E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2006 Hi guys, As you all are probably aware not long ago my 320i engine went towards the shiny white garage door in the sky and isnt looking like its going to return any time soon. Primarily I wanted to use this opportunatey to give the car a few upgrades on my behalf, a more powerful engine and a 5 speed manual gearbox. I've been looking through the various engines avaiable for my car and it has come to my attention a few things. The price of 325's as well as the availability of them arent very favourable, as well as the higher km's on them. I have come across a m20 323 engine recently that would make a reasonable alternative to the 325, and may even come off as more economical in the long run as it is costing much less and may be somewhat better on the gas. I'm trying to nut out possible problems that I may run into by putting a pre-facelift 323 m20 engine into my E30 Facelift 320i shell. Both ecu's are L-Jetronic as far as I know. If anyone has any knowledge or information that may be able to help assist me that would be great. Am I trying to attempt mission impossible ? Should I bother or just stick to another 320 ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmccormack 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2006 It is an easy swap as long as your gearbox has the holes in it for the crank angle sensors (323 L-jets use 2 just like early Motronic 2.5's, but some 320 gearboxes don't have the holes). The retangular plug on the 323 engine loom has to be changed for a round Motronic one and you may have to swap starters depending on the respective years of your car and the new engine. You need to use the radiator and ECU intended for the 2.3 as well. The 323 engine is fantastic, you will hardly notice the difference between it and a 2.5L Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted January 22, 2006 I still reckon make the 323 motor motronic - and use a 325 ECU. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
petone 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2006 I still reckon make the 323 motor motronic - and use a 325 ECU. or get a custom chip written for 2.3L engineE30stz, what makes you think your 320i was L-jet, I though it was FL so would be motronic? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 (edited) tried taking a pic of the page but too much blur.. got a book that explains this for the E30 320i.. damn good book in my opinion. Motorcode__________m20 Cylinders___________6-inline Head_______________SOHC Camdrive___________Belt Bore x stroke________80x66mm Capacity____________1,990cc Compression_________9.8.1 Induction____________Bosch Carb/inj.____________ Injected Type________________L-Jetronic Oil capacity L_________4.0 Power,bhp___________125 @rpm_______________5,800 Torque, lb/ft__________123 @rpm________________4000 BHP per litre___________62.8 Edited January 23, 2006 by E30stz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
petone 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 Where is your distributor? if its in the block its L-jet. If its off the head its Motronic. easiest way to tell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted January 23, 2006 tried taking a pic of the page but too much blur.. got a book that explains this for the E30 320i.. damn good book in my opinion. Motorcode__________m20 Cylinders___________6-inline Head_______________SOHC Camdrive___________Belt Bore x stroke________80x66mm Capacity____________1,990cc Compression_________9.8.1 Induction____________Bosch Carb/inj.____________ Injected Type________________L-Jetronic Oil capacity L_________4.0 Power,bhp___________125 @rpm_______________5,800 Torque, lb/ft__________123 @rpm________________4000 BHP per litre___________62.8 thats the pre-fl 320yours is 100% motronic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 pooz ... okay What would be the advantages of staying motronic? I'm guessing motronic be probably more refined and fuel efficent. Could this produce more / less horsepower, as I was reading about the refinement of the E21 - E30 323 and they went from 143 - 139 horsepower because the ecu made was more fuel efficent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted January 23, 2006 pooz ... okay What would be the advantages of staying motronic? I'm guessing motronic be probably more refined and fuel efficent. Could this produce more / less horsepower, as I was reading about the refinement of the E21 - E30 323 and they went from 143 - 139 horsepower because the ecu made was more fuel efficent. because its more of a PITA to use L-Jet in an motronic car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 (edited) It is an easy swap as long as your gearbox has the holes in it for the crank angle sensors (323 L-jets use 2 just like early Motronic 2.5's, but some 320 gearboxes don't have the holes). Are you able to describe best where to find these holes, I will get photos if required. Edited January 23, 2006 by E30stz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmccormack 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 Are you able to describe best where to find these holes, I will get photos if required. The holes are on the left side of the bell housing, near the slave cylinder hose.Petone makes a good point, where is your dizzy, on the end of the cam?? or out the side of the block?? I ask because I have come across facelift 320's and post 85 prefacelift 320's that only had L-jet in them too, where as the 325's come out in 85 and are all Motronic. Also some of the early 320's Ive wrecked have had a much more crude form of L-jet (E21 style ignition etc) than my 323 ever did. There seem to be a lot of inconsistancies! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmccormack 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 I still reckon make the 323 motor motronic - and use a 325 ECU. Thats the sh*t :mosh: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmccormack 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 pooz ... okay What would be the advantages of staying motronic? I'm guessing motronic be probably more refined and fuel efficent. Could this produce more / less horsepower, as I was reading about the refinement of the E21 - E30 323 and they went from 143 - 139 horsepower because the ecu made was more fuel efficent. The power drop was not so much the fault of the injection system, but from porting, combustion chamber and compression ratio changes that happened at the same time as the injection change to try and reduce emission levels. F#%^$ng greens :finger: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 (edited) I've taken a few pics, by the looks of things they dont have the correct holes. I'ma clean some of that crap off before i install ... just for bling factor. Edited January 23, 2006 by E30stz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 (edited) pic 2 Edited January 23, 2006 by E30stz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted January 23, 2006 You are missing the needed L-Jet sensors on your tranny. So - for the 323 motor you are going to need from your 320: Full motor wiring loom - i.e all fuel injector wiring, fuel relays etc etc F/L waterpump/radiator/coolant hoses/overflow res (all which your 320 motor should have) 325 ECU (heaps of these bastards around) Dizzy, front CAS gear, RPM sensor that clips onto ign wire. I'm probably forgetting something - and thinking about it - it may not even work. Gus did it to a pre-fl motronic motor. I'm unsure how the L-jet dizzy would get removed. Can you get lots of pics of the 323 motor? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 Engine bay pic 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 Engine bay pic 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2006 Engine bay pic 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
petone 0 Report post Posted January 24, 2006 L-jet dizzy can just be pulled out and replaced with the cap from the 2 litre engine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmccormack 0 Report post Posted January 24, 2006 Why can't you use the box that belongs to the 323 engine too? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted January 24, 2006 was a dogleg close ratio.. sold for $2000 ... dont think I could afford it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted January 24, 2006 Was more interested in motor out of car and side of block pics (where dizzy is) - oh well hah Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SRBMW 6 Report post Posted January 25, 2006 Dizy comes out of block,not front of motor ,its out now so i'll try post a pic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted January 25, 2006 Dizy comes out of block,not front of motor ,its out now so i'll try post a pic Then i'll have to say it cannot be converted to motronic - Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
