3.5 from a 735i into my e30 325i

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sedge
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:32 am

i have just bought a 735i as a donner to convert my e30 into a 3.5 i wasw just wondering if any1 out there had any info on this with regards to mounts, wiring, and will i be able to fit my e30 gearbox to it???

If you could give me any info it would be a great help,,,
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:51 am

been done heaps mate..... Do a search for m30 conversions
and also look in engine swaps and forced induction forum
leeparkes
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:15 am

Have a read through this

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ic&t=98093

Im also in the process of the swap

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=129516

Its a simple swap but your E30 gearbox wont fit,you will need one off an M30 or an M10

you can get the mounts off beefy on here,still waiting for mine to come :?

Good luck with it!
Cypriotgeeza wrote:I done both my mates in my old 318is
felt so proud,even tried it with a E30 325i and got put in my place.. :o:
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:08 am

Moved to the engine swaps section. :thumb:

Have a look at the links above & feel free to come back with any questions!
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:09 pm

quite straight forward mate, shouldnt give you any grief
MJJ_ZX6RR
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:01 pm

I've got an already converted cabby with E32 735i lump and autobox in it.

I am having a few little dramas with the EML fly by wire throttle (which your donor may, or may not have), and I would suggest keeping the E32 dashboard for a while - I currently believe the missing EML light and dot matrix display are causing limphome type symptoms.

Have fun with the conversion. I reckon the E30 engine bay just looks so right with an M30 in it.

Martin.
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leeparkes
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 3:23 pm

What year is the donor car?
Cypriotgeeza wrote:I done both my mates in my old 318is
felt so proud,even tried it with a E30 325i and got put in my place.. :o:
ImysE30
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:24 pm

So am i right in saying the E32 and the E34 engine set up is the same? No need to get parts from an E34?
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leeparkes
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:28 pm

ImysE30 wrote:So am i right in saying the E32 and the E34 engine set up is the same? No need to get parts from an E34?
Manifolds are slightly different and i think thats it
Cypriotgeeza wrote:I done both my mates in my old 318is
felt so proud,even tried it with a E30 325i and got put in my place.. :o:
ImysE30
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:34 pm

leeparkes wrote:
ImysE30 wrote:So am i right in saying the E32 and the E34 engine set up is the same? No need to get parts from an E34?
Manifolds are slightly different and i think thats it
Was asking in relation to the M50swap as you need to get parts from the E34 if you have E36 doner car.

There is a 735 auto near me for sale, low mileage as well winkeye
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:34 pm

leeparkes wrote:
ImysE30 wrote:So am i right in saying the E32 and the E34 engine set up is the same? No need to get parts from an E34?
Manifolds are slightly different and i think thats it
depending on your plan, you'll need a E34 or E28 radiator or similar. the mint one in my E32 735i donor was too wide to fit between the chassis legs

other than that and the manifold it's all the same
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leeparkes
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:42 pm

Isnt there an issue with the auto TPS,it sits higher than the manual one
Cypriotgeeza wrote:I done both my mates in my old 318is
felt so proud,even tried it with a E30 325i and got put in my place.. :o:
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:50 pm

oh yeah :) mine was just rubbing the bonnet so i swapped it for a manual one.
The auto one has more connections as it controls the auto gearbox kickdown afaik, but you can just reattach the wires you need for the manual one. a soldering job as the connectors are different.
in fact, it's the connector that causes the clearance issue in the first place
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MJJ_ZX6RR
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:04 pm

gareth wrote: the mint radiator in my E32 735i donor was too wide to fit between the chassis legs
Interesting, the OEM BMW E32 aircon rad fits fine in my cabby ....

The auto TPS does hit the bonnet on mine too, need to investigate a way of lowering it slightly.

