Hello! I've been spending a lot of time on my E36 318i recently and started to thing that 85kW just isn't for me. I was looking into swapping it for a 6 banger so I took the 1.8 lump out and sold it. I am currently in a dilemma and don't know what to do so who better is there to ask than my fellow bimmerheads. So, the main reason for swapping my engine is the lack of potential for further upgrades. The M43s just aren't exactly suitable for cam changes, stroking, or in the long run, a turbo. I would be much more comfortable turboing a 325i than a 318i and that's for sure. Another thing is that upgrades for the M43 are rare and quite expensive and that's a nono from me since I am on a tight budget and am building my E36 as I go. To not stream off topic, I am interested in your opinions on which engine I should go for and what I need for the swap. I rolled out M3s and 328i's because they are out of my budget and there aren't many in my country. So that leaves the 325i, 320i, and for me a very interesting engine, the 318is (M42 and M44). For me, the best solution would be the 320i. It's cheap and there are a lot of them here, but I heard that they're bad news regarding fuel consumption. The power suits me, and I love the crispy 6cyl sound. What are your experiences about the fuel consumption? Other than the 320i, I am very interested in the 318is, since I would get the power I want, great fuel consumption but there are very few of these in my area and they are quite expensive for a 4cyl. Last but not least, there is the 325i. The power output is great, the consumption is bearable, and it's overall a great durable engine. There are a lot of them here but they are also quite out of my current budget. I am stuck between these thoughts and can't get past them, so I thought maybe you could help me , let me know your opinions. Now regarding the actual swap, I am aware I need the engine (duh), I have the starter, alternator and MAF from my M43, would some of them work on other engines or are they strictly for the 318i? Other than that, I have the Getrag gearbox from the 318, I suppose I need the ECU, wiring loom, front drive shaft, shift linkage from the new engine...anything else? Am I going to have problems with the fitment in case of a 6 banger, or is everything going to fit perfectly in place just as the 4cyl engine and gearbox did? Oh yeah, and the worst part of the swap, the EWS module. My car is a 96' so I'm guessing I have the EWS II module, what should I do with that? I'm sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions but I'm a 17yo enthusiast in need and I don't have anyone to ask but you guys. I'm also sorry if some things aren't understandable, after all I am Croatian and you all know how Slavs deal with English, aspecially my fellow Balkans. I want to thank you upfront for spending your time on answering my questions. I've been dreaming of having an E36 since I was like 12 and now my dreams are finally coming true. I'm doing a full restore and am spending most of my free time night and day on my dear E36. Beside all that, I'm going to high school and have to deal with that and the constant criticism of my parents that I'm wasting time on an old lump, but luckily I can do a lot of things on my own and have a lot of tools, and o couple of friends that love cars, so I get my way around. Damn it's tough to be a car guy these days, aspecially in my age. If you would like to take a look at the car, my name is project_e36 on TikTok, and not to be misunderstood, this is not an ad, I just thought that maybe it would help answer some of my questions if you get a look at my car. If you need, ask me for some pictures or videos, I will post them right away if you need them. Thank you very very much for the help. Cheers!