535i Engine

[StephenZ]

Hi all. Quick question. Would a 1990 535i engine be a good candidate for a swap into an E3? It's an auto trans, so could I just keep my 4 spd and bolt it up? Would it be better to swap injection to carbs or is that dumb? I'm just surfing the web and thinking too much...lol. It would be fun to swap to the 3.5, but I don't want to deal with fuel injection wiring, etc..

 

[dp]

Hi Stephen,

Thats a very common swap and lots of people in this forum and in the Senior Six and E9 Facebook groups have done it, inCLUDing the motronic FI. I've not the rolodex-reference memory anymore to tell you what/if certain blocks or engines are "preferred" but there are plenty of folks who s/b able to help. I have a 3.5ish in an agave '74 E3 thats been sitting for a long time waiting for my attention, poor thing but when I got it it ran like a scalded cat even with a slushbox, and then I converted it to a 4-speed and let it sit (boo!) The PO was a dealership mecanic andf he kept the carbs, I think if I were doing a fresh project with a donor car with all the ancillaries I'd give it a run at keeping the FI. I DO recall that vintage of block need a fabricated motor mount to fit those late blocks to an E3/E9 subframe. Mike Goble is the guy with the templates for those. Keep us posted here on what you decide to do and post progress pictures too :-D

 

[Mike Goble]

Hi all. Quick question. Would a 1990 535i engine be a good candidate for a swap into an E3? It's an auto trans, so could I just keep my 4 spd and bolt it up? Would it be better to swap injection to carbs or is that dumb? I'm just surfing the web and thinking too much...lol. It would be fun to swap to the 3.5, but I don't want to deal with fuel injection wiring, etc..

I've had 3.5 motors in my Bav for several years. I just use the long block and put my Webers and stock exhaust on that. You will want to keep the upper front cover from your E3 motor so the distributor will be driven. You will need a cam adapter nut so the B35 cam will drive the distributor. You will need to put a pilot bearing in the end of the crank to support your tranny input shaft. You will need to get an electric fuel pump because you are losing the mechanical pump drive. You will need to use the mid-sump oil pan and pickup from the E3, and also an oil filter with a check valve built in. You will need to adapt the passenger side motor mount, done easily with some bar stock.
My son lives in Newbury Park and I'm down there quite a bit so I could stop by and show you the installation.

 

[StephenZ]

I've had 3.5 motors in my Bav for several years. I just use the long block and put my Webers and stock exhaust on that. You will want to keep the upper front cover from your E3 motor so the distributor will be driven. You will need a cam adapter nut so the B35 cam will drive the distributor. You will need to put a pilot bearing in the end of the crank to support your tranny input shaft. You will need to get an electric fuel pump because you are losing the mechanical pump drive. You will need to use the mid-sump oil pan and pickup from the E3, and also an oil filter with a check valve built in. You will need to adapt the passenger side motor mount, done easily with some bar stock.
My son lives in Newbury Park and I'm down there quite a bit so I could stop by and show you the installation.

Fantastic info! Thank you! I'd love to take you up on the offer to come see it, but I just moved to Atlanta....Damn. I think I have an 86-87 head on my engine now...is that a lot different than the 3.5's head or should I swap my head over? It's rebuilt now...along with the rest of my current motor, but I like the idea of the 3.5... All those mods sound pretty straight forward...I'll see if I can grab the motor I saw...

 

[StephenZ]

With a carbureted m30b35, would a m30b30 head be a bad move? If my reading was correct, it would push the cr up a bit and reduce the combustion chamber size, right? Would that wreck the power for it? Probably smart to just use the 3.5 head, I guess? I feel like I'd want to go triple Webers, too...maybe a mild cam, forged pistons...can of worms, huh? LOL. It would be a screamer with all that jazz...

 

[Mike Goble]

With a carbureted m30b35, would a m30b30 head be a bad move? If my reading was correct, it would push the cr up a bit and reduce the combustion chamber size, right? Would that wreck the power for it? Probably smart to just use the 3.5 head, I guess? I feel like I'd want to go triple Webers, too...maybe a mild cam, forged pistons...can of worms, huh? LOL. It would be a screamer with all that jazz...

