6 speed to 5 speed swap

[MrBenn]

I think my 6speed transmition is on the way out and as the 5speed is cheaper and lighter, thought I'd like to give one a try, so I want to swap it before it goes back in the car.

I know I need;

e36 328/m3 5 speed box
328 prop
e30 gearbox mount reversed

What I'm not sure of is;

Shifter linkage components, what do I need to get.
Any wiring changes?
Was also going to fit a lighter flywheel, any recommendations?

Anything else I need to be aware of?

Cheers
Alex

[ajay]

Iv,E used the driftworks light weight flywheel on my s50 3.0l conversion, it also fits the 3.2 I belive. That was a lot lighter than standard and the engine responded well,picking up speed rapid and down shifts were good too with increased braking effect. The down side was there was an annoying gearbox chatter once the oil in the box was warm and you were stationary,a small price to pay imo. As for the linkage etc I know the bits that were fitted to my car were all off the shelf with just a nut fitted to the linkage (as a spacer) to correct the gear lever position,I'm sure there,s a few people on here that could give a more detailed technical account,I do have all the bits still in my garage as I'm now doing a 6sp conversion,and could take some pic,s during the week and check for part no,s if you want. I will be selling the 5sp box complete with linkage and short shift selector/driftworks lightweight flywheel and sachs upratted clutch,once iv,e got the 6sp fitted though.

[UweM3]

My E30 M3 linkage seems to fit 100%, but I belive I need a shorter throw gear lever from Z3M

[Jhonno]

Speak to Big Bavarian Beauties about flywheels.. I run one and it's awesome

[Dave_M3]

The same clutch and flywheels will fit the 6 speed box as the 5 speed so I wouldn't go selling nice lightweight flywheels.

Its only with the E46 6 speed manual you start running into trouble trying to find a suitable clutch... especially if you were fitting it to a 318iS and wanting to use a lightweight M20 flywheel like I was doing last year

Speak to Big Bavarian Beauties about flywheels.. I run one and it's awesome

Agreed!!! Very nice flywheels

Have an S50 one in stock ourselves and also an S62 flywheel and they are a very tasty bit of kit!


For going from 6 speed to 5 speed, you'll also need a suitable diff ratio for the 1:1 5th obviously.

If you want to try figure out how much lower you want to go, drive the car as it is at the moment in 5th as if you don't have another cog to go

[ajay]

I'm going from 5speed e36 m3 to 6speed e46 m3 the flywheel will fit and match the starter etc but my problem is getting a clutch that works with that flywheel and matches the 6speed gearbox spline! I have the standard clutch and tryed matching it up but to no avail,I know the late zm coupes have the same flywheel as a standard e36 m3 but use the 5speed box,no choice realy its no use to me,and its provisionally sold now!

[Dave_M3]

Ah I see. I had the same problem. The E46 box is much better alright in fairness.


I got a clutch made up for mine by a company to make me up a paddle clutch.

Only trouble is thought I distinctly said I wanted a sprung clutch as I was using a single mass flywheel, I was sent a solid disc. Tried it anyway and it felt like the car was about to fall apart as soon as I left out the clutch

I was trying to get a 220mm disc made up though, will be alot easier to get one made for 240mm as its the standard size as they just didn't really have the room with the E46 hub and 220mm external diameter.


I just fired in the E46 dual-mass flywheel and clutch then but was nearly crying as it took about 20mph off my 1/4 terminal speed

iS is off the road at the moment anyway so not in a rush to sort it but when I do I'll use one of the flywheels Dan has mentioned and get a sprung clutch made to suit by the same guys

[ajay]

Nice to know I'm not the only one that's been scratching my head. Lol. Iv,e been looking at the off the shelf e46 lightweight flywheel/cluth kits from rouge engineering and geff steel racing and they seem to be the nuts, but come with a price tag that's also nuts. I would love To know the details of the company that you mention for a custom clutch though!

[Dave_M3]

An E36 lightweight flywheel will fit fine though once the clutch disc has the appropriate spline.

The gearboxe bellhousings and everything in terms of fitting a flywheel and clutch are identical other than the bigger input shaft.
I was going using a lightweight M20 flywheel, custom clutch and 323i release bearing and it worked perfectly apart from the insane vibration and chatter.


I'll see if I can route out the details for that company. maybe get two made considering I'll need another and they owe me a clutch anyway as the first one wasn't to my specifications

[UweM3]

Nice to know I'm not the only one that's been scratching my head. Lol. Iv,e been looking at the off the shelf e46 lightweight flywheel/cluth kits from rouge engineering and geff steel racing and they seem to be the nuts, but come with a price tag that's also nuts. I would love To know the details of the company that you mention for a custom clutch though!

TTV is what I am going to use.

http://www.ttvracing.com/

[Dave_M3]

^^^

Same here, they are the crowd who make them for BBB too ;)

[ajay]

nice one guys, the ttv stuff also looks great its the same brand that geff steel supplies. I think he does them for about £500 quid+vat, i wonder what bbb would charge purchasing through them. Also they make them different weights for different applications,i wonder what would suit fast road with occasional track use? If its too light could that increase the chatter/vibration?I think the clutch is gonna be the most expensive part,some come in different stages and probrably reqire different pedal pressure depending on what stage clutch you get.If anyone has any good feedback pls share it as its a lot of dosh to shellout to find out your not happy with the end result,cheers.

[Dave_M3]

Think the flywheels are £280 through BBB

friend does M52, S50 and S62 lightweight flywheels for between 300 and 450 euro.

whatever clutch to suit then.

Id stay with a standard spec clutch on it. it'll be quite capable as an E30 puts much less strain than it would in an E36 or M5.


Whatever lightweight flywheel and clutch you go for, go with something rather than sticking in the dual-mass unit as you'll be very upset coming from the DW flywheel

[UweM3]

I am going to use the "heavy" TTV flywheel and a OEM clutch type with sprung center to minimise the gearbox noise on idle

[Dave_M3]

Yep, same plan I have.

noise and chatter with a non-sprung clutch is there alittle more than idle too

Apparently speaking to a mate recently that had a solid clutch on his car with a single mass flyhwee, he had awful noise at first but once he took it out again and fitted the disc the other way around it was fine.

Mine would only fit on the flywheel one way anyway so wasn't able to test that theory in any case.

[ajay]

yes i agre, after the dw flywheel i could not go with a standard dual mass set up no way.Ill be in touch with bbb about getting it through them,and sort out a clutch.Spec do clutches and i see they do a aluminium pressure plate that saves weight giving a similar effect as a single mass flywheel but as the plate is thurther away from the main rotating mass is suposed to be quite a good idea. May be the slightly heavier fly wheel combined with a sprung center and an alloy pressure plate may work?

[Dave_M3]

I can't see an alloy pressure plate giving a 5kg or more reduction in mass that a billet SMF gives to be honest.