Calling all knowledgable E36 fans, drivetrain question

[JJohnsen88 9]

Hey guys,

This topic has probably been beaten to death so my apologies if some are sick of seeing this type of question.

So I've had my 328i M-Spec for a couple months now and I have noticed a few things that make me question if it was factory manual. Firstly these are the things that make me believe it has been converted:

Short shift kit
ZHP gearknob
Manual stick surround doesn't fit properly
VIN Decoder says it's automatic
Seems very low geared, 5th gear only drops the RPM by about 400
At 100km/h it's sitting just over 3100rpm
Top speed maxed out is a little over 210km/h

It get's off it's ass far quicker than any other 328i I've driven and still pulls in 5th at 100k going up a decent hill (Could just be the 280Nm )

I'm thinking the gearbox is a maybe off a M52B28 but the diff is from the automatic, I'm guessing they all match up. Haven't jacked her up and had a look but would there be anything on the diff or gearbox that I could check up and see what they came off?

Edited September 24, 2014 by JJohnsen88

[pldubs 308]

Bummer dude, just keep the illusion alive and tell everyone its Factory =/

[JJohnsen88 9]

I'm not sure how long the conversion has been done for but it's been in for well over a year as I had been eyeing it up on Trade Me since august last year and it's been a manual since then, I do admit I have put it through it's paces a few times and everything seems tight.
Where would I find the part numbers and would they be model specific part numbers or series generic?

[JJohnsen88 9]

Bummer dude, just keep the illusion alive and tell everyone its Factory =/

well I have debagged the 328i and cheekily replaced it with the M3 badge and also added the M grille badge the other day, all I need are mirrors and side trim to say M3 not M and on the outside she'll look exactly like an M3.

[qube 3568]

vin decoder says its automatic? then yes it was an automatic.

general consensus on the forums is that we dont like it when people badge their cars as being "better" than it actually is.

just leave it unbadged. looks tidy.

[JJohnsen88 9]

Thanks for the info I wanted. as for the other well not so wanted comments sort of asked for it. I considered keeping the 328i and ditching the "3" in M3 and have M328i as I have seen on alot of other M-spec'd models. But it's my car I like it how it is and general consesus can suck my left nut. I hate conformists!

Edited September 24, 2014 by JJohnsen88

[yng_750 247]

Well said.

As much as i would keep the original badge i think a manual 328 badged as an m3 isnt as bad as an auto 318i doing the same.

[euroriffic 602]

So that's why I thought I saw an m3 badge on it yesterday morning. Naughty naughty!

[JJohnsen88 9]

Yes now that combo is far more deserving of an earfull . Also would never have got the badge if it wasn't manual either, I have a sort of M-spec 325i aswell (which has me wondering if it's really an M-spec as the rear bumper is a normal one but has M suspension, steering wheel and sport option seats all from factory) but auto, no way was it having the privilage of sporting a better badge

Edited September 24, 2014 by JJohnsen88

[JJohnsen88 9]

So that's why I thought I saw an m3 badge on it yesterday morning. Naughty naughty!

Eh, even the old man with his mid life crisis vert 328 made a comment along the lines of "but it's not an M3". In time, engine upgrades should have her moving like an M3 would, not just half appearing like one.

[KwS 2377]

If an M3 with a 325 engine in it isnt allowed to be called an M3......

Decoding your vin will say whether it had the full motorsport package or not. Anthracite headliner is a giveaway iirc (although if its been relined due to sagging, who knows).

[polley 916]

More likely it has an older Getrag 250 series 5 speed used in the 323/ 325 , which is NOT designed for the torque of the 328 / M3

Not that hes likely to blow it up with the mind blowing torque of the 328.

[JJohnsen88 9]

Look, enough with the badge hate, your opinions are just that, opinions. Neither party is right nor wrong so there's really no point discussing it any further. I like MY car the way it is. Think of it as dressing up in a nice suit (or dress if you're that way inclined), it's not who you really are but It's nice to feel upmarket for a change.

On another note, would love to find out who converted it so I could ask them a few things about it, I have been told it may have been originally from Dunedin or Christchurch, from 2005-2012 it had the plate CSP126, it had a change of rego in May 2012 so that may have been when it was converted. May have even been done overseas for all I know

[JJohnsen88 9]

Not that hes likely to blow it up with the mind blowing torque of the 328.

