New Member s52 Swap

[cnaville210]

Hi guys, My name is Chris and I'm newly registered, but not new to this forum, as I've used it as a resource for researching this swap for the past 6 months or so.

Any way, I'm going to be doing an OBD2 S52 swap into a 318Ti. I haven't found a good Ti yet, so I'm still looking to buy. I do however own an M3 that I just picked up for an incredible deal. I used to own a 97 M3 lux edition. However, that was back when I was apparently too irresponsible to own one and wrecked it. If anyone has any suggestions on cars to buy, I'm all ears. I'm willing to fly to almost any location within 1000 miles of Texas, but I really want a clean post '96 model. Preferably a Clubsport edition with a bad motor or Ti with the M3 kit. 4500 is my max for the Ti, though I'd like to keep this swap as cheap as possible.

I do have a question about the complications of buying an auto Ti. Will all of the shifty bits from the M3 bolt on? Are there differences in the firewall or anything?

Will I be able to source out a 5-speed Ti center console easily? Also, will the gauge cluster from the M3 bolt into the dash of the Ti, since I want the MPG gauge?

One more. EWS, so if I understand this correctly, I will take the Ti down to the dealer with the EWS module and DME from the M3 and ask them to align it to the Ti, expecting to pay around 100 bucks?

Here is a pic of my M3 Doner: http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120317_155721.jpg


The engine bay(Keep in mind, she hasn't been run or cleaned in a while):
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120317_161720.jpg

The car came with the following mods:
UUC Short throw shifter(My favorite of the following)
X-brace Front strut bar
UUC Euro Oil Cooler(awesome)
3.5" HFM connected to some type of oil based foam intake made by itb(I know, it's bad for the MAF)
M50 manifold(with the ripoff conversion plate thing instead of home brew)
Non-Ebay headers and mid-pipe (forgot the brand)
Some type of tune from one of the bigger brands(Maybe a shark injector? idk)
Silicon radiator hoses
Springs and struts with sway bars(Forgot the brand)
Some type of slotted brake rotors
this cool aluminum belly pan to replace the plastic one
Glass lens halos(Won't use them, Halo's are for 5's imo)
And as the guy I bought the car from so strongly pushed, "100$ spark plugs dude!" (Lol)
Some other stuff I'm probably forgetting.

During the engine pull, I'm going to put loc-tite on the pump nut, anyone have suggestions on this, vs. wiring it? I won't weld it, as I want it to be serviceable.

I knew the guy who sold me the car, in fact the way I met him in 09 was because the car got rear ended, and he called me for insurance suggestions. At that point I knew I was gonna buy it, only for an e30 swap, until I recently decided on a Ti that is.

So anyway, I'm currently parting the m3 out completely before it goes to the car crusher, so if anyone needs anything from it, please let me know. I'll also be selling the Ti's front suspension and engine/trans when I get it.

EDIT: Here is the link to the for sale thread:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=35782

Oh yea, anyone got some input on these wheels? I kinda like em, though I really want some M-Contours. They have 235's on all four corners.


**********************UPDATE 3-27-2012************************************

Well guys, it's been a long weekend, with the 1800 mile drive from Philly, but I have picked up a 318Ti! It is relatively clean, with only a few minor problems that I'm in the process of fixing. I washed and waxed the car yesterday and swapped out the BMW Emblems, and the kidneys for black ones I had laying around from my old M3. I can't decide on the foglights. I will be going with lightly smoked side markers and blinkers, so input would be appreciated; Yellow or keep the white ones?

Here is the car after I cleaned her up:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120326_170105.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120326_170124.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120326_170054.jpg

There is rust on the rear quarter panel and a bit on the hood.(Yikes!) I'll be painting the areas of rust, either by myself or at a shop. I feel pretty confident of painting, since my Dad and I did a single stage paint job on a Merc Unimog that turned out great.
The interior had the common problems with door panels becoming unglued from the black plastic things, which I currently have new glue drying in my garage.

Also, the glove box doesn't latch on the right side and the handle is lopsided! Is this common?

