help install zf m3 trans (not lined up right)

[Burt_318iS]

He guys,  I've been working with ruthless performance to build up my car. And for the most part its gone smoothly, I rebuilt the engine and mounted a 97 m3 zf tran to the motor. Now we put the motor and trans in the car and Im not sure its perfectly lined up. From underneath, I can see that the shift linkage is about an inch too far up from being centered in the shifter hole. I have uuc motor mounts and i'm sure there in right, I don't see another way of installing them. Is this a common problem that I missed in my research? Usually I hear that you have to cut the drive shaft short, yet mine is about an inch too short... I am stumped on this one! Any help is greatly appreciated.

[wazzu70]

Are you installing in an E30 or E36?

I am doing this right now in an E30, but the E36 is different!

If from an E30 did you have the G240 original trans or a G250 from early E36?

[DesktopDave]

I thought the six-cyl and four-cyl transmissions were angled differently to match up with the engines?  I don't know first-hand, but that's what I've heard.

[Burt_318iS]

I am doing this on an E36, something I should have mentioned. And I had no problem at all bolting it up to the motor, I also used a stage 2 m3 clutch and flywheel, which also lined up no problem. But my shifter is not lining up underneath the car where the hole is for the shifter to go through. I can see it, but hitting 1,3,5 and R isn't perceivable. I haven't been able to find much on this, if its an issue, or if I need modification. I cant see why it won't, I even have the m3 shifter arm and rod. 

[wazzu70]

E36 swap is much easier. You need the 96+ shifter support arm thing (cast aluminum piece that holds the bearing cup) and the 96+ shift linkage. The G250 and ZF are about 20mm different in length.

You also will need a driveshaft from 96+ car.

[Burt_318iS]

I bought everything for a 97 m3, because the tranny had the vin sticker on it and it said it was from a 97 M3. So I have a brand new aluminum 'cranked' arm for m3, and the linkage was already left on the tranny when I got it. My problem is that the aluminum support arm is not resting in the hole where the shifter must go through, by about an inch. I also got a 96/97 M3 driveshaft that wont connect by about an inch or so. 

wazzu70, have you done the swap on an e36 before? Did you run into this problem before? I don't know if I did something wrong with motor mounts or what?!?  I will try to get a picture today or tomorrow if I can stop by the garage.

Also, I should add.. I took the motor out of my 93 318is and am putting it in a 94 325is  the cars are identical... there wouldn't be any changes under the hood for the mounts would there?  does a typical 318 motor in an e36 sit farther back in the bay because of the front axle support would it? they have the same part numbers on penskeparts.com

[wazzu70]

I have not done the conversion on an E36 unfortunately. I know all the documentation for a 6cyl was completely wrong for an M42 in the E30.

Is the aluminum arm from the old G250 a better length?

From what I could tell, the E36 had the rear face of the engine at the same plane as the 6 cyl. Maybe that is not correct though as I have never worked on either one!

Is there any info on 318ti.org? Seems someone there has had to have gone through this before.

[DesktopDave]

I found some info over at R3v, not sure if it'll help:


what about the shifter?[/size]and just in case, if i were to use my g260, i would need to get or make a fabbed crossmember, but what driveshaft for that setup? Im not 100% sure which way im going yet as i have both. they both seem to have their pros and cons..Factory E30 325i DS as the gearbox moves neither forward or back. it just rotates, hence the need for the custom mount.Thier pros and cons a fairly negilable, especially in the US. - 260 is supposedly a bit stronger, but there are neumerous cases of the 240 outlasting a 260.. i suspect the fact of it being stronger is just placebo being that it comes mounted to the bigger engines from the factory- I would (and did) go for 240 because it can be done 100% with factory parts. However, being that you are in the US, and finding the 320i bits may be hard, you may be up for a modified shifter anyway which may make this sorta irrelevant. Still, not having to make a mount, and having the gearbox sitting on the angle it was designed for (read: no chance of mal-lubrication due to angle) has got to be worth somethingEdit: also, gear ratios dont really factor in to this. depending on the diff you are running, you wont be using 1st that much in either case, 2nd is fairly similar, and, iirc, 3rd 4th and 5th are the same between the two boxesI ordered a euro 320i selector rod for the shifter and it works great. Not sure about the carrier though (OEM 320i carrier might be expensive), as I have a DTM style setup mounted directly to the chassis.You can use the stock driveshaft with a 260.Getrag 240 is the ultimate tranny for <300 ft/lb of torque IMO. ZF for anything above that.Care to tell our friend where you got it from? Is a very viable option. Yes, you use the 320i carrier as well. Wouldnt be much more than the selector itself id imagine, they are almost without fail sold as a pair anyway

[wazzu70]

That sounds like they are talking about 6cyl stuff which unfortunately is not relevant to E30 M42 owners.

The OP has an E36, which is different yet again

[Burt_318iS]

this is how it sits.... So any ideas on how to make that line up better... the g260 shifter arm.. anyone know how much longer that may be?

[wazzu70]

Is the one from the G250 longer? Have you tried that one?

If you have and it does not work, I would just cut a section out of your old piece and have it welded to the new piece to extend it the correct amount. Do the same with the linkage.

Unfortunately, sometimes custom work is a lot of trial and error. I know getting the ZF in my e30 was a LOT of trial and error to get the right combination of parts!

[Burt_318iS]

I am going to work on her Wednesday, And then I will try the original shifter arm.  If that is off too, then it will come down to fabrication.. so be it, I'll make it work!

[wazzu70]

Hopefully an off the shelf part works out for you. I ended up using the original parts for the shift linkage. My shifter sits about 15mm back from the center of the cutout in the floor, but I went with it because I cant weld aluminum

I will write up an E30 swap document when I am done. Between us we should have the E30 and E36 platform covered!

[Burt_318iS]

ok, so the vedict is in.... the e36 zf transmission bolts up to the M42 engine perfectly, and you can use the old shifter arm from the g250 and catch all the gears. It is slightly farther back, and to the right, from center of shift hole. I am so happy that it was as simple as that! Now.. for the modification.. I need to lengthen the shifter rod. Which, since I have two, I will simply cut the end off of the M3 one and attach the necessary amount cut off from the spare with a weld. I have attached this photo here of shifter arm.. I will do my fabricating later.

[wazzu70]

Glad the old arm worked for you.

My setup sits like that in the E30 with the G240 shift linkage and arm. As long as you can catch all the gears, no biggie its off center a tad.

Have you figured out the driveshaft yet?