Conversion for the convertible: M30 it is! DONE!

[johnl320]

Not listed, sorry mate but I'm sure nipping them up using a bit of experience will be fine. However looking at other assembly figures most are very similar ( dependant on bolt size)

M6 = 10Nm
M7 = 15Nm
M8 = 24Nm

Thats all I've got at the moment. I'll try and find larger diameter bolt torque settings

regards

john

[Ziggy]

Cheers mate - I'll just go on guesswork & experience!

[Ziggy]

Right... well I got the m20 out yesterday, & today I just bolted the gearbox, clutch etc to the m30 & dropped it in
Went in really easy all as one lump - can't see a reason for doing it from underneath or trying to attach the gearbox afterwards tbh!

It's currently sitting on the further forward position of the 2 (.de mounts)... looks like it'll go back onto the other one though - anyone else found that ok (particularly in a cab)?

Won't get a chance to do much tomorrow (maybe try shifting it backwards, but I doubt even that), but in the week I hope to get the prop on (to see if it'll do the job!), & start connecting up the 'easy' stuff...

Anyone got a definitive list of what needs to be connected?! The big round plug's an obvious one, ecu, pas (e30 pipes go straight onto the m30 pump?)... clutch slave needs bolting on, gear linkage re-attaching. Need to work out what rad to use, but I'll probably go with an E30 one for now - got pre or post facelift 325i rads, so I'll see which is more convenient. Got to fit a fan at the same time obviously. Anyone decided there is a need for an oil cooler or shall I just do away with it?

Where do the connections on the engine loom (apart from the c101 & ecu!) go? If they weren't all black it'd help! M20 temp sensors to be fitted? & do the flywheel sensors need connecting up? My m30 gearbox didn't have any fitted, but I've got the m20 ones...

Which fuel connection is which?

Which heater connection is which?

Which water hose goes where from the thermostat housing?

Feel free to answer any of the questions as you like! But I mainly wrote the above to remind me what I need to look up / work out!

Love making some progress finally... don't like the fact that it's dark in the evenings & I'm not around next weekend!

[Toby_Unna]

cool

my engine hoist wouldn't go nearly high enough to put the lot in togerther. putting the box in from underneath is an absolute t***

sensors on box bellhousing can just come out and be plugged - your engine has a single sensor at the front instead.

oil cooler is definately not req., unless you plan on endurance racing it or something.

fuel connections - do you mean on the engine or the hoses on the car? return comes off fpr on fuel rail; not sure about which pipe is supply/return on the car, but i'd imagine you'd be able to blow down the return but not the supply if all else fails!

where are the pics then?

[Ziggy]

cool

my engine hoist wouldn't go nearly high enough to put the lot in togerther. putting the box in from underneath is an absolute t***

I owe E30Mark some more thanks then - for buying a decent hoist!

sensors on box bellhousing can just come out and be plugged - your engine has a single sensor at the front instead.

Cool. I just put the ones off the m20 box in the holes, for want of something better to fill em up with... I'll probably make some kind of plug though, unless there's a bmw part for it?! Or maybe I'll just take the lazy option & lop the wires off...

oil cooler is definately not req., unless you plan on endurance racing it or something.

Can go with the m20 then & the m535i one can go too!

fuel connections - do you mean on the engine or the hoses on the car? return comes off fpr on fuel rail; not sure about which pipe is supply/return on the car, but i'd imagine you'd be able to blow down the return but not the supply if all else fails!

It's pretty obvious on the car - mine's pre-facelift so the filter's under the bonnet! I meant on the engine - just remembering that the return's off the FPR will do ta. I always think that's weird, so I really should remember it.

where are the pics then?

Erm... Han took one or two on her phone, but it was getting dark by the time I finished up for the eve (hate winter!)... like I said I doubt I'll get a chance to do anything tonight, but maybe tomorrow. & I'll take a pic for ya! Cheers


Anyone know what the connections on the engine loom near the c101 are? Look like they're supposed to go to the battery, but they're all black & the only ones on the m20 went to the positive terminal so I'd rather get it right!