Here is some pics of the progress I've made on the M3!:

Interior is almost stripped completely. Next is the Heater Box, carpet, headliner, and the rest of the chassis Harness.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120320_013107.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120320_013043.jpg


Beginning to prepare the motor for removal!

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120322_030929.jpg
ECU and Startup air pump thingy removed:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120323_015319.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120323_013425.jpg

Front clip removed:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120323_010046.jpg

What kind of pulleys are these? http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120323_010059.jpg

Harness unplugged:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120323_021530.jpg

Parts pile is building up! People, buy stuff!
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120323_025858.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120323_025911.jpg


Well that's it for now. Today I will be taking the Ti to get window tint and to the dealer for the EWS alignment as well as some misc interior parts and clips. Next update will include the motor pull, interior Ti pics, and the Ti Battery relocation! :biggrin:

[zoner]

How much for side skirts shipped to 90814?

[dguzzardo22]

For 4500 you should find a good ti .

Heck mines for sale lol ..

[black98]

Glass lens halos any front pics and how much and shipped to 80021

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[cnaville210]

Thanks for the quick replies! This forum is pretty awesome.

As for the side skirts and headlights, I'll take detailed pictures and pm you guys with a shipping price as soon as I get home from school today.

Anyone got suggestions on where to buy loads of cheap boxes? I'll probably make some of the larger ones out of some old giant boxes I have.

Also, when I get home I'll be making an "official" for sale part out thread that I will update with pictures and details as soon as I can and post a link to it in this one, as i'd like to try and follow the forum's intended format.

[spidertri]

I worked at a liquor store for a couple summers and we had tons of boxes, I'd give them away when people asked for them.

[cnaville210]

Great advice, my sister works at one so I may now have a box source.

[Ragnorak]

I sell a lot of M3 parts. Most of my boxes come from Lowes. You can get small moving boxes here for $0.70 and medium-sized ones for $1.35. That'll cover most of the smaller stuff on the car. If you're selling larger interior parts, you might have to get creative with taping together boxes, building crates, or getting pallets. I simply just restrict it to local sales since there are a ton of people in the NYC area.

[Jean H.318TI]

do u still have the m3 driveshaft? if so is it a 4 bolt and manual m3? if so how much shipped to 98002

[cnaville210]

Ragnorak: Thanks! I'll be going to Lowes asap now!

Jean: Sorry but I will be using the front half of the M3 drive shaft. If you want the rear half, I can sell that. It is a manual, I'm not sure on the 4-bolt I'll have to look when I get off of school.

[cnaville210]

Bump for an update!

[cnaville210]

Well guys, it happened. The heart removal has occurred, and I took pics of some of the interior panels after repairs!

Here you go! Enjoy, and NEVER pull a motor out this way. I should have just used the engine hoist and separated the sub-frame. My friend who was helping almost lost his fingers! It wasn't worth the time saved not removing the engine mounts and stuff to lose the time dealing with trying to hold and stabilize 10 things at once!

Here are some pics of the new window tint:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_151031.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_151043.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_151057.jpg

Interior repair results, sorry, no before pics :( but know they were BAD!:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_151120.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_151127.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_151148.jpg

Heater Box conquered!:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_173252.jpg

Carpet removed:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_175343.jpg

Gotta love German automobiles!
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_175410.jpg

Rear battery cable removal:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_184547.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120330_185702.jpg

Fixed the M3 steering wheel, it's black again!:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120331_021914.jpg

M50 manifold for sale. I bought this one for my old M3 and never installed it! 95 bucks plus shipping takes it:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120331_021919.jpg

Fully detached and prepared to pull:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120331_023856.jpg

Pulled and naked M3 pics!:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120331_210908.jpg
Talk about some caster! haha, I reiterate, Do not do it this way! It sucked, we dropped the motor off a jack, and my friend smashed his fingers saving the intake manifold, throttle body, and dipstick tube.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120331_055138.jpg

