s50b30 swap, I need to get a new sway bar...

[Fuzzy Nutbucket]

Hey so I put this here due to the fact it really only matters (to me) because I put an s50b30 in my ti Club Sport, but mods, feel free to move it if you think it should be.

Ok on to the issue, after getting the s50 in I find that the front sway bar (stock 26mm. for clubs port, (which it is)) is touching the oil pan, So new bushings and a 1/4in. spacer or so later I have a little clearance like 1/4in. or so... but i don't want to leave it with the spacers in there as I just don't feel comfortable with them, safety wise. Which sway bars, and for which cars(325xx or M3) would you guys say would be a direct swap/install (still hook up to control arm like the stock one), and clear the oil pan? I plan on finishing up the little bits, like putting oil into it and hooking up the battery and seeing if it will start for a sec. I currently have just the headers but hope to get the rest of the exhaust ordered soon, so I will only just let it idle for a sec or to to finish bleeding out the cooling system. Any and all help is appreciated!!!
Thanks!!

[Platanos]

I think someone on here used the z3 sway bar. maybe they'll chime in.

[Junk]

Dunno, but all m3 stuff is strut mounted. I think it's thinner/lighter too, might consider just changing over if you ever need new struts. Nice shocks are a definate plus..

[Fuzzy Nutbucket]

yeah the suspension definitely need freshed up and changed. I was thinking of going the coil-over route, maybe the H&R or Bilstein's PSS or something, or just M3 Bilie sport struts and hubs/spindles and H&R race springs upfront and ti Bilie sports in the rear with the ti H&R race springs in the back? I dunno but I just wanna get it running at the moment. lol

[Junk]

I hear ya, it's not unsafe to drive around without swaybars though, so I wouldn't worry about it if you think you might upgrade the parts later..

looking at etk

late 90's 328 sedan = 24mm
late 90's convertible with M sport suspension = 25.5 mm
91-92 325 = 25mm
z3 2.8 = 25mm


These are all lower arm mounted, so probably any 6 cylinder non M

[BimmerBum]

Does the sway bar touch when the suspension is loaded or only when you have to up in the air?

My S50 ti came with an M3 bar attached to the contol arms... this is a terrible idea as the M3 bar is 22mm and meant to be attached to the struts to be effective. I installed the 26mm bar from my 2.8 coupe I had laying around and it fit fine loaded and unloaded.

I'm not sure how (or why) the Z3 2.8 coupe 26mm bar is any different from the 318ti sport 26mm bar but now I want to find out.

[Fuzzy Nutbucket]

Both loaded and unloaded, I thought it might not touch when sitting on the ground, but it does, I got a new one on order from UUC and I'll see how that looks. On another note, went to fire it up today and I'm not getting any spark that I can tell, any one have any ideas or know of common things to check?...

[BimmerBum]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Nutbucket

Both loaded and unloaded, I thought it might not touch when sitting on the ground, but it does, I got a new one on order from UUC and I'll see how that looks. On another note, went to fire it up today and I'm not getting any spark that I can tell, any one have any ideas or know of common things to check?...

Scan it.

What UUC bar did you order?

[Fuzzy Nutbucket]

27mm front SwayBarbarian, and I don't have an OBDI scan tool for it. Is there any way to run the code through the gauge cluster? Would not having an o2 sensor plugged in not let it start? I don't have any exhaust yet... just wanted to see if it would start since it's at that point.

[Marv17]

my stock m-tech sway bar connects just fine, wonder why you're having an issue?

[pdxmotorhead]

So are you talking about spacers for the two brackets and bushings the swaybar itself runs through? Spacers here are common when you work on suspension. I make them out of aluminum usually. I have made them longer and added another bolt at each side into the frame. (More for stiffening the supporting area..

Dave

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Nutbucket

Hey so I put this here due to the fact it really only matters (to me) because I put an s50b30 in my ti Club Sport, but mods, feel free to move it if you think it should be.

Ok on to the issue, after getting the s50 in I find that the front sway bar (stock 26mm. for clubs port, (which it is)) is touching the oil pan, So new bushings and a 1/4in. spacer or so later I have a little clearance like 1/4in. or so... but i don't want to leave it with the spacers in there as I just don't feel comfortable with them, safety wise. Which sway bars, and for which cars(325xx or M3) would you guys say would be a direct swap/install (still hook up to control arm like the stock one), and clear the oil pan? I plan on finishing up the little bits, like putting oil into it and hooking up the battery and seeing if it will start for a sec. I currently have just the headers but hope to get the rest of the exhaust ordered soon, so I will only just let it idle for a sec or to to finish bleeding out the cooling system. Any and all help is appreciated!!!
Thanks!!

[Fuzzy Nutbucket]

yeah i put a nut all the way up on the studs to space the bracket down so as not to deform it, and a 1/4in alum. chunk in between the bushings and the chassis, slightly bent to fit the concave relief for the bushings.

I tried to get the error codes via the CEL blink method but had no luck getting it to work, I thought the bulb might be burnt so I swapped it out with another one from my old ti cluster but still no workee!! GRRR!! No sparkywinkles or fuel as far as I can tell. Is there supposed to be 1 or 2 ground straps for the ignition coils, there was/is one on cyl#6 (closest to firewall) but that was all, and I see there is provision for one at cyl#1's coil too, but there was no strap there. I don't need to worry about EWS with the red label 413 DME right?