engine swap,..(325i pre facelift) into (320i post facelift)

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:52 am

You may have seen my thread before, rear mounted turbo e30. The project took a turn for the worst when the timing belt sliped and creamed the head so its still under way.

Im swaping the 2.7 for a regular 325i engine while i rebuild the 2.7 (the probper way)! Will I have any problems with the swap seeing as its an ABS pre facelift engine into a plastic bumper 320 shell?

thanks and happy weekend!

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:08 pm

Fit the management system from the car to your engine,'dizzy' on the end of the cam,etc and use the 320 ECU. To make it run right you may need a 325 chip.Sorry to read of your misfortune with a timing belt,was it an old one?

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:45 pm

Thanks! I think the tensioner either fell off or was never installed on the 2.7 conversion so it slipped. There was a crazy machine gun like noise, turned out to be piston and valve contact,.. eeek.

This is my first engine swap (noticed i said first) so im just worried ill forget to connect an earth somewhere an fry stuff. Iv just bought a donor so iv lots of spares casually lying around the place. The engine came out easy and disconnected easy so Im thinking the install might be similar. As soon as its in ill update the reat turbo project. I know alot of people are egar to see (or not see) it work

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:51 pm

Do not forget to earth the alternator!! I did

and it cost me a rebuilt unit

plus the embarassment of confessing to Calamity Jane just why the battery went flat on her....

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:33 pm

hum,... i see the older engine has an oil cooler and the car im putting it into did not. It seems to connect under the oil filter via two metal pipes. Will I have to transfer this to??

Thanks again boys

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 4:13 pm

Why not use the oil filter mount without the 'cooler take off?

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:21 pm

I dont get ye?

Its a rad, piped to the front mount cooler from the lower driver side of the block

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:44 pm

Does your 2.7 have an oil cooler? If not,'borrow' the filter housing from that.

Post Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:18 pm

ah, i think i see what your talking about. swap them over and the problem should be solved. the oil rad is fairly nackard anyway so looks like id be replacing. thanks!!!