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M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:56 pm
by kdevitt
Am working through an M30 swap at the moment and have a diff question.

The diff on my car is a small case LSD, think the ratio is 3.25 or so. I'd be happy enough with the ratio - just wondering has anyone run a small cased one on their swapped E30 and had it last more than a week?!?

Currently looking to swap it out for a medium cased one but just curious as to whether or not I actually need to.

Cheers

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:37 pm
by jimbom30cab
Yes, i ran a small case 4.1 initially, it was fine. If it's for normal sprirted driving i'm sure it will be fine, track use would be a different matter though.

Small case 3.25 LSD must be a rare diff though, not heard of those before

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:45 pm
by zaust
Ratio is good, keep it or swap with me I have a med 3:46 lad.

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 8:15 pm
by kdevitt
Not 100% certain on the ratio to be honest - anywhere I read says an 83 323i auto had a 3.25 diff, but that's an open diff. Just checked spec sheet and it didn't help either.

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 8:23 pm
by maxfield
Image

This is Gareth running a small case diff at pod..

IIRC

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 8:24 pm
by kdevitt
maxfield wrote:Image

This is Gareth running a small case diff at pod..

IIRC
Brilliant - a picture tells a thousand words! :D

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 9:09 pm
by kdevitt
Build sheet says

S209A SPERRDIFFERENTIAL 25% Differential lock 25%

Think I'll be selling it on and going for the medium case anyway.

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 9:16 pm
by jimbom30cab
I have a 3.46 in my M30 and i think it's just pefect but most of my driving is motorway. If you are a country lane demon you might want a 3.64 or 3.7x

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 9:18 pm
by kdevitt
3.46 would definitely suit me perfectly - just keeping an eye out for one now.

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 9:21 pm
by jimbom30cab
cool, iirc with the 3.64 on 15"BBS and the e34 manual box then 70mph is just 2550rpm so nice and wafty.

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:08 am
by gareth
kdevitt wrote:
maxfield wrote:Image

This is Gareth running a small case diff at pod..

IIRC
Brilliant - a picture tells a thousand words! :D
Haha, that was 6.5 years ago! :) Good memory!

Here's the link to the gruesome damage.
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... postmortem
So in short, NO! Don't use a medium case diff with M30 torquesss!

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:40 pm
by maxfield
Gareth - I can remember it like it was yesterday. Didn't realise it was that long ago tho 8O

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:50 pm
by gareth
No... Scary or what! I had a look at my logbook the other day, i've owned my E30 for 9.5 years! WTF?! 8O

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 12:42 pm
by kdevitt
So out of interest - where are people sourcing their medium 3.46 diffs from? Seems that the prices have gone nuts in the past year.

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 7:22 pm
by mccarthy
I recently picked up a e28 3.46 diff and swapped the output shafts and back plate. Works perfectly and find a good ratio for the m30

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:59 pm
by BoostED
I currently have a small case on my m30b35 turbo...

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 8:41 pm
by gareth
I predict bad things!

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 8:47 pm
by maxfield
See above :D

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:47 pm
by rob0r
I'm currently running (drifting) a small case with my E28 M535i Motronic 1.3. All good so far, though I will be going medium case and when I can be assed!

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 6:10 pm
by gareth
When you say small case on the E28, do you mean 188mm? AFAIK the small (168mm) case wasn't used on the E28, just 188mm and 210mm. The E30 got 168mm and 188mm.

So 'small' on a E28 is 'large' on a E30. Or more broadly speaking, both are 'medium' case! :D

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 8:56 am
by rob0r
I put it very confusingly! I meant E28 M535i engine running motronic 1.3 inside my E30 (extra bhpz)! Which is running a random E30 small case.

Re: M30 + small case diff?

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:55 pm
by gareth
Ahaa, makes sense. In which case I refer to my previous comment! :D