'93 325i 5.3/4l60E swap

[pdsq98gt]

I bought a '93 325i auto with a messed up trans a couple of months ago. I have already removed the powertrain and sold off the motor. I have a 5.3 lm7 and a 4l60e that I'm going to install into it. I am planning on using this as my DD when I'm done so I'm not going over the top with the build. My plan is a 400hp automatic sedan with A/C that is light and handles well.

Since I'm going 4l60e it appears like I'm going to have to do a slight amount of floor beating to clear the servo and the shift shaft. Anyone else actually get an auto going in a E36 yet?

As far as motor mounts and headers, I'm going to just build my own to keep costs down. I'm going to use an fbody pan and ls1/6 intake like everyone else. Since it is nearly impossible to get an accessory drive for an fbody without buying an entire motor, I was planning on buying the cts-v accessories from GMPP. Does anyone know if these accessories will fit an E36? I don't have the exact dimensions in front of me at the moment, but they look very similar to the fbody accessories except they are closer to the motor. They use the corvette water pump and balancer.

I still have to finish up a couple of side jobs to get some money to buy the oil pan and start mock-up. Needless to say, it'll be a slow build. Any advice is appreciated.

Pete

[hefftone]

Can't answer any of your tech questions, but yours is the first auto swap I've seen. I look forward to seeing your progress, I hope you'll share the info. Good luck with the swap! Be sure to keep us posted.

[mateo m3]

my advice is to just get started!!!!!!!!! don't know about the auto trans thoug

[jerseykat1]

cant wait to see how it comes out. i am also going the automatic transmission route. with a 5.3l..If you could post some pics of your progress so far, that would be awsome.

[Pzary3233]

The F body or vette accessories are known to fit. the CTS-V is pretty close.

You might want to look into a 4L80E to get some more clearance.

[pdsq98gt]

Ok so this build has turned into a 6.0 lq4 with 243 heads, ls6 intake and 228r cam. I also have a Yank ss3200 stall in the trans. I just built the front half of the exhaust and just need to make a couple of exhaust hangers and this car is driveable. It's been a long time coming. Since I started the build I have had another kid and moved. The build was stalled for over a year while I remodeled my old house and moved. The gmpp ctsv accessory drive has a couple of challenges. Can't use the ac compressor because the fittings come out right at the frame rail. So no ac for now. I just want to drive this thing. I really need to post pics. It's just a pain since I use my phone for everything. The ps pulley needed .060" taken off the back to clear the AN fitting. I think I have about $5k including the car, engine, trans, everything. I still need to score some style 68 wheels and tires so I can get some 245 rubber in the rear. I now have the stock 15" wheels with 205 wide tires. It's going to be a tire fryer with those 3.91s and 3200 stall! And the 4l60e was a pain to get to fit. Anyone have any questions just ask. I'll get some photos and video up.

[unnatrl]

Glad to see a long overdue update!!

What did you have to do to get the 4L60 to fit? What shifter did you use? What types of modification did you do to make the shifter work?

[pdsq98gt]

I used the bmw shifter and shift cable. I also used the bmw shift lever on the trans. I had to install a 700r4 shift shaft in the trans because it barely sticks out and ground it down to fit the bmw shift lever. Then I had to fab up a shift cable bracket to hold the cable to two of the pan bolts.

The he passenger side of the body had to be beat in quite a bit because of the shape of the 4l60e pan and the accumulator. Let alone the servo for the 2-4 band. I just had this trans and pretty much all of the parts lying around so I frankensteined it together with 5 pinion planetaries and extra 3-4 clutches like a 4l65e has.

- - - Updated - - -

Just drove it on its maiden voyage. I haven't done any real tuning yet, but it already has great throttle response and will break the tires loose at anything over 50%! I really think I need to run different gears. I'm turning about 2500 rpm at 65 mph.

[unnatrl]

I used the bmw shifter and shift cable. I also used the bmw shift lever on the trans. I had to install a 700r4 shift shaft in the trans because it barely sticks out and ground it down to fit the bmw shift lever. Then I had to fab up a shift cable bracket to hold the cable to two of the pan bolts. The he passenger side of the body had to be beat in quite a bit because of the shape of the 4l60e pan and the accumulator. Let alone the servo for the 2-4 band. I just had this trans and pretty much all of the parts lying around so I frankensteined it together with 5 pinion planetaries and extra 3-4 clutches like a 4l65e has. - - - Updated - - - Just drove it on its maiden voyage. I haven't done any real tuning yet, but it already has great throttle response and will break the tires loose at anything over 50%! I really think I need to run different gears. I'm turning about 2500 rpm at 65 mph.

