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Madison Motorsports
So I bought an E30. - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: So I bought an E30. (/showthread.php?tid=3804)

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- Andy - 03-13-2006

Mike Wrote:im gonna do it now!

You're lame as shit but I'll participate Big Grin

- CaptainHenreh - 03-22-2006

Alright, so UPDATE.

I bought a motor today. 1995 M50 from a 525i. Full harness, and coil packs. No ECU sadly. I should call them back and check. But, an ECU is around 200ish dollars. Tops. Any VANOS M50 ecu should work, but I'll try to match up the year. But this motor looks really good, and I got it for a decent price, and it's front-sump so it will clear the crossmember and antirollbar on the E30.

So, what is left to finish the swap? Here's a pre-emptive list:
  • Refresh and reseal the motor I just got. Metal water pump, rear main, valve cover gasket *maybe* check bearings. Metal thermostat housing and new thermostat.
  • E36 mounting arms. I priced these at pelican, I think they were 80 dollars for the set.
  • E28 535i Engine Mounts. These mounts, threaded into the second pair of holes on the outer part of the brackets in the E30, make the M50 fit like it was made to go there.
  • E36 Throttle cable. The E30 one is about 3" too long. 36 dollars.
  • Some kind of transmission. I have been told the M20 one will work. I dont' know if an old and busted E30 transmission is the best choice for a hi-po motor, but the worst that can happen is it blow up and I'll have to...buy a transmission.
  • ECU
  • 'lectric fan.
  • Flywheel and Clutch.
  • And, since my motor didn't come with a MAFS, I'll need that too.

Take all that, mix it until well beaten, bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean. I make it sound easy, but I'm not kidding myself. This is going to be difficult, no question. But will it be any more difficult than the Supra? I doubt it.

- Hunter - 03-22-2006

Check ebay for the ecu, if you buy a refurbished one (not ebay) it will cost you around $650 at the cheapest. Cry

- ScottyB - 03-23-2006

awesome Rex. i have a soft spot for mid sized I-6's, they sound so delicious.

btw, how do you know so freaking much about everything with wheels? i swear, between tearing the supra a new one, the dsm, the accord....now you're doing a heart transplant on an E30. i must know the source of this knowledge.

- Dave - 03-23-2006

Rex sleeps at his computer and his alter ego takes over and surfs the web for random information later.

- Andy - 03-23-2006

Dave Wrote:Rex sleeps at his computer and his alter ego takes over and surfs the web for random information later.

So he's a benchracer? Big Grin

- CaptainHenreh - 03-23-2006

Andy Wrote:So he's a benchracer? Big Grin

You know the guy who calls me to ask me about the suspension on the car he bought has alot of nerve to call me a bench racer. :lol:

Dave Wrote:Rex sleeps at his computer and his alter ego takes over and surfs the web for random information later.

This would be really funny if it weren't so dangerously close to the truth.


Anyway, I won a transmission on ebay last night. 61 dollars, I'm waiting on a shipping quote. You can call me Zaitsev the way I sniped that shit. Ooooh yeah.

- CaptainHenreh - 03-23-2006

Also, special thanks to Jeff, who yesterday was the first MMer to lay hands on the glorious motor by helping me gently lay the motor on a pallet in my storage unit, and probably giving himself a hernia in the process.

- CaptainHenreh - 03-24-2006

ECU: 80 bucks shipped.

Cha-CHING.

- JustinG - 03-25-2006

i liked your other avatar better

- Nick325is - 03-25-2006

Rex the transmission out of the e30, the getrag 260 is a superior transmission to the one out of the e36 assuming the one you have hasn't been beaten on.
What DME did you buy for the car? Give me the code from it and i'll let you know if you need an EWS delete chip...read gonna cost 200 more.


Nick

- Feersty - 03-25-2006

Get luck Rex, you're gonna need it.

- Mike - 03-25-2006

Feersty Wrote:Get luck Rex, you're gonna need it.

:?:

- CaptainHenreh - 03-25-2006

Nick325is Wrote:Rex the transmission out of the e30, the getrag 260 is a superior transmission to the one out of the e36 assuming the one you have hasn't been beaten on.

