E30 Zone

Has anyone done or know of anyone who has dropped a e30 325i
into a 316 e36. anybody know the difference in weights between the two cars and /or engines.Thanks.

Wouldnt you be better dropping an E36 325 24v lump in one??

It's impossible. The E36 has the sump bulge at the back and the M20 engines all had the sump bulge at the front. There is no rear bulge M20 sump available and even if there were, the oil pump drops right down into the front sump bulge.

Forget it.

Cheers, forgotten already.Also just looked at weights of cars and e36 is actually heavier than 325i.

if you watched the 'The Garage' last series they did put an E30 325i engine into An E36, They just changed the sumps over

Missed that, how did they rate it?

Well it was one of the guys who worked in the garage, head blow up, he was just happy to get it working again.

It wont have as much power but worked

M20 and M50 sumps don't swap over, full stop. The bolt pattern is totally different and there's nowhere for the oil pump to go. It literally won't fit. There are no M20 sumps available with the bulge at the back because every car the M20 was used in (E21, E28, E12, E30) has a front sump bulge to accomodate the very deep oil pump and oil pick up strainer. Your TV programme was therefore bullshit!
You would need a custom made sump and oil pick up to make this work.

the engine in 'the garage' was an M40 or m42.

Here is the M20 alloy sump. See the huge front bulge. The M20 oil pump/pick up goes all the way to the bottom.


And here is the E36 sump with the bulge at the back.......