Can of worms... When I put a B35 motor in my car, I put the complete long block - assembled by professionals and tested by the PO. Plenty of power, drives wonderfully and you don't spend a lot of time messing with things that don't need to be messed with.

 

[bavbob]

Any of you chipped the car ? It added a lot of torque to my 635. Dinan or Comforti chips are under 100bucks.

 

[HB Chris]

I have a chip in my b35, I think change is nominal. The b35 is a torque monster anyway.

 

[Mike Goble]

The only thing I've chipped is my paint...

 

[duct-tape]

Fantastic info! Thank you! I'd love to take you up on the offer to come see it, but I just moved to Atlanta....Damn. I think I have an 86-87 head on my engine now...is that a lot different than the 3.5's head or should I swap my head over? It's rebuilt now...along with the rest of my current motor, but I like the idea of the 3.5... All those mods sound pretty straight forward...I'll see if I can grab the motor I saw...

Hey! I'm in Atlanta.
Means I know 5 e3 people here now

 

[duct-tape]

Also. B34 motor is a straight swap, same motor mount and all

 

[StephenZ]

Also. B34 motor is a straight swap, same motor mount and all

Right on! Yeah, I might have a line on a b35 for a few hundred, though...not sure if I should just grab it or pull mine apart, again, and redo it with high compression pistons, cam, etc..I did a refresh/rebuild on it a couple years ago and wrapped it in plastic...it's been sitting ever since..

 

[HB Chris]

Go b35, b34 has no more power unless euro motor, 88 b35 has the passenger side motor mount bosses, no adapter.

 

[StephenZ]

Damn...I already have my b30 all rebuilt and waiting for the car to be done....I guess it would be dumb to go get a B35 to put a chunk of $$ into fully rebuilding it...:-(. Grrrr...I hate letting one slip away..

 

[duct-tape]

theres absolutely nothing wrong with have 1 or 2 or 7 spare engines

it gives you more excuse to drive it harder

 

[Mike Goble]

I have three spare M30B35's at the moment. When I find a good one at the local Pick-n-Pull I get it, about $225 out the

theres absolutely nothing wrong with have 1 or 2 or 7 spare engines

it gives you more excuse to drive it harder

They don't make these motors anymore so the chance to get a good running long block for $200 is something I don't pass up.

 

[studio128]

looking for a long block for my 73' coupe.....anything out there?

 

[billpatterson]

I've had 3.5 motors in my Bav for several years. I just use the long block and put my Webers and stock exhaust on that. You will want to keep the upper front cover from your E3 motor so the distributor will be driven. You will need a cam adapter nut so the B35 cam will drive the distributor. You will need to put a pilot bearing in the end of the crank to support your tranny input shaft. You will need to get an electric fuel pump because you are losing the mechanical pump drive. You will need to use the mid-sump oil pan and pickup from the E3, and also an oil filter with a check valve built in. You will need to adapt the passenger side motor mount, done easily with some bar stock.
My son lives in Newbury Park and I'm down there quite a bit so I could stop by and show you the installation.

Hi Mike
As you know I am doing the same B35 swap with Weber 32/36s. Do you recall what your jetting is? I am going to assume the jetting I used with the B30 will be a good start for the B35. However, any insight you have is appreciated.

Regards
Bill

 

[Mike Goble]

Hi Mike
As you know I am doing the same B35 swap with Weber 32/36s. Do you recall what your jetting is? I am going to assume the jetting I used with the B30 will be a good start for the B35. However, any insight you have is appreciated.

Regards
Bill

Carburetors are demand driven, so engine size has little to do with jetting. I used C.D.Eisel's jetting prescription from 2002faq. The jetting setup is about halfway down in this post from 2002faq:

Installed the Synchronous Link, Weber 32/36

Yesterday I installed the Synchronous link that pegasus sells on my weber 32/36. Car info: 1970 BMW 1600 2.0L (swapped along with 5spd) weber 32/36 stock exhaust manifold ansa sport exhaust IE tii mech adv distributor with Ignitor Red coil IE 8mm plug wires I am playing around with the jets. Firs...

www.bmw2002faq.com