BMW 3er E30
Power hp
Torque Nm
Displacement L
Layout
Swap overview with verified parts, part numbers and sources.
M50B25 in BMW E30.
Documented from 31 recorded sources: 8 of the ten mandatory blocks are carried by two independent publishers. Internal confidence 70%.
(1Q) Both versions are 2,494 cc inline-six engines with an 84 mm bore, 75 mm stroke, grey-cast-iron crankcase, four valves per cylinder and two timing chains. Output is 141 kW/192 PS at 5,900 rpm and 245 Nm; the non-VANOS M50B25 reaches peak torque at 4,700 rpm, while the TU reaches it at 4,200 rpm. Compression is listed as 10.0:1 for M50B25 and 10.5:1 for M50B25TU. The cited guide lists 6.5 litres of oil and production periods 1989-1992 and 1992-1995 respectively.
Status: SINGLE_SOURCE · Confidence 60%
Naturally aspirated from the factory for both M50B25 and M50B25TU; no supercharger or turbocharger belongs to the baseline conversion. (1Q)
Prefer a complete E34 525i donor with the required engine variant. It supplies the front-sump oil system that clears the E30 crossmember, and a complete car preserves the matching engine loom, DME, accessories and, for an automatic build, the A4S310R/4L30E hardware. An E36 325i donor is also usable, but its rear-sump oil pan and pickup must be replaced by the E34 525i arrangement. For M50B25TU, acquire the complete immobiliser-related set or verify a documented pre-EWS DME strategy before purchase.
Best baseline: a complete E34 525i M50B25 or M50B25TU donor, plus E36 M50 aluminium engine arms. Retain the matching long block, accessories, loom, DME, air-metering parts, fuel rail, starter/flywheel or automatic flexplate/torque converter, diagnostic connector and all sensors. For a manual build choose the gearbox first and take its shifter, slave cylinder, output flange and matching front propshaft section. For an automatic build take the complete 1995-era 325i/E34 control package including A4S310R, EGS, harness, selector/cable, switches, cooler lines and driveshaft. Add E30-specific brake, booster, cooling and exhaust solutions only after mock-up.
Status: SUPPORTED · Confidence 80%
Use the E36 M50 aluminium engine-mount arms on the middle block bosses. The repeatedly documented OEM-style route combines those arms with E28 535i/M5-type rubber mounts and places the assembly in the E30 subframe holes; final height and side-to-side position must be checked for sump/rack, intake/brake-booster and cylinder-head/firewall clearance before tightening. Current offset 24V conversion mounts are an alternative for non-iX E30s, but their own manufacturer still requires a smaller brake booster.
The E36 rear-sump arrangement does not clear the E30 front crossmember. Fit the E34 525i front-sump system as a matched set: oil pan 11 13 1 740 346, pickup/suction tube 11 41 1 748 150, matching dipstick tube and dipstick, gasket and O-ring. The pickup support and windage-tray details must follow the exact M50 variant; do not mix later M52 pump geometry into the M50. Inspect and secure the oil-pump sprocket nut while access is open, then verify steering-rack and subframe clearance at the final mount height. The front sump sits low, so ground clearance and a chassis-mounted guard deserve an explicit check.
Preferred OEM choices are an E36 Getrag 250 or ZF 310/320 fitted at the M50's intended angle. The ZF 320 is directly documented in an M50B25TU E30 build. The E30 Getrag 260 can bolt to the engine but sits about 10 degrees rotated because its bellhousing was designed around the M20 installation; it therefore needs a corrected crossmember and shifter geometry. Do not describe the G260 as a direct fit. Match gearbox choice to driveshaft flange, clutch/flywheel and differential ratio.
With E36 Getrag 250 or ZF 310/320, the stock steel manual E30 transmission crossmember is a documented starting point; shimming and mount choice still depend on final position. Do not use the E30 M3 aluminium crossmember as a presumed equivalent. With the E30 Getrag 260, use a purpose-made 24V conversion brace or modify a measured crossmember to support the approximately 10-degree rotated gearbox without preloading the mounts.
