Using T5 engine for RWD...

[T4Rick]

The 6cyl E30/E36 do share the same bellhousing bolt pattern, but the gearbox angle differs - the E30 6cyl box can used on the E36 engine but the box is tilted making the shift linkage an issue to sort. The E30 4cyl boxes don't suffer the tilt problem when used on the E36 6cyl engines - they aren't very strong however!

The E34 535i box bolt patterns differ from both the 12v E30 and 24v E36 engines. The V8 ones differ again I believe, but not 100% on that.

I heard from alot of people now that the m50 as seen in the e36 with take 500bhp on stock internals using a thicker head gasket.For the time being im just gonna use the std m44 box to get it rolling and i can play with it later,im gonna be using a t34 turbo with a 60 housing and im gonna have to find injectors to support that.Im grafting the t5 loom in to the beemer which ive started to do today,Im gonna work out how expensive the adaptor is for the bmw to volvo engine is.I do have a auto box left over from the t5 conversion i did. i could cut the flange off it,mill it flat so its about 10mm them mock it upto the m44 box and have it welded.I will have to see when closer to the time.Im retaining the 850 flywheel i think and have it adapted to take the beemer clutch.My plan is to have it back on the road in a short time.

[jmc]

Indeed, the M50 will take upto 500bhp with a thicker headgasket, and is something I considered when I had the M50 in my E30 (i even considered turboing the S50 M3 engine!). The M50 engines are cheap enough if it all goes wrong, but the cost of actually doing it property is not cheap, plus you're still left with a heavy engine stuck up front.

Sounds like you've got a plan there. If you make the adaptor to fit the M44 box, I'd look out for an E36 328i/M3 5spd ZF box.
You should be able to wire a Bmw loom plug onto the T5 loom, once you know what wires go where etc. You should then be able to just plug it in, leaving the Bmw side of the loom pretty much as it is.

That's a bloody good idea regards using the auto box bellhousing. Just so happens our T5 is an auto also
I was also planning to use the T5 flywheel and Bmw clutch, although I've heard the shaft from the Bmw gearbox is short and may not reach the clutch plate. Ive also considered using a custom flywheel, but have been told the T5 has some sort of sensor pickup on the flywheel??

[T4Rick]

Indeed, the M50 will take upto 500bhp with a thicker headgasket, and is something I considered when I had the M50 in my E30 (i even considered turboing the S50 M3 engine!). The M50 engines are cheap enough if it all goes wrong, but the cost of actually doing it property is not cheap, plus you're still left with a heavy engine stuck up front.

Sounds like you've got a plan there. If you make the adaptor to fit the M44 box, I'd look out for an E36 328i/M3 5spd ZF box.
You should be able to wire a Bmw loom plug onto the T5 loom, once you know what wires go where etc. You should then be able to just plug it in, leaving the Bmw side of the loom pretty much as it is.

That's a bloody good idea regards using the auto box bellhousing. Just so happens our T5 is an auto also
I was also planning to use the T5 flywheel and Bmw clutch, although I've heard the shaft from the Bmw gearbox is short and may not reach the clutch plate. Ive also considered using a custom flywheel, but have been told the T5 has some sort of sensor pickup on the flywheel??

There is a sensor on the bell housing which i will still use,im not using the whole bell just 10mm flange section im also gonna be using the t5 loom and ecu

[jmc]

Cool, any idea what the sensor is for and is it needed/can it be removed?
I also plan to use the T5 loom and most likely the turbo tuner ecu. I've got the auto box as well, so might use the flange as a template.


On side note, the decision as to which car is to be used has been made - looks like we are after another T5 engine! Lol

[T4Rick]

Cool, any idea what the sensor is for and is it needed/can it be removed?
I also plan to use the T5 loom and most likely the turbo tuner ecu. I've got the auto box as well, so might use the flange as a template.


