My Completed m52 conversion - Update

[Green]

As my m20 is slowly giving way I'm going to swap out the engine for the popular m50 swap. (now m52)

So the obvious come to mind;

m52b28 engine
m50 intake manifold
m50 air rubber intake boot 13 54 1 738 757
modified loom with ews
modified m52 exhaust manifold
E34 sump and pick up
clio brake servo with spacer
525i throttle cable 35 41 1 160 611
e36 alloy engine arms
e28 535 rubber engine mount 11 81 1 128 932
3.64 LSD
325i prop
m42 gearbox
m20 flywheel
m20 starter motor
m20 clutch
88 degrees C Themostat
Metal water pump
318ti temp switch 61 31 8 361 787
Prop coupling 26 11 1 225 624
M50 sump gasket 11 13 1 437 237


I need to start pricing everything up so I can work our how long I'll have to take the car off to road for the switch around.
Been reading over a few topics for a general idea on what's needed but still need a hand a guidance in a few areas.

Anything that I should get changed on the engine before it goes in?

[bimanut]

I really dont want to sound rude but you need to do a lot more reading of different threads and you will find out every option there is to have.
It took me 6 months to fully research it all and still i have to ask others for help
Good luck

[Green]

No offence taken, I'll certainly be going over a few more threads before I plan out exactly what I'll be doing. Although I'd like some advice at the start before I go buying stuff willy nilly and have a list helps efficiency and give me some idea of what I need to achieve.

Currently what I'm hoping to acquire at the end of this would be a m50b25 with m20 sport box on a 3.91 lsd (but run it on the 320 until I get one), I now have to work out the parts in the middle and that join it all together.

[bimanut]

If you use the m20b20 gear box you have most of what you need as you will need a 320 gearstick cradel,get a z3 gearstick as an upgrade or carryone using the 320 one and the 320 prop.
If you use the m20b25 gear box you need to use the 325 prop.(i think)
Using the m20 box means some bending of the cradel is needed and a bit of fabin to the gearbox cradel.
Or you could what a lot do and use an M40 box

[Duke137]

You need to search threads in this section from:

e30-dk - He did hs own wiring
eko
B15NAC

and somewhere E30BeemerLad and Jozi did very good comprehensive lists of what parts are required.

Gudgeon did a good thread about the clio servo also

the main one you should look at is the STICKY thread (below) by Willnz, that lists all the options depending on what engine/box combo.

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=177634

Dig in mate, put on your readers and tell the mrs to make you a brew, you could be there sometime as its all been discussed before

Hope that helps

[Green]

Thanks Bimanut I'll have to think which one's going to be best for me, and easiest!

Duke them topics are brilliant, it had totally slipped my mind who had their conversions done and is regularly about here.
Got lots of reading material for bed time and planning to do after work, not to mention sourcing a donor out on budget... but from my experience most builds never stay on budget ;D Better get cracking!

[e30-EVN]

Fitting an m20 gearbox is a ball ache to be fair mate. As above it means the gearbox brace has to be redesigned as it will sit about 10 degrees out, also the shifter yoke has to be heated up and twisted to suit. I didn't fancy doing this myself although if I were fitting an e36 6 speed box it would prob be more worth while.
You can pick up an m42 box for around £50 and if you plan on buying an lsd you may aswel go for a 3.64 or 3.73. My 318iS box on a 3.64lsd gives me about 75mph @3000rpm so not bad cruisability.

The box you use determines the final drive you need. When I first did my m50 I ran it through a 318is box which has an overdrive 5th and 2.0 dif (4.10 iirc). She was a friggin screamer! 60 ish mph's @3000rpm, fun about town but forget mpg's when you hit a bypass or motorway and I reckon it would be even worse if the 318is box was swapped for an m20 one!!

Have a butchers through this section mate, its all here somewhere, I have a build thread aswel as a few others. I've actually ripped the m50 out now and am rockin the m52

[nickso]

e36 6 speed box is pointless. it's expensive to buy and it will break eventually.

e36 5 speed goes in easy enough, that's what i have on mine. only issue is the diff end usually ends up being expensive.

[Duke137]

e36 6 speed box is pointless. it's expensive to buy and it will break eventually.

e36 5 speed goes in easy enough, that's what i have on mine. only issue is the diff end usually ends up being expensive.

Is that an E30 M3 diff then?

[e30-EVN]

Yes ferg, for that box you would need a ratio of about 3.15-3.25. E30 m3 diff is this ratio but pricey!

[gudgeon]

Is this your daily runner?

Don't forget to consider the insurance. Most on here seem to have classic car insurance, or at least restricted in some way when running the modified car.

[rancido64]

This may be of some help: http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=186900
Although it's not the only way to do the conversion.

DanThe on here is the man to talk to about a few things, as he can supply:
*Plug & play m50-e30 wiring loom
*Plug & play electric fan loom
*pre-modded exhaust manifolds that bolt straight up to e30 325i exhaust system

Probably other things he can help with as well, not to mention the advice he can give

HTH

[nickso]

e36 6 speed box is pointless. it's expensive to buy and it will break eventually.

e36 5 speed goes in easy enough, that's what i have on mine. only issue is the diff end usually ends up being expensive.

Is that an E30 M3 diff then?

yes, i have a 3.25 lsd on mine. goes well.

[Green]

I'm picking up a whole 328i sunday, so changed from an m50 to m52, one thing I'm not too sure about was the exhaust manifold.. does the m52 one need modifying to fit?