Status: VERIFIED · Confidence 84%
Use the shifter carrier and selector geometry that matches the gearbox. An E36 shifter assembly fitted one documented E30 without modification, but the German guide also shows length adjustment as installation-dependent. If an E30 Getrag 260 is retained, its roughly 10-degree rotation must be corrected at the selector rod/carrier; a current 187 mm ten-degree-twist DSSR is one commercial solution for the specified late selector joint. Centre the lever only after engine, gearbox and propshaft positions are fixed.
Status: SUPPORTED · Confidence 80%
Keep flywheel, clutch, starter ring gear, release bearing and slave cylinder as a compatible set. The direct guides document either the matching M50/E36 package or a machined M20 single-mass flywheel with M20 clutch and M20 starter; the latter is a modification path, not a bolt-on parts mix. The slave cylinder must match the chosen M50-family gearbox because the M20 unit is too short for those gearboxes. Inspect rear main seal, pilot bearing, release system and clutch wear while the assembly is out.
Status: SUPPORTED · Confidence 76%
Transferred from a completed E30 with an M50TU-based 3.0-litre build and supported by BMW's factory M50B25 application: the documented automatic route is the longitudinal GM 4L30E, BMW A4S310R, from an OBD-I E34/E36 525i/325i donor. A 1995 E36 325i is specifically recommended by the builder for M50/S50 conversions. Use the complete matched gearbox and controls; this is not proof that every market-year A4S310R calibration is interchangeable.
Status: TRANSFERRED · Confidence 50%
Transferred factory-pairing route: no adapter plate is required when the A4S310R is taken from an M50B25 E34/E36 donor. Use that donor's M50 flexplate, torque converter, starter relationship and fasteners as a matched set, and verify converter seating and end play during assembly. No combination-specific evidence was found for mixing the original E30 4HP22 flexplate or converter with the M50 installation.
Status: TRANSFERRED · Confidence 45%
(1Q) The documented M50 automatic method uses the E30 automatic crossmember with an E36 transmission mount on the driver's side and an E30 automatic mount on the passenger side; an additional crossmember hole may be required for alignment. The tunnel also needed local clearance for the selector rod. Mock up the complete engine/transmission at ride angle before drilling, and treat the mixed mounts as a documented builder solution rather than factory fitment.
Status: SINGLE_SOURCE · Confidence 50%
(1Q) The documented M50/S50 automatic recipe takes the driveshaft with the 1995 E36 325i 4L30E donor. Final E30 installation still requires checking total length, front flange, centre bearing orientation, spline engagement and differential flange; the same source allows crossmember-hole adjustment to align the driveline. No independent dimensional source was found, so professional measurement and balancing remain mandatory.
Status: SINGLE_SOURCE · Confidence 45%
(1Q) Retain the complete OBD-I automatic-control package: EGS/TCU, transmission harness, compatible engine harness/DME connections, shifter and cable, dual brake switch, kickdown switch and diagnostic wiring. The first-hand source says the EGS uses engine-speed, throttle-position and load/injector signals and warns against assuming an OBD-II EGS will operate without the later ABS/data environment. Use donor wiring diagrams and scan the EGS before road testing.
Status: SINGLE_SOURCE · Confidence 50%
Select by gearbox output flange and installed length, not by engine name. The documented flange families are 78 mm for Getrag 240/250-type combinations and 96 mm for ZF 310/320-type combinations. The German guide lists E30 320i and 325i shafts for small-flange layouts and E36 328i or E30 325e candidates for large-flange layouts. CORRECTION vs. earlier Swaplements data: an earlier version of this record quoted four lengths from that single guide - 320i 1,526 mm, 325i 1,489 mm, E36 328i 1,492 mm, E30 325e 1,483 mm. Cross-reading against the E30 Zone wiki's own drivetrain page confirms the 320i at 1,526 mm but gives the manual 325i as 1,483 mm, i.e. the figure the earlier version assigned to the 325e. Two of the four numbers are therefore in conflict between two sources that this dataset already cites, and none of the four is confirmed by a second publisher. They are removed rather than repeated: order nothing on these figures. One completed German M50 build used an E30 320i shaft unchanged; another ZF320 build used a custom shaft. Measure flange-to-flange at ride height, use the correct E30 centre bearing orientation and have any shortened shaft professionally balanced.