On side note, the decision as to which car is to be used has been made - looks like we are after another T5 engine! Lol

The sensor is the crank sensor or pick up sensor tells the car when to fire.Im using the std t5 ecu and loom.Im also using the flange off my auto box and im thinking of having it welding to the m44 box

[jmc]

The sensor is the crank sensor or pick up sensor tells the car when to fire.Im using the std t5 ecu and loom.Im also using the flange off my auto box and im thinking of having it welding to the m44 box

Ahh, thats good - I could possibly use a different flywheel and use a separate trigger wheel.

Im not sure how well the M44 box will cope with over 200bhp. Ive seen supercharged M42s running basically the same box, but they dont tend to run much over 200bhp. Will be interesting to see how it does stand up to it (especially if youre running more power) as if that box copes, maybe my M20 box will. Apparently its the layshaft bearings that give up (in the M20 box anyway), but the box can be strengthened to cope.

[T4Rick]

Ahh, thats good - I could possibly use a different flywheel and use a separate trigger wheel.

Im not sure how well the M44 box will cope with over 200bhp. Ive seen supercharged M42s running basically the same box, but they dont tend to run much over 200bhp. Will be interesting to see how it does stand up to it (especially if youre running more power) as if that box copes, maybe my M20 box will. Apparently its the layshaft bearings that give up (in the M20 box anyway), but the box can be strengthened to cope.

If the box blows up then i will put a beefier box in.But for now its about getting it up and working.Try and keep the flywheel from the 850.If your gonna use the t5 loom and ecu it will be easier.Flywheels can be adapted to take other clutches.I no of a S40 t4 with the smf from the 850 using a clutch from an audi rs4 i think it is for the better clamping pressure.Oh lol ive reomove the parts of loom needed to run the engine in the beemer,you would be amazed and whats not needed lol

[T4Rick]

Some thing that may interest you im sure the sump on these saabs are huge compared to the t5?





http://www.driftworks.com/forum/drif...b-power-4.html

[jmc]

Sorry for the lack of replies - still no regular internet grrrr!

Ok, for the moment, as the Cortina isnt in a fit state for an engine yet (an awful lot of body work is needed!), the conversion will be focused on the E30

If the box blows up then i will put a beefier box in.But for now its about getting it up and working.Try and keep the flywheel from the 850.If your gonna use the t5 loom and ecu it will be easier.Flywheels can be adapted to take other clutches.I no of a S40 t4 with the smf from the 850 using a clutch from an audi rs4 i think it is for the better clamping pressure.

Ive heard a problem with using the 850 flywheel and BMW box - as the shaft from the BM box is short it wont reach the splined section of the clutch plate. Using a thicker (or custom) flywheel helps solve this, although different clutch plates may also help.
My local BM specialist is very interested in this conversion (he already has the gearbox adaptor!), so I will hopefully get to play around with clutch/gearbox combos soon to get an idea of whats needed.

Im also thinking about engine mounts at the moment. I think a basic plate down either side of the engine, picking up whatever mounting holes that are there, and then a mount down to the original subframe mounting points??

Oh lol ive reomove the parts of loom needed to run the engine in the beemer,you would be amazed and whats not needed lol

lol I know, its amazing isnt it. I did the same when fitting the S50 engine to the E30, I was sure the thing wouldnt run when I looked at all the wiring I had left over lol


That Saab sump is interesting... Ive seen those pics before on another forum, but never saw the sump ones. I may have to go the same direction as him, but will know more once the engine is suspended in the engine bay.

[jmc]

Not much happening with this other than collecting info at the moment

It seems the gearbox/flywheel/clutch issue isnt going to be straight forward. As I mentioned above, the 850 flywheel is useless as the gearbox input shaft is too short to reach the friction plate splines and the crank and its made worse when the adaptor plate is fitted. There are ways around this by having a spacer made up for the end of the crank and using a dual mass flywheel or custom flywheel.

Whilst I may still have to go the above route, I am also going to look at using a manual 960 gearbox. That should make things slightly easier, as long as the gearbox ratios suit the diff ratios we have. Im not sure if the 850 flywheel can be used with the 960 gearbox or if the 960 one will be needed and in that case does the 960 flywheel use the same pick up arrangement for the crank sensor as the 850 does?

Just some more questions lol

Cheers