335i vs Gold TDI

[323i_rare]

What car would win a dual carriage way race and why!

[stevetigger]

um, is this a trick question?

[323i_rare]

No, just it seemed that my 323i was stuggling a little bit to keep up with the golf!

[stevetigger]

So you ask about a 335?

[jonbuoy]

The 335i should piss all over it mate

[323i_rare]

I have read through the 335i guide on e30.de and can understand the basics of it, but I am no mechanic. Sure I could get a donor car e.g. a 735i but I would not be able to fit the parts. Roughly how long would it take a one manned proffesional mechanic to fit it and how much should the labour cost be?

[jonbuoy]

It would be alot of time and money mate, alot easier just sticking in a 2.5

[ed325i]

It will take at lest 2 days with labour at £35/£40 ish . Do a search on here for more info on the conversion and parts you will need.


ED

[323i_rare]

Well lets say 2 days runs to 20 hours, 10 each day. I would not mind paying £40 an hour i.e. £800 to get this conversion done just for the labour, is that a reasonable figure?

[ed325i]

What bhp do the 323 stick out 140/150bhp ? 325 should be around 170bhp and the 335 218bhp with lots of torque.

ED

[jonb]

the 3.5 conversion is great. but not that easy. its not the sort of thing you can do in a weekend.

very fast. even with a standard engine. the torque in the light shell is amazing.

nothing wrong with golf diesels....

[ed325i]

the 3.5 conversion is great. but not that easy. its not the sort of thing you can do in a weekend.
...

You should if you have all the bits be able do it in a weekend That engine you sold me jon is in and running and my brother has got his kit car on the road.

ED

[jonb]

not really.

you have to fit the engine to get the measurements for the prop, and the gearlinkage.

lots of bashing of the transmission tunnel also. i bashed the tunnel as much as i thought was nessesary, i droped the engine and box in the bay, and it still wouldnt go in. back out with the engine and more bashing.

downpipes need to be offered up and weilded to the rest of the system.

theres plenty of other stuff to.

its a big job. not like changing an m20 engine over.

if it was easy them alot of people would have done it.

[323i_rare]

Honestly how much would it cost for a good mechanic to do it!

[jonb]

supplyed and fitted probably over 2 grand.

[323i_rare]

Well I would rather pay £2000 than get an e30 M3, well don't you think a 335i would kick an M3's ass!

Now to find a good donor car that doesn't cost £1000, any hints?

[georob]

pick up for a donor for around 300

[323i_rare]

140,000 miles should be OK?

[Simon13]

M30's are like most bmw engines they do the miles if they have been serviced on time

[alan325i]

[quote="323i_rare"]Well I would rather pay £2000 than get an e30 M3, well don't you think a 335i would kick an M3's ass!


On a straight line maybe, going around the bendy bits M3 would eat you up i think, but then it depends who is driving the car i guess

[JAMZ]

Tis alot of money be sure..But was something i thought about very serioulsy and was really tempted...its not a case of plug and play though as Jonb says, there are alot of outher lil niggly bits that need to get sorted..dropping yer engine in is the easy bit and its those lil bits that start to cost money and take up yer time.. £1500-2000 is where your be looking..for that money you could start to look at the FI route?... the M3 wouldnt even see yer let al,one catch yer.. hehe

3.5 is defo a worthwhile mod though if you got the £'s .. get a long enough straight and you be too far for the M3 to catch yer anyway .. Torque from that lump in an e30 shell is muchos fun from what i hear

hth

[Jhonno]

3.5 is just the start of it tho.. brake need uprating as does suspension

[Kos]

all this to a 323i which will have rust!!!!

[323i_rare]

This 323i does kinda suck really, it earlier on the dual carriage way a 1.8 litre golf (02 reg) kept up with it

[ed325i]

not really.

you have to fit the engine to get the measurements for the prop, and the gearlinkage.

lots of bashing of the transmission tunnel also. i bashed the tunnel as much as i thought was nessesary, i droped the engine and box in the bay, and it still wouldnt go in. back out with the engine and more bashing.

downpipes need to be offered up and weilded to the rest of the system.

theres plenty of other stuff to.

its a big job. not like changing an m20 engine over.

if it was easy them alot of people would have done it.

Mine like others didnt need the transmission tunnel bashing. You can use the e30 m3 prop and if you need to shorten the gear linkage which some people dont, that does not take long and the exhaust is easy to mod. people read on here that its hard so many people dont bother doing it.

323i_rare where abouts are you from.


ED

[323i_rare]

berkshire, about 2 hrs from you!

[fuzzy]

i believe that if your going to do any engine conversion you should go for the biggest that you can afford as youll only regret it later if youve done a half measure and are then bored with the power

[ed325i]

Or use an engine that can be up graded easy when you do get bored. I just know I am going to get bored with mine and will end up putting a turbo on it I wanted my e30 to have around 200bhp but now I want 300bhp but then will I want more
So 323_rare are you going for the conversion ??

ED

[fuzzy]

true...i thought 300bhp would be enough,now im going for 370bhp