e30 m52 build

[APT 194]

same colour as mine dude, its an awesome colour

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Good to see some progress!

What milage is the gearbox you already have got on it?

How recently have you got a wof with the rack like that? Looks pretty scary! Maybe an old engine mount collapsed? In anycase an E36 rack should be good. Try and get the lines and reservoir as well, will make hooking it up the the power steering pump easier as the lines on there now are for an e30 rack and the pump is an e36 pump so should be all bolt up if you get the lines too.

Oh and Positive camber ftw

[slowe30 0]

got a VTNZ warrent quite recently, had to get one to get a green sticker removed (bald tyres FTL) had to replace a broken engine mount to get that warrent aswell as it had broken, you caught me out

thats a good idea with the rack conections. will just see what my dad can get off him, have to send him up there as im out of transport.

and the gearbox im not sure about, done quite alot of driving in this car, and the odometre hasnt ticked over untill recently, the car i got it from was my old e30, similar thing happened there but the gearbox was in the car when i got it and was factory auto. so your guess is about as good as mine, any idea about the box you supplied?

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

got a VTNZ warrent quite recently, had to get one to get a green sticker removed (bald tyres FTL) had to replace a broken engine mount to get that warrent aswell as it had broken, you caught me out

thats a good idea with the rack conections. will just see what my dad can get off him, have to send him up there as im out of transport.

and the gearbox im not sure about, done quite alot of driving in this car, and the odometre hasnt ticked over untill recently, the car i got it from was my old e30, similar thing happened there but the gearbox was in the car when i got it and was factory auto. so your guess is about as good as mine, any idea about the box you supplied?

That box has done 200ish miles which is just over 300kms. That said, its tighter than a nuns jaxy and came off the back off a 1600cc. Its was a lot better than one i had that had done half the kms, so id guess it either has had a rebuild at some point or isnt the original gearbox in that car and therefore done less kms. No syncro cruch or anything like that whatsoever.

[slowe30 0]

got the rack today, had a look at the power steering conections, not as simple as useing e36 piping, got to bend up the e30 pipes into place and i still need to get a hold of some spacers to fill in the extra gap on the mounts.

installed the rear springs and im really hoping that they havent settled propperly as the car looks as if its at standard height, i evan bounced around on it. evan with the front jacked up so i could do the front springs, i still have no camber this is just giving me more reasons on convincing my dad that i should get a bc gold adjustable setup, as he is the only thing stopping me at the moment. itll just mean i have to wait a couple more weeks before i cert it all so i can save up the coin to get the shocks and get them all welded up.

pictures will come tomorrow as i can find the camera cable

[jasonbelesky 0]

Hey there, very nice work on your build there.

Kinda off the topic question and sorry if it has already been answered.

What is your plans with the m40 engine that came out and is it any good?

[slowe30 0]

Hey there, very nice work on your build there.

Kinda off the topic question and sorry if it has already been answered.

What is your plans with the m40 engine that came out and is it any good?

thanks

engines fine, never gave me any grief. it is for sale but i havent actually put anything up yet advertising it, been a little busy with the conversion. pm me if your interested

[pommy 33]

if you use the one i gave you then yes its an M40G240 gearbox. anything else and you end up needing custom mounts and/or driveshaft. to my knowledge its the only manual gearbox that allows you to use 100% BMW parts bin stuff

that sounds like a good answer! I have a 316i with a g240 attached and am looking at installing a m50b25 so does this mean I can use my 240 gearbox for this engine and don't have to source custom mounts?

cheers.

[slowe30 0]

that sounds like a good answer! I have a 316i with a g240 attached and am looking at installing a m50b25 so does this mean I can use my 240 gearbox for this engine and don't have to source custom mounts?

cheers.

im guessing its an m40, if so yea, will bolt straight in and you can use 100% bmw parts. not sure if they are the same mounts as you already have, someone else will have to anwser that.

also APT those springs i got off you, are they lowering springs or just performance springs? they dont want to fit my front shocks as i presume they have been shortened. will take them to work on friday and fit them with the propper spring fitting tool. spring compessors arnt good enough

[APT 194]

Fronts are lowering, made my M325i sit an about inch lower (my M325i has factory lower springs) Rears are e36 with higher springs rate.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

that sounds like a good answer! I have a 316i with a g240 attached and am looking at installing a m50b25 so does this mean I can use my 240 gearbox for this engine and don't have to source custom mounts?

cheers.

im guessing its an m40, if so yea, will bolt straight in and you can use 100% bmw parts. not sure if they are the same mounts as you already have, someone else will have to anwser that.

also APT those springs i got off you, are they lowering springs or just performance springs? they dont want to fit my front shocks as i presume they have been shortened. will take them to work on friday and fit them with the propper spring fitting tool. spring compessors arnt good enough

you can use factory mounts. Some people like to upgrade to stiffer mounts out of later cars, or go aftermarket delrin etc, but the factory E30 ones work fine. I think its a cert requirement that you need the corresponding material for the engine mounts too. not sure though as i just used factory stuff.

You will need a driveshaft from an M20G240 (320i manual with a 240 gerabox) though as it is shorter.

(edit: user -Oli- has one for sale right now, if its FL worth grabbing if you are thinking about this option as they are rare to come up, especially not as part of a conversion)

Edited September 21, 2011 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[pommy 33]

you can use factory mounts. Some people like to upgrade to stiffer mounts out of later cars, or go aftermarket delrin etc, but the factory E30 ones work fine. I think its a cert requirement that you need the corresponding material for the engine mounts too. not sure though as i just used factory stuff.

