Author Topic: E36 M42 into E30. (Read 7627 times)

D. Clay · « **on:** February 23, 2008, 03:07:20 PM »

I recently put in an E36 318ti M42 with 85,000 miles on it into my 1991 318is.
I unplugged all of the wiring so I could leave the plastic box that sets under the intake in the car. I removed the A/C compressor and power steering pump from the motor but left the hoses connected to both. I used wire to hold them up so they wouldn't be hanging from the hoses.
After removing the usual remaining stuff, I pulled the motor. The E36 motor was dated 10/95.
From 9/95 up the M42 and all of the M44's use a different type oil pan gasket. It's similar to the valve cover gasket, a rubber with circles around the bolt holes that sits in a recessed groove. The groove is machined into the block. It also goes around the problem area at oil pickup. The old type gasket works with this block. I had several people look at it and they all thought it would be OK. None the less, I turned it over with no ignition until I got oil pressure just to be safe. I put locktite on the pan bolts that are covered with the lower sump. realoem.com shows this gasket on cars with the M44.
From the front back, I had to change the balancer and pulleys, water pump pulley, alternator bracket and alternator, valve cover, and motor mount arms. Thakfully, you don't have to remove the big crankshaft nut to swap balancers and pulleys. The front temp sensor is the same but I had to reuse the rear one from the original motor. Same with the cam and crankshaft sensors. From 9/90 and up the pilot bearing is the new larger type so no change was necessary. I also swapped the complete intake assembly, using the one from the E30. The flywheel and clutch assemblies are the same part numbers also.
It was a really straightforward swap. Just nuts and bolts. I thought about going to a serpentine belt but that would have meant water pump, P/S pump, and A/C compressor pulleys. End the end I didn't want to spend any more than necessary so I didn't do any performance mods either.
It runs quieter, smoother and has a bit more power. All due to age and miles on the motor. The actual HP increase is probably not noticeable if both motors had been in top shape. The old motor had really gunked up the intake from the blow by and other stuff from the valve cover/crankshaft vent line.

nelsone30 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 08, 2008, 12:41:24 PM »

Hey guys i have a problem with the air conditioner signal and the aircond compressor from the DIS system. So from e36 engine to e30. How did u solve the wiring problem for it.

xaos. · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2010, 10:57:31 PM »

same as reverse from upgrading a e36 from vbelt to serp. or from r12 to 134 replace needed parts, i know that doesnt help but real oem should give you a idea

jpreston · « **Reply #3 on:** April 02, 2010, 11:25:10 AM »

I know this is a super old thread, but it's related to what I'm asking so I'll just post here instead of starting fresh.

I'm currently building an E36 318is as a racecar. If it's this easy to swap an E36 M42 into an E30, how hard would it be to swap an E30 engine wiring harness into an E36? All of the mechanicals would be staying the same so it looks like the only thing I'd have to swap around would be a few sensors and maybe the balancer? I have a couple reasons for considering this:

1. I know my 95 318 has some sort of theft protection built into the ECU that may end up being a hassle once I start removing wires. Swapping to E30 electronics would get rid of this.
2. I can figure out anything mechanical but I'm pretty horrible at in-depth electonics stuff. I want to put a megasquirt on the racecar, but the only way to do that for an E36 would be to build my own custom setup. If I used an E30 wiring harness and ECU, I could just use a DIYPNP kit for an E30 and be up and running a lot quicker.
3. I could just gut all of the wires out of the interior and then rewire the few wires necessary to make the E30 stuff function, without having to spend hours searching through wiring diagrams figuring out what I can and can't cut.

Matt-B · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2010, 11:32:04 AM »

e30 harness and ecu and motor and Id think youd be ok...

dvmotorsports · « **Reply #5 on:** April 02, 2010, 11:32:32 AM »

The anti-theft is called EWS. Search for EWS delete/bypass or similar. There are was around that. I don't have the exact answer, so you'll have to do a little leg work on that. But honestly, if you are running an OBD1 car, it's not really worth it. Unless of course you do install MS. But do you have any modifications that require MS? Such as ITB's or anything along those lines? If not, just wait.

jpreston · « **Reply #6 on:** April 02, 2010, 11:43:45 AM »

matt-b, I already have an E36 motor. Just saying wiring harness and ecu.

dvmotorsports, won't have any real mods on the motor for a little while, but the class I'll be racing in is classed by power/weight ratio so I'd like to try tuning the car to get more torque out of it. I know the gains will be small, but they're worth it to me. I'll be turboing the car in the future too so doing the MS now won't hurt.

Why do you say it's not worth doing since I already have OBD1?

jpreston · « **Reply #7 on:** April 02, 2010, 03:16:38 PM »

Ah, forget this idea. I was thinking the E30 318 used the same 55-pin ECU connector as the E30 325, which isn't true. Megasquirt doesn't even make a diypnp for the E30 318 yet, which kills the main reason for considering this. The E36 318 has a bosch 88-pin connector which they're in the process of making a DIYPNP for, so I'll just keep all the factory stuff and wait that out.

Thanks for the advice!