E36 compacts - bought one! Now with pics

[leeparkes]

It really needs a M52 doesn't it

Told you it wouldnt take you long

[gareth]

It really needs a M52 doesn't it

Told you it wouldnt take you long

Been trying ton convince the girlie

How much work and money is really needed to do this essential modification?

[Dezzy]

Just buy a cheap 328i
Use engine, box and prop. Tge rad too! Plug and play. Ecu straight swap. Job job'd.

I advise speaking to dan about vanos seals and building yourself a nice 3.15 LSD.

Then it would be proper!!

[320Touring]

anyone want a cheap compact to do an m52 swap with?

I’m about t scrap mine just like the one above but a 316 and the engine sounds a bit naff and has bit of a oil leak but runs fine and I use it daily PM me if anyone’s interested been offered £200 scrap value so anyone who wants to take it away while it still has tax and mot can have it for the same money.

how much MOT and tax?

[leeparkes]

On my first engine it cost me nothing, in reality i probably made a bit. Donor car cost me £500 which broke for around £400 then sold my old M44 for £175

If you use your M44 gearbox you will need a prop and gear linkages from an E36 325i as they are slightly shorter. If you use the M52 box the prop and linkages will be used with it.

You will need the 6 pot ARB otherwise it fouls the sump and also a set of 6 pot clocks.

The front half of the exhaust fits perfect but you will need the bracket that holds the heat sheild on at the rear as it has clips for the exhaust hangers, then its up to you how you go about the rear silencer (6 pot E46 box fits perfect under there)

I see yours is a late compact, 99? if so it could be EWS3. If so you will have to convert it back to EWS2.To find out what you have remove the knee panel above the pedals and look up near the steering column near the ignition barrel and the EWS module will be there.
If you already have EWS2 it will be a plug and play affair. If not i have notes on how to graft the two together.
All the permanant lives need to be moved from one side of the loom to the other to reach the battery.

If you have aircon and want to keep it you will have to cut and shut one of the pipes as the 4 pot and 6 pot ones are different.
All coolant pipes will be swaped over with the engine but iirc i had to do something with one of the pipes that go to the matrix as on the donor car it was a 3 hose affair, im using my 318ti rad with no issues.

You will need a 188 diff but i doubt that wont be a problem for you

[gareth]

Cheers lads!

Diff, that i can sort no problem

EWS could be more tricky, maybe making it more than a weekend swap job. Also it does have working aircon and that's too nice to lose, so it would need bodgery there too.

So ideally I'd need a E36 328i donor car. I guess with aircon too, or will the M44 setup fit? (Can you tell i've not really paid much attention to anything with more than 12 valves before?!

[leeparkes]

The difference between EWS 2 & 3 is the reciever is built into the EWS3 module whereas EWS2 the receiver is separate. Its just a case of chopping one EWS plug off and grafting on another and iirc you swap colour for colour, easy stuff

The aircon issue is the pipe where it meets the bulkhead, you chop the end of the 4 pot pipe and weld it to the 6 pot pipe.

Here's a pic nicked from E36coupe showing the difference between the ends of the two pipes, 6 pot on the left.



Id go for a donor car every time because for one you can see/hear the engine running plus you will pull some money back when you frag and weigh it in.

[gareth]

Top stuff, cheers