328XI Manual Swap

cooperolson · 12-13-2021, 02:08 AM

328XI Manual Swap

Intro
Hello! and welcome, I have recently completed a manual swap on my 2011 BMW 328XI

During this I found it hard to find information on people who had done the swap and answers to many questions I had, Throughout this thread I hope to help anyone who would also like to do this crazy idea! This is more of an information write up than a step by step guide as people a lot better than me have covered that portion! Links below!

Misconceptions
-to start, there is no need to buy a manual trans harness or ECU. Reusing pins from the auto shifter and some extra wire will do just fine. Feel free to pickup a manual harness if you want to go the extra mile! You will need a reverse switch connector however. On the AWD variants there is no trans support bracket it is supported off of the transfer case mounts, and since the trans goes straight into the transfer case there is no need to swap diffs or driveshafts. You will have slightly higher gearing at 3.91 however, but that just means faster acceleration! as a reference my gearing is about 2.5K at 60mph in 6th gear, its a little short in my opinion however acceleration feels great and makes it worth it in my opinion. Everything works 100% cruise control works amazing and there are zero dash lights. Since the auto trans has coolant lines run through it you can either replace the cooling system with one from a manual, or opt to simply cut the trans cooler lines and cap them off which is what was done to my car.

Basic Info
The links I will post below are incredible resources and will be essential. "Vehicular DIY" on YouTube did a complete swap on his 335I and this is what I used as a basis for understanding this job. Everything was completed the way he did in his videos and it worked almost perfect, the only issue was with coding. He used MHD however N52 doesn't get MHD. We got around this by just reflashing the DME over and over until finally the coding stuck and the dash lights went away. I didn’t end up doing the work myself as I didn’t have the time or a lift but a shop near me completed it. During this swap REALOEM is your best friend. Double check every part on there before purchasing to make sure it will fit your car!

Parts List *Double Check REALOEM Before Ordering*
Transmission Parts
-Transmission-Used 66k Miles-Came with Slave cylinder, shift arm, clutch pipe
-D4 ATF (2 Quarts)
-Drain Plugs (2)
-Reverse Switch-ACDelco-PT2164
-Shift Arm-Came with trans
-Slave Cylinder-Came with trans
-LUK Flywheel-DMF082
-LUK Clutch kit-03071
-Clutch Pivot-21511223328
-Bolt (4) (Trans to TC)-23001434694
-ASA Bolt (2) (Trans to TC)-27107534238
-Trans Bolt Set (Trans to Engine)-23000392607
-Flywheel Bolts (6)-11227520706
-Pressure Plate Bolt (6)-21207548052

Clutch Parts
-Pedal assembly-Came with gas pedal, brake and clutch, master cylinder (Check if clutch switch comes with)
-Clutch Switch
-Clutch Hose-21521163714
-Firewall Grommet-21521163894
-Firewall Grommet-21526863043
-Clutch Line repair Kit-21521165451
-Clutch Line-21526788924
-Clutch Hydraulic Line-21526864477
-Clutch Pipe-21526765790
-Cruise Control Clutch Line-61116911072
-2L OEM Brake Fluid

Shifter Assembly Parts
-ZHP Shift Knob-339106TCKU5UQ8PF
-BMW MPerformace Shift Boot (Alcantara)-25110435847
-BMW Shifter Arm-25117527704
-BMW Shifter Arm Bracket-25117539193
-Tuner Motorsport Delrin Shifter Carrier Bushings
-Tuner Motorsport Poly shifter arm bushing
-BMW Self Locking Hex Nut-07119905949
-Rubber Boot-25117524167
-UUC EVO 3-USSE335XI-Standard

Gaskets/Maintenance
-URO Parts Shift Rod Joint-25117580281
-Clutch Hydraulic line Grommet-21521164603
-Crankshaft seal-11117587168
-Input Shaft Seal-23117531353
-Shift Shaft Seal-23117531360
-Output Shaft Seal-CC-23117539262
-TC Input Shaft-CC27107539262
-TC Input shaft-27107609202

Helpful Links
-

(Swap done by Vehicular DIY on YT)
-https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1160923 (Info on all Diff ratios)
-https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1444584 (View MattBlue3er’s post, includes his parts list
-https://www.e90post.com/forums/attac...9&d=1512322037 (Mattblue3er’s parts list)
-https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1207505 (Swap done by another forum member, includes his parts list, wiring diagram, and other helpful info, note its for a RWD so some parts will be different)

Was it worth it?
-By following Vehicular DIY my car is 100% OEM, everything works as it should and I have been loving this swap for the past 5 thousand miles. With all the memories and time I have put into this car I found this to be the “smartest” option for me. Driving has never felt better, the shifter feel is absolutely amazing and I couldn’t be happier, I have absolutely zero regrets! Feel free to reach out to me with questions!

Photos

ome91 · 12-14-2021, 11:56 AM

That's a beautiful car! Great job on the swap as well, I've been considering buying a very clean low mileage auto 128i to swap a manual transmission into as well. People have done it and I'm very tempted to...

cooperolson · 12-15-2021, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omer_has_a_bmw

That's a beautiful car! Great job on the swap as well, I've been considering buying a very clean low mileage auto 128i to swap a manual transmission into as well. People have done it and I'm very tempted to...

Thank you! Good luck! If you end up doing it let me know! That would be a very fun car

chris_flies · 12-16-2021, 09:24 PM

Great work! I did the same to my 2012 328i wagon. Bought in May this year, started working on it in June, and had the proper transmission by the end of July after some shipping snafus with the dealer I bought some parts from. I've meant to do a write-up on it, but alas time has escaped me.

cooperolson · 12-17-2021, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Great work! I did the same to my 2012 328i wagon. Bought in May this year, started working on it in June, and had the proper transmission by the end of July after some shipping snafus with the dealer I bought some parts from. I've meant to do a write-up on it, but alas time has escaped me.

Wow beautiful car! Happy to see someone else that has done the swap!

whyzee125 · 12-17-2021, 10:14 AM

That car is CLEAN! Nice swap!

DTK · 01-06-2022, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Great work! I did the same to my 2012 328i wagon. Bought in May this year, started working on it in June, and had the proper transmission by the end of July after some shipping snafus with the dealer I bought some parts from. I've meant to do a write-up on it, but alas time has escaped me.

Beautiful car! Would love to see more photos and read about the swap.

Runnin'Rich · 01-06-2022, 07:19 PM

Well done on the swaps. Props for documenting for others

Cooperolsen your wagon looks great! Are those over size tires?

cooperolson · 01-07-2022, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runnin'Rich

Well done on the swaps. Props for documenting for others

Cooperolsen your wagon looks great! Are those over size tires?

The blue wagon is Chris_flies!

Thanks for checking out my thread!

andy727 · 02-02-2022, 02:45 PM

Very nice! I just bought a 2011 e91 328xi and would love to swap a manual into it. Thanks for this post.

cooperolson · 02-08-2022, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy727

Very nice! I just bought a 2011 e91 328xi and would love to swap a manual into it. Thanks for this post.

Im glad you found it useful! PM me if you have questions. I highly recommend Mattblue3er’s parts list as well as my own, linked above.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/attac...9&d=1512322037

Terry3 · 02-10-2022, 12:43 PM

What's total cost for those parts you purchased for the swap?

rjaudi · 02-12-2022, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry3

What's total cost for those parts you purchased for the swap?

My RWD swap was about 3500 including replacing the radiator and hoses.

e90yyc · 02-18-2022, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry3

What's total cost for those parts you purchased for the swap?

About $3500 CAD. That included a lot of new parts, but some used parts where it made sense.

Mine was a 2007 328xi.

DTK · 03-14-2023, 02:37 PM

I'm the buyer of the Arizona 2010 E91 on BAT. After searching for nearly two years, I finally pulled the trigger and plan to pay to swap in a manual transmission before considering other upgrades over time.

Can anyone recommend a highly capable shop in/near Phoenix, Dallas, Denver, or Tennessee? I have a few leads from monitoring these boards over the years, but now the project is upon me! Thanks for your perspective over that time and for any recommendations.

bimmerboy8688 · 10-05-2024, 11:36 AM

hey man i did a manual swap into my 328xi,i need to reflash,can you explain to me what you used to reflash to manual?

12-13-2021, 02:08 AM	#1
cooperolson Private 67 Rep 50 Posts Drives: 2011 328XI Join Date: May 2020 Location: Minnesota iTrader: (0)	328XI Manual Swap 328XI Manual Swap Intro Hello! and welcome, I have recently completed a manual swap on my 2011 BMW 328XI During this I found it hard to find information on people who had done the swap and answers to many questions I had, Throughout this thread I hope to help anyone who would also like to do this crazy idea! This is more of an information write up than a step by step guide as people a lot better than me have covered that portion! Links below! Misconceptions -to start, there is no need to buy a manual trans harness or ECU. Reusing pins from the auto shifter and some extra wire will do just fine. Feel free to pickup a manual harness if you want to go the extra mile! You will need a reverse switch connector however. On the AWD variants there is no trans support bracket it is supported off of the transfer case mounts, and since the trans goes straight into the transfer case there is no need to swap diffs or driveshafts. You will have slightly higher gearing at 3.91 however, but that just means faster acceleration! as a reference my gearing is about 2.5K at 60mph in 6th gear, its a little short in my opinion however acceleration feels great and makes it worth it in my opinion. Everything works 100% cruise control works amazing and there are zero dash lights. Since the auto trans has coolant lines run through it you can either replace the cooling system with one from a manual, or opt to simply cut the trans cooler lines and cap them off which is what was done to my car. Basic Info The links I will post below are incredible resources and will be essential. "Vehicular DIY" on YouTube did a complete swap on his 335I and this is what I used as a basis for understanding this job. Everything was completed the way he did in his videos and it worked almost perfect, the only issue was with coding. He used MHD however N52 doesn't get MHD. We got around this by just reflashing the DME over and over until finally the coding stuck and the dash lights went away. I didn’t end up doing the work myself as I didn’t have the time or a lift but a shop near me completed it. During this swap REALOEM is your best friend. Double check every part on there before purchasing to make sure it will fit your car! Parts List Double Check REALOEM Before Ordering Transmission Parts -Transmission-Used 66k Miles-Came with Slave cylinder, shift arm, clutch pipe -D4 ATF (2 Quarts) -Drain Plugs (2) -Reverse Switch-ACDelco-PT2164 -Shift Arm-Came with trans -Slave Cylinder-Came with trans -LUK Flywheel-DMF082 -LUK Clutch kit-03071 -Clutch Pivot-21511223328 -Bolt (4) (Trans to TC)-23001434694 -ASA Bolt (2) (Trans to TC)-27107534238 -Trans Bolt Set (Trans to Engine)-23000392607 -Flywheel Bolts (6)-11227520706 -Pressure Plate Bolt (6)-21207548052 Clutch Parts -Pedal assembly-Came with gas pedal, brake and clutch, master cylinder (Check if clutch switch comes with) -Clutch Switch -Clutch Hose-21521163714 -Firewall Grommet-21521163894 -Firewall Grommet-21526863043 -Clutch Line repair Kit-21521165451 -Clutch Line-21526788924 -Clutch Hydraulic Line-21526864477 -Clutch Pipe-21526765790 -Cruise Control Clutch Line-61116911072 -2L OEM Brake Fluid Shifter Assembly Parts -ZHP Shift Knob-339106TCKU5UQ8PF -BMW MPerformace Shift Boot (Alcantara)-25110435847 -BMW Shifter Arm-25117527704 -BMW Shifter Arm Bracket-25117539193 -Tuner Motorsport Delrin Shifter Carrier Bushings -Tuner Motorsport Poly shifter arm bushing -BMW Self Locking Hex Nut-07119905949 -Rubber Boot-25117524167 -UUC EVO 3-USSE335XI-Standard Gaskets/Maintenance -URO Parts Shift Rod Joint-25117580281 -Clutch Hydraulic line Grommet-21521164603 -Crankshaft seal-11117587168 -Input Shaft Seal-23117531353 -Shift Shaft Seal-23117531360 -Output Shaft Seal-CC-23117539262 -TC Input Shaft-CC27107539262 -TC Input shaft-27107609202 Helpful Links - (Swap done by Vehicular DIY on YT) -https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1160923 (Info on all Diff ratios) -https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1444584 (View MattBlue3er’s post, includes his parts list -https://www.e90post.com/forums/attac...9&d=1512322037 (Mattblue3er’s parts list) -https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1207505 (Swap done by another forum member, includes his parts list, wiring diagram, and other helpful info, note its for a RWD so some parts will be different) Was it worth it? -By following Vehicular DIY my car is 100% OEM, everything works as it should and I have been loving this swap for the past 5 thousand miles. With all the memories and time I have put into this car I found this to be the “smartest” option for me. Driving has never felt better, the shifter feel is absolutely amazing and I couldn’t be happier, I have absolutely zero regrets! Feel free to reach out to me with questions! Photos
	Appreciate 10 Leucosticte317.00 mike512440.00 E92_William1415.00 chris_flies3036.50 whyzee1251986.00 4 Doors1179.50 Donethat372.00 andy7279.00 3PedalJake3310.00 Fritzer957.50 Tweet Quote

12-14-2021, 11:56 AM	#2
ome91 Private 27 Rep 70 Posts Drives: '07 E91 328xi Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: Somewhere in Toronto iTrader: (0)	That's a beautiful car! Great job on the swap as well, I've been considering buying a very clean low mileage auto 128i to swap a manual transmission into as well. People have done it and I'm very tempted to...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-16-2021, 09:24 PM	#4
chris_flies Sideways and Smiling 3037 Rep 2,860 Posts Drives: In Exuberance Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Rosamond, CA USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 BMW E91 328i [0.00]	Great work! I did the same to my 2012 328i wagon. Bought in May this year, started working on it in June, and had the proper transmission by the end of July after some shipping snafus with the dealer I bought some parts from. I've meant to do a write-up on it, but alas time has escaped me. Attached Images __________________ 2012 BMW 328i 6-Speed Wagon \| Deep Sea Blue with Grey Dakota Leather \| Manual Swap, 330i Intake + Tune, 3.15 Helical LSD, Öhlins R&T (SOLD) 2009 BMW 128i 6-Speed Coupé \| Monaco Blue with Black Sensatec \| chris_flies' 128i thread
	Appreciate 2 4 Doors1179.50 cooperolson66.50 Quote

12-17-2021, 10:14 AM	#6
whyzee125 Brigadier General 1986 Rep 4,005 Posts Drives: Dinan stage 2 335i Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Chattanooga Tn iTrader: (0)	That car is CLEAN! Nice swap!
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01-06-2022, 07:19 PM	#8
Runnin'Rich Second Lieutenant 132 Rep 204 Posts Drives: 2009MY E91 328Xi 6MT Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: British Columbia Canada iTrader: (0)	Well done on the swaps. Props for documenting for others Cooperolsen your wagon looks great! Are those over size tires?
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02-02-2022, 02:45 PM	#10
andy727 Registered 9 Rep 4 Posts Drives: e91 2011 Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Dallas, TX iTrader: (0)	Very nice! I just bought a 2011 e91 328xi and would love to swap a manual into it. Thanks for this post.
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02-10-2022, 12:43 PM	#12
Terry3 Private First Class 130 Rep 121 Posts Drives: All the E9x Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: NC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW 328I E91 - ... [0.00] 2009 BMW M3 E90 [0.00] 2008 BMW 328i E90 I ... [0.00]	What's total cost for those parts you purchased for the swap?
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03-14-2023, 02:37 PM	#15
DTK New Member 6 Rep 8 Posts Drives: Audi A4 (B6) 1.8 TQ 6-speed Join Date: Dec 2021 Location: Memphis, TN iTrader: (0)	I'm the buyer of the Arizona 2010 E91 on BAT. After searching for nearly two years, I finally pulled the trigger and plan to pay to swap in a manual transmission before considering other upgrades over time. Can anyone recommend a highly capable shop in/near Phoenix, Dallas, Denver, or Tennessee? I have a few leads from monitoring these boards over the years, but now the project is upon me! Thanks for your perspective over that time and for any recommendations.
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10-05-2024, 11:36 AM	#16
bimmerboy8688 Registered 0 Rep 1 Posts Drives: 328xi Join Date: Oct 2024 Location: toronto iTrader: (0)	hey man i did a manual swap into my 328xi,i need to reflash,can you explain to me what you used to reflash to manual?
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