Thecatmilton's M42 Thread

[amarino]

the stock shaft is not long enough, because it's fixed in length it forces you to be exact when placing the engine. the E30 shaft is the right length, it's adjustable and therefore allows you to place the engine without consideration of the shaft's length.

Quick question, don't mean to hijack this thread (as I hijack this thread). An 1984 E30 318i 5-speed (The M10 version) showed up at a local yard. Are the E30 driveshafts worth grabbing / hard to get a hold of? Or is this one different than the adjustable one you're talking about with the M42?

[jaredmac11]

Isnt the 84 E30 a getrag 240 with a mechanical speedo? Could anyone confirm? May be worth getting. If that's the case, all someone would need to do is swap bellhousings off the M42's G240 and you have mechanical speedo, which will save you a lot of work on a conversion.

[amarino]

It doesn't have a mechanical speedo. Like all E30s the speed signal is from the diff.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[jaredmac11]

Nevermind then. I swear I had read that the early E30 M10 was still mechanical speedo so folks were plucking those for that reason.

[HipMF]

1983 e21 M10s came with a G240 that has a mechanical speedo drive, but it's an M10 trans (obviously), not m42. However, the bellhousing can be swapped with a g240 from an m42 e30 to get an m42 with mechanical speedo drive.

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/138658-m42-getrag-240-mechanical-speedo-conversion/

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-mix-and-match

I did mine this way, but the car went back on jackstands before I ever got around to getting a speedo cable hooked up.

The downside is that you have to use the tin shifter platform instead of the nicer trans-mounted aluminum from an e30.

Works with the stock e21 trans mount, but you don't get the double mount like an e30...

[Tom D]

The downside is the tin shifter platform instead of the nicer trans-mounted aluminum from an e30. and you don't get the double trans mount on the e30...

exactly why I'm using an E30 trans in my car. I'm rather partial to the aluminum beam shift platform, i run it with my 1977 lever, nice set up. i also like the double mount for the transmission.

for my son's car we built a hybrid g240 and its pretty neat seeing the speedo spin. the 1st e21 / g240 we built broke a steel ring on the main shaft snd locked the trans. he actually built his own lever by cutting the ball off one and welded it onto another.

[jaredmac11]

I'd like to see the applicability of the Speedbox. It's newer tech. Not sure if the cable would fit though.

http://www.speedhut.com/Speedbox.html

Seems its gone up in price too.

[Tom D]

Here's a thread on drive shaft lengths .........

a M30 mated to a G240? certainly not the combination i would have gone with.

[Thecatmilton]

I feel like I should let everyone know that they shouldn't expect any exciting updates to this thread for awhile. My 320i is my daily driver and I need this car. I have put over 20k miles on it since I got it a few years ago. It hasn't stranded me yet, but I do get nervous when I take it on road trips.

I am currently trying to find a diesel 2015 jetta to become my daily driver. I will not be getting rid of the 320i. Once that happens, I can start working on it when I have time. This may not happen until the summer of 2018 though.

I saw the e30 m42 engine and transmission locally after looking for 6 months and decided to jump on them while I had the chance. This gives me time to either rebuild it or find a lower mileage m42. E36 m42s seem to be cheap and plentiful around me which makes this somewhat likely.

[jaredmac11]

Now that you have the E30 M42, you can absolutely do a frankenstein's M42 if you want to get an E36 but its not totally necessary.. I would only go this way if you find the E30 head is bad or something disastrous.
but if you go that way, get all the good pieces off the E36 M42 and use the necessary bits off of the E30. Really all it is the oil pan, mounts, transmission, driveshaft and I used the pulley system so it would all mesh together ok (the E36 has larger everything. Larger alternator bracket, larger mounts, etc)

Also, if you DO target an E36, just note that the 92-94 have this newer tech called EWS, or an anti theft device. All you need to do for 92-94 is cut a wire. IF you get a 95 M42, you need to delete the EWS by modifying the ECU chip. I know someone who will do it for $100 and keep the chip stock. Or you can buy a performance tune chip and it will come with an EWS delete.


Take your time, I can promise you this will take more time and cost more money than you first envision. My E21 was my daily when I was in college too and it was tough. I eventually moved on to an 84 Volvo DL. Spent FAR less time working on the car to keep it a daily and started having fun with it more.

[jaredmac11]

catmilton, you make any progress? I *finally* got the house in a condition where I could start moving items from the garage to the house. Going to have a welder who has done subframe work before take a look. Once I get it welded I'll take some notes for you. I imagine it will take some grinding to allow a proper fit on the u channel to the subframe.

[Thecatmilton]

catmilton, you make any progress? I *finally* got the house in a condition where I could start moving items from the garage to the house. Going to have a welder who has done subframe work before take a look. Once I get it welded I'll take some notes for you. I imagine it will take some grinding to allow a proper fit on the u channel to the subframe.

No progress. The e21 has developed rodknock after being in a flood though. Since it was my daily driver, I had to buy a new car on very short notice. I bought a new 2017 jetta GLI to be my daily driver. I originally wanted a TDI, but I was too late to get one. I am currently taking classes so I don't really have time to mess with the car at the moment.

I will probably do the m42 swap this summer when I have free time.

[cgifool]

Nice! Having a different car lets you more easily commit to month-long projects

[Thecatmilton]

Would anyone be interested in this e30 M42 and the transmission? The wiring, coils, ecu, afm, and driveshaft are included. I have a radiator and other stuff too.
I have never started the engine, but have cranked it over before.
Unfortunately, life has happened and this project will not be completed. I am just going to find another m10.
I paid $500 for this so I would like to get close to that. However, offers will be accepted as It needs to go soon though. I just don't want to scrap it. I am located in Dallas, Texas.

[320iAman]

Would anyone be interested in this e30 M42 and the transmission? The wiring, coils, ecu, afm, and driveshaft are included. I have a radiator and other stuff too.
I have never started the engine, but have cranked it over before.
Unfortunately, life has happened and this project will not be completed. I am just going to find another m10.
I paid $500 for this so I would like to get close to that. However, offers will be accepted as It needs to go soon though. I just don't want to scrap it. I am located in Dallas, Texas.

Good Luck on the sale..

320i e21 1977-79 2 Liter Crankshaft,80mm Conrods and 2.0 Piano Top pistons,,bore 1.8-to 2.0L install your done,, More Hp more fun for $400 or less..

Randy

[Thecatmilton]

Good Luck on the sale..

320i e21 1977-79 2 Liter Crankshaft,80mm Conrods and 2.0 Piano Top pistons,,bore 1.8-to 2.0L install your done,, More Hp more fun for $400 or less..

Randy

My plan is to install another m10 for now and rebuild the original. I'll probably go with a e30 efi system.

[320iAman]

M10 a reliable motor with service 1 and 2 these cars are labor intensive,every 3 months service 2 and once a year service 1.

Randy

[Thecatmilton]

Sold..