5mall5nail5 E30 Recession Swap

[5mall5nail5]

My family picked up this nice E30 87 325(E) a couple years ago.





It drove nicely, so long as you didn't drive it for an hour, park it for 6, and then drive it again (wouldn't start, or was very hard to start). Then it developed this cute thing where if you were driving down the highway (or any road) you might randomly start puffing black smoke, bucking, and then perhaps stall. Obviously over-fueling but the fuel pressure was fine, injectors clean, cold start not leaking, etc. So after replacing all of the ignition system and most of the fuel system on the car, I said to hell with it.



Got the lump of junk out





Picked up a 320i booster



Some ebay headers:



Got some E36 mounts and stuff and made them pretty



New 325i (M20B25) clutch kit



Flywheel resurfaced:



E36 318TI Nissens radiator (went with this for the built in expansion tank, the mishimoto is kind of cheaply made and needs an expansion tank, etc barf)



Flywheel on!



Clutch and PP on:



And now I wait for more parts - so, I started just cleaning and painting stuff:





Getting close(r)

Going to go up to my friends and modify the booster and do some valve cover stuff.

[Boogieboy]

We will see how long it lasts before there is a turbo on it...lol.



Nice work.

[///mfizzle]

Clean work man!

[5mall5nail5]

We will see how long it lasts before there is a turbo on it...lol.

Nice work.

Dude I am doing the swap for my mother (she used to have a nice 90 - 91 325is coupe, red 5 spd) and since I am pulling the motor on my 5 this winter its been a constant "So why can't you put that engine in my car" lol

[IWannaBMW]

Looks great! i had trouble fitting the motor with those ebay headers, they were hitting the subframe, just a heads up

[Boogieboy]

Dude I am doing the swap for my mother (she used to have a nice 90 - 91 325is coupe, red 5 spd) and since I am pulling the motor on my 5 this winter its been a constant "So why can't you put that engine in my car" lol

Ha! If they only understood the amount of work that you have put into that E34 then you would probably be in trouble.

[5mall5nail5]

Looks great! i had trouble fitting the motor with those ebay headers, they were hitting the subframe, just a heads up

Yeah I've heard about that - what'd you end up doing? Where did it hit (on the pipes)?

Ha! If they only understood the amount of work that you have put into that E34 then you would probably be in trouble.

Dude its bad I can't hid anything from anyone haha

[Boogieboy]

Yeah I've heard about that - what'd you end up doing? Where did it hit (on the pipes)?



Dude its bad I can't hid anything from anyone haha

I feel your pain, I have a wife to hide it from now. And she still thinks my motor swap was necessary maintenance...lol.

[5mall5nail5]

I feel your pain, I have a wife to hide it from now. And she still thinks my motor swap was necessary maintenance...lol.

Dude yeah I fear that. After this I am done spending. Forever.

[AE M20]

That's one fresh eta...looks like a solid build

[5mall5nail5]

That's one fresh eta...looks like a solid build

27xK miles.

[jszy25]

Damn, perfect car for a swap, its immaculate.

I love the wrinkle red pcoating. Looks great Jon.

[NbAmTwE]

You can't have a 92 525i and an eta e30 b/c I have those:

I'm working on an M52b28 swap so I guess we are not do the exact same things so it's okay, plus my m50nv is not turbo charged.
It seriously looks like an awesome swap as always Jon!

[dcskate102]

Nice! I remember you talking about this at the ecb meet. Mind if my buddy, who's about to do a m50 swap, and I swing by some time to check it out?

[5mall5nail5]

Nice! I remember you talking about this at the ecb meet. Mind if my buddy, who's about to do a m50 swap, and I swing by some time to check it out?

Yeah man once I get it closer or running - right now its not impressive as its just a roller and an engine on a cherry picker

[M3Alpine99]

Big fan of the swap but knocking the cheap mishimoto and then buying the 28 dollars shipped headers... I can't really say much as I have both those parts

Keep up the good work. It is fun/better when finished! 24V E30 is fun.

[5mall5nail5]

I think the headers are a click above the mishimoto rad. The welds on the radiators I have seen are... dear god. Obviously MIG spooled. Since I'd have to add an expansion tank and all it just doesn't seem worth it.

[AJD5]

Looks nice! That's a sweet looking white Trans Am in the background of one of the pics

[5mall5nail5]

Haha thanks for your help on it andy

[Sam Son]

ahahah damn it seems like it was forever ago you were prepping the motor for that thing

[germancarguy]

That's one fresh eta...looks like a solid build

Took the words outa my mouth. That thing is clean! Good luck with the swap.

[5mall5nail5]

Thanks guys! Hope to have more this weekend!

[Compactive]

good stuff man, the Ti rad should be solid for you. You'll have to modify the hoses though but thats minor

[IWannaBMW]

Yeah I've heard about that - what'd you end up doing? Where did it hit (on the pipes)?

Right after the o2 sensor bungs, where they kinda curve and go straight. I just unbolted the headers, and put them in once i installed the motor. Kind of a pain in the ass but it worked, also i had to take the headshield off the engine mount arm

[GTRSv]

my gahhd