Walter Araya found this post at R3V. The original thread is worth reading for pics and follow on Q/A
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(updated and functioning URL)
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/phpBB/v...ic.php?t=33173
Submitted by Dale Beuning on Fri, 2006-12-15 08:29. Firstly, all ‘i’ motors use a crank position sensor on the front of the crank, all ‘eta’ motors (super-eta may be an exception) use the 2 reference sensors mounted in the trans bellhousing.
Also, don’t try pulling the transmission apart. Most of the shops in this area won’t even try to dig into one because you can pick one up at a salvage yard anytime for $300 or $400.
There are a couple of issues using an '86 325e manual transmission in an '89 325i car.
Identify which trans you have early ‘eta’, late ‘eta’, or ‘i’:
a) early ‘eta’ trans (1983, 1984, 1985 manufacture dates?)
i) 260.0.1270.90 is on the side of the ‘eta’ trans
ii) shifter mounting about the output flange is only 2xM10 holes for the 84,85,86 style plate mount shifter
iii) deep bellhousing : Slave cylinder mounting flange = 6 7/8
iv) 2 drilled holes for crank position sensors
v) smaller output flange
b) late ‘eta’ trans (1986, 1987, 1988 manufacture dates?)
i) 260.0.1270.90 is on the side of the ‘eta’ trans
ii) shifter mounting about the output flange has 2xM10 holes for the 84,85,86 style plate mount shifter, AND top boss for the aluminum bracket of the 87-91 style shifting mechanism.
iii) shallow bellhousing : Slave cylinder mounting flange = 6 1/2
iv) cast boss for 2 drilled holes for crank position sensors, may or may not be drilled
v) larger output flange
c) ‘i’ trans
) 260.0.1346.90 is on the side of the ‘i’ trans
ii) top boss for the aluminum bracket of the 87-91 style shifting mechanism.
iii) shallow bellhousing : Slave cylinder mounting flange = 6 1/2
iv) no cast boss in bellhousing for reference sensors
v) smaller output flange
If you find your ‘eta’ 260 trans has the deeper bellhousing, you can correct for it by using a thicker throw-out bearing. Sachs P/N 21511204525 is a 30mm bearing and will make up the difference.
If you use the driveshaft/guibo that came with the transmission you’ll be fine,
the differential end of the driveshaft is the same on all the 6cyl E30s.
There is an early style Guibo(110mm)[26-11-1-225-624] and a late style Guibo(96mm)[26-11-7-511-454], cutover date is 5/86 for end of 110mm, 6/86 is start of 96mm.
6cyl manual driveshaft length 1483mm.
All 3 versions have the same gear ratios:
1 3.83
2 2.2
3 1.4
4 1
5 0.81
Note: If you’d like to use an older version of the 260 with the early style
mounting boss instead of the newer style ears, the E30 M3 came with an adapter
to mount the new style shift carrier to the older style mounting boss.
View it at RealOEM.com