You will need a driveshaft from an M20G240 (320i manual with a 240 gerabox) though as it is shorter.

(edit: user -Oli- has one for sale right now, if its FL worth grabbing if you are thinking about this option as they are rare to come up, especially not as part of a conversion)

Thanks for the reply! Out of interest why would i need the drive shaft from a 320 when i have a 240 gearbox in my316? Or is it because the 320 is stronger?

Thanks.

[slowe30 0]

because the 6 cylinder sits a cylinder back further, you need the shorter driveshaft. your current one will be to long.

and not really an update but just letting you know whats happening. have bent the new high pressure power steering line low pressure one is just about completed. am taking the shocks and springs to work tomorrow so i can fit the spring onto the shocks because spring compessors dont compress the spring enough. once their done and back in ill be able to fit the new engine. any hints or tips on fitting it in the hole? then it should just be swap over my diffs and plug engine up, fit and bleed new brake set up and go test it all

hopefully dont need to wait to long for the rx7 calipers, adaptors and rotors, if they arnt here by the time the engines in it will be put on hold for a week or 2.

EDIT add to that list, need to sort out a linkage to connect my steering rack up. any ideas?

Edited September 22, 2011 by SlowE30

[Silver Fox 43]

that sounds like a good answer! I have a 316i with a g240 attached and am looking at installing a m50b25 so does this mean I can use my 240 gearbox for this engine and don't have to source custom mounts?

cheers.

Chris, your box behind the M40B16 won't bolt up to the M50, different bolt pattern.

[slowe30 0]

ok now we have conflicting ideas and this is were the internet gets difficult. that is unless the m40b16 had a different bolt pattern to the m40b18, or the m50 has different pattern to m52, if so ignore this.

andy said you need a getrag 240 off an m40, silver fox has just said the m40 bolt pattern is different to m50. who is right??? this is one of the reasons i brought a bolt up setup off someone over buying all the parts myself.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Okay well silver fox must be saying the M50 bolt pattern is different to the M52, which i find very unlikely seeing as there are other gearboxes both the M50 and M52 had. because it is 100% FACT that the M40 and M52 bolt up as i have done it with my own hands....

edit: ...and car was running, no clutch slip etc as you can see in the videos ive posted on here.

edit2: M40b16 and b18 have the same bolt pattern

Edited September 22, 2011 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[polley 916]

Okay well silver fox must be saying the M50 bolt pattern is different to the M52, which i find very unlikely seeing as there are other gearboxes both the M50 and M52 had. because it is 100% FACT that the M40 and M52 bolt up as i have done it with my own hands....

edit: ...and car was running, no clutch slip etc as you can see in the videos ive posted on here.

edit2: M40b16 and b18 have the same bolt pattern

From what I recall M40 / M20 / M50 series motors all have the same bell housing bolt pattern.

Obviously the M20 gearboxes sit on a different angle to the M40 and M50.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

From what I recall M40 / M20 / M50 series motors all have the same bell housing bolt pattern.

Obviously the M20 gearboxes sit on a different angle to the M40 and M50.

I agree, afaik

[BM WORLD 1283]

the 3 small bolts at the bottom dont line up between the m50 and m20 type boxes , but otherwise ok

[slowe30 0]

Anyone know what signal (12v or something along these lines) the vanos solenoid needs to activate? Im considering ideas of having a switch to turn it on or off. Then when ever i plan on going fast or i track it i could turn it on so it likes high revs alot more than it would with the current set up. Its currently set up with a non vanos loom and computer. Would this work or will the tune be all put all out of wack??

[polley 916]

It's operated via 12 volts. But i'm pretty sure the ECU adjusts the timing at the same time.

Just swap a vanos loom over and run it properly.

[slowe30 0]

It's operated via 12 volts. But i'm pretty sure the ECU adjusts the timing at the same time.

Just swap a vanos loom over and run it properly.

ill do this eventually but to start with i need the basics done and it all certed so i can use it.

now update time, got my steering rack in finally, bit of trial and error on the powersteer pipes but eventually got them to fit in. got the steering connector with the universals in, i used the e30 top half, e36 bottom half, e36 rubber centre with e30 metal spacers, and e36 sheild and a washer on each of the bolts to space it the slightest bit, just a bit of peice of mind.

also i cleaned the rack up and i got to say im quite proud of the job i did, ill put up a picture later on, but it looks like a new part, i couldnt get any of the other parts to come out this clean so im quite proud of it.

tomorrow night ill be putting my custom 15 inch steelies (swift rims with center bore enlarged with a grinder, BFH and then a drill) and lowering it down and finally starting on the engine install. im hoping engine will be in place by the end of the weekend. long time frame but i know ill hit a few niggly issues that will take time to sort out and i dont want to be rushing anything, do it once do it right.

then if its in by the end of the weekend i should be able to start it up and possibly drive it next weekend

[thorburn 121]

swift rims with center bore enlarged with a grinder, BFH and then a drill

do it once do it right.

Would like to see pictures of how that turned out. Hope it isn't as dodgey as i'm picturing

[slowe30 0]

Would like to see pictures of how that turned out. Hope it isn't as dodgey as i'm picturing

its just to get me to a wheel alignment place, as i dont want to destroy my decent tyres. also a good pair of skid rims if i ever need them

[thorburn 121]

I'd just use the new tyres they aren't going to wear bugger all. Well i'm assuming things are pointing somewhat straight

Those other wheels sound like an accident waiting to happen.