What shall i pinch off M535i for my E30 conversion?

[SPADGE]

Hi guys
I just bought yet another M30 manual car to join my fleet
Its an E28 M535i with the dogleg box and slipper etc....
I can't decide what to do with the car to be honest but originally bought it as it was cheap. I am thinking of busting it up although that would be a real shame What i need to know at the moment is what parts of it would be usefull to me for the E30 M30 conversion that i am currently doing that would be better than the E34 stuff i already have? I know the diff if its a medium case will deffo be worth using as its a slipper and could be a good ratio for what i want and the rad will fit easier than the E34 one. But what else? Is the dogleg box better for my car than the standard E34 one? If so why? Ratio's? What about the prop is that any use??
Anything else?
Cheers Spadge the BMW collector

[gareth]

how many do you want dude!!!!

if you were to break it, hang onto the rad and flywheel / clutch. i know you're getting the lump right back but more space is never a bad thing and a thinner rad may even allow you to get the dizzy cap off without draining the coolant!

the E28 has a lighter single mass flywheel. this is what i'm running. i've not seen a E32/34 one as my donor was an auto but i have pics of a E28 one if you wanna compare?

the engine is higher compression so will be a bit quicker but afaik isn't so simple to drop in as the later one. the wiring isn't as close and there is a water elbow on the rear of the head that makes space a lot tighter. (the E32/4 one is on the side of the head.) also , the exhaust manifold point towards the bulkhead, though the E32/4 one may fit?

the dogleg box is cool but i've heard they're not as tough. plus you know you'll look a tit grinding reverse at least once!

oh, i think i remember something about the engine mounts being different too... (on e30.de)

the prop would be useful as a donor for a hybrid.


have a look on E30.de as there is a lot of info regarding both donor types.

[gcorky]

shame to bust,any photos???i like them???

[SPADGE]

shame to bust,any photos???i like them???

The only pics i have so far are the rubbish ones from the advert mate

[SPADGE]

Hi Gareth
Cheers mate you've pretty much told me everything i already knew with the exception of the compression and the flywheel. I thought these had pretty much the same bhp figure as the E34 so didn't know there was much difference. As for the flywheel if i do bust it i can compare it with the E34 one laying in my garage.
The clutch is new so will save me 130 quid to start with as mine although looks ok was a bit high in the e34 donor.
The rad will most definatly get used as you said as it will give a little more breathing space at the front.

Its early days as i only picked the car up this afternoon but a lot will depend on what i find when i have a look at the diff!

Cheers Spadge..

[gcorky]

looks nice ,whats shell running ,gear like ?

[SPADGE]

looks nice ,whats shell running ,gear like ?

A few scabs here and there as you would expect and mainly on the very bottom of the wings. Both rear arches are almost perfect so no worries there.
Running gear felt good on the run from the other side of Coventry this afternoon. Pulls well and the gearbox clutch diff etc...feel ok. Couple of things i did notice were the diff mounting bush's are a bit worn and there is a slight hum from the offside rear wheel bearing.
Other than that the battery was fecked but i have numerous and have already replaced that.

[gcorky]

not thought about selling?

[gareth]

to save you pulling it apart just to see, here are some pics of the lighter E28 single mass flywheel and recon clutch. from memeory it's a sachs clutch reconditioned by/for ferodo.

how does it compare the the E34 one? (i've never seen one!!!)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/ ... 30f850.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/ ... 40f3e5.jpg

the flywheel, and yes i did remove the rust before fitting it!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/ ... 7ae6a6.jpg

regarding compression etc, bmw rated early and late M20's and M30's at the same power but ask any tech 1 owner whether their car is faster than a tech 2 . i reckon the difference is all in the midrange torque. i opted for the later lump as it's an easier conversion but if you have both available then you could make a high compression late lump? this may be incorrect... but i seem to remember reading that the later engine has a better cam or larger valves (or something similar relating to the breathing) to reclaim some of the power lost though the drop in compression... seems to make sense though some research should be done before making a mutant engine as this is based on what my (fairly drunk) brain can remember a year after i started my conversion

or i could drive up to you and save the E28!!! it looks too good to cannibalise! how does it go compared to you
3.5 E34? the E28 M535i i drove felt properly pokey, unlike my E32 375i donor! the E34 is only a M50 so lacks the grunt also..

