535i E28 motor swap into a E30

[Mend19317]

Who's got a E28 motor in there E30? I have been looking to purchase a manual rolling shell for this up coming project. Recently I noticed that they sell custom motor mounts to do the swap. I was a owner of a 1987 535i and I crashed it when I was in highschool. I then drove it to the garage after rolling it pulled the motor and transmission. My main goal now is to stuff the engine into a 3 series E30 witch has been done before. Let's discuss this topic.

[Mike W.]

A stock B34 into an E30 isn't the best swap, although yes, it has been done many times. It's not a huge increase over a stock 325i, although it is over a 325e. But it adds another 50 pounds plus to the front end so it's not going to handle as well. You would need everything from the radiator thru the driveshaft, including the ECU and engine wiring harness, all that stuff is different on M30s than M20s. I'm not sure any driveshafts will fit, you might need to get one shortened. The stock 325e diff is way too tall for the M30s torque curve although the lighter weight of an E30 would partly compensate. If you're talking about a 318i chassis you would probably need new front springs too and the small diff it came with would be a definite weak point.

I understand it's what you have and you want to use it, but some mild upgrades to a 325i or an e to i conversion would make for a better car with almost as much power. Or find another E28 to use it in.

[RonW]

There was a South African 333i, with the M30 shoehorned into an E30.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series_(E30)#333i

[dsmith]

Lots of swap info on best to use and parts list. I am putting a b35 in my e30 wagon from a 1989 535i. It has the correct oil pan, 1.3 motronic, downpipes and good power. I am using Garagistic mounts and a g265 trans set up. It bolts directly to 325i driveshaft.

[austin8753]

Who's got a E28 motor in there E30? I have been looking to purchase a manual rolling shell for this up coming project. Recently I noticed that they sell custom motor mounts to do the swap. I was a owner of a 1987 535i and I crashed it when I was in highschool. I then drove it to the garage after rolling it pulled the motor and transmission. My main goal now is to stuff the engine into a 3 series E30 witch has been done before. Let's discuss this topic.

you need b34 specific engine mounts - i would advise finding someone who makes position "2.5" - you get the most amount of clearance at the radiator/dist cap, without having to bash the holy hell out of the firewall (some don't care about that, but personally, i cannot do that).
you need a b35 oil pan and oil pump.
you would be wise to use an e30 325i engine wiring harness and 179 DME (makes the wiring side of things much easier). you will need to lengthen a few wires going to the alternator and fuel injectors, if my memory serves me correctly. you could get a b35 wiring harness, and i would recommend doing this, but they are not so plentiful these days.
you will need a driveshaft from a 1987 or 1988 325e, equipped with 12mm bolt holes at the flange ("large giubo").
i would recommend a 3.46 or 3.73 differential.

obviously, there is a lot more to it, but this should at least point you in the right direction. furthermore, there is (was?) a guy making an M30 swap guide, and for a whole $10, he would send you a .pdf file, describing, in excellent detail, exactly how to do the conversion, properly.
https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/ ... ost2869984

aside from that, that is all i remember. it's been a long time since i did that job and i only did the one.

good luck.

[e12euro]

The M30 into an e21 and e30 was done by all the major German tuners back in the day. Dietel who was an Alpina agent even put the M106 into an e21!

Road & Track tested an Alpina 333i by Dietel, which had a/c retained with the radio pointing to the sky, and said they dusted off two Porsche 928 owners. At the time Dietel said it planned to have a smog legal version using the US 528i's 2.8. Of course in those days the 4 cyl 320i was the best you had in America.