Choose the final drive only after fixing the gearbox. E36 five-speeds with direct 1.00:1 fifth gear are commonly paired with roughly 3.07-3.46 E30 ratios; 3.23 is repeatedly described as a balanced road choice, while one direct M50B25TU build uses a 3.64 LSD. The German guide provides calculated road speeds for 3.45, 3.25, 3.15 and 2.93 ratios and requires the chosen ratio to be documented. Keep an E30-compatible medium-case installation with correct output flanges, cover, speed sensor, half-shafts and mount condition; do not assume an E34/E36 differential bolts in complete.
Status: SUPPORTED · Confidence 78%
(1Q) The direct guide found for this block says to connect the E30 pressure feed and return to the M50 in the correct direction and identifies C101/X20 pin 13 as the fuel-pump relay circuit. Retain the complete donor rail, injectors and regulator as a set, replace aged hose/filter, and measure pressure and delivery under load before road use. No reliable combination-specific flow figure or universal requirement to upgrade every E30 pump was found.
Status: SINGLE_SOURCE · Confidence 48%
Several proven layouts exist. The German guide documents an E30 M20 radiator with remote expansion tank or an E36 integrated-tank radiator; E30 Zone recommends the larger E36 air-conditioning radiator with a front electric fan and temperature switch, while the non-VANOS build used a late E30 integrated-tank radiator. The common requirement is adequate core area, a serviceable water pump and thermostat, a positive electric-fan control strategy, correct hose routing and complete bleeding. Viscous-fan clearance is tight and must be measured at the final engine position.
Not applicable to this combination: no reliable combination-specific charge path found, and the standard M50B25/M50B25TU is not forced-induction.
Plan on fabrication. The donor E36/E34 manifolds and downpipes do not simply clear every E30 steering and front-subframe arrangement. Documented paths either modify the front manifold/downpipes and join them to an E30 325i rear system, or build a dedicated twin system. One completed German build retained the E36 325i system but had to cut, realign and weld the pipes around the front subframe/control-arm area and add body hangers. Preserve suitable donor catalysts and lambda-sensor positions where possible, and agree noise/emissions evidence with the approving engineer before fabrication.
Adapt the donor X20 engine connector to the E30 C101; the connectors are not directly interchangeable. The opened pin tables cover charging, oil pressure/level, coolant gauge, fuel-pump relay, ignition supply, starter, tachometer, vehicle-speed input and ABS feed. Before applying battery power, verify C101 pin 20 on both sides: early and late E30 looms can assign it differently, and an incorrect connection can damage wiring or leave ABS unpowered. Keep the engine harness and DME matched to the exact non-VANOS or TU engine, retain the diagnostic connector, and continuity-test every adapter against the donor and recipient diagrams rather than copying wire colours alone.
Treat immobiliser and instruments as two separate jobs. Non-VANOS M50B25 with the appropriate early management is the simpler route; red-label 413 units are described as EWS-free, while a silver-label TU DME must be verified by date/market and may require its matched EWS module, key/chip and wiring or a documented professional delete. A reported plug-in EWS chip failed to restore relay power, so do not buy on label colour alone. For the E30 cluster, wire tachometer, oil-pressure and vehicle-speed signals through C101/X20 and install the E30-compatible brown coolant-temperature sender because the M50 sender serves the DME rather than the E30 gauge.
Status: SUPPORTED · Confidence 76%
Use at least the E30 325i/320is-style 'large' brake baseline documented for German M50 approval work: 260 x 22 mm ventilated front discs and rear discs, with the condition and hydraulic balance verified. The stock E30 booster often conflicts with the M50 intake; documented solutions include a smaller E34 tandem booster with firewall/pushrod work, Porsche 944 or E21-type smaller boosters, or careful engine positioning plus limited intake-rib clearance work. These are alternatives, not interchangeable bolt-on claims. Inspect 51 mm front struts, springs, dampers, bushes and tyres for the increased front mass and 192 PS output, and agree the final brake/suspension evidence with the engineer.
Status: SUPPORTED · Confidence 80%
Documented failure points are: E34 front sump sitting low enough to justify impact protection; oil-pump sprocket nut backing off and causing immediate oil-pressure loss; worn water pump/thermostat causing rapid overheating; high-mileage TU VANOS becoming noisy; M50 intake colliding with the stock E30 booster even on correct mounts; C101 pin 20 being misidentified, risking wiring damage or loss of ABS feed; a plug-in EWS chip failing to restore DME-relay power; E30 Getrag 260 and shifter sitting about 10 degrees wrong without correction; and E36 exhaust pipes requiring far more cutting and welding than expected around the front axle. On the automatic route, tunnel clearance, cooler lines installed before the drivetrain and complete OBD-I control hardware were all called out. Each is a mock-up or pre-start checkpoint, not a reason to fill gaps with guessed parts.
