Transplant a diesel engine in a petrol car, is it possible?

[alex 1993 525i auto]

Hi experts of engine/driveline swap,

I'm wondering if I could buy a diesel engine with its driveline, exhaust, etc. A donnor diesel car then, like a salvaged diesel car and transplant the engine + everything needed in my 515i that is in the process of cylinder head job (by me, cyl. head removed but still sent to have it fixed).

Well I might just finish my head job, but I'm curious if it could be done. I'm in no rush, I don't need my car now so it might be my 2011 project if do-able. I guess one problem would be to find a wrecked diesel BMW in North America... or could it be done from a non-BMW donor car, like VW or Mercedes or ???

I like trouble I guess... but I love my old 525i and I'd like to get those 40-50 mpg and still decent ratio of torque/weight + power/weight that newer diesel VW, BMW,and Mercedes Blue-Tec engines can get without changing my e34 body.

[Paul in NZ]

524tds ftw

[whiskychaser]

Sound idea if you pick a newer diesel. I'd steer clear of anything out of an E34 though. From what I've read on the UK sites, the 525 diesels are no better on fuel than the petrols and are more expensive to repair

[genphreak]

An e34 bay will take almost anything. A V8 diesel truck engine, from some GM shouldn't be too hard- I've seen a few older GM V8s in e34s, perhaps even LS1s have been done by now. There are many diesel ones... get twin turbos if you want economy and you'll be laughing. Feinately need a 540i driveline though- the big diff and rear end hardware will be a must.

[alex 1993 525i auto]

Does the donor car need to be RWD? I was thinking of VW, like Passat 2009-ON, because those are easy to find in North America, only VW seems to see that they can sell those clean-diesel cars here... (they represent 33% of VW sales in Canada for 2010). I don't miind replacing diff. and so on as well, I want a damn 'locked' diff. for God sake, it pisses me off so much to see one of my two drive-wheels not moving while the other is free spinning when I'm stuck in snow... Well why not upgrade my e34 to a 4WD then, well we'll see.

And no way a diesel engine earlier than 2004 will get in there if I do that transplant, I prefer pay more for parts/donor car + take more time and be happy with it for the next 15 years. I will take time to learn and shop to get the cleaner, less fuel-thirsty and better torque/power vs weight ratio compromise I can get. It will cost me let's say 3 grand, be a project for this year, but my 18 years old car in the end will drive with 5-6 L/km (40 mpg) on highway, while being quite powerful and still a very good looking classic car.

Thanks all for the infos above, please post more info if you know please.

[Paul in NZ]

just match the trans with the tourque...for instance my 120d has more tourque than my 535,so at a minimum i would use 535 drive trains for a 2 litre turbo diesel...I dont know if the 525s use the same gearboxes etc as a 535,but 535 drivelines (except maybe the gearboxes?) would be available.You may need to find the highest geared rear end possible(ie 540).My 120 is geared WAY higher than my 535sport.In 5th my 535 is turning 2300 at 100 km hr,whereas my 120 has a 6th gear and turns 1700 rpm at 110 km hr

[alex 1993 525i auto]

just match the trans with the tourque...for instance my 120d has more tourque than my 535,so at a minimum i would use 535 drive trains for a 2 litre turbo diesel...I dont know if the 525s use the same gearboxes etc as a 535,but 535 drivelines (except maybe the gearboxes?) would be available.You may need to find the highest geared rear end possible(ie 540).My 120 is geared WAY higher than my 535sport.In 5th my 535 is turning 2300 at 100 km hr,whereas my 120 has a 6th gear and turns 1700 rpm at 110 km hr

Thanks,
That's why I'm considering buying a salvaged car to transplant everything needed. It look to me that I gonna have to transplant engine, trans, diff and all driveline, computer, main harness. Nice work to come!

Please direct me to a link or someone with this kind of conversion if anyone has infos...

[Paul in NZ]

if you using e34 surely you will want to stay RWD...thats half the appeal of them,so nicely balanced and neutral ,unlike most FWD cars which feel like they are turning them selves inside out as soon as cornering speeds/forces start to rise.

[alex 1993 525i auto]

Transplanting BMW M57 (530d) engine in petrol car body - TorqueCars car forums

Unfortunately I can't find the end of story...