Well that's all for now, I was completely exhaust after pulling the motor. Next up is some simple stuff:
-Relocating the ti battery to the rear
-Mounting the M wheel.
-Hoisting the motor and removing/cleaning the accessories.
-Repairing the wiring harness where PO shredded it for the 3.5" HFM.
-Prepping for paint
-Ordering a bunch o' parts
-Cleaning up the bay to factory immaculateness.
-Removing the M3 rear subframe, suspension, brakes, and diff.
-Installing additional motor mods, like 24Lb injectors. :)
-Installing the motor

[Ralliart10]

Nice :cool:

[Shellback]

From your original post ..."One more. EWS, so if I understand this correctly, I will take the Ti down to the dealer with the EWS module and DME from the M3 and ask them to align it to the Ti, expecting to pay around 100 bucks?"

Do you have the following?
The original S52 Engine?
The original DME from the S52 engine?
The original ignition M3 key(s)
The original EWS box that sits behind the glove box. I believe it has a green label.

If your answer is yes to the above questions, you do not have to visit the dealer.

[cnaville210]

Shellback, thanks for the reply to that question. I don't have the keys though. :/ So I need to have the DME aligned to the ti's keys and EWS. I found out yesterday though, that the EWS module stores an ISN key that is given by the DME. The DME is manufactured with a set ISN key and it isn't changeable. The EWS's storage is though. So, this means I can't drive the 4-cyl car down to the dealer with the S52 DME because aligning it to the S52 will un-align it with the M44. I guess I'll either delete EWS through AA or have the finished car towed there by my cousin.

[cnaville210]

So I've been very busy with school, having Dynamics and Diff Eq. II exams this week, and a Thermodynamics one next week, but I managed to make a little bit of progress.

I unbolted the sub-frame and headers from the motor, and will begin removing the wiring harness next. All the accessories need to be pulled and the transmission needs to be unbolted. I'm waiting to get my engine stand back from a friend who is using it for his 2.3-16 Merc motor before I can paint the S52.

I also installed the M3 steering wheel, which is awesome! Slightly smaller diameter and much better hand positions. Plus a clean look as well(minus the torn thread :frown:).

Lastly, I did some "behind the scenes" garage organization so that I can easily pull my shifter kart trailer out of the garage for when I need to work on the car, making things MUCH easier.

Here are the pictures of what I've done so far.

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120401_180523.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120401_180646.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120401_180728.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120403_191036.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMG_20120403_193823.jpg

More to come after tomorrow, since I have till Friday to procrastinate for my Thermo exam and work on the car!

[Mr.Squeelerz]

Good to see you decided to use the steering wheel. Kudos.

Unimog:cool:

[cnaville210]

Yea that thing really WAS black! Unimog powerr. My dad and I restored it bottom to top. Good painting lesson! Really showed me just how much longer the prep takes than the painting. It really is worth the time and effort to do it right though.

[Pierre]

The cluster does bolt right in. But if you want the mpg gauge to work, you will need to do some wiring. The ti does not have the wire to the cluster for the MPG gauge.
The center console is the same on both cars, stick or auto. My ti was a 96 auto converted to a 5-speed. The M3 tranny bolted right up.
I dropped my M3 engine the same way you did yours. And I installed it complete with the transmission, the front subframe, steering rack, struts etc as a unit from the bottom of the ti. I would HIGHLY recommend as an alternative to a cherry picker and an instillation from the bottom. In fact, the last 5 engines I removed from various BMWs, I did this way.
One more thing. I installed my driveshaft from the M3 into the ti COMPLETE. No mix and match. No mods. The only time you need to mod the driveshaft is if you use the ti tranny which is shorter. The coupe, sedan and ti have the same wheelbase. I used a mid-case E28 rear diff on a M roadster rear subframe.
My local dealer would not touch my car to do the EWS. I am looking at alternatives. Maybe the EWS delete may be my best option. I need to contact AA for details.

