SWAP HELP!! what do i need and is it worth it??

[318TurboTi]

I blew the motor on my 96 318ti cause of over boosting on my home made turbo kit and im thinking about doing a 6cl swap. not an m3 motor just the basic 325 or 328 motor. My car is an auto so i want to swap it to a 5 speed as well. what do you think i should do? keep it 4cl and swap it to 5speed or do the 6cl swap? i have never swaped and bmw motor only a few hondas and my old nissan 240sx.

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by 318TurboTi

I blew the motor on my 96 318ti cause of over boosting on my home made turbo kit and im thinking about doing a 6cl swap. not an m3 motor just the basic 325 or 328 motor. My car is an auto so i want to swap it to a 5 speed as well. what do you think i should do? keep it 4cl and swap it to 5speed or do the 6cl swap? i have never swaped and bmw motor only a few hondas and my old nissan 240sx.

How much boost were you running before it blew up?

[Phamster]

You should do the 5speed and 6cl swap together. Bluebimma is doing a 6cl swap rigth now and I am going all the way with my swap (6cl and auto to manual conversion). BMW swaps are a lot easier than honda or any other cars because of there design.

[318TurboTi]

Originally Posted by DustenT

How much boost were you running before it blew up?

driven daly on 9psi for a little over 5 months.the car has 168+k and it was holding fine but i was at the track over the weekend and the vac line to the waste gate came off and it spiked to 18psi and the motor went POW! lol.

[318TurboTi]

Originally Posted by Phamster

You should do the 5speed and 6cl swap together. Bluebimma is doing a 6cl swap rigth now and I am going all the way with my swap (6cl and auto to manual conversion). BMW swaps are a lot easier than honda or any other cars because of there design.

what about the wiring? me and wires dont get along.

[Phamster]

Originally Posted by 318TurboTi

what about the wiring? me and wires dont get along.

Just get the wiring that comes with the 6cland you'll be fine but if you want to do a auto to manual conversion I think it would be a little harder. I haven't started my auto to manual conversion yet but what I have read so far is not that bad. Just keep reading Bluebimma and my 328Ti thread for swap info. I will try to be helpful by taking a lot of pictures and updating my thread when I can.

[318TurboTi]

Originally Posted by Phamster

Just get the wiring that comes with the 6cland you'll be fine but if you want to do a auto to manual conversion I think it would be a little harder. I haven't started my auto to manual conversion yet but what I have read so far is not that bad. Just keep reading Bluebimma and my 328Ti thread for swap info. I will try to be helpful by taking a lot of pictures and updating my thread when I can.

So if i leave it auto everything is just plug and play? i dont have to cut wires and modd them? im going to do 96 318ti to 96 325 or 328 so everything just go's right it without modifying anything??? I have the time and the tools/ hoist i just need more info on the swap and the time and the things i need to make it happen. if it is to much of a prob im just going to get a 4cl motor and maybe just change it to 5speed.

[cooljess76]

Hey there, sorry to here about your misfortune at the track. I was just wondering if you knew exactly what gave on your engine, ie; threw a rod, bent a valve, cracked a block etc? The reason I ask is, because you might have gotten lucky and just blew a headgasket. Our engines are notorious for it and it's not a fun job by any means, but it's repairable. Besides the plastic cooling system parts, the headgasket seems to be the weak link on the m42's & m44's. An 18 psi spike isn't really that high. I know 8-10psi = safe zone, but the WRX guys are in the 20's and a momentary spike of 18psi shouldn't have caused that much damage, although in your case with 168k miles, perhaps the HG finally gave. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck my friend with whichever route you take. I hope it's not too expensive and you get your car back on the road soon.

[Ollieyoufool]

Its because our engines aren't forged internals, unless I'm mistaken... 10 psi is the most it can safely handle pretty much maybe a small amount more. I'm not an expert but I think that sounds right.

Originally Posted by cooljess76

Hey there, sorry to here about your misfortune at the track. I was just wondering if you knew exactly what gave on your engine, ie; threw a rod, bent a valve, cracked a block etc? The reason I ask is, because you might have gotten lucky and just blew a headgasket. Our engines are notorious for it and it's not a fun job by any means, but it's repairable. Besides the plastic cooling system parts, the headgasket seems to be the weak link on the m42's & m44's. An 18 psi spike isn't really that high. I know 8-10psi = safe zone, but the WRX guys are in the 20's and a momentary spike of 18psi shouldn't have caused that much damage, although in your case with 168k miles, perhaps the HG finally gave. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck my friend with whichever route you take. I hope it's not too expensive and you get your car back on the road soon.

[318TurboTi]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

Hey there, sorry to here about your misfortune at the track. I was just wondering if you knew exactly what gave on your engine, ie; threw a rod, bent a valve, cracked a block etc? The reason I ask is, because you might have gotten lucky and just blew a headgasket. Our engines are notorious for it and it's not a fun job by any means, but it's repairable. Besides the plastic cooling system parts, the headgasket seems to be the weak link on the m42's & m44's. An 18 psi spike isn't really that high. I know 8-10psi = safe zone, but the WRX guys are in the 20's and a momentary spike of 18psi shouldn't have caused that much damage, although in your case with 168k miles, perhaps the HG finally gave. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck my friend with whichever route you take. I hope it's not too expensive and you get your car back on the road soon.

thanks for the kind words but the motor is 100% shot... it spiked to 18psi right as i steped on it coming out of a turn and i had a evo mr on my ass so i was not about to let off. I was just about to enter my braking zone for the next turn and the motor rod knocked for about 3 sec and right as i was about to let off boom motor blew a hole in the side of the block and smoke covered the whole track. The evo and the mustang that was coming up behind the evo almost wrecked because the cloud of smoke was soo thick.

[318TurboTi]

Im just going to leave it 4cl but swap it to 5speed. anyone have a step by step for the 5 speed swap?

[96cali]

Look on bimmerforums.com for the Official Auto to Manual Swap Thread

[Phamster]

Save you time and trouble.

http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/gentile/5spdswap/

My auto to manual should be easier then the link I sent you because everything is still attach to my 328 motor.

[7808]

damn that sucks. lets see the homemade turbo setup

[pdxmotorhead]

Originally Posted by 318TurboTi

thanks for the kind words but the motor is 100% shot... it spiked to 18psi right as i steped on it coming out of a turn and i had a evo mr on my ass so i was not about to let off. I was just about to enter my braking zone for the next turn and the motor rod knocked for about 3 sec and right as i was about to let off boom motor blew a hole in the side of the block and smoke covered the whole track. The evo and the mustang that was coming up behind the evo almost wrecked because the cloud of smoke was soo thick.

Race day or track day?.. I say,,, Isay,,Thems expensive bragin rights there son....
(Above sentence should be spoken with Foghorn Leghorns voice FYI )

18 PSI is a LOT in a motor netting around 10:1 compression.
The WRX has about millions in tuning to protect it, and race
quality pistons out of the box....

Good luck next time...

Dave