BMW M40 engine - Question?

[Robinxr4i]

Oi BMW boys please help!

I've been offered a stupidly cheap E30 318i with an M40 engine, only problem is that the head gasket has gone and the cam belt has snapped. Repairing the engine seems uneconomical. So I was thinking about getting the car and putting in a second hand engine.

There seems to be a fair few M40's from E36's on ebay ect but none from an E30. Is the engine the same? If not can the E36 M40 be modified to fit without major work?

Thanks inadvance Robin ;D

Random E30 pics.......

[matt5950]

the sumps are different between e36 and e30's, so are the manifolds. why not drop a m20 lump into it instead

[bodieanddoyle]

but everything swaps over. exhaust I think is the same, inlet is different, wiring, sump, engine mounts. in actual fact the cam belt pulleys are all offset as are the ancilaries on E36 compared to E30, only need to change the ancils, just remember its got an E36 belt when you change the tensioners

that blue one you posted is one of very few sexy tech2 kits I've ever seen

[bm0p700f]

Find an M42 they where fitted to the E30. More power and more torque and it becomes a 318is an proper model. Fitting an M20 (while not a bad thing) will require the fitting of a new gear box, new motor mounts a change and maybe new engine managment...... The M20 is also heavier but is more powerful.

I saw that orange one being built in the depths of Suffolk. Must try and go a see that guy again.

[Robinxr4i]

While a 2.5 M20 would be nice, I don't have the time or money to mess around with a proper engine swap. If I got the car I would just want to get it run with a decent M40 to start with.

Thanks for the info guy, looks like this might be a go'er ;D