Late Engine management on an early car.

Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:07 pm

After information, opinions and advice on the above, preferably from someone who has carried out the swap.
Also a list of parts needed. Mines an 86 325i cab btw. TIA.

Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:30 pm

engine loom
injector loom
173 ecu
front pulley
crank sensor and bracket
some different brakets for the diognostic plug and some other things that i may of forgoten

Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:36 pm

I got the sensor and late injectors for you.

Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:03 pm

Cheers Marc, just mulling it over atm, depends entirely on cost, ease of conversion and advantages. Not necessarily in that order. Could you PM prices of the parts you have mate.

Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:24 pm

Im breaking a 320i touring at the mo so would be happy to remove all the parts you require for the swap

Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:40 pm

Cheers Tony, all i need now is advice, opinions and information from someone who has actually
done this.

Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:08 pm

Rob remember MunkyE30...was that his name?
Early lasy year I think it was he had a thread going on this swap,maybe try a qiuck search under his name and see what was said?

Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:33 pm

Found and read the thread Tony, but tbh there was,nt a lot of information re actually doing the work. Did find someone on there that has actually carried this out though, so have PM,ed
him for info. Please tell me this is,nt an engine out jobbie, don,t think i could face the exhaust
manifold removal again.

Though it would be a good time to helecoil the block i suppose.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:49 pm

gooner1 wrote:Found and read the thread Tony, but tbh there was,nt a lot of information re actually doing the work. Did find someone on there that has actually carried this out though, so have PM,ed
him for info. Please tell me this is,nt an engine out jobbie, don,t think i could face the exhaust
manifold removal again. Though it would be a good time to helecoil the block i suppose.

Although ive never done it myself I cant see it being engine out job.
Main engine loom can be removed and replaced with the engine in situ.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:58 pm

Was thinking more of the front pulley mate, was just something Munky said in his thread.
Really suprised about the lack of info, considering the apparent gains to be had.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:05 pm

gooner1 wrote:Was thinking more of the front pulley mate, was just something Munky said in his thread.
Really suprised about the lack of info, considering the apparent gains to be had.

Been a while since ive worked on an M20 but from memory the front pulley is held by 6 13mm bolts?

Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:12 pm

I've got a late loom ready to go on my old high comp engine, been collecting the bits for a while.

I removed the front crank pulley from a car at the scrappies - I pulled out the radiator, fan and shroud etc first and it gave me enough room to get at the required bolts without too much trouble.

What information have you been able to gather about the potential benefits? I must admit I'm doing the work purely because I have the engine out and I'd heard that it was a worthwhile mod to do. I've heard terms such as "3D ignition mapping" being bandied about, but no-one seemed to be able to tell me exactly what that means, and what the benefits would be.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:37 pm

high compression vs low compression. Have a search for this by munky30 Alyman.
There is also a further link in the thread. hth.

Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:11 pm

Alyman, have you started your swap yet?.

Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:07 pm

gooner1 wrote:Alyman, have you started your swap yet?.

I've not yet mate - I've just been cruising about with the 2.0 in there. The problem is that I need the car for my work - I do have another E30 but it needs a bit of tinkering before I could use it. Add to this the fact that I'm studying for my final exams at uni, and it may be a month or two til I actually have time to do it

Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:02 pm

Will try and get mine done soon as. Have all the parts needed now thanks to Eko, but bit
ribby atm, due to unforseen circumstances. Will have a go at most things, but the electric side of it, engine loom swap, just totally confuses me. Would probably be the ideal time to do is as im just coming to the end of a head/cambelt change. Tbh though, i just want to drive the bloody thing. Will pass on any help i can.

Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:24 am

gooner1 wrote:Will try and get mine done soon as. Have all the parts needed now thanks to Eko, but bit
ribby atm, due to unforseen circumstances. Will have a go at most things, but the electric side of it, engine loom swap, just totally confuses me. Would probably be the ideal time to do is as im just coming to the end of a head/cambelt change. Tbh though, i just want to drive the bloody thing. Will pass on any help i can.

Nice one, cheers.

I don't think you'll have too much trouble with the loom swap, there aren't that many connectors really so as long as you label things as you take off the old one it should be a doddle.

Is there anything fancy about the head you're putting on or is it standard?

While my lump has been out I've treated it to a new cambelt, water pump, gaskets, dizzy and rotor arm. I'm also going to install some Bosch type III injectors from an M50B20 to see if they make a difference. Can't wait to get it in and running

Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:35 pm

Alyman wrote:
gooner1 wrote:Will try and get mine done soon as. Have all the parts needed now thanks to Eko, but bit
ribby atm, due to unforseen circumstances. Will have a go at most things, but the electric side of it, engine loom swap, just totally confuses me. Would probably be the ideal time to do is as im just coming to the end of a head/cambelt change. Tbh though, i just want to drive the bloody thing. Will pass on any help i can.
Nice one, cheers.

I don't think you'll have too much trouble with the loom swap, there aren't that many connectors really so as long as you label things as you take off the old one it should be a doddle.

Is there anything fancy about the head you're putting on or is it standard?

While my lump has been out I've treated it to a new cambelt, water pump, gaskets, dizzy and rotor arm. I'm also going to install some Bosch type III injectors from an M50B20 to see if they make a difference. Can't wait to get it in and running

We need to get cracking on this Aly!

reckon the swap should be easy, especially if we have the correct tools for fitting the loom

Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:44 pm

Bog standard head Aly, apart from the fact that it has no broken studs stuck in it.

Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:53 pm

if you are fitting later ecu and engine harness of a plastic bumper model onto an early chrome bumper model then there are wiring diferences between harness sockets . fitting engine harness and crank sensar bracket / trigger wheel can all be done with engine in place

Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:26 pm

owenbach wrote:if you are fitting later ecu and engine harness of a plastic bumper model onto an early chrome bumper model then there are wiring diferences between harness sockets . fitting engine harness and crank sensar bracket / trigger wheel can all be done with engine in place

Thanks owenbach, it,s the wiring that will be my main concern.