My M30 swap project NOW FOR SALE!

[Milko]

Ok guys, I'm about to start ordering parts for this and will post up my progress on this thread and any questions I may have, any input you can give will be much appreciated.

Heres my shopping list, any comments welcome.

Base car - 90' 320i 2dr, no sunroof.

Engine - M30 from 91' E32 735 auto, inc all ancillaries, water pipes, exhaust manifold, downpipes, engine loom, ecu, p/s pump and throttle cable.

Gearbox - M10

Clutch - M10 - SPEC stage 3.

Flywheel - M10

Rad - New E28 535i.

Mounts - Pos 3 from e30.de.

Rubber Mounts - M20 (poly)

Prop - M20

Gear linkage etc - M20

Header Tank - M20

Exhaust - SuperSprint E30 M3 system.

Thats my list so far, anything else I should add?

[Gunni]

have the flywheel machined to lighten it,

Take it easy on the clutch to begin with, it will slip at first but then stop it,

[charlE30]

Good luck with your project mate

Your list looks quite complete, what are you going to use for the exhaust system?

I'd never seen that thread using an M10 g/box and I must say I wish I had, it took nearly 2 months to find a manual M30 one

Keep us all updated... with lots of piccys

Charlie

[Milko]

Yeah the whole M10 thing seems too good to be true!

I still wont 100% believe they match up untill I actually see it in front of me!

Picking engine and box etc up from a breaker at the wk/end, and fitting should commence on about the 19th, aslong as all the bits get here....

Not sure on exhaust yet....

[charlE30]

have the flywheel machined to lighten it,

Wouldn't the M10 flywheel be a lot lighter already than the M30?

Charlie

[Milko]

I'd imagine so, my local machine shop want over 100 quid to do it, so mine will be staying as is!

[DRIFTBOY]

Don't forget to put a spigot bearing in the end of the crankshaft if it's from an automatic - it may not have one in there. They are only a few quid!

Might be as well to change the water pump before fitting the engine as well - I've heard they are fairly common failures. Again, not that expensive.

Good luck!

[bobafett]

Good luck mate, hope it all goes to plan. If you give Beemer redeemer a call there in Bristol they may have an E28 radiator for sale. Got to be worth a call as they are quite a bit slimmer then E34.

Let us know about the exhaust sytem mate and how your gonna sort that little puppy out !

Cheers mate Darren..

[Milko]

Don't forget to put a spigot bearing in the end of the crankshaft if it's from an automatic - it may not have one in there. They are only a few quid!

Might be as well to change the water pump before fitting the engine as well - I've heard they are fairly common failures. Again, not that expensive.

Good luck!

Cheers dude, good call.

Thanks for the heads up on the rad bobafett.

May just drag the car to my friends once its running, and get him to fab an exhaust system up. I like the twin > single 2.5" idea mentioned on Gunni's swap thread.

Wheels and tyres and some other bits just turned up, I'm like a kid a xmas at the mo!

[Theo]

Good luck with it all, I've had all the parts needed for the conversion for months now, but can't find a decent 2dr shell anywhere. Mint 2dr shells without a sunroof are quite a rarity, I'm very jealous!

I think you will need an electric fan on that list, but could use the one from the e32, mine is an e32 aircon fan. Oh, and a 3.64 or lower ratio diff as well. And rear discs if it doesn't already have them (think you said it does on another thread). 325i front struts would be a good idea, as well as a good set of springs.

[Milko]

Electric fan I have, from another project.

I have a 3.91 LSD, as I want the extra acceleration.

Discs on the back already as you mentioned.

Uprated suspension and poly bushes all sorted and sat in front of me. (plus ARB's soon )

SD rear cage on order in the GB.

P.S wouldnt call my shell mint, but its good enough!

I'll post some pics up of the car and some of the other parts I have soon.... 8x16 rims (7kg each) 195.40.16 Dunlop SP9000, race seats and Mtech interior etc etc...