[cnaville210]

The cluster does bolt right in. But if you want the mpg gauge to work, you will need to do some wiring. The ti does not have the wire to the cluster for the MPG gauge.
The center console is the same on both cars, stick or auto. My ti was a 96 auto converted to a 5-speed. The M3 tranny bolted right up.
I dropped my M3 engine the same way you did yours. And I installed it complete with the transmission, the front subframe, steering rack, struts etc as a unit from the bottom of the ti. I would HIGHLY recommend as an alternative to a cherry picker and an instillation from the bottom. In fact, the last 5 engines I removed from various BMWs, I did this way.
One more thing. I installed my driveshaft from the M3 into the ti COMPLETE. No mix and match. No mods. The only time you need to mod the driveshaft is if you use the ti tranny which is shorter. The coupe, sedan and ti have the same wheelbase. I used a mid-case E28 rear diff on a M roadster rear subframe.
My local dealer would not touch my car to do the EWS. I am looking at alternatives. Maybe the EWS delete may be my best option. I need to contact AA for details.

Thanks for the info! I'm glad the M3 driveshaft will work as a whole. What is the difference between the Z3 and ti rear subframe?

As for the mpg gauge, I will be eventually running the wires to make it work. I will probably be driving with the stock ti gauge for a while, since I sold the m3 one -_-. It will be entertaining at least to see the motor rev to "10k" rpm.

[Pierre]

I layed both subframes next to each other. Boy, what a difference. The M roadster subframe is more substantial. It's beefier, the mounts to the body are stronger, the control arms are significantly stronger, the rear hubs are larger, the half-shafts are bigger and the M brakes are huge.
Ideally, you should use an M roadster diff too. I was not so lucky to find one, at least not at a reasonable price. I am using an E28 LSD from a 535is with 3.25 ratio. It bolted right in and the driveshaft hooked up to it with no problem. I did have to use output flanges from an E30. They sanpped right in and bolted right up to the M roadster half-shafts.
I do not know if that holds true with the regular Z3 with regards to size differences with the ti subframe.

[cnaville210]

Pierre:
Wow awesome man, thank you. I wasn't positive on what diff/axle combo to use, nor the drive-shaft, but now I am. I will be trying to find a diff with regular e30 axles if I can. I read that I will be able to keep the outer section of the half-shafts from the ti, so that I can preserve the wheel speed sensors, but I may just end up switching over to the m-roadster sub-frame and hubs just for the bad-ass-ness of it. And so I can use the M3 rear brakes and have slotted rotors on all 4 corners.

Do you by any chance know the purposes of the 3 round plugs by the fuse box? The S52 harness has all three of them, while the ti chassis has only two, and an empty hole where the center one should go. I was thinking it was for the OBC or something? I have the wiring diagrams in the Bentley, so worst case I can look there, but if you know off the top of your head that'd be great.

How hard would it be to wire in the OBC on the ti? Is the chassis harness pre-wired for it? If it's the round center plug then definitely not.

On battery relocation did you modify the tool compartment with the stock battery box, or decide to go with a smaller motorcycle battery in the side pocket? The weather here in TX isn't ever very harsh, so cold starts shouldn't be a problem. I do possess the skill to cut a hole in the floor and re-weld and paint in a nice battery perch though, so that is an entirely feasible option.

Any noticeable unwanted rear brake bias when hitting the brakes during a weight transfer into a turn? I've read that the m rear brakes are too much for the 318ti, but maybe with the M3 fronts, it wouldn't be?

As far as the AC goes, did you have any trouble matching up parts or anything? I plan on pretty much running a complete M3 front end set up, firewall forward, and ditching almost all of the parts off the ti, including the ABS module and brake distributor thing, since the ti's are corroded all over.

Thanks for your time reading this.

