:?: Just wondered if anybody has done this mod. And also if you thought if was worth the effort.

Some people have relocated the battery to the rear to balance the weight a little more. I hardly see it worth it. When we weighed my 328ti the weight was almost 50/50. Mounting the battery in the hatch will limit some of your space back there. It's not like there is a compartment set up to accomodate a battery.

yea thats true, thanks for the quick reply

I had toyed with the idea of twin 6-volt optimas, one on each side of the rear compartment, at one point. Seems like a good idea, and you only loose the storage bins for the Mobil-1...

Have not done it yet. I have an Optima red-top in the stock location currently. I reccomend an orange top (reversed poles) if the stock location is used. This prevents having to change the ground cable for a slightly longer one (as I have done).

I have not weighed my car yet.

Steve: is your motor an iron block 2.8, or aluminum? I expect the 2.8 and 3.2 to be similar weight (+- 60 lb.). Also, did you do the mix-n-match M3 front suspension as I have done to push the front wheels forward? I'm curious now...

I have a very small and very light (13.5 lb) battery in my trunk. Actually it fits perfectly in to the passenger side trunk bin and doesn't hardly take up any space. Check out:

http://www.rogueengineering.com/Merc...gory_Code=BATT

You have to run battery cables from the engine compartment, thru the fire wall, and under the carpet, under the seat cushion, along the edge of the trunk, and into the box. I lost 50 lbs high over the font wheels, and put 13.5 lbs low in the rear. My car has an S50USB30 transplant and weighs approx 2900lbs with 54%F/46% rear.

Steven's car used to be Stephen's (FLBearcub) car, which, if I remember, has an aluminaum block 328, whcih should save maybe +/- 60 lbs off the front wheels.

Nah. It's not aluminum. It came out of a 328. I've owned the car exactly 4 years now. :)

how much does you car weight steve?

I saw in another post you had close to 50/50 balance with that 2.8...right?

I am removing my spare tire, and welding a deep battery box (will fit 2 drycells for the system) if I get a flat I carry fix-a- flat or AAA.

Whoa jim please explain on the susp set up.

Steve: I totally disagree, i think using that 13 lb battery from Rogue is a useful mod to get rid of the understeer from the increased weight of the motor swap. Ben used that and a CF hood, so I assume that is almost perfect

Damn that is one heavy car. Audi s4 weighs 3950

yea, thats why I asked how much steves car weighed...I think 3900 pounds was a typo...he probably meant 2900 lbs.

Even at 2900lbs that still sounds really heavy. It should weigh around 2700lbs

I think it was ~2966 when we weighted it. It was almost 50/50. Maybe 48/52 or 49/51. Whatever it was it was negligable.

Looking at an old brouchure it says a 318ti weighs 2745.

If a gallon of gas weights 6 pounds and the volume varies from day to day, does relocating a battery really matter?

minus the spare tire 2700lbs sounds about right. Also what is the weight difference between the M44 and the M52?

At one time I had 328 and 318 brouchures.

Using
http://www.carsdirect.com/research/b...996/i/features and
http://www.carsdirect.com/research/b...96/is/features


1996 318i 2,976lbs.
1996 328i 3,120lbs
difference 144 lbs (including entire drivetrain, tranny and diff)
Don't think there should be that much of a difference regarding interior and accessories.