E30 Zone

Hi Guys,
Just wondering, has anyone fitted a 2.5tds engine and g/box to an E30? With the high cost of petrol and the better fuel economy of the diesel I'm seroiusly considering a swap.
Keep well,
Torq

The higher cost of diesel has negated the savings over petrol at the moment.....

i run a E30 325i and a E36 325td......

kam-325i wrote:The higher cost of diesel has negated the savings over petrol at the moment.....

i run a E30 325i and a E36 325td......

Not over here in Ireland! Diesel is around 93c per litre and petrol 103c. A donor '94 525tds can be picked up for €400 or €500.
Keep well,
Torq

This has been discussed before so a search wouldn't go amiss.
A guy with username EKO looked into it.
2.5tds engine M20 gearbox and 3.64/3.25 diff. E34/E36 diff doesn't go without a lot of work I'm told. Engine is based on an M50 steel block so engine mounts would be similar to those conversions. . . low pressure diesel supply required to the engine, turbo possibly hitting inner wing??

I'd imagine the cost of the swap would take a while to balance out the money you'd be saving on fuel.

probably 100k, but if you're on red or chip fat

just do it, the engine will go in. e36 tds engine mountings, e34 sump. the diesel engine sits horizontal too so plenty room for turbo. i love the sound of these engines and they can make plenty of torque with a remap.

Hi Guys,
thanks or the replies, searched this site and I googled the life out of it but have found next to no info out there, will do a search for EKO's posts. I'm doing 130 miles a day 3 days a week and it's costing me around €17 a day in petrol so any saving would be great. I like a challenge so getting it to fit would be a bit of fun, and I love my E30 so want to keep the car. I was concerned about the sump but thanks Baptie0 think you have sorted that for me, my next issue might be the steering linkage but we'll see how that go's.
Keep well,
Torq

lpg?

Jon_Bmw wrote:lpg?

Nope, almost non existent here since the 70's! Nearest garage is 35 miles away in the wrong direction.
Keep well,
Torq

i say convert it to Methanol and run a MASSIVE turbo on it!

Chris.

engine swaps tds conversion

Torq wrote:

Jon_Bmw wrote:lpg?

Nope, almost non existent here since the 70's! Nearest garage is 35 miles away in the wrong direction.

Is that general, or just where you are? We've been thinking about coming over, but if LPG is hard to get hold of we may think twice - unless the Pound goes back up in comparison to the Euro.

StuBeeDoo wrote:

Torq wrote:

Jon_Bmw wrote:lpg?

Nope, almost non existent here since the 70's! Nearest garage is 35 miles away in the wrong direction.

Is that general, or just where you are? We've been thinking about coming over, but if LPG is hard to get hold of we may think twice - unless the Pound goes back up in comparison to the Euro.

I dont know anywhere in dublin that sells lpg, never seen it advertised.

StuBeeDoo wrote:

Torq wrote:

Jon_Bmw wrote:lpg?

Nope, almost non existent here since the 70's! Nearest garage is 35 miles away in the wrong direction.

Is that general, or just where you are? We've been thinking about coming over, but if LPG is hard to get hold of we may think twice - unless the Pound goes back up in comparison to the Euro.

Hi
heres a link that'll answer your question
http://www.ilpga.ie/outlets.htm
Keep well,
Torq

hi, didn t bmw make a E30 diesel? the 324td?

Torq wrote:Hi Guys,
I'm doing 130 miles a day 3 days a week and it's costing me around €17 a day in petrol so any saving would be great.
Torq

If you're doing those kind of miles in a 20 year old car then petrol costs are soon going to be the least of your concern.

h7fal wrote:If you're doing those kind of miles in a 20 year old car then petrol costs are soon going to be the least of your concern.

Care to expand on that statement?

StuBeeDoo wrote: hi, didn t bmw make a E30 diesel? the 324td?

As far as I know they weren't sold here and the engine is not supposed to be that great.

h7fal wrote: If you're doing those kind of miles in a 20 year old car then petrol costs are soon going to be the least of your concern.

Well, it's got 110k on the clock, new brakes and tyres all round. Suspension and steering are spot on. Should be good for another 30k at least, fingers crossed!!
Keep well,
Torq

Torq wrote:Well, it's got 110k on the clock

So by rights it's got at least another 140k in it.

yeah think your right about not being sold there, im in france so see them all the time, but if bmw fitted a diesel engine as standard surely it wouldnt be that hard a conversion?

My point is that 20k miles annually is quite high for any car, let alone one that is full of 20 year old parts. Quite simply the replacement of many of these parts will be accelerated by the high mileage.

h7fal wrote:My point is that 20k miles annually is quite high for any car, let alone one that is full of 20 year old parts. Quite simply the replacement of many of these parts will be accelerated by the high mileage.

You are obviously not very conversant with BMW engineering!

Ha Ha, ok Mr Moooore I bow to your superior knowledge. I only speak from my own experience when I drove a 320i into the ground buying at 110k and scrapping at 170k after 3 years ownership in the late nineties. Can't remember the details but the driveshaft broke, various suspension items, servicing every 6k, radiator broke, heater matrix went, ECU needed replacement....the list went on. Thing is the car had a full BMW service history as well.

there is a guy on either passionford.com or driftworks, putting a 6cyl marine diesel engine into his e30 and last i saw it was nearly finished! looks good too. i will try and find it tomorrow and get the link

Alan31625 wrote:there is a guy on either passionford.com or driftworks, putting a 6cyl marine diesel engine into his e30 and last i saw it was nearly finished! looks good too. i will try and find it tomorrow and get the link

He's on here too mate, username 336tdse.

Here's his build thread -

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... highlight=

Good luck with the conversion Torq, keep us updated with pics!

Cheers,
Dink

And another vid of the 3.6 monster

Hi Guys,
that's one crazy machine!! When marine diesel was first mentioned last night I was expecting some crappy perkins engined jobber but that's something else! It'll be a while before my project kicks off I'm just looking into the feasability of it and my good wife would like the spare van and astra gone from outside the house before i start. Luckily we live in the last house in a cul de sac so neighbours aren't an issue.
I was in a local breakers at the weekend and there was a rolled 530d looking to donate it's organs and a couple of miles away in another yard theres a 635 stripped to a rolling shell and another idea started to form.....
Keep well,
Torq

i can read your mind! go for it!