E36 320 to 325 conversion........
Discussion
.....how difficult is it to swap a 320 engine for a 325?
The reason I ask is because I have been offered a low mileage 325 Automatic for a seriously reasonable price and rather than fit a turbo to my 320 track day car a 325 engine would be a more reliable hoik in power output. Both engines appear to be identicle but is the swap as straight forward at it seems or will there be issues with the looms, bell housings and flywheels etc. Will there be any issue using an engine from an automatic on a manual gear box? Will the 320 gear box be up to the task? Have any of you guys done the conversion before and have any advice that could come in handy? Is it worth doing compared to the turbo conversion planned?
Thanks in advance, all the best Rob.
The reason I ask is because I have been offered a low mileage 325 Automatic for a seriously reasonable price and rather than fit a turbo to my 320 track day car a 325 engine would be a more reliable hoik in power output. Both engines appear to be identicle but is the swap as straight forward at it seems or will there be issues with the looms, bell housings and flywheels etc. Will there be any issue using an engine from an automatic on a manual gear box? Will the 320 gear box be up to the task? Have any of you guys done the conversion before and have any advice that could come in handy? Is it worth doing compared to the turbo conversion planned?
Thanks in advance, all the best Rob.
They can swap over directly, you can keep most of the old gear and live with it, you might have to use the 320 clutch and flywheel for the gearbox if they are different, but i think they are all the same.
You might want a bigger 325 spec exhaust with twin rear pipes all the way to the back box.
As for engine/ecu, it depends which 320 engine you are taking out and which 325 you are putting in.
You might want a bigger 325 spec exhaust with twin rear pipes all the way to the back box.
As for engine/ecu, it depends which 320 engine you are taking out and which 325 you are putting in.
look at that poor thing!
The 325 engine above is the M50 Non vanos, very strong, they'll rev over 7000 easy and it'll fit with what you have
Thinking back to a gearbox swap i did, i'm pretty sure mine came out of a 316, fitted to a 320 and then bought by me an into the 325.
Have a look at your existing ecu.
if it has
0261200402
0261200403
on it, you'll be able to swap them and keep your ecu, remember to take the 325's airflow meter as well.
If your existing ecu has Siemens written on it, you'll have a Vanos 320 with a lump on the front cam cover, and then you'll want to grab the other ecu, and prob best the engine side loom as well.
Both the 320 and 325 non vanos used the same ecu, they just had bigger injectors, fuel press. reg. and airflow meter on the 2.5.
The 320 and 325 non vanos
The 325 engine above is the M50 Non vanos, very strong, they'll rev over 7000 easy and it'll fit with what you have
Thinking back to a gearbox swap i did, i'm pretty sure mine came out of a 316, fitted to a 320 and then bought by me an into the 325.
Have a look at your existing ecu.
if it has
0261200402
0261200403
on it, you'll be able to swap them and keep your ecu, remember to take the 325's airflow meter as well.
If your existing ecu has Siemens written on it, you'll have a Vanos 320 with a lump on the front cam cover, and then you'll want to grab the other ecu, and prob best the engine side loom as well.
Both the 320 and 325 non vanos used the same ecu, they just had bigger injectors, fuel press. reg. and airflow meter on the 2.5.
The 320 and 325 non vanos
I sold my old 325 engine to a lap that put in a 320. IIRC he used the 320 gearbox, and 325 clutch and flywheel.
If you need to get a newer exhaust, once the engine's out it is a good opportunity to go for a full M3 setup. The manifolds on the m3 are a nice tubular design but a pig to fit with the engine in the car.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-E36-M3-3-2-Evo-Z3M-Exhau...
You then need the M3 cat section and back box.
If you ask Chris at CR-Mtec and tell him Rich sent you, he should be able to do you a better price for a complete exhaust system.
If you need to get a newer exhaust, once the engine's out it is a good opportunity to go for a full M3 setup. The manifolds on the m3 are a nice tubular design but a pig to fit with the engine in the car.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-E36-M3-3-2-Evo-Z3M-Exhau...
You then need the M3 cat section and back box.
If you ask Chris at CR-Mtec and tell him Rich sent you, he should be able to do you a better price for a complete exhaust system.
Very sorry looking car. The American owner had been stationed overseas for a year and came back to it with six foot nettles growing round it. Decided to sell instead and I was in the right place at the right time for a change.
Cat'?
Just bought a turbo manifold and have ten foot of three Inch dairy pipe for the exhaust.
Should anyone need any E36 325i parts or very good 320i engine and bits let me know.
