M50 2.5

[oze30]

Right.

What's needed to M50 an e30?

I can get an engine and box fairly cheap. WHat else is needed?

[kam-325i]

Erm, i know new engine mounts, from a 5 series i think....

[Brianmoooore]

Erm, i know new engine mounts, from a 5 series i think....

Engine mounts from an E36 3 series. Sump and oil pick up pipe from the E34 5 series.
Whichever engine you get, you should get one or the other with it.

[Turbo-Brown]

So it's better to get the engine from the 5 series presumably?

Seem to recall that the mounting legs are about £16 each from the dealers:)

Take it the 5 series is more likely to have an auto 'box though?

[Brianmoooore]

5 series donor is best, IMHO. Less dismantling, and it comes with a more suitable wiring loom and wiring box.
Possibly less abused as well.

[Jimbob]

I've read that you can use an e30 325i flywheel, it just needs skimming slightly to fit.

I read the entire M50 Developments thread last night, took like 3hrs! Think I have compiled a decent list of required parts.

Brian, can you see any reason why a 525i Auto would add any confusion into the conversion instead of buying a manual if I use the e30 flywheel?

[DanThe]

Mine started life with an auto box and it made little difference to the job. Just need to buy a spigot bearing.

Benefits of the E36 engine is it comes with the right mounting arms and the ECU branch of the wiring loom is longer so the ECU can be tied up above the pedals somewhere but not in the original place.

But like Brian said its probably seen better days.

Sump gasket should be changed for the later steel type anyway as its a cunt to do in the E30

[Jimbob]

Cool thanks for the advice.

From everything I've read over the last 2 days I'm assuming that this concoction(sp?!) may work:

M52B28 bottom end
M50B25 head (non-vanos) and everything else - pref from the E34
Early M50 wiring loom from either E34 or E36 - if E34 then a watertight box to be made to have the ECU in the bay
E36 mounting arms with E28 M5 rubber mounts
Brake servo of some description - possibly Mk1 golf GTi!
E34 sump and assosciations
M20 flywheel skimmed enough allowing it to mate to the M52 bottom end
^^ Allowing me to use an M20 gearbox and everything back to the diff as standard on the E30
Some type of rad that will fit! And possibly a 14" leccy fan.

Any pointers from the M50/2 crew would be much appreciated

[Jon_Bmw]

You also need the exhaust manifold changed jim, needs the back(closest to the bulkhead) 3 runners chopped and re-welded once they have been shortened i think. This is to clear the steering uj/coupling i am led to believe.

The appeal of e30's still gets me very tempted to sell my barge and get another one, but it would have to be a touring i think due to the boot space i have got used too with the Avant.

Whats your hack at the moment then? Go on we want a good laugh

[Jimbob]

Yea was just about to re-post - feckin exhaust manifold!!!

Ste's group buy is good though, am watching that with anticipation.

Daily hack - hmm well there's a facelift Peugeot 306 DTurbo which met a tree (to be fixed)
and the replacement - 1998 Ford Escort LX estate 1.6 - £300

[DanThe]

If you use the E30 gearbox the gear linkage needs modding and you will have to make a custom gearbox mount

[DanThe]

Heres some pics of a modded bracket





Linkage just needs twisting 10°

[Jimbob]

Fair play thanks for the photo's mate.

[jmc330i]

Brake servo of some description - possibly Mk1 golf GTi!

A Mk2 1.3 servo will be easier to find. Its the same size as the Mk1 GTi servo.
Only difference in fitting them is the Mk2 servo needs a spacer between the pushrod in the servo and the master cylinder, the Mk1 servo doesnt. The Mk1 servo needs the 'fork' linkage drilled slightly to fit and the Mk2 doesnt. Ive got pics that might explain better on my home PC if you want.

Linkage just needs twisting 10°

Any pics of the modded linkage? Might be doing this to the touring and it would be cheaper to keep my M20 box.

[DanThe]

No pic, just literally put one end in a vice and a spanner over the other end and give it some

[jmc330i]

Ive got myelf confused now - it really doesnt take a lot

Which bit are you bending? The selector rod or the linkage that the gearstick sits in?

[DanThe]

The selector rod, ally linkage arm that the gearstick sits in can stay as it is

[m-dtech]

I believe you can use an m40 gearbox with a m20 flywheel and 2.0 prop from an e30.

[jmc330i]

The selector rod, ally linkage arm that the gearstick sits in can stay as it is

Ahh, so the linkage arm rotates with the box and the gearstick can stay upright. Is the stick still centred in tunnel hole?

I believe you can use an m40 gearbox with a m20 flywheel and 2.0 prop from an e30.

That would also be good, I have a spare M40 box, but would the M40 box handle the power ok?

[m-dtech]

The selector rod, ally linkage arm that the gearstick sits in can stay as it is

Ahh, so the linkage arm rotates with the box and the gearstick can stay upright. Is the stick still centred in tunnel hole?

I believe you can use an m40 gearbox with a m20 flywheel and 2.0 prop from an e30.

That would also be good, I have a spare M40 box, but would the M40 box handle the power ok?

i would have thought so, should be good for 200 horse no problem also using the m40 box means you can use a standard diff

[DanThe]

would the M40 box handle the power ok?

This was my first thought The M20 box has got to be the one for the job in my eyes

[m-dtech]

would the M40 box handle the power ok?

This was my first thought

i will tell ya soon enough.

[jmc330i]

would the M40 box handle the power ok?

This was my first thought The M20 box has got to be the one for the job in my eyes

Ive just been reading on R3V about using the M20 flywheel on the M50. Then realised you had replied You say 6mm was machined from the back of the flywheel to clear the M50 oil pan - no problems doing this?

I saw something about the lower gearbox mounting holes not lining up when the M20 box is used. Is that right? I thought it bolted up fine, other than the rotation

[m-dtech]

e36 box is supposed to be good too, there is an early type i believe that has the same bolt pattern as e30 prop ??

[DanThe]

The oil pan wasnt the problem, it was just the heads of the 6mm bolts on the back of the block.

[jmc330i]

The oil pan wasnt the problem, it was just the heads of the 6mm bolts on the back of the block.

So you took 6mm off the M20 flywheel and that was that?

And the M20 box bolted up no problems?

[DanThe]

Yes, I used the M20 flywheel and clutch with the M50 box though

[jmc330i]

Ahh, thought you had the M20 box - not yours in the pic on page 1 then.

Unless I can find a cheap M50 and box, Im going to have to research using the M20 box - My M20 is having issues at the moment so the M50 seems to be the way to go.

[Brianmoooore]

e36 box is supposed to be good too, there is an early type i believe that has the same bolt pattern as e30 prop ??

Gearbox from an E36 320 on a K plate bolted to my M50, and also bolted to an E30 325 prop.