The Best BMW Engine Swap | Bmw E36 M54b30 Conversion
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- In this episode we fit and m54b30 from a 330 e46 bmw in an e36 bmw chassis..
I originally planned on doing a full step by step how to guide, but I lost my laptop with alot of the original footage on there. So I have put this together using the footage I still had saved on my phone which is not as detailed as I originally planned.
This guide shows the basics of fitting an m54b30 engine into an e36 using a hack engineering adapter loom.
If you have any questions or if I have missed anything then drop us a comment on here or message us on our Instagram @garag36_uk or GaragE36 on Facebook.
Credit to @1261clan for the music
Track - Bugs & Daff - Duft Pank
My only commendation is you have responded so professionally and aptly to every enquiry after your build.
I am in South Africa 🇿🇦 , and i wish you were this side...well done for this great resource 👏!
Be assured my dead E36 is going to have your honor when I start and finish it ...will definitely transplant the M54B30 in it.
Thank you for the kind words mate. Really appreciate that
Good evening, I also have an e36 sedan with an M52TUB20 engine. I've been going everywhere for 4 years, no problems. I rebuilt it by myself. I'm a motorcycle mechanic, but I love BMWs and I spent a lot of effort and money. factory genuine....be well stay healthy we are watching you do nice things keep going only bmw

@@Qeqaer thank you very much for the kind words. Will try keep the content coming
Glad I came across this video kinda have an idea of how to swap mine, I’m going from a obd1 m50 to obd2 m52tu
Glad I could help. If you have any questions while doing it I am always happy to answer.
@@GaragE36uk ok sure thing I’ll let you know
@@clutchtribe4094 no worries
Yesssss been waiting for this video 🔥
Glad to assist 😃
I don’t get how these guys can so easily do this in an afternoon but every garage I call to swap in even an M52 say it’s beyond their ability ffs
Really appreciate the comment mate. We do this work day in day so it becomes easy for us. Some people think they are more complicated than they actually are.
Best thing is to do it urself if the car isn't ur daily,that's the only way u will learn to be honest .
those shops are too busy doing work that's more straightforward (stock repairs) and they don't want their work space tied up for extended periods of time because they are unfamiliar with how this swap goes. Learning curves usually end up tying up their bays too long. Then they get backed up and their regular customers get upset.
Awesome video iv👍 commitment to your channel watching this while watching Wales 🏴 v England 🇬🇧 😂👍
Ha ha thanks trims.. that would mean alot more if you was an actual football fan 😆
@@GaragE36uk true 😂😂😂
@@TwistedTattoo.WarShorts 😆 🤣 😂
Very good video I was planning on doing a m52 swap in my 318 but now changed my mind as this does not look too much harder for a better engine
Thank you Ahsam. And yes it's a no brainer, m54b30 is a better option than the m52, and as you said, it's not a great deal more difficult..
@@GaragE36uk are you using the e46 gearbox or is the bell housing the same
@@ahsamawan9026 Bell housing the same, so standard e36 gearbox bolts up just fine
@@GaragE36uk thanks so much keep the content coming
@@ahsamawan9026 thank you mate. Will Try my best.
Super useful I'm doing this swap into my e36 convertible 👌👌
Thanks mate. Appreciate the comment. Good luck with yours, it is pretty straight forward
Brilliant tutorial, a frustrating beginning but a very happy ending! Will look stunning in Dakar yellow. Great job boys 👍🙋🏻♂️
Really appreciate that. Yes it didn't go to plan originally, but we sorted it for him in the end. Will look awesome once finished.
@@GaragE36uk I know Tom is very happy and thankful for all your hard work, knowledge and to make it happen. All the best, Toms Dad 🙋🏻♂️
@@johnra7711 yes very glad he is happy with it. Will be nice for him to be able to use it now.
amazing stuff. Wish I had the space to do this on my 318i, doing it on public road in england would be a nightmare lol
Before we opened our Garage we done many conversions outside on the road. Just takes a bit longer lol.
@@GaragE36uk looks like I'll have to get dirty 😂 got to be worth it with the price of the other engines these days anyway
@@0Kyron0 of course mate, this is the cheapest engine swap now really.
Brilliant video mate
Really appreciate that mate. Thanks for watching
We scavenged a rust pile of a 330i wagon. Looks like an E36 is what we want to use for a chassis. Easy to pass emissions for inspection on the older car. I just hope we can find a relatively cheap and low rust E36 in Finland. Let's see if that's even possible lol.