Status: VERIFIED · Confidence 88%
Feasible in Germany only as a planned individual approval, not as an automatic entitlement. A German conversion guide contains examples of M50B25 E30 approvals and a completed build obtained registration, but that build first encountered several inspectors demanding a BMW confirmation that BMW would not issue. Current inspection guidance requires early discussion of the exact combination and evidence for brakes/suspension, driveline ratio, emissions, noise, power and safe workmanship. Feasibility therefore depends heavily on the recipient's first-registration date, donor emissions package, retained catalysts/DME, documented brake baseline and the engineer accepting the evidence plan before fabrication.
Status: SUPPORTED · Confidence 78%
Germany, as of 31.07.2026: together with the other modifications, the M50 conversion must be treated as an individual complete vehicle. Where no valid test certificate exists for the specific combination, individual assessment under § 19 (2) / § 21 StVZO is regularly required, followed by correction of the vehicle documents; the competent authority issues the Betriebserlaubnis on the basis of a positive expert report. Before work starts, at least the following must be agreed with the expert: engine and donor data, output, emissions and noise behaviour, catalysts and DME, brake system, suspension, gearbox and final-drive ratio, tyres, and welding and bracket work. For increased output, TUV SUD expressly points to possible brake and suspension adaptations and to VdTUEV-Merkblatt 751 (the German technical bulletin on power increases). For an H-Kennzeichen, TUV Rheinland requires a report under § 23 StVZO and a condition worth preserving, and accepts period conversions within ten years of first registration; whether M50B25 or TU falls within that window remains open without the exact first-registration and conversion years. Scene claims about blanket emissions cut-off dates contradict one another and are not a legal basis. No release without a test plan agreed in writing.
Status: SUPPORTED · Confidence 80%
Garagistic 24V mounts: https://www.garagistic.com/products/e30-24v-m5x-s5x-swap-motor-mount-bushings-m50-m52-s50-s52
Garagistic G260 conversion brace: https://www.garagistic.com/products/e30-24v-getrag-g260-transmission-swap-brace-version-update
Garagistic 10-degree DSSR: https://www.garagistic.com/products/10-degree-twist-dssr-dohc-24v-swap-e30-dssr
Turner E30/E34-pan skid plate: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-17538638-chassis-mount-skidplate-e30/
Turner fabricated swap-pan search hit (page fetch failed; verify manually): https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-41188178-e30-24v-swap-oil-pan/
1. BMW E30 first start M50B25 swap — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw1OUZRZkrI
2. BMW E30 | M50 Swap (M40B18 to M50B25) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ooTNr-YKt0
3. SWAP M50B25 in BMW E30 part 1 preparation — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqUdSelDNu8
No directly indexable Instagram post was retained. Manual follow-up searches: 'E30 M50B25 swap', 'E30 M50TU swap', '#e30m50swap'.
E30 Zone M5x guide — https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.php?title=Engine_Swap_-_M5x
BMW312i drivetrain/exhaust build — https://bmw312i.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/m50-umbau-antriebsstrang-abgasanlage/
R3VLimited completed M50-based 4L30E build — https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/e30-technical-forums/24v-engine-swaps/m50-52-s50-52/173652-first-ever-m50b30-4l30e-a4s310r-into-e30
E30.de M50B25TU EWS failure thread — https://www.e30.de/forum/index.php?mode=thread&id=32224
E30-Talk approval discussion — https://e30-talk.com/topic/206050-e30-m50b25-eintragen/
31 findings | 16 hosts | 16 publisher keys | 28 reachable, 3 unreachable | 25 cited findings across 13 cited publisher keys | 11 German-language findings, 11 reachable | 18 documented searches. Technical-field status count: VERIFIED 8, SUPPORTED 12, SINGLE_SOURCE 6, TRANSFERRED 2, DISPUTED 0, OPEN 0, NOT_APPLICABLE 1. Main-publisher cluster test: no VERIFIED/SUPPORTED fields rest only on garagistic.com.
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