Diesel swap into e30?

[mantioras]

Hi everyone. I searched the forum but found no topics on diesel swap into e30. I was thinking to go for a e36 325tds and chipping it, but then thought that ~170bhp and ~340-360Nm powerplant would perform nicely in a e30. You guys have awesome resources here for petrol engine swaps, but what about diesel? I don't need a track car, I think I'd enjoy torque in the streets. Any ideas why none are interested in diesel swaps? Not worth it cash-wise, or technically infeasible, just not cool or smth else?

[gareth]

i'd like it. i swapped my 2.5 M20 for a 3.5 M30 but that was purely for performance and economics weren't of too much interest!

i'd like to have a stab at fitting a pokey diesel though

[old_skool]

I was thinking about this earlier today.

Not sure about the economics of it but the 535d sport with twin turbo setup goes like a rocket. 525, 530 and 535 are all 3.0 ltr iirc?

Whether or not these will become more available as production/time goes on - who knows? I'm sure someone will have a go at it when they start appearing in breakers.

Don't know about the E36 diesel? I'll bet it's a fair bit heavier than the M20 or M30, although I wait to be corrected

[stE30w]

Hi everyone. I searched the forum but found no topics on diesel swap into e30. I was thinking to go for a e36 325tds and chipping it, but then thought that ~170bhp and ~340-360Nm powerplant would perform nicely in a e30. You guys have awesome resources here for petrol engine swaps, but what about diesel? I don't need a track car, I think I'd enjoy torque in the streets. Any ideas why none are interested in diesel swaps? Not worth it cash-wise, or technically infeasible, just not cool or smth else?

often thought about this myself..

i`ve got a rotten 325TDS outside my house and thought that it would be quite an easy conversion considering some of the engines that have been shoehorned in there

i reckon that with the torque of the diesel engine in the E30 it would be quite a fleet motor(quicker than the M20???) and still averaging way,way more than the petrol in the MPG stakes


mmm..... winter project

[maxfield]

my dads was the first diesel M3 conversion on thi forum

[Andyboy]

It's possible but you'd need a 525tds sump and oil pick up as the E36 sump bulge is the wrong end. Use e36 mounting arms, 325i M20 flywheel, clutch and gearbox. You'd have to use the in tank E30 fuel pump as a lift pump for diesel assuming it will cope with it.

Personally I'd rather have the E36 325tds..........

[stE30w]

Personally I'd rather have the E36 325tds..........

why is this Andyboy?

because of the conversion hassel or do you just prefer the 36?

[Andyboy]

A good 325tds is a very nice combo. As for the conversion, hopping across the channel and buying a 324td sounds a lot easier!

[stE30w]

yeah the 36 was a good car,but it just aint an E30....

a 324TD would be an easy option if you like LHD`s,but they just dont have the power of a 325TDS especially if its chipped!

i`m seriously considering this as a project now
its just a case of getting down to planing it all out to see if it is worth it(and how far down the project list it is )

anyone else got any opinions?

[Motorhole]

I would love to see this work! Do it, DO IT!!!

[Herrity]

I've got the car ready, a nice clean e34 525 td with 67k on the clock, just going to find a nice clean shell to put it in.

[Toby_Unna]

i quite like the idea, a nice cheap conversion. my local breaker is littered with omegas with the same (or similar) engine, take your pick for a hundred quid.

a 330d lump would cost a lot more, but would make a really quick e30 - considering how fast a fettled 280bhp 330d feels anyway, carrying several hundred kilos extra baggage...

[gareth]

or the 535d lump? an extra turbo can never be a bad thing in my book! wonder if it would fit?