It's a great conversion, e36s with m54b30s are awesome. Not many rust free e36s in Finland?
hoping this is a good starting point for this conversion for me
It is pretty straight forward, if you have any questions when you are doing it just drop a comment and I will help if I can
🤦🏻♂️I think you just hit the nail on the head with a stupid issue I've had since having a shity manual swap on mine, the gear stick was to far forward & hard to get get 1,3 & 5, I fitted a short shifter which has made the car more usable but I bet the conversion kit I bought was from a 4 pot rather than a 6 pot! I was sold a sagged out whiny box from a 4 pot!
Yes a 4 clyinder linkage will put the shifter in the wrong position..
Have you Still got a getrag box?
@@GaragE36uk yeah got a getrag, I've bought another detrag coz the one in car leaks a whines but it doesn't have a linkage on it.
@@robertbaker6012 or just buy a chassis mount short shifter like i have in my touring. Gets rid of the linkage
Great video... ✌️
Thank you, appreciate the comment.
How about traction control? Is it possible to get it fully working, or just abs is possible?
Thank you!
Traction control, I'm not sure, it's done via the wheel speed sensors on the ms43 ecus from the 330, so maybe by fitting all that from the e46 you could get it to work..
Hi mate, may I know where to get those adaptor, I have a spare m54 engine and a spare e36 car .
@Leelong_John hi mate. I think that was either from hack engineering for about £350, I don't use them anymore, I make my own now, we sell them for £255 posted within UK.
I play on doing this to a 318i are there motor mounts for that and do you use the e46 5 speed?
I use standard e36 rubber mounts with e36 323 or 328 m52 engine mount arms, and I use the e36 gearbox
Great job 👏 is there much power difference in these swaps, pity about the first engine it’s always a risk isn’t it
As standard about 30 bhp more, m52b28 is 196 and the m54b30 is 229bhp. However it feels like much much more, great engine in these cars.
And yes unfortunately there are people out there happy to sell dodgy engines.
@@GaragE36uk nice one and yea it’s happen to myself and friends a few times bad form , good to see you getting the subscribers man 🍻
@@adkenzo the last 2 m54s we have done both engines bad, both supplied by our customers, its unfortunate but happens.
Thank you mate, yes going up slowly.
Can i put a 330i e46 engine in a e36 318i ???Without modifying the car ?
Yes, there is no modification to the chassis needed. You need other parts tho
yo man what cause the crank no start towards the end of the video, currently having that same problem. You fixed it but didn’t mention what caused it.
Hi mate. Can't remember 100% but think it was just the battery junction box wasn't connected correctly..
If you wanted to drop me a message on Instagram I'll see if I can help you out
@@GaragE36uk yea man what’s ur insta, definitely stuck rn haha
yea man what’s ur insta, im pretty stuck on this project haha
How about friend, would you have some diagram to make the connection of the cables, to splice them?
Hi mate. I just use the pinouts for the x60004 and the x20, then join what's needed. I'm pretty sure there's a few videos on here of how to wire them up. It's a long process, hence why people buy adapter looms.
I have a 316i e36 m43... I wanna put a 2.5 m54... My question is about the electrical wiring... What do i need to change apart from the engine loom
You will either need an adapter loom of make one, the m54 loom does not plug into the e36 harness
fair play 👌
Thanks mate..
Hey mate, throwing a Hail Mary question out there all the way from Australia.
I have a stock 95 318is, looking to swap this exact motor in, would I just be looking at a straight engine swap+accelerator pedal+ loom adaptor? Or would there be there more to it?
Hi mate. Basically yes. You need m52 exhaust manifolds and downpipes/exhaust. And m52 engine mounts..
Power steering lines from m54 or m52 can be made to work.
6 clyinder gearlinkage from e36 or chassis mounted shifter.
6 clyinder clutch and flywheel.
E36 rad
Would you be able to do a m57 3.0 into E36 👍
We haven't done one before, but we couldn't see any reason why we couldn't.
Me again...what are your thoughts about E36 325i being transplanted with an M60b40 engine?
Good morning mate. Yes m60b40 is possible into a 325, but it's not easy, m54b30 swap is much easier..
If you have a look at my playlists you will see we are currently building an m62b44 non vanos into an e36 which is basically same process as the m60. Its a very hard swap..
What did you end up doing fuel-wise? did you keep the e36 fuel filter? Or use an e46 fuel filter?