Hey now 280Nm isn't that bad

[Ahmedsinc 414]

3100rpm at 100kph suggests a 3.46 final drive - getrag and ZF in E36 both use a 1:1 5th gear. 3.15 and getrag 220 revs at 2850 @ 100kph.

4.45 would have rpm well north of 4000 @100kph. Seems the jap import autos often got the 3.46...... consider yourself lucky, that's probably one of the cheapest and fastest ways to improve your performance without too much sacrifice!

Edited September 24, 2014 by Ahmedsinc

[JJohnsen88 9]

Ok, that's cleared things up even more. It was assembled in Regensburg, Germany, but then shipped off to Japan and in 2005 made it's way over here so would highly likely have the 3.46 ratio. I have a hunch I have an open diff aswell, again, I haven't done anything apart from driving it to see if it is for sure or not. So what should I look out for in the LSD range to match what I have now without altering engine speed too much if at all? Might have to lift the ass up tomorrow and give a wheel a spin just to be sure.

Edited September 24, 2014 by JJohnsen88

[JJohnsen88 9]

If an M3 with a 325 engine in it isnt allowed to be called an M3......

Decoding your vin will say whether it had the full motorsport package or not. Anthracite headliner is a giveaway iirc (although if its been relined due to sagging, who knows).

Yeah it's the Anthracite from factory but it's a very grey colour no mistaking it for black which I thought anthracite liners were black? It is sagging in the very front where it meets the window on passenger and drivers side also the same on the rear but passenger side only. Has the same material on the underside of the sunroof too so I'm clueless.

I don't think I've owned 1 car that hasn't been odd in more ways than one.

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Options are slim in LSD here. Next ratio is 3.73, first gear is basically useless, fuel economy sh*t and revs are around 3400. Stick with what you have. Find a limited slip centre, take to Kayne Barrie and have him rebuild with new centre.

Expect to spend well over 1k by the time labour is accounted for. Hope your pockets are deeper and better lined than mine!

Never yet seen an auto E36 with LSD. Look at the id tag on the rear cover, will tell you ratio and LS or nit

[JJohnsen88 9]

Definetly not going for a higher ratio diff, this one is a tad too low. What's the next highest ratio after 3.46? Would be ideal if I could LS the diff I have now, but make 5th a bit longer if that's even possible without messing with the other gears too. Whatever path I take for better traction and/or lower rpm I'm going to have to dig to a part of my wallet I haven't found yet, the part that contains the money!

Edited September 24, 2014 by JJohnsen88

[BM WORLD 1261]

have a 3.07 if needed

[KwS 2377]

Vin decoder confirms its a jap import auto, and although it has sport seats and suspension its not a full motorsport model.

[JJohnsen88 9]

Ah well, guess I have some additions to do to make it full m-spec.

The parcel tray seems to be covered in anthracite, when ya swipe ya hand across it, it goes from a dark greyish black colour to a slightly darker shade almost black but all the rest is the same light grey shade even the trimmings around the edge of the roof, sunroof, and windows so if it has been recovered then they have done a thorough job of it. Apart from the missing LSD what else would make it full m-spec optioned? I will do some research and remove that part if I find the answer I'm looking for

Edited September 25, 2014 by JJohnsen88

[JJohnsen88 9]

So say the 3.07 that Brent has could be a nice option. The 3.15 would be better as I wouldn't lose as much acceleration, as marginal as it would be, but I know one of those would set me back well over 1k because I'm sure I've seen some regular LSD's up around the $900 range for the E36

[westy 614]

The euro 328 with zf auto runs a 3.07 diff.

[allan 295]

A couple of things you could try

Remove the rear seat and see if their is any paper work attached to it sometimes if still their this may help.

Run your last seven digits through a decoder to get what options it has fitted.

Go to a parts cat site and enter the 7 digits of your vin this will give you some more info on your car.

It will also depend on what boxes were ticked when ordered to what level the M spec was in your vehicle. As it would appear that BMW has allowed its models M, M sport M3 range to be so Bastardized that it is very hard to confirm sometimes what is what plus throw in the manual part not being documented and you have the mess you are faced with.