318i to 325i...Complete, Still a problem tho!

[Lee_Coupe]

RIGHT EDIT:

Me and a Mate completed the conversion today, Drove it back from his garage a min ago.

Only one problem...

Under accerlation it sounds like the prop or driveshalfs rubbing on something. The noise stops when you engauge the clutch.


Any ideas, Thanks in advance






Im sure this has been covered many of times, but the search fuction doesnt seem to be working for me

Basicly Ive got a 318 touring, and just bought a beat up 325 off a mate,

As far as Im aware I need to change...

The engine & gearbox,
Rear diff,
ECU,
Engine Loom,
Prop shalf,

is there anything else that'd need changing over?

Thanks in advance

Lee

[Zayyan]

Suspension: Rear springs are the same I think but fronts will need changing due to the engine being heavier.

[Lee_Coupe]

Already changed over the front struts, brakes, shocks, springs already also done the rear, and removed the arbs ready to swap this weekend (I believe there thicker?)

Thanks

[Brianmoooore]

Already changed over the front struts, brakes, shocks, springs already also done the rear, and removed the arbs ready to swap this weekend (I believe there thicker?)

Thanks

Apart from the front springs (because of weight difference), the 318 touring suspension is equal or superior to the 325 saloon. (Not sure how ARBs compare).
Don't, under any circumstances, fit 325 saloon springs to the rear of a tourer.

[Lee_Coupe]

Huum may I ask why should I not swap over the rear springs?

[jmc330i]

The back end of the touring is heavier than a saloon. Fitting saloon rear springs to the touring will have the back end of the touring sat lower than it should be.

[Brianmoooore]

The back end of the touring is heavier than a saloon. Fitting saloon rear springs to the touring will have the back end of the touring sat lower than it should be.

It's more than that. I don't have the figures to back it up, but the spring rate and length of the saloon springs just don't work properly on a touring.
Tourings have "m-tech" suspension as standard. 325 Tourings even have M3 alloy front control arms.

[jmc330i]

For the conversion you will also need 2 of the power steering pipes from the 6cyl, as the pump on the 4cyl is different and the pipes wont match up to the pump.

You need both the pipes that attach to the pump, one is from the rack to the pump and the other is from the PAS reservoir to the pump.

[Lee_Coupe]

Thank you most clever people lol

[E30cabalan]

I think you also need the expansion bottle mounting brackets which are welded on to the left hand inner wing.

[jmc330i]

I think you also need the expansion bottle mounting brackets which are welded on to the left hand inner wing.

Yep and the mounting for the AFM/air filter is also in the wrong place.

[pauldeacs]

Lee_Coupe:

Cool cool, will make some brackets up for those

[jmc330i]

One little thing that you will also need is the plastic bracket that the radiator sits on. Only the passenger side bracket is needed, part number 7 in the link...
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=17&fg=05

Also need the coding plug from the 6cyl, or the rev counter will read wrong. Driving with the 4cyl coding plug in will make you drive slower because the revs read so high, its odd seeing 3k at 50mph in 5th - although its quite funny to watch your passengers faces when the rev counter goes into the red, way past 7k and off the scale

[Lee_Coupe]

LOL!

That would be quite amusing!

[E30cabalan]

Its easy to remove the mounting brackets for the resevoir. Drill through the spot welds (7mm) and then make up a template from the 325 inner wing using the holes as the reference for mounting in the 318. 5 minute job with a MIG welder.

[jmc330i]

I couldnt remove the mounting brackets from my Sport - I still need them, so a bit of thinking and some Meccano and its all fitted

[Lee_Coupe]

Starting stripping down my doner cars engine bay today, ran outta light in the end but getting there, just need to unplug the wiring from the main fuse box and wip the manifold off and jobss a goodun! lol.

Also noticed the 325 has an oil cooler mounted down below/infront of the rad, Im guessing I'll need this aswell?

[jmc330i]

What wiring from the fusebox?

You should only need to unplug the C101 connector (round one by the fuse box) and pull the ECU plug through the bulkhead. Its only the engine loom you need to take out with the engine.

Also noticed the 325 has an oil cooler mounted down below/infront of the rad, Im guessing I'll need this aswell?

You may as well use the oil cooler as you have it. Make sure you get the little mountings for the oil cooler and the oil lines from the donor car, because the 318i wont have them.

I didnt bother with it on mine because I had already used the oil lines and cooler on my other E30.

[jmc330i]

And mate, your avatar is a little big

[Lee_Coupe]

Avater edited lol

Sorry I meant unpluging the fuse box and ecu etc,

Tracing the wiring through the engine bay is fun also, the wires that run from the (engine) fusebox down to the abs unit and in behind.

[Lee_Coupe]

What wiring from the fusebox?

You should only need to unplug the C101 connector (round one by the fuse box) and pull the ECU plug through the bulkhead. Its only the engine loom you need to take out with the engine.

Also noticed the 325 has an oil cooler mounted down below/infront of the rad, Im guessing I'll need this aswell?

You may as well use the oil cooler as you have it. Make sure you get the little mountings for the oil cooler and the oil lines from the donor car, because the 318i wont have them.

I didnt bother with it on mine because I had already used the oil lines and cooler on my other E30.

