E30 Zone

Since the Tech1 sport is still being restored and it'll be a while till it's ready, Ive decided to put the recently rebuilt B25 lump into the 316 so that it can get ran in and so that I can have a bit of fun with it. And since I was off last week I decided to get on with it. So about 3pm last wednesday the swap began...



The B18 ready for the out...


And it's out, and a bit of a size difference when you see the B25 next to it...




An empty engine bay....




The plan was to knock off around 1am and get a lift home with a mate, but he never showed up. So with no transport home, my mate Perit and I just decided to bash on with it and get it finished. And by 06:30 it was done, diff swapped to the 3.64LSD, prop changed, engine in, fuel lines changed and added, fuel pump added to tank and wired up, coolant system installed and filled. It was ready to rock!!

So firstly we put a little oil down each bore and allowed to seep through the rings as the engine had not been fired since being rebuilt and has not turned for a couple of weeks. Next up, after about half an hour, the engine was turned over with the plugs out to check that we were getting Oil pressure, and sure thing, the light went out and it turned over nicely! So will it fire......plugs back in and............................................No!! So the Compression was checked, bang on 13psi ish, great, fuel pump was fine, but still nothing. So I left it there and went home for much needed sleep and some head scratching.

What actually happened, I couldn't have done this If I planned it, but I had the same problem as Trevor with his B27 white cab! The mounting bracket for the rotor arm was off by around 90degrees and it was pre firing, so once that was sorted, first turn of the key, spot on!!



This is how it is now...







well chuffed, running in nicely, just got to change the clocks as I've go the wrong coding chip and the one from the sport doesn't fit, and weld in the bracket for the coolant tank and the air box, but those can wait I'm having too much fun!!

Good to see you got it running!!

Still no clue what up with mine

Have you tried a different ECU, as mine broke a while back?? is it an 073??

hi mate im looking to do the exact same conversion on a 318 what parts do i need? do i NEED to change the suspension? and is there any wiring loom modifications or is it all just plug and play

thanks in advance, Fen

fen123 wrote:hi mate im looking to do the exact same conversion on a 318 what parts do i need? do i NEED to change the suspension? and is there any wiring loom modifications or is it all just plug and play

thanks in advance, Fen

With respect, we've already told you what you need in your thread.

You mention insurance? whats the difference between buying a 325i and converting a 316i to a 325i? You still have a 325i you need to insure + all the ball ache of messing around fitting it.

Yes you do need the suspension upgrade because the engine is heavier! And yes the loom is completely different.

Sorry mate I've just learnt from other forums to get as many peoples opinions as possible and it seemed a good idea to ask this fella as he's just done it the insurance wouldn't be more than a 318........... or I think you can class it as a kit car once the engines been changed... not that id do that

Cheers, fen

Edit: thanks for answering my question rix much appreciated

I appriciate that mate but you have a nice big list on your thread Ricey here took out a 316 carb engine which is even more pathetic than the 316i.

You'd have to delcare to the insurance company that you have fitted a 2.5 litre engine other wise you have an accident with insurance on an 1800cc car, they look at it and go 'it's not an 1800cc its a 2500cc you're buggered!'



At risk of thread hijack, nice work Ricey, Tech 1 in your sig looks lush

Yea sorry for kind of hijacking your thread good work mate looks top job

Not a prob guys, hope you've got things cleared up.

Good swap, I see you need M20 suspension. I have a full M20 uprated set for sale.. also have rear trailing arms for rear brake disc conversion etc...

PM me for more details.

Been in this Chariot now...

Runs feckin lovely- a credit to the Time and effort Paul put into it!

Cheers Neil. And I can now say I've done over 250miles in it now, and it's running schweet as a nut, I'm dying to rev it to 6k+rpm but I'll have to wait. Not long now tho, at this rate It'll be ran in by Sunday!!:D So thats the clocks changed, and I've got an econometer back now Will have to see if I can get hold of the old type coding chip for in the back of the rev counter as I've only got the newer white square type. The one for the 4 pot had a 06 on it, not sure what the 6pot one will be.