& I still need to work out where the water hoses go - got a selection for the rad, but I don't know how the heater plumbs up yet.

[Toby_Unna]

need a pic of those connectors really Jon, prob go to battery + but as you say not the sort of thing you want to put the wrong way round, if they're thick they won't be fused

Re the coolant hoses, find me an M30 owner that can remember for more than 5 mins which goes where between front of engine and heater matrix!

i searched a bit.

a pic from Andy



and a quote from mr. Driftboy...

Pipe from thermostat housing goes to top of heater matrix,
pipe from top hose goes to bottom of heater matrix.

[Ziggy]

I've not even looked at the hoses yet, & I'm already confused! Sure the front of my engine looks nothing like that... Thanks!

Wiring seems to be coming together though (in my head anyway) - found a post from Ed with the same question (& photo!) as I'd have asked. Turns out some are +'ve (& the black's just sheathing over the red etc), & others are for the coil... I will check back many times though before I connect anything up! I still don't like connecting brown wires to anything but +'ve...

Must take a pic of the plug that I had to disconnect from the ECU loom, by the ECU. Maybe cruise / obc related - I seem to remember connecting it, but can't find reference to it from anyone else. Don't expect any ideas without at least some colours though, & I really don't remember!

So is it really worth shifting the engine back onto the other holes in the .de mounts? Figure I stand more chance of my prop fitting where it is & well... I'm lazy! Not sure if the rad'll fit at the mo though, so I might have no choice. Surely some people must use the forward-mounting holes though, or they wouldn't bother drilling them?!

[Ziggy]

The 'mystery' plug - 3 wires on each side of the connector:
blue&black,green,white (on the engine loom by the ecu connector)
black,green,yellow&white (on the car loom)

Any ideas?

[Gunni]

pic of the plug?
can´t remember a plug with those colors.

[Ziggy]

I've taken a pic, but I can't upload it until this eve! It's 15mm (ish) wide, white, 3 pin, horizontal/flat layout...

[DRIFTBOY]

I don't think it goes anywhere, if it's the same one I'm thinking of. Probably something to do with automatic gearboxes or air con or something!

[Toby_Unna]

don't worry about it!

my m30 loom had loads of those plugs near the engine loom connector, very few were even connected on the (fully loaded) 535i

the only conceivable hiccup would be if the e34s had a trip comp-controlled immobiliser like e28s, but if they do I don't think it runs through any of those plugs.

[Ziggy]

Sorry if I wasn't clear: this is something that was connected to the m20 loom, but doesn't have a connector on the m30 loom... I'm not worried as such - it would just be nice to know if my cruise control's never going to work or something!

[Toby_Unna]

aha i get it now!

[gareth]

is / was either the E30 or donor car an auto?

there were a few spare plugs on my E30 loom but on the E32 auto, they went to the gearbox. iirc, one picks up the idle a bit when you engade drive to prevent stalling. rectangular, one white and one black, luring near the ECU (on the E30). could this be them?

[Ziggy]

E32 was an auto but not the E30...

[Ziggy]

Hmmm. Just offered the prop up, & it'll go in the current position just fine... but not if I move the engine back. What I'm thinking at the mo is leave the engine where it is for now, & move it back as an 'upgrade' later on. Looks like I'll have room for the rad (once I've lopped the aircon pulley off anyway), but I do have one little problem: the front 'zorst mani / downpipe joint hitting the steering coupling. Does the joint (mani side - the flexi one) rotate? Doesn't seem to want to & I'm afraid of hitting it! If it doesn't, it looks like the engine's going backwards, along with the hassle of battering the bulkhead & getting a custom prop made up!



& the mystery connector:
M20 engine loom side


E30 car loom side


(sorry for the cr@p phone pics, but they do the job - ish!)

[jaffro]

what prop are you useing?

[Ziggy]

e28 m535i front half, e30 325i rear. As above though - it looks like it'll only work with the engine in the front position on .de mounts...

