 but is tilted through about 20 degrees i did not want to mess about fabricating mountings and the 328 gearbox is a far better unit than the 325 one anyway i fitted this to a 328 propshaft which fits the e30 perfectly if you use the e30 center bearing
i changed the brake servo for a golf one and this give me about 25mm clearance on the m52 manifold i am soon changing this for an m50 one that sits at a different angle so should then have a bit more clearance
fitting an e30 with an e36 dash and wiring loom would take longer than the engine conversion many differences that need taking care of
differences in electric windows/central locking ect would give you some headaches if you are not electricly minded never mind locating the fuse box and various modules that are fitted to an e36
i have been driving with my m52 conversion for about 6 months now and love it to bits it is proving to be fairly reliable and better on fuel than the m20 it replaced