Advice please on a trans conversion...

[BLACK DORIS 9]

Hey, still waiting on the outcome of a pfl/man 318i sale here in welly...

In the meantime we've just had a TM fixd price offer for a '87 pfl 325i auto import (listing had UK, carjam had SA??), done 123,000k. Looks very tidy and from TM profile, has a lady owner and the offer is at least 500 under asking price.

There's also a complete e30 pfl 320 manual conversion currently listed on TM.

Would the 320 trans go into the 325i fairly easily? Or into a 318i - seems to be a few being listed at the mo but theyre mostly auto...

Also -slightly off topic, does anyone know how to contact a TM seller re a fixed offer? Would like to get more info on the car and now there's no contact details in the listing and car is in nelson!

Cheers in advance for any advice

Rio

Edited December 16, 2008 by BLACK DORIS

[Jamez 2147483647]

325i uses getrag 260 gearbox, 318i and 320i use same gearbox but with different bellhousing so you wont be able to swap between the two

if the 320i trans did fit the 318i engine you would need a 318i drive shaft, but that's me being hypothetical

i would personally get the 325i then try get a getrag 260 gearbox then goto a pick'a'part place and get what else is needed like pedals ect, but i haven't had to do this as my car was already manual.

Also im pretty sure you cant contact sellers during the fixed offer phase, just accept then if there is nothing wrong with the car, its all good, if there is something wrong they did not state, just complain its not what they made it out to be.

[BM WORLD 1266]

all M40 and M20 trans can be swapped around . the 325i getrag 260 box is stronger than the 320i 318i getrag 240 box is sleightly smaller/weaker but can work with a 325i .

you need the driveshaft with the 260 box . if you use the 240 box you will need the 320i driveshaft . the 318i shaft wont do unless you modifly it .

if you car is a late 325i face lift then you can use any box .

if its a prefacelift 325i you will need the box with the pickup points and flywheel with the triger point , or your car wont start .

[BLACK DORIS 9]

Cheers Jamez, Brent. Sounds like the 325 conversion may be a bit more involved than I'd hoped and an auto in the 2.5 seems like a poor choice for a daily run about. Will keep looking through the 318's... thanks again.

p.s. here's a couple of pics of the 325i

[Forrest 35]

That looks like a amazingly tidy 325, if your keen on spending a bit of time looking after it with maintenence etc, and doing a tidy manual conversion, that would become a gem of a car for the future

[BLACK DORIS 9]

^ they've certainly looked after it. Yea, it's hard to walk away from and the price seems dam reasonable. May still have a day to get back to them if it doesn't go before then.

Edited December 16, 2008 by BLACK DORIS

[Gus 5]

the auto swap is not hard - get the car based on the condition and do it!

[Gus 5]

actually, if you are happy with a 4 door pre FL then do it...IMO the best buy on the forum is the black 325i coupe for 4700 or so

[BLACK DORIS 9]

^ cheers, understand what your saying. Yep, would have liked it but it's out of our price range at the mo. The fixed price for the above car is a little over half what mark247 is asking... There's also the 318 we had pre-purchase checked that's being repaired at the mo. Would be our pref once sorted but hard to watch these TM ones going by!

[bravo 34]

Basic rule of thumb - all 6cyl gearboxes are interchangeable. A 320 manual conversion is bolt-up to a 325.

Some slight differences between f/l and pre f/l - gearboxes are still bolt up, but you need a driveshaft bearing hanger from the f/l, etc.

And if you have a pre f/l car you make life much easier by getting a pre f/l box. If you have a f/l car, then any box will do. (It's to do with mounts for sensors on pre f/l cars).

Also need the driveshaft from the gearbox you are putting in as they are all different lengths.

Easy to do.

Edited December 16, 2008 by bravo

[BLACK DORIS 9]

UPDATE...

Bought it! Will do a proper update later as we wont have it til the new year once we get back to welly.

Thanks to all those who offered advice. Manual conversion is on the cards once my lady gets confident with car, city driving etc.

Have a few (loads) of other questions but will address them in appropriate areas.

O for Awesome.

[CamB 48]

Sweet, coz it looks mint

Just make sure you get the right box for the conversion (with the sensor holes), and ALL the other bits needed --> clutch pedal, spring and longer rod, clutch master and clutch line, clutch slave, the gearbox itself, clutch, pressure plate, flywheel (also specific to the prefacelift), shift cradle, linkage, lever, boot etc, plus the gearbox crossmember, and the front half of the driveshaft and whatever else I have forgotten

If you don't get everything, the costs can add up pretty quick unfortunately.

(edit - and clutch fluid reservoir).

[JiB 0]

Yeah, CamB and I did the manual conversion on mine. Bit of a pain, cos we got the wrong box, etc, etc.

If you do need a gearbox I have an appropriate PFL box you can use

[BLACK DORIS 9]

Yeah, CamB and I did the manual conversion on mine. Bit of a pain, cos we got the wrong box, etc, etc.

If you do need a gearbox I have an appropriate PFL box you can use

Cheers JiB, CamB!

Hope it's as good as it looks in the photo's! Did the total opp of all advice given -no pre-purchase, no test drive, hell couldn't even call til the deal was done! Was fixed price offer so no contact deets or time to get down there. In saying that, the seller assures me that it's in very tidy condition and has been very well maintained plus wife has not really been using it lately so it's surplus.

I already feel the flames...

Conversion will be a few months away but prob a good idea to start collecting the right bits and pieces in the meantime.

JiB, how long can you hold onto that gearbox? I'll be back in the new year -round the 7th, can you hold onto it til around then?

Wikd

Rio

[JiB 0]

Cheers JiB, CamB!

Hope it's as good as it looks in the photo's! Did the total opp of all advice given -no pre-purchase, no test drive, hell couldn't even call til the deal was done! Was fixed price offer so no contact deets or time to get down there. In saying that, the seller assures me that it's in very tidy condition and has been very well maintained plus wife has not really been using it lately so it's surplus.

I already feel the flames...

Conversion will be a few months away but prob a good idea to start collecting the right bits and pieces in the meantime.

JiB, how long can you hold onto that gearbox? I'll be back in the new year -round the 7th, can you hold onto it til around then?

Wikd

Rio

I'm in no hurry at all to sell, I'm using it until Ernst finishes building my other one.

[BLACK DORIS 9]

nice. will pm you in the new year.

cheers