hi all,
if this has been asked before i am sorry!
is there a definitive guide to the 2.7 conversion in regards to,
parts,
costs,
time,
e.t.c. (as a home job)
regards,
frsoted
2.7 guide
Moderator: martauto
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jay528ise1985
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 101
- Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Colchester, Essex
If you type in 2.7 into the search engine on this site loads of previous posts will come up. There are plenty of E30 zoners who have done the 2.7 conversion and they all say it was well worth it.
I can't wait to 2.7 my baby up,
, good luck with yours.
I can't wait to 2.7 my baby up,
1989 BMW 320i 2.7 2 door saloon
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E30Adam
- Married to the E30 Zone

- Posts: 8483
- Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:00 pm
- Location: Bournemouth
- Contact:
If you'd built one then you'd know that it would take a hell of a lot of time to write a definitive guide!chu346 wrote:Well surely someone should finally make one!E30Adam wrote:As Jay says, there is no definitive guide. Best do a search or speak to someone who has done one.
I was going to do this but gave up after the second day. It'll take you all year otherwise, the writing up of each step takes just too long.

2.8 Litre M20 powered - Essen Sie meinen Staub biatch
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Andy_magic
- E30 Zone Camper

- Posts: 1121
- Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:00 pm
- Location: Cambridge
Trouble is there is more than one way of doing it.
I'm taking the cheap approach - lol
Bits you need:
525e short engine
320i cylinder head
325i inlet manifold
325i injectors
325i throttle body
325i Air flow meter
320i ECU that will be fitted with a 2.7 Zone chip
325i rubber boot between AFM & TB
Then you need to rebuild the 525e bottom end, new rings, big end and main bearings, new oil pump and all the gaskets and seals
rebuild the head, again new gaskets and seals.
Fit the head to the block, fit the engine in the car.
There are also lots of other areas that might need attention, such as a new clutch, exhaust system, fuel pumps if they are shot, the diff will need to be spot on or replaced with a taller geared one or LSD.
Obviously the cooling system will need to be spot on, so I would recommend new water pump while its in bits, things like cambelts go without saying.
I'm sure I've missed a load of stuff.
The other way is the 325i block and machining to get the compression ratio right, the 525e bottom end and has flat top pistoons and the 325i has domed, flat top pistons and a domed head will drop the compression ratio down to about 8.4:1 which isn't good unless your turbo-ing the motor.
Now theres an idea, 525e block, 325i head, modded 324/5 Diesel exhaust manifold, turbo and intercooler.
I'm taking the cheap approach - lol
Bits you need:
525e short engine
320i cylinder head
325i inlet manifold
325i injectors
325i throttle body
325i Air flow meter
320i ECU that will be fitted with a 2.7 Zone chip
325i rubber boot between AFM & TB
Then you need to rebuild the 525e bottom end, new rings, big end and main bearings, new oil pump and all the gaskets and seals
rebuild the head, again new gaskets and seals.
Fit the head to the block, fit the engine in the car.
There are also lots of other areas that might need attention, such as a new clutch, exhaust system, fuel pumps if they are shot, the diff will need to be spot on or replaced with a taller geared one or LSD.
Obviously the cooling system will need to be spot on, so I would recommend new water pump while its in bits, things like cambelts go without saying.
I'm sure I've missed a load of stuff.
The other way is the 325i block and machining to get the compression ratio right, the 525e bottom end and has flat top pistoons and the 325i has domed, flat top pistons and a domed head will drop the compression ratio down to about 8.4:1 which isn't good unless your turbo-ing the motor.
Now theres an idea, 525e block, 325i head, modded 324/5 Diesel exhaust manifold, turbo and intercooler.


