cosworth conversion

[markybumpit]

im after doing a cossie conversion into my 87 325i sport but need help on where to get the engine mounts prop shaft and instructions on how its done... i know people have done it before but cant find anything.

any help would be helpful

thanks

[Jon_Bmw]

Why convert a 6 pot rightness into a 4 pot wrongness!

Personally i would sell the sport for 3-5 grand, with that buy a 325 with a blown head and start there. Or better off leave the ford engine in a ford, or put it into a mk2 escort, that i would agree with.

Whatever floats your boat though, your car your money.

[markybumpit]

love the e30 shape, dont like the engine too much, would prefer a turbo. always wanted a cossie but dont like sierra's, and want rear wheel drive.

[Rearwheel_nick]

see people keep harping about 6pot wrongness, but with a 4pot up front the handling is miles better. i think dropping a YB in would be really cool, its been done on e36's before with success

[markybumpit]

thanks mate just tryin to find someone whos done one and peck there heads for info.. haha. whats yb stand for ?

[Rearwheel_nick]

YB is just the engine code, theres different variant of it YBT, YBB, YBG etc.

if you want big power, find an engine from a 4x4, (got the 200block, thick wall casting)

i havent done a cossie conversion and i dont know of one in an e30, but you cant go far wrong from just taking an engine out of an e30 and having a look at how its going to sit, size isnt an issue E30's can accomodate all sorts of engines. only thing i can think is height i havent a clue about how tall a Yb is.

think of it this way, get a cossie engine(yb) get the borwarner t5 box. and cram the bastards in. you gotta work out about mounting the engine, youl need a prop made up to go from back of T5 box to the e30 diff.

once its fitted (sounds easy saying it i have no idea what issues youll come across) you just have to wire it up. use the cosworth usual stuff. pectel. probably the simplest.

hope thats of some help. i mean its vague as i have no idea about fitting a yb to a e30 but you should definately go for it

[markybumpit]

definatly going to have a go, never done anything like this before thats why im posting help. is the borgwarner box a cossie one ? whats the differences ? and how hard would it be to wire one up ? pectel ? is that a standard or aftermarket ecu ? thanks again

[Rearwheel_nick]

borwarner T5 is the box rwd cossies came with, its a strong bastard.

pectel as far as i know is the management cossies came with, pectel is an aftermarket ecu maker but cosworths came with it from the factory. although i have a feeling some might have come with magnetti marelli.

really wish i could help with wiring the engine up, but like i said i have no idea about this conversion and wiring is a pet hate of mine anyway

you'll most likely need to fabricate up some mounts to attach the engine, i have no ideas about how the engine will sit on a e30 crossmember and if there is any issues with sump clearance or anything.

you'll also need an exhaust made up, hopefully the standard exhaust manifold won't fowl anything in the e30 engine bay.

trying to think of any other things that migh be a problem.
basically get an e30 take everythin out the engine bay, get a cosworth Yb and size the 2 up and lower the engine and box in and see how they are going to need joining together.

using the borgwarner T5 you will need to sort out gearbox mounts to.

not a clue about size differences between the borgwarner and the getrag box the e30's came with not sure if he transmission tunnel will accomodate the borgwarner, and you might need to cut the tunnel about a bit depending on placement of gearlever.

it can be done though, but like any engine swap from a different manufacturer certain things will need to be made. i think its a great idea personally though,

[markybumpit]

well just managed to get hold of some mounts and a modifyed crossmember for use with the yb engine into an e30, yey. just need to get an engine, box and others now... oh and maybe a donor 325isport with blown engine or summat. cheers for the help though.

[Sjoerd320i]

no sport mate!

just get a 325i with mtech kit or summit

[markybumpit]

why not a sport mate ? whats the differences ?

[markybumpit]

also what about a convertible ? is there much difference in weight? i wanna make mine quicker than a sapphire cossie.

[Rearwheel_nick]

just get any old e30, just get one with a decent shell and thats cheap, since your changing out the powerplant anyway,

sure it can be made faster than a sapphire cosworth. they are both rwd machines and youl both have cossie power.. however if you mean a 4wd sapphire then that might be more difficult since they have obviously way more traction off the line and be able to corner faster.

where did you get the modified crossmember and mounts from?

[markybumpit]

got them off a guy from here, cant remember his name but hey if they work buzzin. am lookin at a 318 will that do ? what about a cab ? are they wey heavy ?