[Pierre]

I suggest you get the swap manual from Jim Leach on this board. It's definitely worth the expense in saved time and aggravation.
The plugs by the fuse box is waht connects your engine harness to the body harness. The top part go to the engine and DME. They come with the S52 harness.
The third plug in most cases is for the Utomatic transmission. Some manual transmission cars have 3 plugs also. My M3 donor 5-speed had 3 plugs. It is at this plug that you need to run a wire to your cluster to make you mpg gauge work. Again, the manual describes the details of that procedure.
I have yet to get the car running. I am at the final stages. (EWS DME alignment.) I deleted my tool box and placed the battery in the battery box bolted to the floor of the toolbox floor.
My suspension is somewhat of a hodge podge, but until I get the car running, I won't invest into any componenets. The front was transplanted from the M3, complete. Bilstein Sport, Schnitzer sway bars and springs. My rear is currently stock ti since the M3 rear does not transfer. I am focusing on getting the mechanicals working and the car running before I deal with suspension and brakes, and eventually, the cosmetics
The AC transfers over complete. ABS modules, brake hydraulics at the master cylinder are different. They don't transfer over.
I hope this helps.

[cnaville210]

I suggest you get the swap manual from Jim Leach on this board. It's definitely worth the expense in saved time and aggravation.
The plugs by the fuse box is waht connects your engine harness to the body harness. The top part go to the engine and DME. They come with the S52 harness.
The third plug in most cases is for the Utomatic transmission. Some manual transmission cars have 3 plugs also. My M3 donor 5-speed had 3 plugs. It is at this plug that you need to run a wire to your cluster to make you mpg gauge work. Again, the manual describes the details of that procedure.
I have yet to get the car running. I am at the final stages. (EWS DME alignment.) I deleted my tool box and placed the battery in the battery box bolted to the floor of the toolbox floor.
My suspension is somewhat of a hodge podge, but until I get the car running, I won't invest into any componenets. The front was transplanted from the M3, complete. Bilstein Sport, Schnitzer sway bars and springs. My rear is currently stock ti since the M3 rear does not transfer. I am focusing on getting the mechanicals working and the car running before I deal with suspension and brakes, and eventually, the cosmetics
The AC transfers over complete. ABS modules, brake hydraulics at the master cylinder are different. They don't transfer over.
I hope this helps.

Thanks. I probably won't be getting the manual, since I started the project as somewhat of a learning experience, and all of the info is available online after some searching. Plus, being a Mech. Eng. student, it is kind of my duty to attempt it with no extra guidance :p. As for the middle plug, I don't think it's for an auto since both cars are manuals. Looking at it, it only has a few wires plugged through it, and based on what you said about the MPG gauge, it is most likely for the OBC, which came in the M3 but not the ti. I finished stripping the M3 completely this last weekend, and I think I will attempt to switch over as much stuff as possible to remove some rusty components.

As for the rear suspension, I've decided to stick with the ti rear for now, at least until I tear the subframe :twisted:

I will be ordering a rear diff soon, hoping to get a 3.25 to maintain as close to M3 gearing as possible. Plus, with that gearing, my buddy's 318is S52 with shrick cams rips from 2nd gear launches all day.



Any way, to all who are interested, here is some updates on the progress. I have been incredibly busy with the semester coming to a close, but I am still attempting to keep at it.

Finished stripping the M3, literally stripped out now. More so than I was even planning on getting it. I took everything down to the e-brake cables out. Now I am just waiting for my friend to be available to pick the chassis up.

I repaired the engine harness, it had some shoddy wiring jobs.

I took the wheels off of the front and rear brakes, and began cleaning the front sub-frame assembly for re-installation.

About to order lots n' lots of parts.

Been spending a lot of time organizing the garage so that I can actually walk through it. The M3 should have been picked up last week, but my friend has proven to be unreliable in picking it up.

I want to take some videos of the 318ti 0-60mph, 0-100-0mph, and some nice donuts and others for a before and after comparison of performance, so expect that after the finished product. :biggrin:


Pics and more progress to come soon.

[cnaville210]

Well guys, I apolagize for not updating! I have been so busy with everything that I just didn't have time to update the thread! I did finish the car for the most part though. Only thing left to do is an exhaust and figure out what's up with my tune! Here is the write up though, enjoy!

