m40b16 to m42b18 questions

[balilu91]

Hi
This is my first post on this forum though ive been registered for sometime..

Im replacing my m40 coz it broke down because of the timing belt wearing down my fault for not changing it i guess..

anyway im getting delivered (tomorrow probably) an m42 from an e36 which has already been fitted to an e30 and i have some questions..

Would a lighter flywheel make a difference to performance and in what way? im not sure if its gonna be dual mass or not.

should i replace timing chain and tensioners? i dont really wanna have an other engine break down on me

any tips on cheap performance mods? im planning to go forced induction in the future ( probably a year or more) so i would like to have the best performance out of the m42 for the time being..

I know its a bit long but any help would be appreciated

[balilu91]

tought i would post a pic of my car

[balilu91]

anyone can help?

[Brian28]

A lot of info on fitting the E36 engine in the sticky thread at the top of this forum, if it's already been in an E30 it will liely have everything done ready to fit. If you are going forced induction in a year or so just service it and leave well alone, do everything when you are doing the fi work. If you find a chip that works (they are a bit hit and miss, compatibility issues with the 318is ECU) then fit it, worthwhile mod for not much money. You need to throw silly money at the car for any worthwhile power gains so not a lot of point doing anything else. Highly unlikely to have catastrophic engine failure due to cam chain, they tend to get noisy over a period of time well before anything happens not like a cam belt which could just snap without warning and bend a load of valves. Flywheel won't produce any more power, but the engine will spin up a bit quicker with a lighter one so it feels quicker and more free revving.

[balilu91]

thanks ill probaby leave the timing chain alone then until i start to hear the rattle.. as for flywheel i heared the m40 one will fit and is lighter i may just fit that i just hope the m40b16 clutch will hold the more power.. Thanks

[Dave_M3]

M40 and an E30 M42 flywheel is the same thing. The E36 M42 and M44s have a dual-mass alright although I think the early ones had a single mass.

Your best off to fit a lightened M20 flywheel and starter really. lighter than any M4x one and a stronger clutch.

As for power and getting the most out of the engine until you go FI,
A chip, check all the vacuum hoses and replace if necessary, new decent plugs, could increase the Fuel pressure and some bigger injectors if your getting a proper remap by somebody like Paul Shepard (ShepsEvo on here)

Other than the hoses and making sure the waterpump, stat and rest of the cooling system is in good nick your best to leave everything else until you go rebuilding the lot for the Forced induction setup.


Not a bad looking car either although I have reservations on the front bumper

[Gunni]

M20 flywheel does wonders for the M42.

other then that just service it until you force upon it.

[balilu91]

gonna fit the engine tomorrow because i got it today.. gonna leave the single mass flywheel for now then maybe in the future get a lightweight aluminium one or maybe do the m20 conversion..

gonna be using the m40 transmission getrag 240 with 4.27 diff that should give me a little bit more power on 1st and 2nd.. i think if i understand correctly

as for plugs it has bosch super 4 fitted and seemed new tough i dont know if they are any good..

the engine has new fully syntetich 20w20 oil hope thats ok..

@Dave_M3 i do agree with you sometimes the bumper looks a little bit out of place it doesnt go with the e30 classic style but i got used to it.. Its how i bought it wasnt my idea... Its a Rieger bumper msport e46 style something like that.. i also have the rear counterpart bumper just need to get hold of a set of sideskirts and maybe paint the azev A's bronze or something different then black..

[Dave_M3]

20w20 is totally wrong for an M42 anyway!

10W40 fully synthetic is what mine used like the most


4.27 diff will make it accelerate nicely alright

[balilu91]

installed and started fine... though previous owner instead of finding an e30 exhaust manifold he fitted a 6 cylinder one and cut 2 cylinders out and re-welded and it looks horrible...

and apart from looking horrible it touches the steering column a little bit so its time to find an e30 one though i cant seem to find any on ebay.. any ideas where i should start looking? i live in malta so it has to be an online shop with european shipping i have to find one before i can go make a whole new 2" (maybe 2.5"?) exhaust

and im gonna look into some wiring diagrams to check for wiring issues because temperature gauge isnt working for some reason is it possible that the e36 sensor doesnt work with the e30 gauge?

apart from that and al the big noise it makes because it has no exhaust it feels great

[Dave_M3]

installed and started fine... though previous owner instead of finding an e30 exhaust manifold he fitted a 6 cylinder one and cut 2 cylinders out and re-welded and it looks horrible...

Dear god!


you'll need to use the brown temp sensor from the E30 to send a signal to the gauge.

[balilu91]

ill just use the brown one from the m40 then.. ill just need to find which one it is on the m42 because iv been told that there are 2 sensors one for the gauge and another one for the ecu.. ill probably find this just by googling it

for the manifold i found one for sale from a user here nickphine i hope he ships it to malta (since im not a uk user and quite new to the forum)

[balilu91]

did the sensor today changed the black one to the brown one a bit of a headache because ive got the bulky e36 manifold and had to to remove the upper part of it to be able to barely work..

i just hope it works now because i couldnt test because of neighbours.. the car makes too much noise with no exhaust.. as for the manifold its soon on the way home

thanks everyone that helped i really appreciate it

[Dave_M3]

Blue sensor is for the ECU.