I'm concerned that the 260 doesn't have the proper bellhousing pattern. The only one I've heard will is teh 240 out of the 4 cyl cars.

And I'll give you all the specs on the ECU when it gets here. It's out of a 93 325i. The PN's are the same, and I'm almost certain my motor is a single VANOS just like the E34 '95 motor, so they ought to jive together.

And yes, I'm aware I may need a chip for it if it's got the anti-theft, but a higher redline and more power is something I won't complain about if I *have* to do it. Wink

And Feersty, thanks for the support, I don't think this project is beyond my mechanical ability, and so far, it hasn't been beyond my wallet. Time will tell though. It will be a monster when it's done, that much is sure.

- Jeff - 03-25-2006

Much love Rex, hope to help out with this one more. Assuming you be my bitch here in a few when sanding time comes! :lol:

- Nick325is - 03-26-2006

CaptainHenreh Wrote:
Nick325is Wrote:Rex the transmission out of the e30, the getrag 260 is a superior transmission to the one out of the e36 assuming the one you have hasn't been beaten on.

I'm concerned that the 260 doesn't have the proper bellhousing pattern. The only one I've heard will is teh 240 out of the 4 cyl cars.

And I'll give you all the specs on the ECU when it gets here. It's out of a 93 325i. The PN's are the same, and I'm almost certain my motor is a single VANOS just like the E34 '95 motor, so they ought to jive together.

And yes, I'm aware I may need a chip for it if it's got the anti-theft, but a higher redline and more power is something I won't complain about if I *have* to do it. Wink

And Feersty, thanks for the support, I don't think this project is beyond my mechanical ability, and so far, it hasn't been beyond my wallet. Time will tell though. It will be a monster when it's done, that much is sure.

Rex if the DME is out of a 93 you should be fine. The bellhousing pattern on the 260 should be fine with the e34 m50. The only issue I have heard of with the bellhousing is a couple of bolts not lining up on the bottom...but this has only been on a few cars and seems to be a hit or miss problem.


Nick

- CaptainHenreh - 03-26-2006

Ok, so with the help of Jason, Julie, Chris, and Eric, we got the car here to Harrisonburg.

This is the car we came to rescue:
[Image: normal_Rescue%20Operation.JPG]
Getting it out from between the two trees was really difficult, because the driveshaft was unbolted in the rear, and hanging from the center carrier bearing. It immediately dug into the gravel, pine needles, and dogshit that was underneath it. Long story short, a rope, bungee cord, and some cursing got the car out from between the trees and onto the car dolley.

But that won't do, will it? We still have to take it to harrisonburg.
[Image: normal_Driveshaft%20Surgery.JPG]

So me and Jason are up underneath the car, trying to get the front end of the driveshaft at least slipped onto the yoke, so that we can take it to Chris's for more proper surgery. Once it was on the yoke, we found it in first gear, but with the shifter disconnected. After some more verbal lubricant, we got the shifter onto the shifter rod, put it into neutral and drove, carefully, to chris's house, finishing the job of destroying the carrier bearing in the process.

For those of you harassing me about the trunk:
This is the trunk before we picked up the car:
[Image: normal_Trunk%20Before.JPG]
All sorts of shit you wouldn't believe. White stuff, and earphones and water and the BMW tape deck cleaner tapes...everything. And every ounce of it ruined. SO:
[Image: normal_Trunk%20After.JPG]
We cleaned it out, and left it all in a big pile where the car used to be. I doubt he'll notice, to be honest. The place was, how do I put this lightly? A complete and utter shithole dump. Yeah, that's about as nice as I can put it.

Also, here's a picture of Boobies going to town on the Convertable with a Milwaukee Sawzall:
[Image: normal_boobies%20cutting%20and%20sawing.JPG]

Tada!

- .RJ - 03-26-2006

I dont get it. I really dont.

- BLINGMW - 03-26-2006

.RJ Wrote:I dont get it. I really dont.

E30 INSANITY! *clap clap*

- .RJ - 03-26-2006

Oh, its like the clap alright