Engine was detached from the trans, and clutch was removed. I found that the old clutch was toast, literally mm's from being into the rivets. The flywheel was pretty well burnt as well.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0378.jpg

Took the valve cover off and pulled the oil pan, pointlessly locktited the oil pump nut(Only a problem on S50's), as well as squirted huge amounts of oil all over the timing chain, cams, valves, etc.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0365.jpg

Installed the 24Lb/hr injectors on the harness, as well as fixed up all of the shoddy wiring that was on it.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0393.jpg

Pre-assembled the intake manifold so I could see how it went back together
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0394.jpg

Replaced the clutch and flywheel with a single mass chrome-moly flywheel and a hub-sprung kevlar clutch to reduce gear chatter:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0413.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0416.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0417.jpg

I then installed the trans back on the motor, and began assembling the accessories and wiring harness. It all went pretty smoothly. I used an expensive beer's cork to seal the intake boot's hole:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0431.jpg

One thing that is almost always neglected with the M50 manifold swap is the dipstick tube mount. Of course of OBDII cars, this causes all sorts of problems, since the dipstick tube needs to be sealed in the oil pan so that the crank case can generate a vacuum for the CCVV. Here is what I did to fix it, simply bent a little piece of sheet metal in an L, and used some left over OEM bolts to bolt her up:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0437.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0439.jpg

Mounted the engine to the clean subframe, did a last check of all connections, mounted the oil cooler, and the motor was ready for mounting!
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0441.jpg

I put the S52 out in my drive way, and pulled the ti into the garage to begin surgery.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0442.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0443.jpg

[cnaville210]

First thing on the list was the battery relocation:

Stock box
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0445.jpg

Pulling the passenger side interior out. I was amazed how much thinner the ti carpet is than the M3 one.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0446.jpg

Pulled the little compartment out of the right side of the trunk to find some studs that I had to cut off. Primer FTW
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0448.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0449.jpg

I measured the amount of absolute clearance I had in the trunk, and sourced out a Mazda Miata battery. It fits perfectly snug, though I still need to fab up a tie down for safety if the car ever rolls over.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0450.jpg

There is a plate on the firewall waiting to be punched out. (Actually there are two. This one is easier to get to.)
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0458.jpg

Hammered it out to get this result:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0460.jpg

Test fitting the battery. I used an existing hole in the body of the car to mount the ground. I ground the paint off of both sides to insure proper contact.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0461.jpg

Finished up the rear, to get this result:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0465.jpg

Next I needed to mount power distributor, this took some work, since I needed to fab some brackets:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0475.jpg

Painted and mounted, If you do it this way, watch for the sheet metal screw poking into the wheel well, I cut mine off for additional safety.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0489.jpg

Next up was the M44 removal.

Check out the underside of the engine mount:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0471.jpg

ECU pulled, it was dirty inside of there
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0490.jpg

Bumper removed:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0476.jpg

Front end almost fully pulled:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0478.jpg

Pulling the radiator and ridiculously huge plastic fan shroud
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0491.jpg

[cnaville210]

Condenser and radiator pulled:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0499.jpg

Spot weld removal via regular drill bit and some chisels/punches:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0502.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0505.jpg

Had trouble removing this brake line, so i modified a hard-line wrench to fit better:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0523.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0513.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0528.jpg

Took off the rusty cross member that goes near the CSB
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0517.jpg

Front end of the car fully pulled off
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0521.jpg

Ridiculously broken engine mount:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0531.jpg

Struts unbolted:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0532.jpg

Anddd the motor was removed!
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0537.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0540.jpg

Comparison:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0548.jpg

Chopped off the stock mount for the PS reservoir.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0518.jpg

Found lots of rust on my fenders!
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0544.jpg

Brake comparison:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0549.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0550.jpg

Next, I pulled the stock small-case diff:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0601.jpg

[cnaville210]

Found out something interesting about the radiator mounts.. The ti uses one m3 mount, and one longer one. The m3 uses two identical short ones on both sides:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0605.jpg

I then went about muscling everything into the car. This was a challenge, since I didn't want to hang the sub-frame assembly from the engine mounts like we originally planned, since we now knew they were not connected with solid steel anywhere within the mount.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0604.jpg

This is the clearance behind the firewall. Connecting the heater hose with the intake manifold on the motor was near impossible.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0608.jpg