You use the m54 filter as that has the pressure regulator there. Just run the feed to the fuel. The m54 doesn't have any return from the rail. The return is sorted via the pressure regulator on the filter. When you fit the m54 filter, you will see that you need to cut down the steal fuel return line to attach it to the return part of the filter.
Hope that makes sense.
Thanks for the video. Is a different sump needed or will the e46 330i engine fit the e36 with the standard sump?
Thanks mate, appreciate the comment. Standard e46 sump from the m54b30 fits mate..
My e36 m3 sedan drift build’s engine just shat itself but I have an e85 z4 3.0 6 speed and I was thinking to just swap over the parts. Would it be worth it? as the z4 would either get cut up or the engine is going into something else anyway. I own a shop with my friends and I was planning on just using all the parts off the z4 I’d need but I’ve heard getting different m54s from different cars result in having to source other odds and ends to finish the swap and I’m wondering what I’d need to complete the swap into my e36 m3 using my e85 z4 3.0 6 speed (planning on fitting my transmission too, assuming it will fit with slight alterations)
Hi mate. I am not sure on the z4 as I have not used an m54 from one of them or investigated what's needed to fit one. They can obviously all be made fit bit what odds and ends are needed I'm not sure.
Can this be done with a ZHP engine ? Sounds like a dumb question, I know. But i was looking at the pre-fab harnesses out of Portugal in ebay and they said something to the effect "not for MS45..." And I can't remember if rhe zhp motor uses MS45
I don't know a great deal about the zhp motor, we didn't get them in Ireland of the UK. I'm not sure if it runs ms45, but if it does I can't see any issues with converting it to run on ms43 with a tune.
@@GaragE36uk can you manipulate the tune ? I know you can delete the post cat oxygen sensors, EWS and radiator outlet temp sensor among other things. And if you are able to change the tune, I'd imagine you'd need to know the map that the ZHP uses; somehow ? maybe the ZHP can run on the regular 330i tune ? I mean it's only 10 HP more. The only reason I ask, is because I came into a zhp motor for free because my friend didn't want it. ... head bolts pulled up out of the block. So I'd need to timesert the block and check the head out.
One question, with the loom it requires a 12v to (3?) wires, where did you get that from the battery terminal on the other side of the engine? (and did you fuse it + what guage wire?) Thanks
That can be direct 12 volt, doesnt need to be fused, can be direct from battery terminal or from the 12volt point on your fuse box.
I’m doing one at the moment. M54b30 into e36 with Zf5speed what drive shaft did you use? Thanks
We normally use the e36 box, either zf or getrag and just use the standard e36 prop to match the gearbox.
If using a zf 5 speed from an e46 then you would need a 328 e36 front section of the prop and any e36 rear section
Hello, bit late. Can you help me find adapter of wiring?
Hi. We got the adapter loom for this one from hack engineering but we make our own now for £250
Do you need any engine mount adapters or for the transmission?
I use standard 36 engine mount rubbers and gearbox rubber mounts, engine mount arms I used from an m52 e36 engine
@@GaragE36uk thx man you inspired me to do my m54b30 swap on my 318is.
@@Unknown-yw1hv awesome mate.. if you need any help just ask.
Great video, will definitely be using this for my e36 build. Just curious, have you ever swapped the e46 6 speed into a e36? Interested to see if that’s possible same time with the m54b30 swap.
Thank you for the comment. I have not fitted a 6 speed box in them, but yes can be done, you would need the prop shaft modified
I’ve done the swap on my e46 now but I can’t get the accelerator to work. I’ve wired it up properly but it doesn’t work and I get no codes when I scan it. Did you have the same problem?
Pin 23 and 24 of the x60004 plug, put them both to earth..
@@GaragE36uk alright mate I’ll give that a go and report back to you cheers man
@@kouroshtashvishi5031 yes let me know mate.
@@GaragE36uk so the problem was the guy who did my manual swap he wired the brake pedal wires the wrong way round so the car thought my foot was on the brake and that’s why it didn’t accelerate 🤣🤣 ah hahah. Now I have an oil light on that needs to be wired to the ecu haha cheers tho man
@@GaragE36uk hi mate it’s all sorted now. But I’ve got another problem the Speedo doesn’t read. The 330 donor has dsc and my 318 has asc. Do I need to code the ecu to asc? Or change the pumps?
Im about the do the conversion need ur help mate ❤️
How can I help mate..
