Thought I'd start a thread of what has worked for me so far and what is remaining to do. Hopefully you can all help me with the last step...

Mechanical Changes Done, (that 100% work):

  • e34 Oil Sump, plus dipstick and oil pickup. (I removed the windage tray from the sump. Oil pressure light switches off within two rotations of cranking)
  • Engine mounting arms from the e36 (get them with the engine)
  • Engine mounting rubbers from a e34 535i.
  • Used the stock Getrag 240 gearbox. This is from an m40-engine car. It fits perfectly and everything lines up straight with no tilt angle (10deg) like with the Getrag 260. The bolt pattern is perfect.
  • Used the stock propshaft, but had to shorten it by 52mm. (Cut, welded and balanced)
  • As above, the gear selector arm and shift linkage both had to be shortened by the same amount as the propshaft.
  • (I had a medium-case diff with a 6-bolt hub. Not the 4-bolt... so I cannot vouch for the 4-bolt props.)
  • Got an e36 radiator with an external (separate) expansion tank. This allows extra radiator width for additional cooling.
  • Made custom radiator hoses, but you can also reuse the e36 lower, and a cut e36 upper.
  • Installed the water housing thermostat from a 318ti... the 80deg unit. (So water is re-directed to radiator at 80deg)
  • The fan temp switch to the radiator I kept the same as the stock 318i e30. (low speed at 90deg, high speed at 99deg I think)
  • Got a new electric fan and made up some simple brackets. Wired it into the simple +12V GND plug on the stock fan harness with its resistor in place.
  • I will see what happens with temps when standing still... I may bypass the resistor to just have a single maximum fan speed.
  • Used the clutch and flywheel from an e30 325i. (The m20 engine) with the throwout bearing too.


Electrical Changes:
  • Dropped in a harness from a single vanos 325i e36.
  • ECU/DME is the purple/red label 413 type with no EWS.
  • Spliced the X20 and C101 connector as per several forums. (Did a spreadsheet of all combinations and chose the most common connections.)


Problems:
  • Engine cranks over fine. Nice and smooth.
  • However, fuel pump does not prime when turning ignition to ACC.
  • Does not appear to be any spark.
  • Compression at cylinders is good, with good oil pressure.
  • Power to all the harness relays are fine and there is power to the DME too.

HOWEVER... if I bridge the signal wire from the DME (brown and green at the Fuel Pump Relay) to ground, then the fuel pump runs. So I suspect something not right with the ECU.

Notes:
  • I can hear the ICV humming when I turn the ignition to ACC.
  • I have tested the harness relays and all the fuses and they are fine.
  • I have tested the Fuel pump. It's fine.
  • I have swapped the ECU/DME to a known, working 413 red label and there was no change.
  • All grounds have been continuity checked and are fine.
  • ECU/DME is properly grounded.
  • There is power to Pin2 on the DME.


Next Steps:
  • Replacing both the CAM and Crank sensors today and will try again. (Wondering if the ECU needs to see the 5V reference signal from the CAM sensor even before cranking in order to switch on the Fuel pump for those 2 seconds to prime?)
  • What else can you suggest?

I'm only giving this another week and then giving up and installing standalone engine management... so lets try resolve it so we have another known swap recipe that works!