[DRIFTBOY]

I've always liked those E28s alot, doesn't sound bad either, would be a shame to break it!

I had an E34 dual mass flywheel from my manual donor - they are huge!
I'm using an M535i one now too, I weighed them both and the M535i one is a good 4.5kg lighter!

I might be wrong but I thought the E28 sumps were a different shape and you should use the E34 sump and oil pick-up pipe.

I've also read that the dog-leg gearbox isn't as strong, but they can't be that bad I wouldn't have thought. ?

The diff is down to personal preferance really but I would imagine it would be a bit too long for an E30, but I prefer acceleration to top speed.

I just looked through some old car magazines and power figures for E28 M535i and E34 535i were all the same at 217 bhp.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

[gareth]

short ratios around MK would be a a good idea i guess with a roundabout every 100yds? though you do actually have a lot of good roads around there to get the speed up, which in sussex we don't have!

[SPADGE]

not thought about selling?

Everything has a price mate if your interested bell me!

[SPADGE]

Driftboy and Gareth cheers for your input
I was hoping to get underneath it today and check the diff size etc out but its too wet and i can't be arsed lol!

[Andy335Touring]

Driftboy and Gareth cheers for your input
I was hoping to get underneath it today and check the diff size etc out but its too wet and i can't be arsed lol!

Did you not see my reply to your diff question in the tech section ?

M535 diff won't fit, it's too big

[SPADGE]

Driftboy and Gareth cheers for your input
I was hoping to get underneath it today and check the diff size etc out but its too wet and i can't be arsed lol!

Did you not see my reply to your diff question in the tech section ?

M535 diff won't fit, it's too big

You said you 'think' it has the larger case diff mate hence me still wanting to check

[Andy335Touring]

99% sure mate, let me dig through the ETK to duble check for you though

[Andy335Touring]

Thats strange, i was told that the M535 diff is bigger and doesn't fit but the ETK shows them both to be type 188's ???

[Toby_Unna]

you were right Andy. it IS bigger, not 99% but 100%.

e28 528i LSD is same size as e30 big case, so maybe 1 or 2 m535is came with that diff? but all that i have seen (5) are larger again, output cups won't swap and a custom backplate would be needed.

[Andy335Touring]

[SPADGE]

Ok guys thanks for your help i guess i'll have to pay for a diff for my e30 then

[SPADGE]

I can't believe it myself but i havn't taken a thing off this car yet
Problem is its growing on me daily (bit like fungus up a bog wall lol ) and i really don't know whether to spend a bit of time on it or pull it to bits Maybe i'll let Ebay be my judge seeing as the diff is no good to me

[SPADGE]

Put the thing on Ebay now if it doesn't sell for enough i'll rip it appart and just keep the rad for myself

[DRIFTBOY]

And the flywheel!
Loads lighter than the E34 one, remember?!

I think the front half of the prop could be used from that car too,
if you do end up breaking it that is!

[Andy335Touring]

Taking of M30 fly wheels i've found out some thing new, E28 535 fly wheel weighs 10kgs but the E28 533 F/W weighs 7.5kg, the snag is we didn't get this model

[SPADGE]

And the flywheel!
Loads lighter than the E34 one, remember?!

I think the front half of the prop could be used from that car too,
if you do end up breaking it that is!

I have an E34 prop already mate but your right about the flywheel.
It all depends on what it makes or if i get offered lots of money for other stuff

[SPADGE]

Did i mention it was now on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=014

[nate335i]

hey guys, im also doing an e28 3.5 e30 conversion, engines resting in the bay but i cant get it back far enough due to the sump, does anyone know weather or not the e34 sump fits and do i need a new oil pump if i change it over?
will put a post up wiv pics when she's done!

[DRIFTBOY]

As far as I know you need to use an E34 sump and E34 oil pick-up pipe.
I think the pump is ok but not 100% sure.

[nate335i]

cheers for your help, i'll let you know how i get on!

[DRIFTBOY]

Cool!

Why not start a new topic so we can follow your progress and help you out with the build ?
I want to see lots of photos along the way too! Please!

That way we don't hijack Spadge's topic too!

If you didn't already know I have recently got my 335i on the road so might be able to give you some pointers! As well as some other guys on here who have also done it.

Good luck dude!

[SPADGE]

Feel free to hijack this thread mate i'm done with it anyway