Thanks for this. I have an E36 Compact and am thinking about this conversion. It has an M43B16 in. I am aware I'll need to change the clocks to 6 pot ones. Are you aware of anything else I will need?
Glad to help mate. No aslong as you have what I have listed in the video you should be fine. You can use your current gearbox but will need a 6 clyinder gear linkage
I want to do engine swap in my E36. I have from e39 engine, do I have to change something like Oilpan from e46. And does it fit e36 climate compressor. Can I use e46 radiator does it fit, or just to use my e36. I have m42 engine right now and I have E-fan without Visco, do I have space for it or I have to switch to the Visco
Hi mate. Never used an e39 oil pan, but from what I have read, you can use the e39 oil pan..
Also never kept Aircon on there, but I can't see any reason for e36 compressor not to work..
How did you run the fuel? I’ve got an m43 in my e46 and I just bought a donor 330 for the swap. So did you use the m52 fuel filter and plug it in? Or did you have to do some fuel lines?
Used m54 fuel filter as the regulator is on that, then just run the return to thr filter and the feed from filter to fuel rail.
@@GaragE36uk cheers mate and thanks for the fast reply
How does the accelerator pedal work with this set up. pedal fly-by-wire? Or cable
Fly by wire mate.
Tried listening to the ps pump info but the welding in the background made it impossible to hear... Pretty good video but frustrating to hear that noise in the background
Sorry about that mate. We are a busy garage so some times it's either film with some noise or don't film if that makes sense.
As for power steering info, what would you like to know. We use m52 pump and a mix of m52 and m54 lines.
@@GaragE36uk I can use m54 lines and rack can't i? I have a purple tag from e46.. Also with the heater hoses under the inlet manifold, those 2 hoses both go to the heater tap yeah? Appreciate the reply! Cheers from Australia
@Tayden Jack the heater hoses, one comes from under the inlet and one from the bulk head/heater matrix, you need to join both and put them to bottom of rad.
Yes probably can use the full m54 power steering set up
That e36 was a 320i ?
No 328
@@GaragE36uk I can do a swap from 318 i e36 to a 330i e46 ? Without cutting and modifying the car ? (Engine )
What are the specs of the y connector you made for the coolant. Diameters of the two ends. Thanks
I am not 100% sure mate. I would need to measure the pipes. I can probably check one Monday when I'm back in work and let you know then..
@@GaragE36uk yes please mate
If you get a second
Do you mind explaining how you got your gauge cluster to display coolant temp? I know the wiring harness adapter comes with an e36 temp sensor plug but do you simply use that and leave the m54 sensor unplugged?
I don't use them looms anymore mate. They are not the best.
I make my own and fit a 4 pin temp sensor in place of the m54 one.. that way it can be wired correctly to ecu and dash.
Could you please answer this one question for me. My engine was pulled from a 2004 bmw x3 3.0i , which means the engine has ms45.1 . . . When performing my swap, would i send this same ECU out to get tuned, or would i need to use the ECU from a post-facelift e46? I would like to keep ms45.1 because i believe it will be more cost effective for me.
Hi mate. Never used the ms45.1 when doing them, we always use the ms43, but I am pretty sure it makes if more difficult on the wiring side if using ms45.1
@@GaragE36uk you're probably right, but i noticed certain website offering adapter harnesses ask whether you have ms45.1 or ms43... maybe i will just end up doing the ms43 conversion
@Thomas-fc6gf if they offer the adapter loom for the ms45.1 then it should be plug and play for you mate.
Swapping a m52tu into a e36 should be the same right?
Hi mate.
Yes it's a similar swap
Which oil pan did you use? I'm seeing some conflicting information that says only e39 pans fit on e36 chassis, not e46 pan.
E46 oil pan on this one. Not ever used one from an e39.
@@GaragE36uk thanks for the info!
@@11ba6750 no worries mate
any chance tou know if the x5 one is the same ? if i had the e39 one would the e46 oil pan straight swap
@@ahsamawan9026 the actual engine is the same from an x5, not sure on loom and stuff like that tho..
Also I think the e39 has same sump as e46, don't think there's much difference there. I have only ever used m54s from e46 so not 100% on the e39 sump, but I don't think it's like the e34 m50 sumps with the front bowl rather than rear.
Hi mate, awesome tutorial! I have an e36 m50b20 i want to replace it with a m54b30, is there anything different than shown here in the video with the m52? What exactly do I need besides engine, transmission, ECU? Does the starter and hydraulic pump from the M50 work? Do I need anything else?
