Conversion for the convertible: M30 it is! DONE!

Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:05 pm

which lead do u mean? is it not part of the m30 loom?

Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:33 pm

Starter motor -> battery... on an E32 735i the battery terminal is on the opposite side to an E30 - a lot closer to the starter motor!

Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:28 am

Has anyone performed this swap on an M10-engined 318i? I'm just curious how different it would be from starting with a six-cylinder car.

Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:35 am

scooter i did it and its fine.
you should upgrade the suspension as the 4pot springs wont take it. you will need a header tank if its the late engine but thats it really.

Ziggy, the wire from starter to battery is very short on the e34 but it just fits. good luck man.

Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:41 am

No chance with mine - it's about a foot short! & Mark thinks he's probably not got one, so I won't have a chance to get one until I can get to a scrappies, which won't be until Fri at the earliest. Bother.

Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:44 am

ive got a 325 battery lead will that do ya?

Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:54 am

As in battery to starter motor? I'm almost certain that a 325i one would do, but I left mine attached to the old engine when I sold it! So the new owner now has 2 of them as he was replacing another 2.5.

Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:56 am

Just a thought - anyone know what your average motor factor would stock in terms of long earth leads? Can't imagine there's much need for them tbh...

Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:58 am

i like the idea of a m20 one! but it still maybe too short?

i had my battery in the boot but since i was not using it much there was not enough power to run down the long lead from the boot!

Karan, Gall is having starter issues with his at the moment so i have passed the info on to him. it could be really useful!

Karan wrote:the starter signal for the solenoid from the ignition is prob too thin and not givving the sloenoid enough beans to push open try running a thick wire and touch it on the small connection on the bottom which has a 10mm head nut on it, if it starts now ure problem is because the wiring to your starter motor from the key is not thick enough.

getting a mate to hit ure starter solenoid while ure starting it, and it starting will also diagnose poor thickness wiring.

i think its this because u are obviously drawing current due to the light dimming, this is because of the solenoid

ziggy,
patience man. this does mean you could have it running by the weekend!!!

Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:59 am

yes starter to battery with the battery terminal on 1 end and a eye hook on the other and 37 inches long

Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:17 am

ric325i wrote:i like the idea of a m20 one! but it still maybe too short?

i had my battery in the boot but since i was not using it much there was not enough power to run down the long lead from the boot!

ziggy,
patience man. this does mean you could have it running by the weekend!!!

I've not heard of anyone having any problems with the m20 lead? I know people have used E32 engines, so I assume they must have used the m20 lead anyway!

Who knows when it'll be running... I'm not around at the weekend, & have no way of knowing whether it'll start when I connect it up anyway! Could take 5 minutes...

Hmmm... I've got a boot location kit for my battery - just haven't got round to fitting it in the boot yet. I don't see why I couldn't just use it to remote the +'ve terminal over to the other side of the bay though (as a temporary measure)?! Can't think how it all goes together. Anyone?

Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:19 am

jaffro wrote:yes starter to battery with the battery terminal on 1 end and a eye hook on the other and 37 inches long

Do you not need it for your conversion mate?! I'm stealing all your parts here! Let me know how much I owe you btw - so far you're at least out of pocket for 2 lots of postage, plus the parts!

Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:24 am

ive got a spare 1 lol. pm ya address a il get it in special post today so u should have it for dinner tomorrow. dont worry bout postage just send me a pic of the mani bit u ground down haha

Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:29 am

im in debt to carl too!

the list of bits i have from him is longer than the list of things i need to do to get my 335i running.

the relocation kit is dead easy.

i do have pics but i cant access them at work.

the positive connector is massive in length and girth. the negative is minor and there is a thinner wire which runs along side the positive - guess thats the dancer you need???

if the battery is charged use that? dont know if its the best idea as its long and may not be think enough but have a go just to find out.

Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:31 am

ah nobody in debt lol i appreciate all the help and info so i try to do my bit. just want mine running haha

Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:34 am

ric325i wrote:im in debt to carl too!

the list of bits i have from him is longer than the list of things i need to do to get my 335i running.

the relocation kit is dead easy.

i do have pics but i cant access them at work.

the positive connector is massive in length and girth. the negative is minor and there is a thinner wire which runs along side the positive - guess thats the dancer you need???

if the battery is charged use that? dont know if its the best idea as its long and may not be think enough but have a go just to find out.

If I just use the big thick bug*er to move the positive terminal over to t'other side of the bay, everything can connect there I think?!

That'll only be a temporary thing obviously, but it wouldn't half be nice to at least get it to turn over!

PM on the way, Sir Jaffro of Heroesville.

Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:37 am

no problem mate ill post this morn

Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:19 am

Ziggy wrote: Sir Jaffro of Heroesville.

he is giving Gall a m30 starter too!

Carl we will crack on your m30 soon as! im actually looking forward to putting yours together as you have everything there its just a case of scratching our heads a few times and putting it together.

are you getting the diff today?
sorry off topic but its cheaper than a txt.

Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:48 am

ric325i wrote:
Ziggy wrote: Sir Jaffro of Heroesville.
he is giving Gall a m30 starter too!

Carl we will crack on your m30 soon as! im actually looking forward to putting yours together as you have everything there its just a case of scratching our heads a few times and putting it together.

are you getting the diff today?
sorry off topic but its cheaper than a txt.

Wish I was just slightly more local so I could help! There seem to be pockets of m30 rightness - Toby & Andy up Nottingham way, Martin & Theo over in the South East, you guys oop Norf... I need to get mine finished so I can convert a few more people down here to the cause!

I'll convince E30Mark I reckon...

& can we start a Jaffro fanclub, or is that going a bit far?! :lol:

There's some top people on here!

Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:13 pm

aw im blushing haha. ziggy its posted and will be with you 2moz mate

Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:02 pm

Camaraderie i think would be the right term.

fix cars drink beer, its the good life.

let us know if you get the car running tonight? the first time is the best time!

Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:11 pm

Well it turns over! Didn't get as far as starting before the battery ran down, but fingers crossed for tomorrow (it's raining now!)

Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:20 pm

Finished bolting the exhaust on too - having got the missing downpipe-stud spring from Chris W.

While I was under there I snapped this with my phone of what I removed from the mani flange - you get the idea.

Would never have worked with the E32 one...

Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:10 am

Almost there now!

I ground back my manifold like that too, it helped a bit but if I were you I'd be a little cautios of sharp left hand turns until you know if it's ok or not.

Good luck!

Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:56 am

have u received that battery lead yet

Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:04 pm

Ziggy wrote:Well it turns over! Didn't get as far as starting before the battery ran down, but fingers crossed for tomorrow (it's raining now!)

so close then........

well something is working now!
do you have the fuel lines the right way around? i didnt lable mine and cranked it over for ages. then i switched them and

the houses everywhere started vibrating and my ears exploded!!!

soon my good man soon it will fire up!

DRIFTBOY wrote: I ground back my manifold like that too, it helped a bit but if I were you I'd be a little cautios of sharp left hand turns until you know if it's ok or not.

Good luck!

i know that feeling! i have some better mounts (thanks carl) so i hope to clear that problem, esspecially as i have cut some parts down and also moved the rack along the splines as much as i can.

Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:06 pm

DRIFTBOY wrote:Almost there now!

I ground back my manifold like that too, it helped a bit but if I were you I'd be a little cautios of sharp left hand turns until you know if it's ok or not.

Good luck!

I certainly will be! But thankfully with this mani, if it does touch, it'll be on the main shaft of the steering coupling. That means it's less likely to lock up than if it was the shoulder that caught!

Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:07 pm

jaffro wrote:have u received that battery lead yet

I'll let you know when I get home!

Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:10 pm

ric325i wrote: so close then........

well something is working now!
do you have the fuel lines the right way around? i didnt lable mine and cranked it over for ages. then i switched them and the houses everywhere started vibrating and my ears exploded!!!

soon my good man soon it will fire up!

Fairly sure the lines are the right way round - I've got the filter under the bonnet so it's pretty obvious which way they should go. TBH it's probably just a case of giving it a bit more time, or equally my (pre-facelift therefore dodgy) fuel pump could have given up! Shouldn't be too hard to diagnose... but I've got the exhaust connected now - LAME!

Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:50 pm

Ziggy wrote:but I've got the exhaust connected now - LAME!

oh gutted.

well atleast you can start it up and see if it all runs right and how the exhaust note sounds.

i might buy a new exhaust this week thinking about it.

i think the bank would not be too happy though...
anyone got a back box with a 3inch inlet for sale???

Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:56 pm

have that stainless backbox of mine a get it converted to fit ya giant tubing haha. it does sound good though

Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:25 pm

i will let you know on that...maybe possible. you have a pm
and the hammer bits is the most fun

ziggy for your qusetion in another thread,
position 3 is the furthest back (best for weight distribution) and position 1 would be furthest forward to front of the car.

so if you have position 3 get your hammer out and go nuts on the tunnel cause the engine will need to be set much further back.

Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:33 pm

It's in P3 then, & there was no hammering needed...

Only 2 options on .de mounts though, so who knows for sure where it is! Prop needed to be shorter than most have suggested though, so it's certainly not sitting very far forward...

Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:58 pm

Chuffed you got it turning over ziggy. run the pump by bridging the relay for a minute and it should fire up straight away.

Good Luck

john

Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:44 pm

johnl320 wrote:Chuffed you got it turning over ziggy. run the pump by bridging the relay for a minute and it should fire up straight away.

Good Luck

john

That's what I was planning to do... but where the smeg is it?!