E34 gearbox comparability m50 b25 same as e36 325i?

[320ise]

As title are 325 and 525 m50 boxes the same for a direct swap? My e34 needs a new box as it is getting tired with 250k on it. Found a cheap 325i 1993 box will it fit ok? My car is a 1991.

Thanks.

[town325i]

Yes they are the same and a direct fit

[Andy325i]

I thought the E34 M50 Box had the bigger output flange as fitted to an E36 328i and E36 M3 Etc.

[town325i]

That can be changed though. I no to a very low milage E34 box from a 520i

[Andyboy]

No, they are different. The 525i uses the Getrag 310/320 box (328i, M3 3.0) and the 325i uses the small 250 box (316i through to 320i and earlier 323i) apart from some very early non Vanos cars. No idea why but they seem strong enough.

On a 1991 car, check the VIN number on realoem. Very early 24v H platers used a special version of the 12v Getrag 260 overdrive box but with a revised bellhousing to allow the 24v to sit at a different angle - good luck finding one of those! PM me your VIN or post it up.

[AussieM20]

It gets more complicated. My parents had a Sept 90 Build M50 525I. It had a factory ZF 5 speed manual. So ZF and Getrag Manuals were fitted.

Regards
Greg

[Andyboy]

It gets more complicated. My parents had a Sept 90 Build M50 525I. It had a factory ZF 5 speed manual. So ZF and Getrag Manuals were fitted.

Regards
Greg

Sorry, I made a mistake - the 24v direct drive boxes (the 310Z or 320Z) are ZF units, not Getrag. Gearboxes whose numbers end with a Z are a ZF, those that end with a G are Getrag. The 420G manual 6 speed in the 540i is a Getrag for instance.
9/90 is the intro of the direct drive E36 type box but 24v cars had the overdrive units into early '91 despite what realoem says! I think that when RHD E36 production started, demand for the direct drive units doubled hence them standardizing everything. I've only ever seen two 24v overdrive Getrag boxes and they're mega rare.

On the pre 9/90 overdrive Getrag boxes, the 520i and 525i used the same Getrag 260 - you'd expect the 520i to use a smaller unit but in this case it didn't.