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Thread: E46 5.3 turbo 4l80 M3 rear introduction

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Mankato, MN
    Posts
    108
    My Cars
    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped

    E46 5.3 turbo 4l80 M3 rear introduction

    I purchased a car a few weeks ago that will be perfect for what I want.

    I wanted:
    4 doors
    Light weight
    Decent looking
    Handled nice
    Affordable
    Relatively easy swap candidate (RWD, enough room in engine bay)
    And comfortable

    This is what I landed on:

    2000 BMW 323i E46
    120k, runs and drives nice. Slight rust under rear passenger tail light but that's it. It has a slight oil leak from the crankcase gasket but who gives a shit.

    2300 bucks.



    Plans are:
    5.3 with forged pistons and rods, ported 317s, some sort of turbo cam, pump gas water/meth, stock pcm hp tuners
    Chinese 7875 turbo (to start with)
    A2W by frozen boost, parallel a/c system with secondary heat exchanger to cool water in the tank
    4l80
    M3 rear
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    Mankato, MN
    Posts
    108
    My Cars
    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    Hmm, not a welcoming group I see....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    West coast
    Posts
    1,316
    My Cars
    '00 540 6.0/4L80e/S480
    Quote Originally Posted by screamin88 View Post
    Hmm, not a welcoming group I see....
    Plenty welcoming. We also see A LOT of hopes and dreams that never happen. I assure you, when progress is being made you will have responses to your posts. Stop worrying about the internet but swingers and get that car going! :-)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Mankato, MN
    Posts
    108
    My Cars
    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    I get ya. Progress is coming, brace yourselves. LOL. I'm gathering parts now and I am no stranger to swaps. I bought this car with the sole intention of swapping. IT. WILL. HAPPEN. and soon. So, hi! and I like to hear input from anyone who has gone through the process.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    West coast
    Posts
    1,316
    My Cars
    '00 540 6.0/4L80e/S480
    Quote Originally Posted by screamin88 View Post
    I get ya. Progress is coming, brace yourselves. LOL. I'm gathering parts now and I am no stranger to swaps. I bought this car with the sole intention of swapping. IT. WILL. HAPPEN. and soon. So, hi! and I like to hear input from anyone who has gone through the process.
    Previous to my E39 swap, I read every swap thread on this forum regardless of the engine/ chassis. You will find some stuff specific to the E46, but it's not nearly as common as E36 or E39. Other thread will help with the creative road road blocks you may experience.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    houston
    Posts
    98
    My Cars
    e46
    Welcome to the dark side ha. It's a pretty straight foward swap but I really had to dig around for alot of things pertaining to the e46 chassis. Like unnatrl said it's not as common and not very detailed info out there. If you have any questions I can help out from what I have gathered.

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Mankato, MN
    Posts
    108
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    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    Quote Originally Posted by stix View Post
    Welcome to the dark side ha. It's a pretty straight foward swap but I really had to dig around for alot of things pertaining to the e46 chassis. Like unnatrl said it's not as common and not very detailed info out there. If you have any questions I can help out from what I have gathered.

    Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

    Thanks guy's. I've already talked with Thaniel about the instrument cluster conversion module. Other than that I guess all my questions would be about electrical. Things like the speedometer and cruise control. The tach, mil, coolant temp, and a/c will be controlled by the module. I'm unsure on what control modules can go and what needs to stay. Mechanically I'm a metal fabricator and draftsman by trade so the physical act of putting the 5.3 and 4l80 in along with a turbo is no problem.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    BALTIMORE
    Posts
    804
    My Cars
    98 323
    Quote Originally Posted by screamin88 View Post
    Hmm, not a welcoming group I see....
    @1:22

    Popular engine swap weights & stock engine weights
    M42 + trans - 427lbs
    302 + t5 trans - 475lbs
    m20b27 + g260 - 497lbs
    m52b25 vanos + g250 - 544lbs

    351w + t5 trans - 572.5lbs
    LS,
    aluminum block + t56 - 609lbs
    LS, iron block + t56 - 719lbs, EST.
    http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...60-m42-1jz-2jz

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    Mankato, MN
    Posts
    108
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    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    LOL! No, I just have been waiting a long time to do this swap and I finally got the car I'm going to molest..... and not even one hello out of 2 weeks and 135 views. PS, I love South Park.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Noblesville, IN
    Posts
    1,760
    My Cars
    98 328i, 79 911SC
    Quote Originally Posted by screamin88 View Post
    ..... and not even one hello out of 2 weeks and 135 views.
    https://g.co/kgs/oWIRWh
    always trying to make it lighter and faster

    ^^former build: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...-neglected-M3/
    current build: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...car-build.html
    instant grams: doktor_b

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Mankato, MN
    Posts
    108
    My Cars
    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    I can tell I'm going to like it here.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Minneapolis,MN
    Posts
    2,260
    My Cars
    2003 M5, 2014 535i
    Good to see another MN BMW getting a chebby! Welcome.

