» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | 03-25-2011, 04:50 PM | #1 | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,464 | E36 small case differential Looking at picking up a small case (168mm) LSD from a wrecking yard around here. The diff. looks as though it is in good shape- bearings are smooth and quiet, no slop on the input or output shafts, ring has normal (light) wear, case is very clean and not rusted out, etc. I believe it came out of an early 90's (E36) 318is. Mine is starting to make a bit of noise and I'm thinking it is on its way out. A few questions: 1.) Is the diff. cover on my ti a direct bolt on? 2.) Other than having to change out the cover (the cover that is currently on it has a double mount), will this differential be a direct swap for my open diff. w/o having to make any other modifications? Thanks. | | | 03-25-2011, 05:07 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Elizabeth City, NC Posts: 3,877 | E36 small case diff will not work. The mounting points are different. You need a small case out of an E30. With an E30 diff the cover will bolt up and you'll have to swap output flanges, then it should bolt up. __________________ ~Dave~ 98 328ti Morea Grun slicktop 11 128i space gray slicktop 13 JGC WK2 Deep Cherry Search | RealOEM | | | 03-25-2011, 05:35 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,464 | Thanks, Dave. Last edited by zoner; 03-25-2011 at 05:43 PM. | | | 03-27-2011, 12:25 AM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: asdfasdf Posts: 10,002 | would it be possible to swap the internals from the E36 diff into the ti diff? I know most people here don't do anything more than swap out the covers but I'm curious if that would work | | | 03-27-2011, 04:32 AM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: 43609 Posts: 3,425 | Just pull the internals out and put them in your case, its a direct replacement. __________________ 1995 Hellrot Clubsport 318ti -Gone 1996 Schwartz II Sport 357ti - 5.7L V8 LS1/6 1997 Moregrun Metallic 318ti - Gone 1998 Schwartz II sport 318ti - M50TUB25/5 | | | 02-06-2013, 10:14 PM | #6 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Atlanta Posts: 15 | Quote: Originally Posted by Bluebimma Just pull the internals out and put them in your case, its a direct replacement. | Its two years later since you made the post.. but is this confirmed? I have a 98 ti. I just swapped for an M50 and am looking for more traction. Thanks | | | 02-07-2013, 07:23 AM | #7 | Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Camarillo, CA Posts: 79 | What you really need is an E28 or E30 diff. It bolts right up. You may have to swap the output flanges. Lots of ratio options too. I installed a 3.25 LSD diff from a 535is on my 318ti with S52 motor. I had to use an E30 rear cover. In my case, the flanges off the 535is matched to my axles shafts which came from an M roadster. __________________ Pierre 96 318ti (S52), 97 318ti, 95 318ti, 69 2002 (M20), 74 2002tii, 76 530i (3.3), 79 323i, 81 528i, 90 325i, 91 318is, 97 Z3, 2002 330i, 2002 R1150RT. O==00==O | | | 02-07-2013, 01:34 PM | #8 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Atlanta Posts: 15 | Quote: Originally Posted by Pierre What you really need is an E28 or E30 diff. It bolts right up. You may have to swap the output flanges. Lots of ratio options too. I installed a 3.25 LSD diff from a 535is on my 318ti with S52 motor. I had to use an E30 rear cover. In my case, the flanges off the 535is matched to my axles shafts which came from an M roadster. | Thanks... So, Forgive me.... Cases and covers are NOT the same? Peter | | | 02-07-2013, 06:50 PM | #9 | Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Camarillo, CA Posts: 79 | Cases and covers The case is the unit that holds the gears in. It has an input flange that connects to the driveshaft and 2 output flanges that connect to the axles and the wheels. The cover bolts up tp the back of the diff case. The same diff may have different covers depending on the car it goes into. The 318ti is an E36 but it uses a rear suspension setup from the E30. (The Z3 convertible and coupes do too.) Standard E36 parts do not fit in the back of the ti. E30 parts too. The E30 came with 2 styles of diffs. The small case installed on 4-cylinder cars and the big case installed in 6-cylinder cars. The e28 also used the same differential case. There were many ratios offered on the many variations of these cars. Small and big cases are interchangeable. The ti has the same case as the small version of the E30, since it's also a 4-cylinder. But you can install a big case diff on the ti. You will then need the cover that fits the big case E30s. I hope this helps. Go to real OEM and look at diffs, gear ratios and interchangeability of parts. __________________ Pierre 96 318ti (S52), 97 318ti, 95 318ti, 69 2002 (M20), 74 2002tii, 76 530i (3.3), 79 323i, 81 528i, 90 325i, 91 318is, 97 Z3, 2002 330i, 2002 R1150RT. O==00==O | | | 02-07-2013, 09:30 PM | #10 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Atlanta Posts: 15 | Quote: Originally Posted by Pierre The case is the unit that holds the gears in. It has an input flange that connects to the driveshaft and 2 output flanges that connect to the axles and the wheels. The cover bolts up tp the back of the diff case. The same diff may have different covers depending on the car it goes into. The 318ti is an E36 but it uses a rear suspension setup from the E30. (The Z3 convertible and coupes do too.) Standard E36 parts do not fit in the back of the ti. E30 parts too. The E30 came with 2 styles of diffs. The small case installed on 4-cylinder cars and the big case installed in 6-cylinder cars. The e28 also used the same differential case. There were many ratios offered on the many variations of these cars. Small and big cases are interchangeable. The ti has the same case as the small version of the E30, since it's also a 4-cylinder. But you can install a big case diff on the ti. You will then need the cover that fits the big case E30s. I hope this helps. Go to real OEM and look at diffs, gear ratios and interchangeability of parts. | Thanks for the break down. This certainly helps. | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |