» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | 03-15-2012, 05:18 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Holland Posts: 4 | Manual to Automatic gearbox swap Hello, I,m Jans and living in The Netherlands (Holland), 30 years old and also a BMW fan. This week I picked up my new E36 323Ti, Fully M exterior and interior loaded. It will replace my current BMW E38 728i. The E38 will be disassambled in the next 2 months. Question: Is it possible to swap a M52B23 (manual) to a M52B28 (automatic)? If it's possible what do I need to make the swap succesful? Thanks in advance Kind regards, Jans | | | 03-15-2012, 08:04 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta Posts: 233 | Sure, it is possible, but why??? There are tons of people who do the reverse swap, auto to manual. If you have a donor car with a m52b28, it will go a lot more smoothly. Edit** Are you talking about swapping just the engine? That is very possible. I did it as have many of the members on this forum. __________________ -PTS- "Some people like cupcakes better. I for one, care less for them" | | | 03-15-2012, 08:57 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | That's something you don't see everyday. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 03-15-2012, 11:04 PM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Potomac Falls VA DMV Posts: 1,794 | Please.. Please don't __________________ Im guessing im the youngest member on here with a S52 power'ed Ti at 16 years old! | | | 03-16-2012, 12:23 AM | #5 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Holland Posts: 4 | Quote: Originally Posted by PrimeTimeSlime Sure, it is possible, but why??? There are tons of people who do the reverse swap, auto to manual. If you have a donor car with a m52b28, it will go a lot more smoothly. Edit** Are you talking about swapping just the engine? That is very possible. I did it as have many of the members on this forum. | Hello PrimeTimeSlime, Yes I have a donor car and that's my old E38. But what I fear, is that the size of the automatic gearbox will not fit. It is an another gearbox (E38) than stock (E36) is delivered for the Ti series. This one is semi-sequential and maybe is the size of the gearbox larger than stock and will get a problem with the driveshaft. Further, is there any electrical hick-ups with engine/gearbox (semi-sequential problems?) swapping? Both cars are build in 1998. Thanks in advance Jans | | | 03-16-2012, 12:38 AM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta Posts: 233 | An automatic from an e36 will fit. I don't know about one from a 7 series. If you are putting in a 2.8l engine, just get one from an automatic 328. You will have to install the ecu for the transmission as well as the ecu for the engine. You will need a driveshaft from an automatic car as they are different lengths. You will also have to install hydraulic lines to an oil cooler installed next to the radiator, among other things. Google auto to manual swaps and just do the reverse. I still can't understand why you would want to do that though. That automatic transmission makes the car really slow, and they don't have a very good reputation as far as durability is concerned. For the money involved, I would just get an automatic car if that is what you want. __________________ -PTS- "Some people like cupcakes better. I for one, care less for them" | | | 03-16-2012, 01:08 AM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | Will the driveshaft fit? __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 03-16-2012, 01:39 PM | #8 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Holland Posts: 4 | Quote: Originally Posted by 1996 328ti Will the driveshaft fit? | That's my question indeed. The automatic transmission from a e36 is an "old" stubby type of transmission. The E38 automatic is a big difference in my opinion and the gears are flowing much better. And then the "slow" thing... a 2.8 with automatic (converted in a Ti) is just everything but slow??? A E36 coupé has a 0/100 km/h of 9sec with 1365kg, the compact automatic is standard 1290kg (75kg profit). Further, If I do it, I will take a M50 inlet for 30hp more power. That will do the trick or am I to confident? And If will take your advise to hold the manual gearbox: The clutch from a 320i/323i/325i is 224mm, the 328i is 240mm. Will the original clutch (224mm) do it or do I have to modify also the gearbox? Many many thanx! p.s. sorry for my bad English Last edited by Siebener; 03-16-2012 at 02:50 PM. | | | 03-16-2012, 02:47 PM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Scranton/Wilkes-barre area PA Posts: 454 | different strokes for different folks __________________ ***Derek*** ^^Lola^^ Pioneer radio/ Pioneer 6-Disk CD Changer/ JBL 601.1 Grand Touring Amplifier/ Bilstein Sport shocks/ Bilstein e36sedan springs/ Green LED Courtesy Lights Accident Counter: 3... | | | 03-16-2012, 03:36 PM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Potomac Falls VA DMV Posts: 1,794 | Be easier to just find an automatic Ti __________________ Im guessing im the youngest member on here with a S52 power'ed Ti at 16 years old! | | | 03-16-2012, 04:28 PM | #11 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Holland Posts: 4 | Quote: Originally Posted by slow_ti Be easier to just find an automatic Ti | Yeah, that's the answer of my technical questions... come on.. It is a fact that I have already a donor E38 (former car) and bumped on a beauty of a 323Ti car. As I said: fully M3 loaded. In Holland you will see only 316/318Ti's with automatics and the standard exteriors/interiors. I will cost also money to turn a standard Ti into a M suit... Jans p.s. here some pics and decide If I am wrong that this is an unique object, no rust, perfect shape and still 13 years old. Last edited by Siebener; 03-16-2012 at 04:39 PM. | | | 03-17-2012, 06:08 AM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | Just so you know, that car is unobtainable in the US, that's why your getting so many resistive responses. If I understand the bits you have its not a bolt in, You need the right engine ECU to match the sequential transmission, which I dont remember being available with your motor. Good luck though,,, if you like the box. I just spent over a year trying to find a manual transmission car so cant quite put the concept together... Just bought a 330XI Mtech 1 with 6 speed. Dave __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | 10-15-2014, 03:21 AM | #13 | Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: FL Posts: 11 | Man that's a nice ride. Have you had any success with the auto transmission swap? | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |