 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM Yesterday 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 320,337 Views | | | |  |  |  | |  08-28-2006, 09:58 PM | #1 | | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 36 |  M50/52 TI Swap
Anyone ever swap in the 2.5 or 2.8 motors into a TI using the stock 4 cyl gearbox, drive shaft and rear end. In theory it shoud be really easy and it should perform great with the short gearing. Obviously a 325 or better clutch would have to be used. I think this would be a good alternative to going all out with whole drive train or even doing a DASC conversion. What do you guys think. __________________
92 318I : Cosmo CAI . Custom cat back exhaust . Fan delete mod . 80 stat . Home made wieghted shifter rod . M3 shifter . Momo knob . Bilstien sport dampers . Eibach pro springs . Eibach sway bars . Ebay F&R strut bars . Bmp rear shock mounts . Bmp F&R camber plates and bars . 17X8 BBS Bugatti wheels . 235/40/17 tires . Ebay engel eye head lamp assemblies . Way more to come......... |  |  | | 08-28-2006, 10:49 PM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Malden, MA Posts: 672 |
I wondered if you can mate the M50/M52 to the stock auto tranny. If that works, I might already know what my next engine is gonna be. __________________
"Power Rules, Smooth is Fast, Late Brake if you HAVE TO, But Always get the Inside Line.......and Fear No One." | | | | | 08-28-2006, 11:55 PM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 3,244 |
Spoke to Brett Anderson saturday about swaps. He did the first s52 swap into a ti for UUC motorworks and kept the Ti tranny, driveshaft and small case diff. He saw it 42k miles later and the new owner had just swapped in a 6 speed but not because the old one failed! The diff was still going strong too. You save about $1500-$2000 by using the Ti tranny. __________________
My Former Rides
1999 318ti Alpine White, Cali Roof, Dinan goodies
1996 318ti Hellrot California Edition
| | | | | 08-29-2006, 12:09 AM | #4 | | doesn't care about you. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 3,925 |
Quote: Originally Posted by E36LUVA  Anyone ever swap in the 2.5 or 2.8 motors into a TI using the stock 4 cyl gearbox, drive shaft and rear end. In theory it shoud be really easy and it should perform great with the short gearing. Obviously a 325 or better clutch would have to be used. I think this would be a good alternative to going all out with whole drive train or even doing a DASC conversion. What do you guys think. | Yes, this is all possible. The m3 and 32X trannys are interchangeable. __________________ 
'99 Dinan M3 | | | | | 08-29-2006, 02:02 AM | #5 | | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 36 |
Again my only concern is the weight of that damn 6 cyl. I wonder how much a DASC equipt M42 wieghs compared to an m50 engine. Hmmmmmmm. __________________
92 318I : Cosmo CAI . Custom cat back exhaust . Fan delete mod . 80 stat . Home made wieghted shifter rod . M3 shifter . Momo knob . Bilstien sport dampers . Eibach pro springs . Eibach sway bars . Ebay F&R strut bars . Bmp rear shock mounts . Bmp F&R camber plates and bars . 17X8 BBS Bugatti wheels . 235/40/17 tires . Ebay engel eye head lamp assemblies . Way more to come......... | | | | | 08-29-2006, 04:12 AM | #6 | | doesn't care about you. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 3,925 |
Quote: Originally Posted by E36LUVA Again my only concern is the weight of that damn 6 cyl. I wonder how much a DASC equipt M42 wieghs compared to an m50 engine. Hmmmmmmm. | DASC m42 weights less than a stock m42. The upper and lower intake manifold are heavier than the DASC, IIRC. __________________
'99 Dinan M3 | | | | | 08-29-2006, 05:30 AM | #7 | | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muncie, Indiana Posts: 1,551 |
According to what I have found the stock tranny for a 95ti and a 95 M3 are the same thing. | | | | | 08-29-2006, 12:39 PM | #8 | | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 36 |
According to the Bentley Manual the M3 has a ZF gearbox and all the other E36 cars have Getrag units. The ratois I believe are the same but the ZF unit is stronger. __________________
92 318I : Cosmo CAI . Custom cat back exhaust . Fan delete mod . 80 stat . Home made wieghted shifter rod . M3 shifter . Momo knob . Bilstien sport dampers . Eibach pro springs . Eibach sway bars . Ebay F&R strut bars . Bmp rear shock mounts . Bmp F&R camber plates and bars . 17X8 BBS Bugatti wheels . 235/40/17 tires . Ebay engel eye head lamp assemblies . Way more to come......... | | | | | 08-29-2006, 07:24 PM | #9 | | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 |
I run the ti tranny still with no problems (no clutch dumps either- take care of it and it takes care of you). the diff will break, and must be changed. With an auto,you may get away with it longer, but it must be changed or it will strand you at some point.
