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I am putting an I enigne into a Eta car

 
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robert1700



Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 1398
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 2:36 pm    Post subject: I am putting an I enigne into a Eta car Reply with quote

My new 86 eta has a blown engine, no biggy. Anyway I am wondering what I will need to put a i into a eta car. I have an air box, idler control, ecu and a rebuilt engine. I hope to keep the eta cooling system instead of changing it to the 88+ system to keep cost down. Is there anything else I will need?
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Sold to a friend car is now destroyed, such a same.


Last edited by robert1700 on Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:26 pm; edited 1 time in total
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e30_325es



Joined: 17 Jul 2002
Posts: 1159
Location: Annapolis, MD

PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All sensors, esp. crank position, oil level, coolant temp, afm, and entire engine harness. If you use the eta starter you will have to cut and splice some wires, but it's no biggy.
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cmcon98



Joined: 13 Nov 2002
Posts: 1844
Location: Boston

PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you have the engine harness and ECU from the engine you're installing, it should be no problem. As for the cooling system, it should work fine as long as you make sure to install all of the coolant temp sensors from your engine into the eta thermostat housing. Obviously, you'll have to install a tach from an "i" car to reflect the higher redline, and probably other little detail stuff.
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robert1700



Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 1398
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Right now my eta has a moto meter ecu, the ecu that I have came from a vdo donor car. Do I need to worry about the moto meter/vdo instrument panel thing?
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Sold to a friend car is now destroyed, such a same.
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dale



Joined: 22 Aug 1999
Posts: 3087
Location: Seattle, WA USA

PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Robert,
You don't _have_ to do anything with your cluster, but you'll max your tach if you get on it getting on the freeway.
If you want to swap parts in the cluster, I think you have to keep VDO and Motometer pieces seperate, but the whole cluster is a direct swap back and forth.
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robert1700



Joined: 04 Jul 2004
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Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So now I am looking for an engine. Any for sale? I want a good one, looking to pay around 2K for one.
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wazzu70



Joined: 26 Jul 2005
Posts: 838
Location: Issaquah, WA

PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

robert1700 wrote:
looking to pay around 2K for one.


wow, thats a lot.

www.car-part.com had some listed in the NW. You can also call Joe Funk in Portland as he usually has one of everything it seems. You shouldnt be spending much over 1k for a motor
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1984 BMW 325e
1991 BMW 325i
1976 Honda CB400F Super Sport
"The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten"
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robert1700



Joined: 04 Jul 2004
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Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I want a really good motor, I just can not afford a rebuild right now.
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tncean



Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 1652
Location: Chattanooga, Tn.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 4:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unless you know the engine history, be wise to do a head job on a used engine. Most seem to have lots of miles. Would think head re-do, tbelt, hoses, etc, would be under 2k, including cost of used motor.

tncean
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cmcon98



Joined: 13 Nov 2002
Posts: 1844
Location: Boston

PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A two thousand dollar used M20 had better have under 50,000 miles on it. For that much money you could do a very budget-conscious M50 swap. I don't know about in Seattle, but around here (Boston) you can get a good M20 "i" motor with 150,000 miles or so for well under $1000.

If you can find one with lower miles, it may be worth more, but these cars are 20 years old, and I would verify anything purporting to have under 100,000 miles VERY carefully.

Good Luck with your project.
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Bimmerboy91



Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Posts: 126

PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

xcuse the newbee question but, could you put in an s52 engine in an eta car?
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dale



Joined: 22 Aug 1999
Posts: 3087
Location: Seattle, WA USA

PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes
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robert1700



Joined: 04 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think I am going to go all out and put a 850CSI enigne in my car. You only live once, the dreams!
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