318is - transplant to 320 shell.

[royale30]

Thought I'd stick this up on here as well. I get the feeling I may be asking a load of questions for those more experienced than my novice self!

I got this recently as many know:

Front bumper dent is from some LSD testing on the way home
Its a 318is, so a bit special and quite rare. Obviously I thrashed the tits off it learning to drift. I got it as I'd blown the engine on my rex and thought it better to delay fixing it and learn to drift in a cheapo car.

I bought a load of new suspension bits and other stuff that I thought might need replacing. Nothing much wrong with the old ones apart from perhaps some bushes but I wanted it lower and stiffer for drifting.

Changed the engine and diff oil

Changed fuel and air filter

Scrounged some tyres

Didn't have time to fit any of the new suspension due to work and lots of practice days :thumbs:

Needed to get some spare wheels and ended up buying this becuase it had two sets and I thought (wrongly) it would make a handy backup engine/gearbox or whatever. A week later the engine started smoking so probably duff. Suspension on it was terrible, shocks probably gone, new road springs making it handle like a monster truck.

Then did this yesterday:!!

oops.

[royale30]

Righto, been busy over the last day or two. Please bear in mind I'm a complete novice! I've rebuilt a 300zxtt engine before and done various jobs but never anything this big.

Stripped the 318is ready to remove the engine, exhaust, ancils, loom etc are mostly off. Note the Haynes manual which generally just confuses me with its over complications! Its sometimes handy when I'm really stuck though.

Had a mission getting the 17yr old exhaust off and had to grind one of the bolts off. It was the top bolt and I couldn't get a proper grinder up there. Luckily I had a little rotary grinder that has been lying around for years.Took bloody ages.

After a right mission I finally got the 320 engine and gearbox out. Initially I was hoping to get the engine and box in one piece but it wasn't happening. It took ages un doing all the bell housing bolts. In hind sight it probably would have come out in one?? I'm hoping the 318is 4 pot and box will come out in one go tomorrow??


Stashed out of the way. Not sure what I'll do with them. I thought the engine was buggered as it was smoking when I started it after standing for a week. I was driving it around yesterday and it seemed fine. It did have a check light on but there was no running problems.

Pretty chuffed with my new garage! I've been dragging loads of tools around for years and never had anywhere to use them. This is costing me but Its outside the flat and can fit 4 cars in. Seeing as I've got two beemers and a rex that need work its worth my while.


Tomorrow I'll be doing the powerflex bushes and e36 steering rack. Then the new suspension will go in. Once thats sorted the LSD from the 318is will be changed over, and then the engine.

[royale30]

First question as its something I need to look at today! The 318is has disc rear brakes and the 320 just has drums. Does anyone know how much work is involved to transfer the 318is discs to the 320 shell? I've got a brake pipe tool here somewhere. Also a novice question - if the car has ABS , how can I confirm it has or hasn't ?! I don't think the 320 has but I'm not sure.

[Brianmoooore]

ABS: Large box in the space between the back of the LH headlamp and the wheel housing with ABS written on it in 30mm high letters.
If you are changing over the diff as well as the rear discs, swap over the complete rear beam and handbrake cables, fitting new bushes to the beam when you do so.

[royale30]

Thanks Brian your a star! Thats the ABS thing sorted!!

I've got a powerflex full bush kit so hopefully should have everything there. Will I need to pull all the brake gubbins out of the 318is to make the discs work on the 320? ie any bits that are in the front so I have an extra set of brake pipes to the rear for the discs?

Apologies for how stupid these questions might seem but I havn't looked at this part yet and I'm trying to sort it in advance.

[Brianmoooore]

Same plumbing for the discs as for the drums, right up to the trailing arms.

[royale30]

Hi guys, thanks for the help so far. I've got an e36 steering rack but I don't have the e36 metal pipes as thats where its been cut off the car. Is it realistic to try and bend the 318is or 320 pipes to fit the e36 rack that come in at different angles? Has anyone done this without kinking them? I've got a spare rack to try it on but wasn't sure if its even something you should do??