The shorty headers didn't clear a heat shield that covers the control arm bushing, so we just jammed her on there anyway. The result worked to get the motor in, but had some consequences:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0610.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0613.jpg

Here is the shifter poking victoriously into the car:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0614.jpg

The car fired right up first time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmUkg5UyOU4

Shot of under the rear with the diff pulled.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0616.jpg

Replaced the brake lines with SS ones:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0621.jpg

Diff came in the mail. Couldn't wait to buy some E30 axles to mount it up. I ended up getting a 2001 M-Coupe 3.23 LSD.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0638.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0642.jpg


Bled the radiator, hooked up the AC, and mounted everything else so the motor could run with coolant flowing through it. The fan powers on perfectly, since it is plugged into the ti's radiator plug.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0640.jpg

Put the rest of the front end on, and mounted all of the M3 plastics:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0645.jpg

[cnaville210]

After bleeding the clutch, I realized that even though it was disengaging properly and at the right height. It plain felt like crap. So I did some digging, and threw myself and a friend into another 5am project!

First thing I did was recall smacking myself in the face with the M3's brake pedal when the assembly was out of the car. The thing has a spring mounted on the pedal that has an "Over-the-center" type of actuation. In other words, before the pedal starts pressing against the clutch's springs, the driver is fighting against the pedal return spring. However, at the point where the clutch spring starts also fighting the driver, the pedal spring goes over it's center and starts extending again. This gives the effect of assisting the driver in pressing the clutch in the rest of the way, it also makes for an extremely snappy clutch feel and an all around better driving experience.

Ti clutch pedal in the car:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0762.jpg

Since the pedal was the same as the M3, I was hoping for the ability to just swap the spring over, unfortunately, that wasn't the case... The carrier itself is slightly different...

So off came the carrier, which was way way easier said than done. Those master cylinder bolts took longer to remove than the whole M44!

M3 Clutch pedal's super spring:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0769.jpg

Look right where the super spring is supposed to sit in the carrier. The ti carrier is simply flat where there is supposed to be an indention!
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0773.jpg

After another couple hours, we got the m3 carrier in, and boy what a difference! I recommend to anyone doing a swap to get an M3 pedal set up.

Next up was to swap in the 1990 325i axles I bought remanufactured from O'Reilly. This was the hardest part of the ENTIRE SWAP!

Rusted hub nuts made for a tough removal, even with a 450 ftLb impact wrench.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0787.jpg

Comparison of the axles. I found that I didn't have the right hardware, since the Ti diff uses smaller bolts to hold the axles to it. I used the reverse Torx bolts off of the M3 large case and they worked perfectly.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0788.jpg

The passenger axle took a little more work than the driver's to get out.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0789.jpg

After trying to get the axles in twice. We succeeded only in pounding on them until they were flush with the nut's machined surface. Not far enough in to start any threads, so we pulled em out and filed down every single spline, then threw them in a deep freezer for 45 minutes.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0793.jpg

Eventually, we decided to bust out the sledge. With one person holding against the hub to prevent the suspension from absorbing the impact, as well as holding the end of a 2x4 in place on the flange, another person holding everything together, and using his foot to position the other end of the board as parallel to the axle as possible, and me swinging a 12Lb sledge hammer over 40 times, we got the axle in far enough to start the threads. Then, using the impact wrench to constantly provide angular wacks at the same time as me slamming the drive flange, we got the axles all the way in and torqued em to 250Nm. What a job...
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0796.jpg

[cnaville210]

Next up, we mounted the diff and bolted everything up.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0801.jpg

Put the remaining plastics on and put a new air filter on.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0802.jpg

The headers were some how bent, causing the midpipe to veer off into the side of the gas tank. With the lack of an acetylene torch, we ground an angle into the midpipe's flange so the it would go parallel to the sides of the car.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0803.jpg

Put the wheels on and drove her out of my garage!
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0810.jpg

Next I took it for a bath and a mini photo shoot:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0825.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0830.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0833.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0834.jpg

I then began to slowly rip on it harder and harder. When nothing broke, I started dailying it. The first thing I noticed was some MAJOR misfiring, which didn't get better as the ECU "calibrated."