Martin
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gareth
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:22 pm

strange... my donor was a 1988 735i auto!
the rad would fit if the end tank was 'necked' like the E28 one i have is. the core is the same size
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Post Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:07 pm

E28 m535i rad and it has the blanks to fit a switch in it too. I'm on position 2 at the moment but I will be changing to position 3 very soon. Get your mounts from beefy as they are spot on.
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Post Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:30 pm

thanks for all the advice,, a friend of mine has has just bought a 535i sport and am wondering if am better off buying the engine complete with manual gearbox off him,, as he is breaking the car,,
thank you all!
leeparkes
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Post Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:51 pm

sedge wrote:a friend of mine has has just bought a 535i sport and am wondering if am better off buying the engine complete with manual gearbox off him,
Better idea^
Cypriotgeeza wrote:I done both my mates in my old 318is
felt so proud,even tried it with a E30 325i and got put in my place.. :o:
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Post Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:05 pm

MJJ_ZX6RR wrote:I've got an already converted cabby with E32 735i lump and autobox in it.

I am having a few little dramas with the EML fly by wire throttle (which your donor may, or may not have), and I would suggest keeping the E32 dashboard for a while - I currently believe the missing EML light and dot matrix display are causing limphome type symptoms.

Have fun with the conversion. I reckon the E30 engine bay just looks so right with an M30 in it.

Martin.
Whats the car like with the auto box mate.
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Post Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:35 pm

Security2U wrote:
MJJ_ZX6RR wrote:I've got an already converted cabby with E32 735i lump and autobox in it.
Whats the car like with the auto box mate.
I like it, but I use the car for sunny cruising with the children in the back - the auto suits it perfectly. A manual would be much more fun to powerslide everywhere, I am sure, but being now in my late 30s, that does not really hold the same attraction any more.

If I was starting from scratch, I think I'd do manual next time but I like the auto enough to keep it as it is.

Martin.
ps: With the benefit of hindsight, I think the E32 735i fly by wire throttle (BMW call this EML) is more of a pain than the autobox. The fact that there is no cable link between throttle pedal and throttle body means that you are at the mercy of ECU emissions programming.
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Post Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:55 pm

MJJ_ZX6RR wrote:
Security2U wrote:
MJJ_ZX6RR wrote:I've got an already converted cabby with E32 735i lump and autobox in it.
Whats the car like with the auto box mate.
I like it, but I use the car for sunny cruising with the children in the back - the auto suits it perfectly. A manual would be much more fun to powerslide everywhere, I am sure, but being now in my late 30s, that does not really hold the same attraction any more.

If I was starting from scratch, I think I'd do manual next time but I like the auto enough to keep it as it is.
Is there much more work geting a auto to fit over a manual box.?.
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Post Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:13 pm

Security2U wrote:
MJJ_ZX6RR wrote:[Is there much more work geting a auto to fit over a manual box.?.
I am no expert, but I imagine clutch, flywheel, pedal box, clutch hydraulics, and the possible difference in ECUs would worry me.

Saying that, Fritz's Bits quoted me £700 fitted including new clutch and hydraulics, so I imagine it is not an impossible job.

Martin.
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Post Tue Apr 28, 2009 3:52 pm

It's the easiet swap out of all of them, as long as you have ALL the parts b4 u start.
Good luck with it, you'll love it.

Lee, I was waiting 4 weeks b4 i got mine delivered from Beefy. :cool:
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Post Sun May 17, 2009 4:44 pm

right well am going with the engine out of the 735,,, will an e28 dogleg gearbox fit ok with a e34 535 flywheel???

and another quick one,, what postion mounting brackets should i go for???
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Post Sun May 17, 2009 5:23 pm

Position 3 is what you got to go for.
The other 2 positions will push the engin forward and will alter weight distribution and also no rad will fit unless you have one made to go into the front panel.

535 fly should be ok. :cool:
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Post Sun May 17, 2009 7:56 pm

an E28 535i rad will fit in position 2.
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Post Sun May 17, 2009 9:14 pm

Isn't that tight?????? or is it a few mm's of the dizzy
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Post Mon May 18, 2009 8:31 am

I was on p2 but going to refit in p3 for sure. the dizzy is about half a mm off the e28 rad in p2. So one sharpe stop and bye bye rad.

You will need the e28 fly wheel and the clutch to fit the dog leg.
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Post Mon May 18, 2009 7:02 pm

certainly is tight
redrilling between P2 and P3 is good i reckon. a bit more rad clearance on mine (but not a lot) and no bulkhead bashing
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