Yet another, BMW E-36 LSx conversion...
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 8,032
Likes: 661
Howdy Bo. 
Its not just "being efficient enough", its meeting the testing facilities requirements if within the testing zone of your area. There are many swapped cars of various vintage legally driving registered in OR. There are lots of other threads/discussions regarding emissions and inspection requirements for the various states. For those interested and with questions regarding their own states/cars, please read through those and contact your local testing facility, I am not qualified to answer such questions, topic is to sensitive for discussion in a build thread.
Its not just "being efficient enough", its meeting the testing facilities requirements if within the testing zone of your area. There are many swapped cars of various vintage legally driving registered in OR. There are lots of other threads/discussions regarding emissions and inspection requirements for the various states. For those interested and with questions regarding their own states/cars, please read through those and contact your local testing facility, I am not qualified to answer such questions, topic is to sensitive for discussion in a build thread.
Last edited by BRAAPZ; Jul 11, 2011 at 01:02 AM.
5000 miles and LOVING IT! The JTR kit awesome. Good friend with same car and LS1 using another kit with poly bushings raves over how smooth and quiet mine is vs his. Our cats are identical, even the exhaust is pretty much the same, the JTR kit retains the smoothness BMW originally designed, the LSx adds the torque.
Recent opportunity arose with the 5.3 that opened the door to an upgrade. Hope to have it installed this weekend.
Happiness is...
Recent opportunity arose with the 5.3 that opened the door to an upgrade. Hope to have it installed this weekend.
Happiness is...
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Verdad Gallardo LQ4 is alive Just got back from an impromptu trip to Idaho to see family, put just over 1000 miles on the LQ4, ran flawlessly. Got 27.1 mpg with cruise set at 72 through the Columbia River gorge fighting a steady 19 mph head wind, (white caps on the river).
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Very nice build BRAAPZ. I haven't been on the forums in a while and today has been my first time looking into E36 LSx swaps. As my nick suggests, I had originally bought an FBody and intended on doing the swap with that car, but sold it 6+mo ago. You mentioned that the "refinement" on your build is a lot better than another E36 that was done with another kit. I have seen reference to a Samberg kit, and then you mentioned that JTR did most of your parts, yet the JTR page hasn't been updated since last year. Any status on the availability of their parts? I am not an E36 owner, so I don't really want to spend too much time worrying about any of this stuff, but it has definitely climbed to onto my list of considered project cars thanks to builds such as yours. I've always loved the E36/46, so seeing them receive a nice GM transplant makes my day.
20,000 miles on the conversion and loving it. The conversion itself has been flawless.
Mods planned in the near future, to install my LS6 intake, my Euro cluster that has been collecting dust on the shelf, adding V-bands just ahead of the OE muffler to swap it out for pipes to hear that Spintech on those weekends wanting to play, and replace the rear suspension/diff carrier bushings. Still researching what I want to tighten up or leave rubber, don't want to add any NVH.
Mods planned in the near future, to install my LS6 intake, my Euro cluster that has been collecting dust on the shelf, adding V-bands just ahead of the OE muffler to swap it out for pipes to hear that Spintech on those weekends wanting to play, and replace the rear suspension/diff carrier bushings. Still researching what I want to tighten up or leave rubber, don't want to add any NVH.
Didn't really choose a 2 piece perse. We were and will again be testing a 2 piece design for the sake of safety due to the critical speed of the long one piece driveshaft. The long single piece can only be so big in diameter before it rubs on the roof of the tunnel under the rear seats body, even my small diameter one-piece rubs on hard launches.
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Didn't really choose a 2 piece perse. We were and will again be testing a 2 piece design for the sake of safety due to the critical speed of the long one piece driveshaft. The long single piece can only be so big in diameter before it rubs on the roof of the tunnel under the rear seats body, even my small diameter one-piece rubs on hard launches.
All BMW's use two piece stock, but I assume a one piece is stronger.
What do you mean by "critical speed of the long one piece driveshaft" ?
Not necessarily.
Can be, though when building custom driveshafts strength can designed/engineered/bought into the shaft.
Google is your friend, search "Driveshaft critical speed". There are numerous online calculators as well.
Can be, though when building custom driveshafts strength can designed/engineered/bought into the shaft.
Google is your friend, search "Driveshaft critical speed". There are numerous online calculators as well.
The 2 piece I tested needed some refinement regarding the carrier bearing bushing/bellows, havent re-tested a 2 piece drive shaft yet, plan to some point in the future, been running the single piece ever since. Once the changes are made and I get the 2 piece back again I will retest and report the results.
For now, 28,000 miles in 15 months on the conversion and STILL loving it as much as day one.
For now, 28,000 miles in 15 months on the conversion and STILL loving it as much as day one.
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Tampa, Florida
You sir are awesome for pulling this off in the way you did. Everything looks so clean and the fitment of the engine, looks like the engine fits very nicely in that engine bay! Ive always told my friend to put a LSX motor in his 2dr M3. I love these cars, just wish BMW did something like this to begin with (not knocking the inline 6 or anything, i just think a V8 M3 is just a great idea also lol)Glad you got it finished !!!