GEARBOX SWAP

[Doels]

Just a few questions. I drive a 325i 2door with a GETRAG gearbox that wines (spelling) in all the gears. Also, in the monin as well as when I have drivin on the freeway, I have this terrible noise coming from the tranny. When I however step on the clutch it goes away. My machie told me that the gearbox is buggered and the the 4 bearings inside the box is the cause of this. Cost of one bearing in the region of ZAR 800. He suggest that I try and source another box. Problem with this is that I am struggling to get hold of a GETRAG box for an E30 325i. Only box I get are "ZF" boxes & I am let to believe they are for 318 and 316's. What I can lay my hands on now and for a very cheap price is a GETRAG box from a 1996 E36 325i that is in pritty good shape. So I was wondering, can I fit this box of the E36 in my car? I believe it is possible if I use my "bellhousing"? What will be the effects in terms of gear ratios etc.

[Brianmoooore]

E36 box bolts straight on but is rotated a few degrees, as the E36 engine sits at a slightly different angle to the E30.
This will cause problems with the gear linkage and the gearbox rear mounts.
Only ever fitted a E36 box on the back of a M50 engine, so not sure about the prop, but a bigger problem will be the gear ratios.
5th gear on the E36 box is the same ratio as 4th gear on the E30, so you will need a diff around the 3 : 1.