Oil cooler and piping out, Engine loom unplugged,from C101 Connector that I couldnt find lol but now I have, Ecu removed, Engine mounts unbolted, Gearbox stay removed, Just need to wip the prop out (Did'nt have two 17mm spanners with me )

Now once the prop is removed, how do I go about the gearlinkage?

Thanks

[Brianmoooore]

Now once the prop is removed, how do I go about the gearlinkage?

Thanks

Lower part is obvious. Upper part is held by a spring clip at the gearbox end which eventually slides out to the left.
Difficult to describe how to remove this clip, but obvious once you see one of the car. Drop the rear of the gearbox as low as possible for access.
Alternatively, you can release the bracket that supports the rear of the gear lever and push the gear lever complete down through it's hole, then remove the engine and box with it still attached.
Don't forget the reverse light switch wiring.

[Lee_Coupe]

Ideal, cheers buddy

[Lee_Coupe]

Right pulled the engine out last night, With a bit of sweat lol

Just wondering When refitting how hard is it to get the mounts etc lined up? Looks a nightmare of a job lol


Well tomorrow engine the engine will be out of mine then and few bits and bobs to clean up and paint, all goes well this weekend I'll have some extra fuel bills to complain about.

Thanks for all the info etc lads,

Will get pictures up once complete,

[Brianmoooore]

Leave the bottom of the engine mounts almost completely undone in the car, so that you can move the mounts around and line them up with the alloy arms off the engine as you lower the engine in. Easy.
Don't put the gearbox back in with the linkage attached. The clip is very easy to put back in - just an absolute ba**ard to get out.

[Lee_Coupe]

[jonbuoy]

It's pretty easy putting everything back into your motor, it took me 6 hour's ie; one engine out, 2.5 in and connected

[Lee_Coupe]

Yeah,

Any idea on the problem tho?

As per edited first post?

[jonbuoy]

Under accerlation it sounds like the prop or driveshalfs rubbing on something. The noise stops when you engauge the clutch.

Do you mean "Disengauge"? Otherwise i can't make sense of what was said

Check your hand brake cable's aren't rubbing on the half shaft's as you mentioned you had put saloon rear spring's on thus the rear being lower.

In your first post you say that you and a mate had completed the conversion and have just drove it but then continue to ask question's about how/what to expect when doing the engine change

Could you enlighten me please

[Lee_Coupe]

Under accerlation it sounds like the prop or driveshalfs rubbing on something. The noise stops when you engauge the clutch.

Do you mean "Disengauge"? Otherwise i can't make sense of what was said

Check your hand brake cable's aren't rubbing on the half shaft's as you mentioned you had put saloon rear spring's on thus the rear being lower.

In your first post you say that you and a mate had completed the conversion and have just drove it but then continue to ask question's about how/what to expect when doing the engine change

Could you enlighten me please

Yeah sorry I meant disengauge, Hand brake cables were never a problem before the engine swap and it was lowered on the same springs etc as it is now.

And yeah I edited the first post earlyer today, Thought I'd leave the rest of it up there for people in the future lol

Basicly it has to be etha the prop or drivershalfs fouling something because it only does it when its in gear and moving, Any ideas why it could be doing this?

Thanks Lee

[jonbuoy]

Have you looked underneath for any mark's that stand out?

Other thing is, the big rubber balance weight (Not the rubber donut bush!) that was originally on the 318i (Bolt's on with the prop, gearbox end), did you bolt this to the M20 gearbox with the other prop?

If so, this may well be your problem as it's not meant to be there!
This will most probably be rubbing on the gear linkage's


Where is the noise coming from exactly?

[Lee_Coupe]

Have you looked underneath for any mark's that stand out?

Other thing is, the big rubber balance weight (Not the rubber donut bush!) that was originally on the 318i (Bolt's on with the prop, gearbox end), did you bolt this to the M20 gearbox with the other prop?

If so, this may well be your problem as it's not meant to be there!
This will most probably be rubbing on the gear linkage's


Where is the noise coming from exactly?

The rubber balance weight I think I know the one you mean, its attached to the prop itself? I fitted that prop! Thought it was the 325 one as it looked more heavy duty, so fitted it, the other one I have hasnt got the balancing weight. Ahhh nipps! Most likey got them confused!

Damn s**t b*ll**ks.

Thanks Lee

[jonbuoy]

You won't have got them confused as one is shorter than the other!

Check that this is happening as your mate may have transfered the balance weight over to the other prop without you realising

[Lee_Coupe]

You won't have got them confused as one is shorter than the other!

Check that this is happening as your mate may have transfered the balance weight over to the other prop without you realising

Just to check...

Are we talking about the rubber spacer that bolts inbetween the prop and the gearbox link?

Or the rubber thing thats attachly onthe front part of the prop itself?

[jmc330i]

You won't have got them confused as one is shorter than the other!

Check that this is happening as your mate may have transfered the balance weight over to the other prop without you realising

Just to check...

Are we talking about the rubber spacer that bolts inbetween the prop and the gearbox link?

Or the rubber thing thats attachly onthe front part of the prop itself?

I think he is talking about part number 3 in this realoem link... Clicky Clicky
If so, then my 325i prop has one (had it on my Sport) and it fits no problems. I did fit the Z3 lever so had to bend the gear selector rod to fit over it, but my 325i linkage fits no problem.