BMW 3.5L swap keep it going

[alternativez2003]

There seems to be some interest in swapping a BMW 3.5 L straight six into the early Z. Let's keep the communication going. I will do this swap, but it takes time and planning. My '85 635 csi 5 spd will be the donor. I am also interested in converting to a mass air flow meter and upgrade with a Dinan or Conforti chip, and would like to create a new intake from the driver's side. The BMW piece comes over the top of the cam cover from the right side, and it's ugly. Besides, there is some preference to imitate the original Z configuration, making it look cool and ideally even making it flow better.

 

I want to know what other ideas anyone would have, and if anyone has ideas for more hp from the older BMWs while maintaining reliable street driving characteristics.

 

My emails are jimfsnyder@hotmail.com and alternativez2003@yahoo.com if we want to avoid frustrating the good folks at the HybridZ forum.

[olie05]

I like the Idea of having a bmw engine in a z... I personaly would go for a later model one (3l out of a z3, get it? Z?) my friend also has been toying with the idea of puting an entire bmw drive train into a civic or crx... It could be done but with many modifications. good luck with your bimmer swap!

[Dan Baldwin]

This wouldn't seem to offer enough of a performance advantage over a mildly built-up 3+ liter L-series motor to be worth the effort, IMO. I had an '85 535i for years. Great car, great motor. Only ~175hp stock, though. Why bother? If I were going to go to the effort of swapping in a BMW 6-cyl, it would have to be the E46 M3 motor. Now THAT would offer some seriously improved performance over the L-motor!