S38 automatic ?

[X-ray]

Hi I have I 91 735ia and I am going to have a engine swap in the next year or so and I want to do something unique. and was thinking of the engine from e34 M5 (S38) 3,8 I know it will fitt in my car and so on, yet I dont want to have the car with a manual transmission and I was thinking if you guys knew if there is an automatic trans wich I could use ?

Regards X-ray

[azale]

An m5 engine with an auto tranny is definitely unique but maybe no one has responded to your thread because they think it is a bad idea (or maybe because you're new). Getting a tranny to fit might be easier than getting it to last.

If you want an automatic so bad why would you get the s38 with 310hp instead of th '95 750 V12 with 322hp? That should have plenty of power and should come with an automatic made for it. But it woudn't be unique. To do that you might want an '03 760 V12 pushing 438hp and a 6sp auto. Now that should turn heads at stoplights.

The problem there would be to find tires that would last :)

How much do you want to spend?

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

Try the S38/M88 or E34 M5 group at Yahoo! groups. Auto S38 has been done, but IMHO autos are better with torquey engines unless they have 5 or 6 gears to keep a screamer like the S38 "on cam".

[emw525E34]

Putting a V12 in a E34 will make it very front heavy amongst other things.

On the auto tranny side, the prop shaft will need to be sourced or custom made. Thats very difficult to engineer to the right precision and strength to handle the torque of the S38. Actually the auto box may have a torque limit thats less than the S38 peak torque.

I read that Alpina could not find an autobox for the E39 M5 thats why they did not use the M5 V8 engine but used a bored out 540 engine instead. So may explain a few things...

[shragon]

it's been done: http://bmwe34m5.com/registry/HTMLFiles/KenHuang.htm

[RockJock]

it's been done: http://bmwe34m5.com/registry/HTMLFiles/KenHuang.htm


OMG ..... the horror! IMHO, total sacrilege...

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

OMG ..... the horror! IMHO, total sacrilege...


The horror indeed.

"Super Happy Racing Club" :)

[azale]

X-ray has a 7 series.

Maybe this should be moved to the 7 series forum.

[Dan in NZ]

Easier just to get a 750... They're so cheap these days that you could probably pick one up for about the same price as an engine swap, then keep your 735 for spares or sell it. Better yet, sell the 735 while it's still running, and get a 750. Wouldn't cost much, and a 750 is still a unique car, could even add a supercharger or something if you wanted to make it extra special.

[Kalevera]

I don't know where you are in the world that supplies of the 3.8l S38 are plentiful and inexpensive; as others have said, it doesn't make much sense....


But, it would work. Trans might not last too long, but...


best, whit