Author Topic: e36 M42 into e30 (Read 3721 times)

rfritz · « **on:** May 03, 2007, 05:53:51 PM »

After searching for a long time, I finally found a good engine for my crippled e30 318iS. The donor is from a e36 318 M42. I am not sure of the year of the donor car, I am looking at it tomorrow. The guy is reputable and told me the engine runs and is in good shape, money back guarantee. I looked on realoem and it looks like the intake, oil pan, ect will need to be swapped. Has anyone here replaced their engine with an e36 version? What kind of things do I need to look out for? I am very happy to get the car back on the road, I have been driving my 96 Cherokee and it is old, rusty and gets really bad gas mileage...

fabe · « **Reply #1 on:** May 04, 2007, 02:32:36 AM »

There are 2 versions of the E36 M42 which I know of... The early model M42 uses the same 3 V-belts to run the alternator, power steering pump and the A/C... The later version uses 2 BK-belts: 1 for alternator and power steering, 1 for A/C...

I'm using the later version with the 2 BK-belts. slight mod to the oil dip stick as it need to be bent to go between the belt tensioner. no other major mods as far as i can recall...

jakeb · « **Reply #2 on:** May 04, 2007, 08:09:00 AM »

I swaped in a 97 e36 318ti engine a while back on a e30 318is. I pretty much swapped everything except the head and block...

intake manifold, oil pan and pickup, valve cover(oil breather hits).

I also used all the e30 accessories. PS, AC, Alt... I had to change the crank pully as well to use the three belts.

It is an easy swap, once I had all the parts/gaskets I had it done, back in, and running in 12 hours.

When my current m42 dies (different car than the last swap) I plan to do the same thing again. It is much easier to find a newer engine rather than looking for one from a e30. Also they have the updated profile gasket.

Jake

rfritz · « **Reply #3 on:** May 04, 2007, 01:12:19 PM »

I just got back from checking the engine out. It is from a 1993 318i. It looks good to me. The guy is going to pull it and I will get it to my house next week. What year did they update profile gasket?

odbod · « **Reply #4 on:** May 11, 2007, 08:57:54 AM »

I have just finished my swap of an E36 M42 into an E30, I only changed the sump and manifolds everything else was the same.

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 11, 2007, 07:53:13 PM »

The profile gasket was updated on all E36 M42's IIRC except possibly the very earliest. They usually fail at about 70k, so if the engine has more than 90k it is fairly safe to assume that the gasket has been replaced at some point, or at least that is my experience in the matter.

Pedro · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2007, 11:26:50 PM »

Quote from: jakeb;25139

I swaped in a 97 e36 318ti engine a while back on a e30 318is. I pretty much swapped everything except the head and block...

intake manifold, oil pan and pickup, valve cover(oil breather hits).

I also used all the e30 accessories. PS, AC, Alt... I had to change the crank pully as well to use the three belts.

It is an easy swap, once I had all the parts/gaskets I had it done, back in, and running in 12 hours.

When my current m42 dies (different car than the last swap) I plan to do the same thing again. It is much easier to find a newer engine rather than looking for one from a e30. Also they have the updated profile gasket.

Jake

Hes right on. Also if i were i would keep all the pulleys after you swap them over from your e30, maybe one day you'll decide to throw the DASC on.