engine and drivetrain M20 Swap Tranny Question..

[turboninja22]

Ok so I am about to get my m20b25 swap from a 1991 BMW 325i it comes with the getrag 260 5speed. The guy at heritage told me to get the getrag 245... It's cheaper and less work to swap in the o2 and he sells the kit to swap it... before I tell my friends at the dismantler to get me the getrag 245 5speed instead of the 260 5speed.... I would like to know what people on here think... I am reading that the 245 won't Mate to the later m20??? What should I do?

[AceAndrew]

I would trust Heritage over a public message board for one. Jason knows his way around an M20 swap, he's probably got a 323i front section to swap onto the 245. It's the same way I'm doing it.

[turboninja22]

Ok so the guy at the the junk yard has a 83 getrag from the 320i it looks like a 2 piece? So your saying I can get that tranny and change the bell housing with the 323i so that it can mate to the m20 from the 89-91 ?

[AceAndrew]

No, 2 piece case is not the Getrag 245.

It's going to look like "A" in the below picture.

[turboninja22]

Ok so I get "a" and it won't mate to the m20 unless I put the bell housing from the getrag that came in the 323i correct? Aaaaahhhh my brain hurts hehe

[AceAndrew]

Haha, yes. In general its the same tranny with different front sections (one for M10 and one for M20).

[turboninja22]

Ah! I get it!!!!! Thanks man I will pursue this option

[Robotin]

this sounds super easy... but arent 323's rare? so its not you can go pull 1 from your pocal pick your part.....

or is it?

[morfiya]

In my honest opinion when you commit to the m20 swap you are also commiting to fabrication ,i went with the 260 and used the stock driveshaft,yeah i cut the tunnel and did some weilding,but comes with the swap

[AceAndrew]

I disagree. If done with care I believe the swap can be done without body modification. Time will tell of course.

[Blue02]

Isn't there a 5 speed version of the 242 that was

in the 323i that bolts to an m20?

[danco_]

Isn't there a 5 speed version of the 242 that was

in the 323i that bolts to an m20?

 I want to say there is. Does anyone know if they came in a specific year e21 323i? Say 1981-1983?

[tim385]

Yes E21 323i 81-83 most Australian and Euros had 5 speeds , Id expect the same in the US, Maybe you got a mix of 4 speeds and 5 speeds.Id assume the 5 speeds would be in the later ones rather that the earlier E21s.

[AceAndrew]

Ok, your not answering quite what he was asking.  He's asking if the M20-patterned Getrag 242 (2 piece case) as opposed to the M20-patterned Getrag 245 (3 piece case) was available in a 5 speed configuration.

To the best of my knowledge, no, the M20 Getrag 242 did not come in a 5speed.