E30 Zone

hi there,

you must get this topic posted all the time but im planning on putting a 318is engine into my E30, hopefully by buying a donor car and swapping the bits over

i was just wondering if the E36 engine gearbox and prop were the same as an E30 ?? or would it be easier to use an E30?? also does the E30 318 have rear discs??? id like to get rid of my 316 drums

thanks guys

Tom

The early E36 318is has the same engine, the M42. The later ones had an M44. As far as I know you can use the gearbox of the M40 (not sure though). If you can use the gearbox that's in your car, you won't need to change the prop.

The 318 has rear drum brakes. The 318IS and all the 325 has discs at the back.

anyone has any idea how much would a USED 318is engine (M42) in gd condition cost? + internation shipping cost?

TIA

RRRR wrote:anyone has any idea how much would a USED 318is engine (M42) in gd condition cost? + internation shipping cost?

TIA

You should pick up a very decent one for 300 or so. The shipping would be the issue. Where are you based.

oh right thanks murphy, so i can use my m40 gearbox in the M42 and M44 engine???

and can i put E36 rear discs and hubs on my car?

TomCropp wrote:and can i put E36 rear discs and hubs on my car?

Yes you can but it makes your track width different and changes bolt pattern to 5x120 in the rear.

So you should use e30 318is or 325 disc brakes also in the rear.

Seems to me like a pointless amount of work when you can pick up a fairly good iS for a fairly low price. It's not just the engine and rear brakes that make the iS different from a normal 318i.

GrindCulture wrote:Seems to me like a pointless amount of work when you can pick up a fairly good iS for a fairly low price. It's not just the engine and rear brakes that make the iS different from a normal 318i.

Ah,then it must be the famous galvanized body then....

I'm sorting out a M44/M42 hybrid in a 318is at the mo.

It's a slow project I've been tasked too.

It runs but I've not driven it, there's still a few bits to check before I go out for a blast.

The owners tell me it'll keep pace with a 325i and is even faster round the corners so I'm looking forward to it.

My only concern is the mass opinion on the M44 is that it's not very good, long stroke M42 when 42 was pretty good already.

There's a M42 lump @ Big Bavarian in Suffolk, it's up for sale for the right price.

HTH, Fozz.

daimlerman wrote:

GrindCulture wrote:Seems to me like a pointless amount of work when you can pick up a fairly good iS for a fairly low price. It's not just the engine and rear brakes that make the iS different from a normal 318i.

Ah,then it must be the famous galvanized body then....

Oh yes, that and the unmatched drag coefficient. I also heard they used diamond in the windows instead of glass as that was too fragile to withstand the wind at such high speeds.

I was referring to the longer front struts though.

My only concern is the mass opinion on the M44 is that it's not very good

Cast crank with only 4 counterweights compared to the M42s forged 8-weighted jobby and it uses followers between the valves and tappets compared to the M42s direct design. And like you say, the extra capacity is achieved by increasing the stroke and not the bore, killing the rev-happy attitude somewhat.

It's quite a neat conversion but I can't stop thinking it really needs a supercharger to finsh it off

I've not done much research as yet but I was thinking maybe use shorter rods or different pistons to get the CR down and stick a M62 SC up it, I know it'll be big for a 1.9 but would certainly get up and going pretty quick!

All theory as yet, need to convince the owners it's worth a punt.

Fozz.

Scruffymurphy wrote:

RRRR wrote:anyone has any idea how much would a USED 318is engine (M42) in gd condition cost? + internation shipping cost?

TIA

You should pick up a very decent one for 300 or so. The shipping would be the issue. Where are you based.

Sadly, I would need it shipped to Singapore (Southeast Asia) - seafreight is fine as I can wait.

This is stupid - how does an amateur tell if the engine is in gd condition?

Thks!

Convince them fozzy! - the Downing Atlanta s/c it for the m44 used the m62 blower, and that was good for 200bhp.

If you do it and it works, post up how it goes, cos I am looking into it towards xmas time