[Theo]

Make sure that the inner arches are spot on, the rear section of the SD cage mounts on the rear inner arches, so if these are crusty, you will have problems!

[Milko]

Make sure that the inner arches are spot on, the rear section of the SD cage mounts on the rear inner arches, so if these are crusty, you will have problems!

They were abit rotton but they are being sorted as we speak, along with another hole I found when I removed the carpet. Should be good to go, by the weekend.

[gareth]

i have a 3.91 diff in mine (with a E34 530 gearbox) and it's too short geared with the fairly low revving torquey M30. the M10 may have a different ratio gearbox though so that's worth considering...

with a M30 'box, 3.46 is about right afaik so that's what i'm looking for now

[Milko]

When you say too short geared, do you mean for cruising etc or do you mean, basically 1st and 2nd are useless!?

As I'm not bothered about the cruising aspect as its just a fun/wk-end car.

[gareth]

i can do donuts in the dry in 3rd if i'm brutal enough for larking about and expending tyres, i don't use 1st any more! at santa pod i used 2nd for 'tyre warming' but launching at 1300 / 1500 rpm in 1st at part throttle to keep wheelspin at bay

incidentally, this is all with a LSD, 215/40/16 toyos (sticky), koni adjustable shocks, fairly soft springs and a heavy touring rear end which roughly equates to 2 rear seat passengers in a saloon so it does load the rear up a bit and help my grip! that said, the low profile tyres do also drop the overall gearing a bit on mine.

basically, i can get away with never using 1st though it's nice for parking and gently pootling along in traffic. it also feels strained at speed. the time you really 'feel' the grunt is in 3rd

may be worth looking at how the M10 / M30 gearbox ratios compare as it may be fine with the M10 box though it may also be very bad!!!

i suspect a fellow M30 nut may take you out for a spin if you call by with cakes (we're all nice like that! ) so you can feel for yourself before splashing out on a pricey LSD of the wrong ratio and have to swap it later. if the gearbox ratios are roughly the same, i'd go for a 3.64 maybe but not a 3.91 as mine does suffer for it.

what an essay!!!

[Milko]

Good info tho m8!

I already have the sport LSD, but I got it for next to nowt from my bro-in-law who's had it sat in his workshop for a good while, so if I need to I will swap it out.

Mmmmm 3rd gear donuts!

[DRIFTBOY]

I'm using a 3.73:1 ratio lsd with 205/55x15 tyres on mine and that is also a little short geared.

Yesterday I was towing a mate's broken X-packed Mk2 Escort RS2000 ( ) and I still pulled away in second on a slight uphill gradient! It will easily light up the rear tyres from a standing start in second.

In the wet you have to be very careful in first second and third.

I keep reaching for another gear when I'm in fifth though!

I think a 3.46:1 would be a good compromise.

[gareth]

now that's a rare beast, worth a few £ too!!!! i had one as my second car
with a 170bhp 2.1 pinto on 45's

martin, if he needs any parts, give me a shout as i still have a load in my mothers cellar!

[DRIFTBOY]

Thanks Gareth!

Pm sent - as not to get off topic!

[nickso]

I'm using a 3.73:1 ratio lsd with 205/55x15 tyres on mine and that is also a little short geared.

Yesterday I was towing a mate's broken X-packed Mk2 Escort RS2000 ( ) and I still pulled away in second on a slight uphill gradient! It will easily light up the rear tyres from a standing start in second.

In the wet you have to be very careful in first second and third.

I keep reaching for another gear when I'm in fifth though!

I think a 3.46:1 would be a good compromise.

ive got a 3.46 on my 335 and i think its a good match. admittedly ive not tried any other diff but 2nd and 3rd are incredible gears for torque and acceleration. 1st is useful off the line on mine and gareth is suffering with his 3.91 like he said. i dont bother with 4th on open roads and 2nd is pointless in town as a 5th to 3rd change covers most roundabouts and junctions.

