M3 E36 engine+box into E30 info needed
 

can anyone help with any info needed on installing an 1998 E36 M3 engine and box into an E30 two door shell?

Thanks,

Andy, UK

You may want to a search on ebay for a CD-ROM called project ORCA. One of the BMW engine uilders out there was selling this. It goes over in detail what needs to be done to get it in there. I see them going on ebay all the time..

Yup....ORCA is what you want.
Are you contemplating, or going ahead?

my mate is doing the swap, we pick the engine and box up today!

Can you get more than just the engine and box at the same cost? If so, you will want a lot of the engine compartment internals, such as alternator, AC system, the engine computer....

hes got the lot, engine box, ecu, alternator etc. i think hes going to speak to the people that mastered the ORCA info about the cost of a full install kit. any idea how much its likely to cost? (for the install kit) its a right hand drive too, does this change anything?

I'd be curious to know the following:

1. Do you need a custom Driveshaft to make this work or is there a BMW equivalent?

2. Would you need to change the final drive ratio to really take advantage of the motor, or would it be fine with the stock ratios

3. How much fabrication is involed in rigging up exhaust, mounts, cooling lines, etc...

4. How exactly do emissions laws apply? Do you have to register the car as having a newer engine?

i think he needs a custome driveshaft, he is going to change the reaer diff (so he can get up in the 170's!)
dont know about the pipe/mounts etc but there is bound to be a fair bit of work here
you dont need to worry about the emmision laws as heavily as in the usa. there is still an emmision check when the car is MOT'd but its an easy one to pass, so he can say goodbye to the emmision pump and cats. he will have to tell the DVLA that the engine is a larger unit and that the number is different.

I'd alwasy wondered how comprehensive an MOT is. Dont know much about them, but I would assume they are very extensive. When I was in the UK, I hardly saw any old cars at all on the roads.. MOT has to be responsible for that...

mots are a piece of piss!
they are getting tougher but if you know he right people...............
Having said that, with something as serious as an e36 powered e30, you'd want it thoroughly checked!

Here in CA, we have the smog nazis. emissions control is gettign tougher and tougher every year. As with over there it helps to know certian "people" here...

handy them "people"

indeed. There is no chance in hell that my car would ever meet CA emissions requirements.