Changing auto trans to manual- 318ti

[SteveJ]

My son is car shopping. My wife found a decent looking '95 318ti for him, however, the car is an auto trans car. How much work/parts would be involved in doing a transmission swap to manual?

I'm going to figure transmission, pedal box, fluid reservoir, and a driveshaft. Any other things I'm not remembering?

Any other trouble spots I should look out for on E36's? I already curse all the easily broken plastic bits on the E46 we are wrenching on right now.

[M3M3]

engine harness, ecu.....iirc, that auto tranny is electronically controlled. you may have to swap more stuff in to do the manual. i wouldn't do the swap unless i was doing an engine swap too (m50, s50). not worth it

there should be other 318ti's around, i would wait for one with trans you want.

[SteveJ]

Thanks.

Damn new cars.

There was a real clean 320i that got snapped up. I believe it may have been a possible 320is. Seen a couple of real rough 318ti's as well. Just waiting for the 'right' one.

[auggiemize]

What is the achilles heel that I had read about the ti; the cranks break, timing belt issues, something else? I do have interest in one that has been parked at a little Laotian market in town...If this requires killing kitties, sorry.

Dave V. in NC

[RIMSPOKE]

TIMING BELT ? NOT IN A 318ti .

M42 & M44 CAMSHAFTS ARE DRIVEN BY A CHAIN .

http://www.motortraders.net/groups/group.asp?group=1&menu=75

[skipsfcr]

In all honesty it's a fairly easy swap. btdt

[SteveJ]

I was believing it would be a bolt-up type install. Basically, all these cars start out the same, and then get mated up to a manual or auto transmission. The tough part would be figuring out what auto trans parts get yanked and trying to source the manual parts.

The speed sensor should be off the diff, what is left to be electronics on the manual transmission? The back up switch.