[blue30]

You want an M20 clutch if you're using an M20 flywheel,

I have a 3.15 LSD on mine from a Z3 2.8 - got lucky on ebay on that one!

If you want to use an M50 box you can use the diff from e28 'e' models, e36 compacts or Z3's - no need to spend crazy money on M3 diffs. Will just need the back plate and output flanges changing to e30 ones, dead easy.

There was a sticky with wiring details somewhere, different years seem to have some differences but it's not rocket science

[e30-EVN]

firstly can i say youve made theright choice in going m52, the difference over the m50 is great!

Yes the m52 mani's need modifying mate, there are a few ways of doing this

[Green]

Blue I'm looking to run an e30 LSD if I can get hold of one, I was thinking a 3.91 but would perhaps rev way too high for a 2.8 so 3.64 seems a more reasonable choice.

Well I wasn't picky but I sort of was, I ideally wanted a whole car rather then just the engine (unless a full conversion came up). And this 328i with 133k on it has appeared for £500, even mot'd until march... I was hoping to insure this as a "courtesy car" as it's free on my insurance but because it's such a difference from my 320i for 30 days they wanted something like £260.

So seems I will be retaxing the turd at the end of this month

As for the manifolds I'm not sure what needs to be done (Cut and welded i think), but I know for certain I cannot weld, nor do I feel I know any mates that are that capable, might give DanThe a heads up for help there.

M50 intake is in the works but really only if it pops up with spare monies about, I can always install that at a later date.

[e30-EVN]

Best give dan a pm about the mani's mate, as for the dif... If you use an m42 box (318iS e30) you don't have to faf about with stupid ratio's or incasing other difs ect, 3.91-3.46 would be ok.
I'm running a 3.64 lsd and its fine

[Green]

True which is why I would like to go down that route What prop are you using? I currently have the 320i prop still as I never changed it when I did my m20b25 conversion, I recall reading ages ago that you can use the 320i prop?

I'll sort PM's and arrange other bits and bobs after payday.. and all the bills have gone out!

[e30-EVN]

Its 325 prop with m42 box, if you want to use 320 section you will need an m40 box mate.
I chose to use the m42 unit as I reckon its the stronger box tbh

[Green]

Just drove the donor car home felt good and tight.. I think i'm going to feel guilty when I break this

[e30-EVN]

Nooo! Its going into a much much cooler car with 200 odd kilo's weight loss

WIN WIN

[E30BeemerLad]

Just drove the donor car home felt good and tight.. I think i'm going to feel guilty when I break this

I felt exactly the same, once you start raping it you will feel alright

[Green]

Got a couple of bits today now in my shed, i'm using this topic as my actual list which reminds me what I still need to buy! Think I need to add gearbox mounts and the part number... not far off now. I've some time off work this week and perhaps longer due to an 'accident' and this months wage may not be enough for me to purchase all I need and live for a month so the conversion may need to be held off for a further month

Anyways quick pic of my shed in it's glory... massive I know

[jimbob88]

seems like a well organised swap there matey, i just cracked on and bought my donk then started figuring out what i need as i go, seems to be saving my sanity slightly as there are so many little insignificant parts that dont get mentioed in other ppl's swap's
look forward to seeing some spanners in action

[Green]

It has to be organised as I'll be booking a week off work to get all of this done, and would rather not have to be waiting for parts to be ordered in by ECP/BMW/GSF.. that as well as I won't be as mobile as my e30 is my daily driver! So it would benefit me to have everything ready there and then.

If there's any bits that have been left off please let me know so I can update my list

[Green]

Couple of pics of the donor with it's new host just for good measure

[e30-EVN]

nice

[rancido64]

seems like a well organised swap there matey, i just cracked on and bought my donk then started figuring out what i need as i go, seems to be saving my sanity slightly as there are so many little insignificant parts that dont get mentioed in other ppl's swap's

You're doing it the same way as me then

[Green]

Pressie in the post this morning from Mark (vanos)



Which bit needs to be removed from the inside not to fowl the pump (i think)? and how, quick glance didn't notice anything that made it came away.

Not much left now it looks

[Green]

Going to give bmw a ring and see how much i'm going to be raped for the odds and ends, anyone know what part number the gearbox mounts best used are?

Also I need the part number for the m50 rubber air boot if someone's got that, think it's 13541738757 as the ASC is being removed?

[DanThe]

Gearbox mounts - http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... box+mounts

[E30BeemerLad]

With that sump you need to drill out the rivets that hold the windage tray in and remove that, followed by a damn good cleaning to remove any swarf.

Unless you are using a lightened M20 flywheel, you may want to look at shaving the end of the sump a little on the outside of the casing

[daimlerman]

May be a good idea to buy a cheap car with a few weeks T/T to act as a 'parts carrier' and a go to work machine,just in case you run into snags with the conversion.
Carefull(ish!) ebaying may even see you make a small profit when you wiegh it in!

[Green]

Gearbox mounts - http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... box+mounts

Bloody hell £60 from Bmw Just purchased a pair off that ebay link cheers Dan definitely saved a few bob there!

With that sump you need to drill out the rivets that hold the windage tray in and remove that, followed by a damn good cleaning to remove any swarf.

Unless you are using a lightened M20 flywheel, you may want to look at shaving the end of the sump a little on the outside of the casing

Excuse my lack of knowledge on sumps but is that the long flat bit or the the deep bit
I'm going to have a word with a few places down the industrial estate in town to get the flywheel done when it's off, not that I'd mind grinding the sump a bit as I get the use my favourite toy I'd just rather have it done properly!