Sticking to the 320i box and diff' is the prefered route for the drifters and as part of the £999 Challenge is over the quarter mile at Santa Pod I think the short ratio acceleration would be better than top end.
I'll run through the swap diary here and update the £999 thread as well.
Thanks again for the advice and creative input.
Cat'?
Just bought a turbo manifold and have ten foot of three Inch dairy pipe for the exhaust.
Should anyone need any E36 325i parts or very good 320i engine and bits let me know.
Sticking to the 320i box and diff' is the prefered route for the drifters and as part of the £999 Challenge is over the quarter mile at Santa Pod I think the short ratio acceleration would be better than top end.
I'll run through the swap diary here and update the £999 thread as well.
Thanks again for the advice and creative input.
BulletproofBob on here has done a 320 to 325 conversion, like yourself keeping the 3.45 diff:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?mem...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?mem...
I know Bob well from the PPC forum, he's waiting to see how the turbo conversion works out before he trys it himself. Pity his steering colum will get in the way. 
Just had a google and the 320 and 325 flywheels are identical, but I'll put a new clutch in there as the car still has the original one fitted (full service history, loads of paperwork but sign of a reciept for a replacement clutch) and can't last much longer. Like for like replacement so it won't effect the budget.
Just had a google and the 320 and 325 flywheels are identical, but I'll put a new clutch in there as the car still has the original one fitted (full service history, loads of paperwork but sign of a reciept for a replacement clutch) and can't last much longer. Like for like replacement so it won't effect the budget.
R.E Poor car look at the state of it.........
Before.
After.
Liquid Knights specialist cleaning service.
So £200 car needing £500-£600 in parts alone, the floor has gone as well as the sills, brakes, suspension bushes etc. Pity because the car's lovely (dispite having a pedal missing). I think a good one would be great. I like the economy button wonder if I can use the Sports mode with a manual box?
Should be fun in the race car.
Before.
After.
Liquid Knights specialist cleaning service.
So £200 car needing £500-£600 in parts alone, the floor has gone as well as the sills, brakes, suspension bushes etc. Pity because the car's lovely (dispite having a pedal missing). I think a good one would be great. I like the economy button
wonder if I can use the Sports mode with a manual box?Should be fun in the race car.
TheEnd said:
Thinking back to a gearbox swap i did, i'm pretty sure mine came out of a 316, fitted to a 320 and then bought by me an into the 325.
Does this mean I can fit a 320 gearbox onto my 323, or do I need to go for another gearbox from a 6 cylinder? Any advantages/disadvantages of using something different?As far as i could tell, the ratios were the same, but i think the 323 uses the larger ZF gearbox, shared with the 328 and M3.
If you have a look on realoem.com add you car details, either via the chassis number or just choosing the correct model, head to manual transmission, and grab the part number.
There will usually be a code next to the name, s5d xxx Z or G, the xxxs are the max input torque, and the letter at the end is the maker, ZF or Getrag.
Take the long BMW part number, head back to the page where you pick your car, and you'll see a box to search via part number.
Shove the part number in there, make sure euro is ticked, rather than US, and it'll show a list of other cars that the 'box was fitted to.
edit!!
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=230012...
You have a Getrag box, click on the "details on.." for a full detailed list.
I might have got it wrong about where mine came from before, it certainly was on a couple of different cars, but i can't remember which.
Note - the same box taken from an e36 will be far cheaper than one that came off an e46 or e39.
Same boxes (keep your same linkage...) but the more expensive the car, the more they'll charge for the same part.
If you have a look on realoem.com add you car details, either via the chassis number or just choosing the correct model, head to manual transmission, and grab the part number.
There will usually be a code next to the name, s5d xxx Z or G, the xxxs are the max input torque, and the letter at the end is the maker, ZF or Getrag.
Take the long BMW part number, head back to the page where you pick your car, and you'll see a box to search via part number.
Shove the part number in there, make sure euro is ticked, rather than US, and it'll show a list of other cars that the 'box was fitted to.
edit!!
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=230012...
You have a Getrag box, click on the "details on.." for a full detailed list.
I might have got it wrong about where mine came from before, it certainly was on a couple of different cars, but i can't remember which.
Note - the same box taken from an e36 will be far cheaper than one that came off an e46 or e39.
Same boxes (keep your same linkage...) but the more expensive the car, the more they'll charge for the same part.
It's a dbilas kit.
http://www.dbilas.de/dbilas_eng/Einzeldrosseleinsp...
http://www.dbilas.de/dbilas_eng/Einzeldrosseleinsp...
Edited by TheEnd on Friday 9th July 11:36
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