Need help with 3.5 Conversion for my E30 Convertable

[Guest]

Hi Guys

Im a newbie to this forum and I need some technical help in putting a 3.5 engine out of a 1989 635csi in my J plate 318. I also have a 1988 M535i of which i am taking off the back axle the manual gearbox and any other parts I need. My brother and I pretty much know how to put it together but not too sure on the engine side of it e.g mounts, lume, Rad etc

Help would be much appreciated

Cheers

[Jhonno]

you need an e30 rear axle as far as im aware

[Toby_Unna]

have a look here

http://www.tobyunna.com/

u can't use the m535i LSD unless you get custom half-shafts and rear diff plate made up.

[Russ]

make sure you leave the original drum brakes on, Unna style!

[Jhonno]

nowt wrong with the drum brakes!! 80% of the brakin is done at the front! Plus it must help as the e30 has a light rear!

[Karan]

im currently doing an m5 3.6 transplant

what u need is engine mounts from www.e30.de, there is info on this site about the conversion, there is an english page but i cant remember what it is...just use the search function to find an english page on that site

cheers
Karan

[Toby_Unna]

Hey i've got discs now Russ!

irfanali_1, make sure you don't lose the plot and accidently replace your bm with some turboed jap crap.

(i do own an mr2 but it's the proper one that looks like a steam iron!!!)

[Russ]

Hey i've got discs now Russ!

(i do own an mr2 but it's the proper one that looks like a steam iron!!!)

lol, I know mate, just pulling your leg!

(i do own an mr2 but it's the proper one that looks like a steam iron!!!)

They are cool as the proverbial cucumber! Email me some pics! Are you on IMOC or Mr2oc?

[Toby_Unna]

sorry Russ only kidding!!!

it's been sitting on my drive for a few months since i blew the engine to bits but i spent all yesterday removing the engine and box from a breaker so mine will be all smiles again soon!


and NO that is NOT mine in the background, mine is red and that is the breaker!!!

[Andy335Touring]

sorry Russ only kidding!!!

it's been sitting on my drive for a few months since i blew the engine to bits but i spent all yesterday removing the engine and box from a breaker so mine will be all smiles again soon!


and NO that is NOT mine in the background, mine is red and that is the breaker!!!

Flippin' eck Toby,you don't half do lots work on your motor(S ! ).

If you do move house you've got to get a place with a garage !

irfanali_1 , depending on which gear box you use i'd recomend getting a limited slip dif with a ratio of 3.64 ratio(from a pre-face lift sport) or a 3.91(from a face lift sport) like Tobys.

Radiator from an E28 535 is a good fit with a little work and you will need an electric fan mounted on the grill side of the radiator.

Either buy an M3 prop shaft or use the front half from your M30 donor car and have it welded to the rear half of an E30 prop shaft,this is the way i did mine.

Gear linkage,the steel rod can be cut and welded NP's but the alloy H-shaped bar can't be welded so you need to make some thing up to clamp the two halfs together.If i remember correctly i cut 60mm from my linkage with my engine in postion 3 using the E30.de engine mounts.

Heres some pictures from my swap.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.law47/33 ... uring.html

Good luck with your project

andy

[Guest]

thanx guys very useful info, will have to find axle off a sport gonna need LSD, was thinking of using Alpina shocks and springs I know they are expensive but boy them Alpinas can handle. One of my friends had the C2 2.7 the handling was awesome, another one of mates had a E28 B7 Turbo/1 that thing was like grease lightning and again handling was awesome, he now has a E34 B10 Bi Turbo again really fast and awsome handling if any1 knows of a good package to get plet me know

Cheers

[jmc330i]

Cant the gear linkage from the E30 gearbox be used?

I know my conversion is different but I firstly fitted my E36 gearbox with its original linkage but the gearstick just hit the front of the opening.

I fitted the E30 linkage and the gearstick was back to centre.

[Andy335Touring]

I never checked out the price for the Alpina suspension but i will ask tomorow(if i remember ) as i'm going to Sytners.

I hope its cheaper than the Hartge at a grand for spring and shocks !

I've got some adjustable shocks and springs from Spax for my Touring but i changed my mind,i wanted some thing fairly stiff so i've got some Spax M3 springs on order now.

I think there was some thing wrong with using the E30 gear linkage but i can't remember what it was know ?

[Jhonno]

Andy - you get my PM?

[jmc330i]

I think there was some thing wrong with using the E30 gear linkage but i can't remember what it was know ?

Ive just looked at the pics on your site and it looks like your stick was too far back. My gearstick was too far forwards but I could just select 1st, 3rd and 5th but not reverse.

I guess the gearboxes are different lengths. Was just a thought about the E30 linkage as it worked on mine.

[Andy335Touring]

It's wierd mate,i got a PM notification of your mail but theres no mail there when i checked my in box ?

I'll try to PM you my email ady

[Jhonno]

e-mail sent dude

[Toby_Unna]

you definately need an LSD, mine was terrifying without one!

i think the gearshift issue arises because the 3.5 conversion is using 5-series running gear whereas the s50/m50/m52 series of engines and their associated gearboxes are all derived from the m20 which is of course the e30 engine...

andy, i agree that i must have a screw loose somewhere. i got that mr2 engine out without a hoist you know!
did you buy suspension then mate?

[Andy335Touring]

With out a hoist ????

I've helped take an engine out with some rope and a scaffold bar some years ago, that was me and my dad.I think it was a Ford cross flow ?

I bought a set of Spax for my touring then changed my mind about the springs,i've now got some Spax M3 springs on order that i'm going to use with the adjustable dampers from the first set of Spax.

I've gone for the Spax M3 springs for the added stiffness.

Have you done any thing to your suspension yet mate ?

[oskard]

www.e30.de has a nice write up in english with pictures

[Toby_Unna]

what i have done is spent plenty of time worrying about it!!! nothing more

it will get done but i want the car rolling roaded first, before the 23rd meet cause the top end power's still not right.

i just kept jacking the back of that mr2 up and up until i could drag the engine and box out in one go from below, bit of a pain but i have the complete lot with manifold etc still in one piece which is useful!!