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Thread: Motor swap help

  1. #1
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    Motor swap help

    I have a 1988 325ic and a 1989 325i. The 89 has a good motor and trans, but bad body. I want to put the motor from the 89 into the 88. I’m wondering what all it will take or if there are any tips or anything that will help. Also, will I need to swap the dme and harnesses? Thank you.

  2. #2
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    No e30s, again :(
    Just swap. They are the same motor
    No e30s again.

  3. #3
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    323i E30 is offline ⅂!ʈө !ƨ l!ʞө ɐ ʇөlөbµouө
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    Refresh the stuff that’s difficult to address when the engine is in the car.
    ^ true story



    D̶i̶b̶s̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶E̶2̶1̶

  4. #4
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    Are both of the cars automatics? Or is one of them manuals? What is wrong with the motor in the 88?
    Last edited by msservices; 11-19-2018 at 08:55 PM.

  5. #5
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    89 325i coupe, 90 325ic
    One is automatic, the other is manual. The motor in the 88 has unknown miles and dash lights are on.

  6. #6
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    Which of the dash lights are on?

  7. #7
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    89 325i coupe, 90 325ic
    Turns out had to turn that deal down and I got my hands in a 1990 321i vert, and the engine is shot. I’m looking for mainly a step by step on getting this done

  8. #8
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    No e30s, again :(
    oh. I don't know if you will fond one for that unless there is one on pelican parts web site in the tech section, or maybe strictlyeta.net?
    No e30s again.

  9. #9
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    Or maybe a book on auto repair

  10. #10
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    89 325i coupe, 90 325ic
    I’ve been talking to a lot of people and been finding steps. I have the hood off and just removed the radiator. I’m working on the driveshaft next. What’s the process in doing that?

  11. #11
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    No e30s, again :(
    take the exhaust first but unhook the oxygen sensor plug under the passenger area. it might be tucked under some aluminum so follow the wire. the exhaust blocks the shields for the drive shaft. after drive shaft than remove the exhaust heat shields. after that, unbolt the four 17mm from the diff to drive shaft, unbolt the center support bearing BUT DO NOT ALLOW THE DRIVEN SHAFT TO SEPERATE, its a two piece design. don't take it apart with putting marks at the slip joint so it goes back together or you will have to have a shop balance it. next, unbolt the front four 17mm from the guibo, at the back of the transmission.
    No e30s again.

  12. #12
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    I got the driveshaft off. So far here’s what I have off.

    Hood, radiator, exhaust, driveshaft, shift gait/knob(auto)

    What else can I do?

  13. #13
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    No e30s, again :(
    take the fan/clutch off the water pump, for clearance.
    unhook the engine wiring harness from the coil, from the relay mount, from the c101, from the ecu, and the power point in the extra battery tray in front of the passenger foot area. push the ecu plug through the firewall and lay the wiring harness on top of the engine.
    unhook the ground strap by the power steering pump.
    unhook power steering lines from pump.
    unhook heater core lines.
    unbolt motor mounts from mount arms at frame rails, not from block. they are 17mm
    unbolt trans mounts from cross member but have a jack under the back so it doesn't drop.
    make sure all wires are unhooked from trans though, and the shift lever is disconnected. you can lower the tail of the trans using the jack to have more clearance for unhooking the reverse wire and c-clip from shift lever.

    double check to make sure all stuff is unhooked and if anything was missed, unhook/unbolt it from car chassis.

    hook lifting chain to lift point by distributor cap and to rear most intake bolt, or wherever you are comfortable hooking and it allows you to lift engine out easily. hook cherry picker up and pull motor/trans out carefully out
    No e30s again.

  14. #14
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    I got the motor out. Thank you for the help. Next I’m going to do the timing belt and water pump. Are there any gaskets I need or anything else I can do while this is accessible?

  15. #15
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    No e30s, again :(
    You can do the oil pan, if its weeping. Do the rear main seal since its easily accessible
    No e30s again.

  16. #16
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    89 325i coupe, 90 325ic
    I have both out and am going to do the timing belt and water pump. I have a question on the wiring. The auto shifter has a big blocky connector, while the manual shifter had like a two wire connector. What will I need to splice together to get everything to work? Also, I’m swapping the computers so that they stay with the engines they came with. Thank you

  17. #17
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    No e30s, again :(
    oh man, google auto swap e30. I forget what we did but you can do a jumper or you can remove the automatic harness and do something else. I just cannot remember what we had to do when we removed the harness
    No e30s again.

  18. #18
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    I’ll give it a shot. Also, how do I go about removing the pedals. I’m a bit confused already and tried looking some stuff up. What do I do about the clutch switch too? I’m fine with having it deleted, I just don’t want any lights or unnecessary things to happen. Thank you

  19. #19
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    No e30s, again :(
    the clutch switch will be needed if you want cruise control.

    I think the bolts for the brake pedal are above. the clutch pedal assembly will bolt in the same place as the auto brake assembly.

    - - - Updated - - -

    http://www.rtsauto.com/bmw-e30-trans...tic-to-manual/

    http://e30performance.info/viewtopic.php?t=231
    No e30s again.

  20. #20
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    89 325i coupe, 90 325ic
    I got the motor in and the pedals and cruis control wiring figured out. I’m starting to hook stuff up now. On the wiring harness where it connects to the ecu(dme), there’s the big connector, then two plugs, a white one and a black one. After i put them through the firewall, I can’t seem to find what plugged into the white connector. There is also a little black connector that I don’t know what it goes to. There are also two little white plugs that plug I to a unit on the panel.

  21. #21
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    No e30s, again :(
    Some plugs dont get hooked up
    No e30s again.

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