5th is not much use on mine though....at 80 im doing 3000rpm.....i would be happier with somewhere nearer 2500rpm for cruising. i can put up with it for the 3rd gear drop down for overtaking though

[Gunni]

a buddy used a "2.5 system, only gave 195hp, unbolted it, straight to 211hp.

[Toby_Unna]

was that with a cat Gunni?

[Milko]

a buddy used a "2.5 system, only gave 195hp, unbolted it, straight to 211hp.

When you say unbolted it, do you mean he ran open downpipes?

Or switched to another system?

[gooner1]

Milko, sorry to jump thread but where are you getting your stage 3 cluthch from and roughly how much.

[Gunni]

was that with a cat Gunni?

No kat, the engine was a kat engine tough

a buddy used a "2.5 system, only gave 195hp, unbolted it, straight to 211hp.

When you say unbolted it, do you mean he ran open downpipes?

Or switched to another system?

He removed the exhaust after the downpipes, he was on a dyno before and after, he did a run, removed the exhaust and did another one,.

[Milko]

was that with a cat Gunni?

No kat, the engine was a kat engine tough

a buddy used a "2.5 system, only gave 195hp, unbolted it, straight to 211hp.

When you say unbolted it, do you mean he ran open downpipes?

Or switched to another system?

He removed the exhaust after the downpipes, he was on a dyno before and after, he did a run, removed the exhaust and did another one,.

I would have thought that an M30 would make more than 211bhp open downpipe.... isnt that the stock book figure? are these engines usually down on the factory figure...?

I was hoping to see 220+ with good exhaust and intake.

[Milko]

Milko, sorry to jump thread but where are you getting your stage 3 cluthch from and roughly how much.

No probs dude, here ya go

http://www.specclutch.com/

You can order online (they are in the US tho..) I've ordered mine but havnt recieved a quote for shipping as yet....

Stage 3 clutch is $365 (roughly 190 quid).

EDIT - Total for clutch shipped to me was $550 = 280 quid. (3 day delivery)

Gunni, did suggest the Stage 3+ may provide a smoother engagement and it can take more 'lbft' but its another $100 or so...

[Gunni]

I reccoment the Stage 3+ because of the engagement and added torque it can take,
the $100 is worth it

[Milko]

Ok guys, snapped a few pics before the real graft starts next wk...

The base car, which has been round a few zone members I think....

Got the required welding done last week ( both inner rear wheel arches, front jacking points and N/S upper arch/bulkhead)



Stripped the sound proofing to loose a few kg's (carpet going back in).



The M30 lump to go in.



Got hold of a new E28 535 rad.



A few other random bits for the project.

Wheels



New seats x2 (5.5kg), front poly bush kit, lower spring cups, droplinks, tinted indicators/side repeaters and poly bumpstops.



New shocks and springs, custom adaptors for wheels, electric fan.


New interior (black doorcards, black/grey check rear seat with headrests, also front seats which I wont be using, but are very nice!) poor pic I know!!


Thats it for now, just waiting on parts to arrive before we start.

[charlE30]

Looking good mate, lots of nice new parts there.. makes mine feel like a "scrap heap challange"

It's going to look the nutts, white car with them wheels

[Milko]

Looking good mate, lots of nice new parts there.. makes mine feel like a "scrap heap challange"

It's going to look the nutts, white car with them wheels

Thanks, I'm going for a motorsport/euro type look.

[DRIFTBOY]

Nice one dude!

I stripped all that sound proofing stuff off my floors, under back seat and inside doors and rear quarters too, amazing how much it weighs! Not a nice job though.

Got some nice kit there too, looking forward to seeing the finished car!

[Milko]

Yeah its a pain, if you can get hold of dry ice to put on it, it helps alot, but in this weather you dont really need it!

Hope to have it running and in for abit of paint by the end of the month, then I can put all the good bits on.

[SPADGE]

Looks like a good project on the go there
Is that the white 2 door i sold to Topi and bought off Gareth? Can't remeber the reg but it looks like it.