Hi Peter. Thank you for the comment, really appreciate that.
The starter will be fine.
What do you mean by hydraulic pump?
the swap is posible to do in a 325tds?
I would think so, probably need to petrol fuel tank and pump, I'd assume the diesel is different. Other than that tho it would be very similar.
How did you do this with an automatic transmission harness? Did you run wires for your reverse light ?
And what values did you have on your compression test? Would it be ok if one cylinder runs at 130psi
Depends what harness you use. I put the reverse light wiring in
@Thomas-fc6gf what are the rest of the clyinders? You want them all to be close or with 10% of each other.
What did you do with the fuel line situation?
Fit an m54 fuel filter, that has a feed to the m54 rail.
The fuel pressure regulator is on the m54 fuel filter so the return runs from the rear of the filter.
Great video! I’m doing a M52B28 - M54B30 conversion on my e36. Everything’s getting there. One small bit I’m stuck on at the moment is with the M52 fuel rail it has two lines for return as for the M54 has one. How do I get round this?
Hi mate. Thanks for the comment. Just purchase a fuel filter from an m54b30, they have the pressure regulator attached to the fuel filter. So the return runs from fuel filter and not from engine.
Remove your old m52 fuel filter, fit the m54 one, cut the return line and attach to the end of the m54 filter and then the feed from filter straight to fuel rail.
I’ve got a 318is and looking to do this swap, would I have to buy a m52 loom to mate up to the loom adaptor kit? Also I’ve seen confusion on the internet on how to go from the cable throttle to electric throttle, I’m one of them.
Hi mate. No you don't need the m52 loom. The loom adapters attach to the e36 car side of the loom.
What do you need to know about the throttle pedal?
So from what I’ve read the e46 has a electric throttle and the e36’s have cable, so I was wondering what work goes into this.
@@braidan4226 you just need the pedal from any e46 with electric pedal, remove current pedal and fit the e46 one, the adapter looms come with the wiring to plug into the pedal and everything works as normal.
Very straightforward.
Thanks for your help mate.
@@braidan4226 you are welcome mate
What did you do with the coolant temp sensor on the lower radiator hose? It wont connect to the e36 rad because of the quick connect system.
Just removed it. No need for that one.
could you guys do this on a customers car?
Yes of course
What driveshaft did you need
Standard e36 drive shaft.. think this was a zf gearbox and prop we used from a 328 e36..
The engine mount bracket on the intake side only 3 holes line up is that correct or do i have the wrong bracket?
@lahnie95 yes you have an m50 engine mount. They are slighty different than m52. You can drill and elongate the hole and still use it.
@@GaragE36uk thanks! Ill drill out that hole then. Thank you for the quick responses. Hoping to be finished with the swap in the next few weeks
@lahnie95 you are welcome mate.
would you consider doing.a.swap.like this into a m50b20 1991 5speed man saloon and if yes roughly whats the budget do I need.for.it
Hi Monika, yes this is a swap we do for customers. Budget for supply and fit is about £3500.
Hi, how did you connect the power steering hose? I mean the narrower one. Is it some oem hose?
Yes, I used an oem hose. From memory this one we used standard e36 pump and standard lines and mounted the power steering bottle lower down. But we have also used m54 pumps and lines on others. Some need cutting and adding joiners..
If you have the m54 pipes with the extended cooler part that runs across the front of the radiator, you can trim them down, and they fit with the standard m54 pump and powersteering bottle in standard location.
@@GaragE36uk ok, thank you. I have the extended version. I will try with this.
@@Abes125 it's very straightforward then. If you have any more questions just ask.
Hi, how did you get the oil pan not to hit the bottom cuz mine does
What mounts you using? Oil pan hitting the subframe or Anti roll bar?
Where did you buy the cable set from ?
That one I think was from ebay.
But we make adapter looms ourselves now
@@GaragE36uk nice and do you guys sel those
@guidobeekelaar5819 yes we make them order. £255 posted within UK.
I have 320i e36 m52 i want change to 286s2 what i need to change ???
You want to fit an m52b28 engine in place of the m52b20?
@@GaragE36uk m54b28 286s2
@KNZTECH no such engine as m54b28, there's m52b28tu if that's what you mean?
it's a mistake on my part it's a 3 28 i E46 286s2 engine
@KNZTECH yes that will be a m52b28tu. Very similar engine to the m54b30 I fitted in video.
The music is too looud and boomy.
What?
M54 weak af
We can't all like the same things I suppose.