[jaffro]

ok mate thanks my mounts are ready thanks 2 beefy so i can get started on my conversion. so my e34 535 no use?

[Ziggy]

Almost certainly not - sorry!

So does anyone know about that joint?

[gareth]

i don't think that's connected to anything on mine... i can't remember connecting it to anything anyway!
brianmoooooooooooore will know

[Ziggy]

Ta mate... dya know 'bout the 'zorst joint?

[gareth]

it looks to be in a similar nasty position to mine! i think my joint does turn. the one on theo's doesn't turn. neither of them have the posh flexi joint yours has though!

an angle grinder on that flange will soon create more room. (i have yet to do this ) taking a file to the extreme corners of the aluminium coupling 'yoke' is easy enough and get a few more mm too.

[Ziggy]

I don't think an angle grinder'd be enough - at least in that engine position anyway. The pic was taken with it lifted on the hoist - it actually touches when let down fully!

[gareth]

mine took some jiggling to get it right over. try loosening all of the engine mount bolts off, wedging the engine over (some wood between the wing and exhasut manifold did me) and retightening them. that'll give some more room. i alsa made up some 5mm spacers to sit between the o/s mount and the block (with longer bolts) to move it over further still.

worst case, you may need to cut / reweld the manifold to clear. driftboy did this and made (almost!) enough room for a E36 / Z3 rack while he was at it.

do you wish it was LHD yet?!!!

[DRIFTBOY]

Almost is a bit of an exageration!

There's nowhere near enough room with the E36/Z3 rack. I'm still going slowly round left hand corners!
I'm being quite lazy and using the "Turbo conversion will sort that out" excuse!

I cut the end off that manifold, turned it and welded back on.
It's still not enough and makes fitting/cutting/welding the downpipes a complete nightmare.

I can't think of a way round it other than some trickey welding and re-routing of the downpipes.

The Cool Power Racing yellow E30 at santa Pod had part of the coupling ground away - making it quite narrow for an inch or two about half way up.

[Ziggy]

****. That sums it up quite well, I think!

[DRIFTBOY]

It's not so bad with a standard E30 rack dude!
Still a bit close but less hassle to sort out, Gareth's suggestions are definately worth a try.

[Ziggy]

Well it's more than a bit close on mine - it's sitting on it! Guess I'll hope it turns when hit with a hammer this eve - I have my doubts though... Failing that, engine back out, mani off & find someone who can do a decent job of welding it. Spacer on the mount sounds necessary too - really want it as far away as poss, even if that turns out to be not very far at all.

Gonna have a quick go at getting a rad in place this evening too - want to know if trying to leave the engine it its current position is just a waste of time...

[Theo]

Could you not just cut off the flange which fouls the coulping, and then weld it back on but rotate it 90 degrees or thereabouts? Or you could redrill the mounting holes to offset the whole lot towards the n/s of the car. Don't know how much clearance there is using an e30 servo though?

[Ziggy]

Could you not just cut off the flange which fouls the coulping, and then weld it back on but rotate it 90 degrees or thereabouts?

That's what I'll try if it doesn't turn - the problem is with the weird flexy design; I'm not sure how easy it'll be to re-attach...

Or you could redrill the mounting holes to offset the whole lot towards the n/s of the car. Don't know how much clearance there is using an e30 servo though?

Not so keen on moving the whole engine too much - would put the prop at an angle etc...

[Toby_Unna]

Could you not just cut off the flange which fouls the coulping, and then weld it back on but rotate it 90 degrees or thereabouts

my manifolds (from a 90 535i auto) didn't have the flexi joints, and the flanges were free to rotate - i never had any clearance issues or need for grinding anything.

[Ziggy]

Well there's reason number one to get your engine from an e34 rather than an e32... Would take a trip to the scrappies on fri but there's naff all chance of them having anything.

[jaffro]

if u have no luck at breakers near you let me no cos theres 1 up here near me that had 1 in