Shift linkage needs to be changed/modified (I modified mine) due to trany being 1 inch rearward.
The engine/tranny assembly sits about an inch further back, so the weight increase is not totally increased on the front axle alone. Also, to be 'perfect' the drive shaft needs to be changed to accomidate the movement rearward. the increase in power offsets the increase in front axle weight, so 'steering with the right foot' is not a problem when you need to rotate the car.
It's fairly straight-forward swap mechanically... | | | | | 08-30-2006, 03:27 PM | #10 | | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 36 |
So the trans mount of the 6 cyl cars is actually different to facilitate the engine being further back??? Of course the driveshaft would also be shorter and the shift linkage/brackets etc is also different. Wow I learnt something new today. Thanks man.... __________________
92 318I : Cosmo CAI . Custom cat back exhaust . Fan delete mod . 80 stat . Home made wieghted shifter rod . M3 shifter . Momo knob . Bilstien sport dampers . Eibach pro springs . Eibach sway bars . Ebay F&R strut bars . Bmp rear shock mounts . Bmp F&R camber plates and bars . 17X8 BBS Bugatti wheels . 235/40/17 tires . Ebay engel eye head lamp assemblies . Way more to come......... | | | | | 08-30-2006, 03:38 PM | #11 | | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 |
The tranny mount is the same,you just have to use the other holes in it. | | | | | 08-30-2006, 04:24 PM | #12 | | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 36 |
Hey J!m do you think the stock 3.45 small case diff would hold up to a M50B25 with M3 cams, chip, intake, headers and exhaust. I figured it holds up to a DASC equipt M42 so it might hold up to this M50 combo. What do you think. __________________
92 318I : Cosmo CAI . Custom cat back exhaust . Fan delete mod . 80 stat . Home made wieghted shifter rod . M3 shifter . Momo knob . Bilstien sport dampers . Eibach pro springs . Eibach sway bars . Ebay F&R strut bars . Bmp rear shock mounts . Bmp F&R camber plates and bars . 17X8 BBS Bugatti wheels . 235/40/17 tires . Ebay engel eye head lamp assemblies . Way more to come......... | | | | | 08-30-2006, 05:04 PM | #13 | | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 |
I suspect you will be breaking 200 BHP, so you should plan to change the diff.. | | | | | 08-30-2006, 05:38 PM | #14 | | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 36 |
I realise you have a TI but my E36 4 door car would require me to change the whole rear subframe as well when changing the diff unit cuz I dont think the big case diffs fit in the small case diff subframe am I correct. While I'm there I'd have to perform the reinforcement plate mod also to stenghthen the subframe mounting points. I have to really think this through don't I. __________________
92 318I : Cosmo CAI . Custom cat back exhaust . Fan delete mod . 80 stat . Home made wieghted shifter rod . M3 shifter . Momo knob . Bilstien sport dampers . Eibach pro springs . Eibach sway bars . Ebay F&R strut bars . Bmp rear shock mounts . Bmp F&R camber plates and bars . 17X8 BBS Bugatti wheels . 235/40/17 tires . Ebay engel eye head lamp assemblies . Way more to come......... | | | | | 08-30-2006, 06:09 PM | #15 | | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 |
Probably not a bad idea. In your case, I'd find a rear sub-frame from an M3 and swap that in complete.
This gives you the larger brakes along with all the other up-grades you need... (front brake up-grade is already on your list I assume)
Still do the reinforcements- the E36 is notorious for failing in that area. | | | | | |
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