Here is a video of me running a stock 95 M3, during the first pull, you can hear the motor mis-firing all the way up till right before I shift. The next pull, it only misfires at the beginning of each gear and the car pulls hard the rest of the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIMMqaPhRN4

After scanning the codes, I found one about an intake air temp sensor. Researched and found out it was hidden underneath what I though was a homemade cork of sorts. So that's where the extra plug went! :biggrin:

Pulled the old sensor out to find this:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0835.jpg

Pulled the IAT sensor off the M44 intake and plugged it in.
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0836.jpg
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/IMAG0837.jpg

Right off the bat, the car idled smoother and I got excited. Took it out, and no cigar, it still misfired. :confused:

[cnaville210]

Spent two days trying to figure out what was up with the car. I drove around causing it to misfire while datalogging, the car was running super rich, in one bank, super lean in the other. Swapped out the injectors for 21lbers and it ran so lean that I was afraid I'd blow the motor. Checked for vac leaks, found a tiny one on the fuel pressure regulator. Still no cigar! GRRR! What to do what to do. Took it out again and it began misfiring even at idle.

This was a good thing, now I could narrow it down to one cylinder. Swapped coil packs between two and it was still misfiring on the original cylinder. Now I'm feeling REAL stupid for not checking this in the first place... Swapped out the spark plugs and what do ya know, the misfire switched cylinders. 30 bucks later and the car was running perfectly!!

Here are some videos of me having some fun in the car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgTtPNxe5rg

Here is a video of when it was running OK with the old spark plugs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYjsJmujHsY

Did another couple pulls with the M3, and took it to the strip yesterday.

The car only pulls on the M3 up above 6k RPM, and I only ran a 14.6 at the track with a good launch and semi quick shifts..
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/cnaville89/399369_10151097285807059_1473522395_n.jpg

This leads me to believe that Active Autowerkes tuned my car for cams, since it is still throwing a CEL for running way too rich, and because they only offer a 24lb/hr tune for a car equipped with cams.. The car never goes into closed loop mode at WOT(drops O2 sensors out of the equation) either. So I don't think it's making full power just yet.

I will be ordering some Schrick cams in a couple of weeks, I will call up AA and see what kinda tune they actually put on the car too.

Any way, that's all folks!

[Hakentt-MS41.1]

Aktiv Autowerke OBD2 tunes have issues when tuned for bigger injectors. I would stay with stock injectors and cams.

[cnaville210]

Thanks for the reply! I replaced one o2 sensor and now the car pulls way harder and spins in 2nd easily. Still has CEL and now is throwing a pending code for the other one, so hopefully that'll fix the issue.

[GrandpaTuner]

That sounds wicked!

[cnaville210]

Thanks!

The car has been running very well. I've put a little over 2800 miles of pure, red-line hitting, Texas 100+ degree weather, running AC full blast, and it still hasn't fallen apart! The car see's it's rev-limiter at least 5 times a day, every day, and on days where I purposely take it out for the purpose of ripping on it, it has no trouble bouncing off the revlimiter and burning the tires in 2nd gear all day long.

I also made a bunch of videos and posted them on my YT channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/TurboGLI2004?feature=guide

I recently blew out both rear tires at the same time and spun out on a pretty narrow road. Luckily I avoided any contact with the curbs! If you look at the channel, be sure to check the videos titled: "332ti tire rapeage", "332ti with 205 tires", and "332ti with 205s vs 95 M3" They show a pretty good idea of what the torque of the 6 cylinder can do!


I have begun thinking of installing a custom differential oil cooler, since the LSD sometimes gets to temps so hot that it will singe the skin off of any fingers that might come into contact with it. I am hesitant to really dump much more money into the car after I install the cams though, since this is my daily, and I have begun planning out the funding and design of my next car, which will be a fully stripped 914 with an NA built LSx motor. The ti has caused me to become addicted to light weight and high power output. So 450whp in a 2000lb car should hopefully satisfy my needs!