M10 to M40 swap

[Silver Fox 43]

I've got me eyes on 2 cars, a 86 318 manual coupe, and an 89 318 auto 4 door, and want to know how straight foward an engine only swap is as I want to set the coupe up as an E30 series racer. Guess I want to know if the M10 and M40 motors can be interchanged? What problems will I encounter, and can it be done, the auto will become a car for one of my kids. Any help appreciated.

[E30stz 0]

A great enthusiast once said to me the M10's are one of the strongest bmw engines out. Better than any other E30 engine.

Chain driven reliability.

[Silver Fox 43]

Thanks, but they aren't eligible for the E30 series, Something to do with the fact that they are L-jet, and you can manage the motor. Still want to use the M10, but in the 4 door auto for my kid.

[E30stz 0]

Sorry for my ignorance, ill learn to read the thread first next time before I post.

Umm ... you'll find its pointless anyway, because your not allowed to use a pre-facelift shell with a facelift engine. It has to be bone stock from the start, or at least a facelift shell thats had a facelift engine put into it. Only pre-fl's that can run in the series must be E30 320i's.

Finding an E30 318 coupe is proved to be a real bitch. I suggest you buy a broken one and just fix it up. Here is the perfect example which i myself was gonna buy but dont have hte space. I am building a race car up with my old man, it was written off a few weeks back.

Save yourself hte hassle and either wait till an M40 facelift coupe comes up or buy a 320i. Because there is alot of screwing around with engine swaps, easier just to find it all done. You'll most likely only find auto's aroudn so be prepared to spend the money both on a manual gearbox conversion kit and the labour to install it all.

Here is the perfect example - > it has a reconditioned engine in it after last owner blew it up. Gearbox is crap but you wont need it anyway. Theres a ding in the rear that might make it unwofable, the owner says it is but he works at hte place its been getting its wofs so you never know.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...on-58645039.htm

I'd have bought it in a flash, if I had hte room. If you want parts, I've got a car i'm parting out. (E30 318i Manual Facelift Coupe)

Cheers

Andy.

Edited June 5, 2006 by E30stz

[Silver Fox 43]

I've just reread the specs, and don't see that anywhere. As I read, you must have an E30, with the m20 or m40 engine, and standard apart from that? What would the pre facelift 318 have after you'd changed the engine system to the m40, that would advantage it? Thanks

[Silver Fox 43]

Hey Andy, how much for the full kit to convert to manual? Thanks, David.

[E30stz 0]

the shells are different, stock specs are required so that the cars are even. It has been brought up a number of time. Surely specific year's are stated in teh rule (eg. M40 1989 - 1991).

I'm positive your not allowed to run it sorry, I know of people that have been asking this question only to be turned away. Contact colinbriscoe if you have any querries, but we generally on here have a good idea as to whats allowed and whats not as we've been researching into it the different specs and possibilitys for the past 3 or 4 months now.

have a look at this thread, might answer some querrys.

http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index.php?showtopic=5579

as colin said at hte meeting, the rules explain what is and what isnt allowed. If it isnt on the list, it isnt allowed.

With regard to the conversion kit, am holding onto all the main running gear for now waiting for the next project to come in.

Edited June 5, 2006 by E30stz

[Silver Fox 43]

Hi, sorry, didn't realise that pre f/l 318's and 320's had different shells.

[E30stz 0]

no no ... M40 a facelift engines. Essentially they want all of the same spec'ed E30's (3 diff specs 320i facelift / 318i facelift or 320 pre-facelift E30's)... to be the same spec as other people running that chassis/engine. If your running a M40 in a prefacelift shell it could quite possibly be lighter than an M40 in a facelift shell.

It comes down to fairness, they just want it to be about driver skill, all other controlable elements the same. I dont set the rules, I'm just expected to abide by them.

Yes 320i /318 pre-facelift shells are probably the same but you cant run a facelift engine in a pre-facelift car.

Edited June 5, 2006 by E30stz

[Silver Fox 43]

If they're all governed by minimum weight limits, maybe they need to look at allowing it, as there seem to be a few pre f/l 318 coupe's around at reasonable prices, and changing to the M40 would surely not be too much of a problem? So long as the shell etc is the same as the pre f/l 320, and the motor conforms to the specs, maybe it needs to be looked at if it's going to allow a few more cars in.

[Gus 5]

i don't recall any issues regarding the m40 being put into the pre FL...i seem to recall that was cool...check though.

[Silver Fox 43]

Thanks Gus, will do that, the car that's been built and was at the AGM was a 316 which they're changing to a M40 318 if I remember right wasn't it?

[E30stz 0]

hasnt been changed yet I dont believe, but this is putting an M40 "facelift" engine into a "pre-facelift" shell. His was swapping and M40 engine with another M40 engine just bigger capacity, same componentry.

Dont quote me on this but I believe will asked and was declined, when talking about putting m40 into pre-fl shell.

email colin.briscoe@bmw.co.nz and find out.

Edited June 5, 2006 by E30stz

[Silver Fox 43]

Thanks guys, have done.

[Silver Fox 43]

Have had a reply from Colin Briscoe, and he says no problem as long as specs are adhered to. So, is it reasonably easy to do, or not?

[Guest Andrew]

Have had a reply from Colin Briscoe, and he says no problem as long as specs are adhered to. So, is it reasonably easy to do, or not?

I can't see any major issues with it

[IPLEZR 0]

i have a M40 5speed gearbox and flywheel etc if u need it???

[Silver Fox 43]

Thanks, but the 1987 E30 318 coupe I'm looking at is a manual, getrag 240 box, so I'm hoping to just change the M10 in it for a M40. Does that box bolt straight up to the M40?

[gmccormack 0]

Thanks, but the 1987 E30 318 coupe I'm looking at is a manual, getrag 240 box, so I'm hoping to just change the M10 in it for a M40. Does that box bolt straight up to the M40?

No.