E30 Zone

Hi just got myself a e30 316 auto im wanting to put a e36 e18is engine in it a few questions before i find one

do i need to change the loom or will the 316 mach up
dose the engine just fit strait in on the same engine mounts

its my first bmw so not clued up yet
thanks

your better off finding an e30 based engine if your new to the game.

E36 318is engine will need a few parts changing from a E30 M42 318is engine, so may as well get a E30 M42 318is engine.

You'll need a few extra parts to get the E36 engine in. There are a few details on the parts you'll need in this very forum. Check the search function.

You'll need a E30 318iS engine loom and ECU.
You'll also need E30 M42 (318iS) engine mounts.

The upper and lower sump from your 316i engine (M40) must be swapped onto the E36 block.

It does save hassle getting an e30 engine instead of an e36 one but then e36 ones have lower miles.

also you can use the serpentine auxillery belt setup just the dip stick needs bending to go in the front and the old e30 setups very dated anyway. Check your rocker cover doesnt have the breather pipe outlet that goes to the idle valve towards the back of the engine? If it does it wont fit with the e30inlet as it needs to be at the waterpump end. flywheels are the same and so are the clutches. Exhaust manifold wont fit you'll need an e30 one. You'll probably need new exhaust studs and nuts when you change the manifold but they can only be bought from bmw.

You dont have to use m42 mounts if your m40 ones are still pretty decent. Also change the chain cover gasket as there prone to leaking. You can use your throttle cable with abit of bodging of the plastic clip that holds it on or get a clip from bmw or scrappy from an e36 compact.

You'll also need the bracket the holds the coilpack welded in or go coil on plug conversion.

You'll also need an m42 exhaust "manifold back" and the front section is hard to come by


zimmerman or zimmerbmw fitted an e36 setup in his so best to ask him about getting the loom and ecu to work if your focused on using what you have.
goodluck

mc_hawkings24 wrote:It does save hassle getting an e30 engine instead of an e36 one but then e36 ones have lower miles.

also you can use the serpentine auxillery belt setup just the dip stick needs bending to go in the front and the old e30 setups very dated anyway. Check your rocker cover doesnt have the breather pipe outlet that goes to the idle valve towards the back of the engine? If it does it wont fit with the e30inlet as it needs to be at the waterpump end. flywheels are the same and so are the clutches. Exhaust manifold wont fit you'll need an e30 one. You'll probably need new exhaust studs and nuts when you change the manifold but they can only be bought from bmw.

You dont have to use m42 mounts if your m40 ones are still pretty decent. Also change the chain cover gasket as there prone to leaking. You can use your throttle cable with abit of bodging of the plastic clip that holds it on or get a clip from bmw or scrappy from an e36 compact.

You'll also need the bracket the holds the coilpack welded in or go coil on plug conversion.

You'll also need an m42 exhaust "manifold back" and the front section is hard to come by


zimmerman or zimmerbmw fitted an e36 setup in his so best to ask him about getting the loom and ecu to work if your focused on using what you have.
goodluck

E36 flywheels are dual mass, E30 ones are single mass and far lighter hence make a faster E30

Getting the E36 loom and ECU to work is exactly the same approach you'd use in an M50/52 conversion and you can make it look very tidy and completely stock looking by trimming the loom down and getting it to fit inside the E30 316 loom cover at the top of the bulkhead.

Mine was a 94-95 e36 engine and didnt have a duel mass

Ah, lucky man. I've seen a good few E36 M42s with dualmass flywheels though. Maybe there was a surplus of single mass items at the factory so they just threw them into anything they could like fitting out 316 and 318i lux at the end of the E30s life