Way cool! I'm ditching the T56 and going with a 4L80e. Thanks for the info on the shifter. Have fun with your car!

[pdsq98gt]

Long overdue pics:



These were from 2 years ago when I started the project.

[unnatrl]

You weren't kidding about the shift shaft!!

[pdsq98gt]

Fast forward two years and one phone later... Here's the finished sleeper!












- - - Updated - - -

These are just a few pics on this phone. Obviously there's quite a bit missing of the process. But those pics are on another computer and I'll have to upload those later. Yea the 700r4 shift shaft barely sticks out and worked perfectly. I'll have to get a pic of my ugly shift cable mount I threw together. It works great though. I do have a leak from the powersteering pump pressure fitting though. I had originally used the wrong fitting and ordered the correct one yesterday. The ps pump that comes on the ctsv FEAD is a weird one that had a quick connect fitting for the cts ps line. The cts and srx use this kind of fitting. I also need to send the driveshaft out to get balanced. I'm sure the poly trans mount is causing a lot of the nvh, but I also think the driveshaft could use a balance.

If anyone wants to see any specific pics let me know. I fabbed everything myself so don't make too much fun of me. I also taught myself how to weld in the process. Part of the reason I took on this project was to learn new fab skills. I definitely learned a lot. It definitely took a lot longer than the 1:40 that we swapped the Camaro at ls fest, but it was worth it.

[jerseykat1]

I would like to see how the floor looks inside the car after the massaging to make the auto trans fit.. Thanks.

[pdsq98gt]

I never removed the carpet or anything so I can't tell you how it looks. You would never know that the floor was messed with if you didn't look from underneath. Where the shift shaft is would have to be beaten way too much to use that long one though because the dent would interfere with the gas pedal. That's why I put the 700r4 shaft in it.

[73 L92]

Your headers look like my first set of headers. The more you weld the better you get. What I did to make them look better is grind the welds and then go over the whole tube with a DA sander. Gets rid of the big wire feed weld beads. I did the grinding and sanding before the final weld to the flange. Someday I will have a tig welder. I'm just finishing the passenger side on my E36 LS swap.

[pdsq98gt]

That passenger header was the first one I did. I actually spent almost a week grinding the welds. It looked pretty good. Then I leak tested them and had pin holes all over. So I just gooped another bead over the pin holes and said f it in the looks department. The driver side actually looks a lot better. I definitely have gotten better at welding since I started.

[jerseykat1]

The key to mig welding is a steady smooth hand at about 1/4" from the work piece, the closer you are without touching the better... Helps a bunch of you have a good mask.

[pdsq98gt]

Ok just got some m contour wheels and new tires. Had a little fun with the old ones before swapping them out.
Bottom pic is a burnout video. Click on it to view!

[TipsyMcStagger]

How's it been running?

Tipsy

[pdsq98gt]

Runs great, thanks for asking! I've been daily driving it for a year and a half and about 20k miles. I did hit a rock in the road with the drivers side exhaust since it hangs down kind of low since its 3". So I need to redo the section just after the header. I've been doing some tuning on a cammed and pullied cts-v and it makes my car feel pretty slow. Speed bug is hitting. I may send the heads to AI and get a fast 92 in the future. We'll see. I do fight the urge to get a bigger cam. The 228r that's in it now is a good DD cam though.
Oh, and I do want to swap the polyurethane trans mount for a factory f-body one to help with the NVH. The trans is such a tight fit though. I do worry that it'll move too much and hit the body so I've put it off.

[Waxenate]

Hey just about to swap an Fbody ls1 4l60e into a 1997 BMW z3. You have tons of good info in your post. Will probably be in touch

[pdsq98gt]

Finally got it on a dyno. It made 331/310 on a Mustang dyno. https://youtu.be/kDyYo-RYQmI

[unnatrl]

Looks like the perfect driver!

[pdsq98gt]

It makes a great driver. I keep seeing all of the e36 guys stepping up to e39s and I think I should do the same. They are just so much nicer cars and are dirt cheap too. I must be getting old!

[unnatrl]

I made the change. Much happier with the E39. The E36 is a fun car, but the E39 is a better chassis overall. More room for go fast goodies too. :-)