E30 to E36 M42 Engine Conversion | M40 auto to M42 Manual

I was hoping to get a bit more filmed and add some more information about the swap. Unfortunately we are a working garage and don't always get to film everything.
I have added a list of parts that we used for the conversion below. The car started with an m40 engine.
m42 e36 engine, early from 1991
m40 engine mount arms
m44 exhaust manifold
m40 sumps and dipstick
e30 radiator
coolant hoses all came from either the m40 or the m42. The front top coolant hose was the m42 one trimmed down.
m42 power steering pump with the m40 brakects
m40 coolant temp sensor the brown one, remove from head of the m40 and fit to the m42 block.
Wiring, I wired the m40 round connector to the m42 engine loom, following the wiring pin outs from the e36 m50 to e30 wiring diagrams. most colours match up.
The m44 manifold fitted with the standard column and rack, but we converted to the z3 rack, and then the column touched the manifold, a small bit of heating and bending the manifold to make it clear the column is needed
We started with an early m42 from an 1991 e36, this made life a little easier I think.
If you have any questions then drop me a message on Instagram GaragE36_uk

[@TheNorthernmunky]

Great video, I’m doing the same but using an M44 engine from an E36, Z3. I’ve got the engine mount brackets and oil pan and pick up from an M42. Just need to figure the wiring out. I’m told the M44 doesn’t foul the brake booster on the E30 though, I followed “orlions garage” as he did his conversion and all seemed to work ok 👍🏼 👌🏼

[@GaragE36uk]

Thank you mate. The wiring was fairly strishht forward. Not much needed to get everything working.

[@wallyfib4616]

Great stuff lads

[@GaragE36uk]

Thanks mate. Appreciate the comment

[@TwistedTattoo.WarShorts]

Nice editing iv👍 the engine looks really tidy fair play I'm the Bay, Some really nice work both😁👍

[@GaragE36uk]

Thanks trims. Appreciate the comments.

[@TwistedTattoo.WarShorts]

@GaragE36 no probs m8 iv been filming a new video 2day aswell iv, another tattoo company sent me out one of their wireless tattoo kits to do a review video on 👍

[@GaragE36uk]

Ah nice. Free stuff Is always good. I need more free stuff 😆 Got any lot of footage to edit for Chris's turbo, so will have another one up next week. Trying to keep the content weekly if I can help it.

[@TwistedTattoo.WarShorts]

@@GaragE36uk awesome iv sounds good 😁👍

[@GaragE36uk]

@@TwistedTattoo.WarShorts it'd hard work keeping up with it

[@talhadasti8794]

Hi i recently got a 1991 318is, previous owner swapped the e30 m42 for an e36 m42, and hacked the wiring harness, just curious how did you work through all the wiring to get everything to fit the e30? Any guides/tips?

[@GaragE36uk]

Hi mate. Thanks for the comment. I didn't really video much of the wiring, but it was simple enough to keep tidy. I just opened the loom up and ran it to where I needed. Once all the plastic covering and loom tape has been removed from the loom, you can run it a lot more tidy

[@Tom-qc3kl]

Boys im doing the same swap right now, i can see youve used the m40 v belt setup for the alternator and water pump, but when i swap it over my bottom pulley is sticking out past the alternator pulley and water pump, ideas?

[@GaragE36uk]

We used an early e36 m42 with the v belt also, we used the mount from the m42 also from memory.

[@miltjk]

what about shift linkage? e30 m40 or e36 m42 i will choose? i took transsmision from e36 m42 thank you again!

[@GaragE36uk]

Hi. We used the m40 transmission and gearlinkage set up. Not sure when using the m42 transmission

[@miltjk]

thanks , I finally installed it today everything went perfectly! what about mount intake because with M40 ENGINE mount doesn't install it. Where did you find a mount for intake? Many thanks in advance!

[@jabaghstash7784]

Which ecu did you use ? I have the eco from e30 318is or should I use the e36 one ? Thanks

[@GaragE36uk]

I used the e36 one that came with the engine. But don't see why you couldn't use the e30 one, they are both m42 engines so probably run same ecu anyway. Also I fitted a very early m42 e36 engine which is basically the same as the e30 one..

[@whatisthistho]

Hi, just buttoned up our swap m42 in e30, But i wonder if the m42 possibly could have ews? Ignition/cranking is fine but no fuel pump and no spark. Coils have + and - but no signal, any ideas?

[@GaragE36uk]

@@whatisthistho depends what year the engine is from. Think ews would been in play in 1994, and would have been a silver label ecu from memory. Would need to double check that tho.

[@miltiadispant.7249]

airbox filter from m40? Thanks a lot!

[@GaragE36uk]

Not 100% sure as it was a while ago, but I had both airbox's, can't remember if I used the top half of one and bottom of the other, for some reason that's in my head.

[@jabaghstash7784]

Hey ! Is there any difference between m42 from 91 and m42 93 e36 ?

[@GaragE36uk]

The 93 one may have a different pulley and alternator set up with a skinny auxiliary belt rather than the thinking one.

[@jabaghstash7784]

Thnx ! One more question! I bought m42 from e36 with the ecu , will the ecu work on my e30 ? Or i should buy an ecu from e30 318is ? Many thnx

[@GaragE36uk]

@@jabaghstash7784 you will just need the ews removed from the ecu if it has ews on it.

[@jabaghstash7784]

Thnx for answering ! Really helpful while im doing the swap ! I read on a form that i need coil packs and HT leads or COP conversion? But i see you used the m42 e36 ones , should i be fine using the same i have on the engine ?

[@GaragE36uk]

@jabaghstash7784 the standard m42 ones are fine.

[@miltjk]

finally installed an e36 or e30M40 refrigerator?

[@GaragE36uk]

Refrigerator? You mean Aircon?

[@miltiadispant.7249]

No, i mean coolant radiator

[@miltiadispant.7249]

Sorry for refrigerator 😂

[@GaragE36uk]

@@miltiadispant.7249 😂

[@GaragE36uk]

@@miltiadispant.7249 ah 😆 I used the standard m40 radiator on that one.

[@armasareanurares5061]

can you give me a wiring diagram?

[@GaragE36uk]

I didn't write anything down when I done it. But it's pretty straightforward, you just need the pinouts for the e30 c101 round plug and the pinouts for the x20 e36 plug, match them together, there's only about 8 wires that need joining.