    2003 M5 LSx l 6 Spd Manual l 4.10 LSD
    Build Thread
    The chassis must always be regarded as a means to an end and never as an end itself

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    BALTIMORE
    Posts
    804
    My Cars
    98 323
    hahhahaa well you passed the ball busting test with flying colors. welcome to BFC buddy


    if you want some good tips on a build like this, there's a dude somewhere on here that did a turbo 5.3 with a 4L80 as well, but with some fancy billet wheel turbo. i wanna say his name is.... vince? it was a super legit build, putting down some crazy numbers, IIRC 600-800whp. or more. i think he's dragging the car, as i think i remember seeing some insane sub 10 second 1/4 timeslip

    i'm sure someone here knows who i'm talking about and can point you in the right direction
    Popular engine swap weights & stock engine weights
    M42 + trans - 427lbs
    302 + t5 trans - 475lbs
    m20b27 + g260 - 497lbs
    m52b25 vanos + g250 - 544lbs

    351w + t5 trans - 572.5lbs
    LS,
    aluminum block + t56 - 609lbs
    LS, iron block + t56 - 719lbs, EST.
    http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...60-m42-1jz-2jz

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Mankato, MN
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    108
    My Cars
    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    Thanks for the input!

    Who is the Canadian dude with the 370 edelbrock headed billet 7665 4l80e 328i? His youtube sig is mpengineering or something. That car is basically the inspiration for the build.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    WI
    Posts
    154
    My Cars
    01 330Ci
    Sounds like you did the same thing I did. But no turbo for now and went with a 2-door and manual. Will be following this for sure.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Mankato, MN
    Posts
    108
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    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    I ordered the module from Thaniel. It should be here soon. As of now I am trying to source a L33. I have two LM7s in the garage but I think aluminum block is the way to go in this case. I'm using the 323i as a daily now and I spit v8 turbo sounds every time I accelerate (vrooooom psshhhhhh). This car is going to be a blast with 700 whp. So the search continues for a new daily, then operation Bimmer will commence.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Greenville, SC
    Posts
    37
    My Cars
    e46 325i, c5 vette, R1
    Any updates?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Mankato, MN
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    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    Not really, still driving it as a daily for now. A buddy is selling me his 2000 suburban in a couple weeks, so I can start a teardown on this little gem. Still trying to plan if I want to go 8.8 IRS or 3 link like Foxbodyracing.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    Royalest of Oaks
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    Mazda 3
    I vote 8.8 IRS.. but just because I want someone to document it if I ever get off my a$s and build a swap

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    Mankato, MN
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    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    Quote Originally Posted by LSxDreamer View Post
    I vote 8.8 IRS.. but just because I want someone to document it if I ever get off my a$s and build a swap
    I'm leaning this route due to the fact I don't want to do a ton of cutting and relocating a fuel tank.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    Mankato, MN
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    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    Well, the head bolts pulled out of the block on this poor m52. I guess I'll be starting this swap sooner than later.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Charleston SC
    Posts
    256
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    2002 353I
    Quote Originally Posted by LSxDreamer View Post
    I vote 8.8 IRS.. but just because I want someone to document it if I ever get off my a$s and build a swap

    you want me to fab an explorer 8.8 into the rear I pulled out of mine and sell it to you?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by screamin88 View Post
    Not really, still driving it as a daily for now. A buddy is selling me his 2000 suburban in a couple weeks, so I can start a teardown on this little gem. Still trying to plan if I want to go 8.8 IRS or 3 link like Foxbodyracing.
    it was ALOT of work. not for the faint of heart. but if you have a lift and a decent welder go for it. I would estimate I have over 100 hours in the rear alone. granted I had nothing to go off of when I did mine so a good chunk of my time was R&D.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    Royalest of Oaks
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    390
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    Mazda 3
    Quote Originally Posted by FoxBodyRacing View Post
    you want me to fab an explorer 8.8 into the rear I pulled out of mine and sell it to you?
    I appreciate the offer but I have a couple things working against me: 1) I'm poor, 2) I don't have a car to put it into, 3) it'd probably be costly to get from SC to MI and 4) I'm poor.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Charleston SC
    Posts
    256
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    2002 353I
    well not having a car is probably the biggest snag lol. I could ship just the center area and the user could put their own control arms on it.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    Mankato, MN
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    88 Mazda RX-7 LS Swapped
    I picked up a 4l80e the other day. I gotta prep the garage and start the tear down. I have enough parts now to start with engine and trans mounts along with the hotside.

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