Putting a tech-1 Sport engine into a tech-2

[dickster]

Hi, I recently purchased back my old Tech-2 Sport after some years but the engine is knackered -it has covered 100k miles but obviously not looked after too well as the compression is way down on two cylinders and its belching out loads of smoke .
I have also recently purchased a tech-1 Sport with the intention of taking the engine and box out and putting it into my Tech-2 which brings me to my point:
The Tech-1 is a July 1987 car and has Motronic Injection and an ECU with a part number of 0261200073 and the Tech-2 Sport it is going in also has Motronic but with an ECU part number of 0261200173, will I be able to lift out and lift in and just swap the ECUs or is it a slightly different Motronic that would required rather more work? (I'm sure someone somewhere has talked about there being a Motronic 1 and a 1.1)
Thanks for your help chaps.

[jbh]

if i were you i would use the loom and ecu out of the tech 2 on the newer engine. youll need to change the pick up sensors extra but youll have all this on your old engine. sush a shame about the tech 1 though

[Brianmoooore]

As above - definitely!

[Theo]

You'll also need the front trigger wheel, and change to a later waterpump if you want to use the radiator/expansion tank from the tech2. Apparently the tech1 flywheel is marginally lighter, so you might as well use that as well. Use the later exhaust manifold as the early ones can be a pain in the arse to remove.

[dickster]

I'll need to change the looms as well? thought it would be a plug and play job?? if the worst comes to the worst can I just swap the engines and keep the later Motronic or would the early higher compression motor not work great with the later ECU?

yeah shame to dump a tech-1, even though its not rusty (84k miles) virtually every panel is dented. Will have a tech-1 body kit up for sale soon if anyone will be interested.

cheers

[jbh]

the early high comp goes better with the newer motronic engine management system. hence the reason were saying use the loom and ecu from your old engine. wish you were on this side of the water i would have took the tech1 rolling shell off you dent on every panel or not as youve not seen what ive had to do to mine so far

as we say use the loom and ecu from your old engine on the high comp engine youll need to change some odds and ends but it is worth while and makes a great improvement

[dickster]

thanks for the quick reply-just the loom for the ECU? if the ECUs have the same amount of pins could I keep the loom or are they def different? thought all Motronic looms were the same hence?
thanks

[jbh]

there def diffrent ive stripped god knows how many lately the high comp ecu only has 2 rows of pins on the ecu where as the low comp has 3 rows of pins on the ecu. i dont know the reason behind the change but im sure someone will. ive heard great reports about the early high comp runnin on the later loom and ecu but never actully tried it yet. i was planning to but ideas have changed and my low comp engine is going into a tourer. but still sitting with a spare high comp...

[Brianmoooore]

When changing/removing an E30 engine you should ALWAYS leave the engine loom attached to the engine. It's far easier to remove the engine complete with loom, then without it.
In your case, sit the engines side by side on the floor, and swap the new loom, etc., onto the pre facelift engine, then drop the engine into the car with loom already fitted.

[jbh]

couldnt have put it any better brian

[dickster]

So I will end up with the older engine with the later injection system? thought that it would be better to use the Tech-1 injection system with the Tech-1 engine.

When I meant swapping the looms as well I meant from the loom from the multi-plug in the engine bay to the ECU-but this may well depend I guess on how many pins either ECUs have, If they have the same amount of pins I can keep that small loom?, Sorry I should have made myself clearer.

Spoke to BMW today and there was a choice of two ECUs for my tech-1, one is the same as the Tech-2 type, they weren't certain but the difference may well be how many pins they have so I will take off the ECU multi-plug and see if they are the same as the tech-2 I have or not.

Sorry If I come across as slow.

Cheers

[Theo]

Its been said in plain english already. You have a complete tech2 with knackered engine? You also have a tech 1 engine yes?

Remove tech 2 engine, remove front trigger wheel and crank position sensor and bracket etc from this engine. Now remove the whole engine loom from the tech 1 engine and replace it with the whole engine loom from the tech 2 engine, complete with the aforementioned trigger wheel, CPS, water pump etc. Now fit it back to the car, using the 173 ECU from the tech 2, the rad, coolant hoses from the tech 2 car and it will work. Using the tech 2 engine loom means it will plug and play into they car loom multiplug.