[Jon_Bmw]

Personally i think the 318 might not be the right choice, yes you can get them for dirt cheap, but it won't have bigger discs, better suspension. I'm not sure if it has an anti-roll bar at the back?

Bearing in mid you are going to be putting 200bhp in it you really want to be able to stop and handle when you need to. As you also know most cossies are "claimed" to be 250+Bhp.

That considered a facelift 325 with a blown head or gasket would be dirt cheap, do a bit of work on the body if it needs it, take out the engine, ditch it and go from there. That way you'll have better brakes, suspension, arb's.

If you plan to change all of the above anyway then i can't see a reason why you can't use a 318, but more 325's break thats the only thing.

[markybumpit]

what about a 2.0i ? would that do ?

[Guest]

get on the phone to Zoom motorsport or Reyland

[Geeman]

nope... drums at the rear... you could really do with a broken 325 as it'll have all the brakes.

[markybumpit]

have you got the phone numbers for them ? in need of a cheap 325i then with a mint shell with broken engine.... anyone know anyone ?

[Rearwheel_nick]

id definately talk to zoom motorsport, i talked to john from zoom about it and he definately knows whats what when he comes to engine swaps he has put a cossie yb into an e36, so im sure he could put one in an e30 no problems

01564 794720 thats zoom motorsport number.

[gareth]

have a read through classic ford magazines... iirc the 2wd sapphire is the best donor. the entire engine loom can be connected on three or four wires on one connector. piece of piss!

it's the best one for mk1/2 escorts due to the simplicity so must make life easier.

[E30BeemerLad]

a useful forum that is full of nutters into mad engine swaps etc is the one for Practical Performance Car www.ppcmag.co.uk

It should be full of people who will have done plenty of engine swaps

You defo want a 325 as the car for the better suspension and brakes. Consider a touring? Be different, oh and closer to 50/50 weight distribution, certainly will be with only a 4 pot up front

[markybumpit]

what the loom can be connected from a sapphire cos to an e30 325i with 3 wires ? which ones ? oh and dont like tourers sorry. so a cos engine would be less weight ? what would the car weigh then ? dont know what they are standard.

[Rearwheel_nick]

not necesarily less weight, but better weight distribution, as the 6cylinder bmws have more engine weight ahead of the front axle which equates to not so great turn in, compared to a short engine (4cylinder) where more of the weight is further back.

[markybumpit]

hey peeps going picking up my cosworth running gear tomoz and also a 3.33.1 m3 rear diff. yey its all lookin good for the cab after all. dont know how long its gonna take me as im doin it myself. any help would be great.

[markybumpit]

sorry the diff is 3.25.1... if there is a big difference. anyway,so ive got it all. just gotta get round to fitting it all. lol should be fun.

[markybumpit]

hey peeps check this cossie engine in a e30 ??

[Jon_Bmw]

Still a bit criminal in my eyes, but good effort, how are you mounting it, are there three mounts, my experience with cossies is well none.

Custom mounts i'm sure but how are you making them, self fabrication or getting someone else to make them up?

Was there any clearence issues at all, gearbox tunnel??

[glenbat]

go for it marky! i had a 360bhp saph but sold it to move house
Aint a day goes past when i dont miss the action
Let us know when she's finished, I'll try and load up a pic of my ex...

[glenbat]

cue dagenham dustbin jokes...

[markybumpit]

thats a nice cossie mate, just never liked the sierra shape or i would have just got one of those, plus i wanna be the 1st to put a cossie engine into a e30 cab.

[Eddiejt2]

I do know of an E30 with a YB engine. It was featured in Revs (when it was a decent mag) YEARS ago. A white one IIRC, think it may have had M3 arches too, or may have originally been an M3.

So it can, and has been done.

[glenbat]

There was an E30, black i think with a turbo'd YB lump in it about 10rs ago, was in the running for car of the year in Max Power (it was quite a cool mag when you was 16!!)
looked the nuts if i remember....

cheers marky, she was cover girl for Performance Ford couple of yrs ago

[markybumpit]

does anyone know the weight of a standard 325i and a 320i cab ? my cabs got a 6 pot 2ltr i with rear discs and antiroll bar. it also came with spax psx ajustable dampers and spax lowering springs, oh yeah ive put my 18s on it but it rubs on the drivers side rear ? my 325i sport didnt ? does anyone know why ? cheers

[markybumpit]

could anyone help please