[coz_mo]

Has anyone ever done a complete rwd swap on an XI before? I don't mean xdelete, or remove front driveshaft. I'm talking about swapping motor, trans, subframe, etc...

Reason I ask, is because I have a damaged rwd manual 328i that I would like to use as a donor for a cheap clean car with mechanical problems or something. Rather than fixing my current car.

I've found an 09' 328xi automatic with high kms and a few problems but clean body. Are the XI chassis physically different? Would everything bolt up?

[Soravia]

NO.
You won't be able to mount the transmission. The mount bracket to body are totally different.

Just keep the transmission with transfer case. Swap everything forward of the transmission as a whole unit. Call it a day. Most of the xDrive weight is from front axles (steel) and front spindles. Spindles are cast iron and heavier than the steel axles!

If you have a fabricator you can Fab a transmission mount but that's a pipe dream.
Or just get a RWD, they are plenty. Even as auto. Now swap is easier and you can take advantage of engine out to replace every single gasket and hoses that leak or break

[pelon222]

I'm Kinda in the same boat, I have a broken front subframe, and I can get another one off of a RWD pretty cheap along with a oil pan. Wondering what else I would have to do

[FREE90]

RWD Transmount bracket is different. Only the passenger side bolt holes match, would have to either drill through the floor pan and put bolts or fab the X drive mount and Rwd mount together. The driveshaft is different, RWD shaft is longer since there is no transfer case on back of RWD trans. Shift cable is easily swapped from being on passenger side on AWD to drivers side on RWD. Rear differential flange for the driveshafts are also different on the awd and Rwd. Those are just the problems I’ve ran into so far.

[STGE92]

Rarely do I ever create an account to post something on a forum but I felt the need to as I attempted this swap this weekend for my own personal car, just so that there is a straightforward answer for anyone in the future interested in doing it. I did it on my 335i which was AWD Manual, I won't be able to speak for those with an auto but for manual it works.

You will need to change the following for it to work: Strut Assembly, Both Control Arms on either side, Steering Rack, Steering Column (Bottom Section that bolts to the steering rack), RWD Subframe, Oil Pickup Tube, Oil Pan, Power Steering Lines (Specifically from Pump to Rack) , Wheel Hubs (The seat for the strut is different, as well as the mounting points for the control arms and steering rack.) Plastic Heater Hose (Runs along the bottom of the subframe, you can retain the AWD one but it will not bolt up as the RWD hose bolts on the top of the subframe while the AWD bolts on to the front.)

Note that you will have a bunch of extra bolts, you will also need to source two extra bolts for both sides of the RWD subframe that is secured in the frame rail as the AWD only has 4.

As for the Transmission and the Transfer case, I removed the halfshaft and disassembled it to both stubs and bolted back in one to stop any leak should it arise from being removed. I also removed the connector for the transfer case.

You will lose DSC and ABS functions from this swap, lest you get them coded out but thats for user preference/whatever the purpose is for your car. Other than that in my application the car still works as intended and for me, I can now go M3 Control Arms in the future, gain more sway bar options, and have more coil-over options. Not to mention i get rid of the god awful Xi Steering Ratio.

Finally, for all who talk about the feasibility for this swap money wise, I'm in South Florida, there's an E92/E90 335i in the junkyard every other week, you can easily walk out with almost every part listed for sub 500 dollars, which isn't enough for a semi-decent entry level coil for AWD. Took me a weekend to complete this swap with help from friends and its a great time to do much needed maintenance that normally is foregone because of the work load, such as Oil Pan Gasket and Bushings. (Also if you're down there I recommend changing the water pump while you're at it.)

Hope this helps out someone else in the future.

[AWD Addict]

Just leave it awd and turn on dtc. Too much headache butchering a working system

[oVeRdOsE.]

Originally Posted by AWD Addict

Just leave it awd and turn on dtc. Too much headache butchering a working system

depends on what you're looking for. having a aluminum front subframe, no TC, no front diff , will decrease the weight of the car, and some says if help a lot with handling.

Here most E90 are Xi and most people do the simple way :
- xDelete app to disable the TC and code the errors out (abs and tractioncontrl will remain, but front wont throw codes) : 250$
- remove cv axles 0$
- remove the front drive shaft. 0$

way cheaper, can be done in a afternoon and the drivability difference wont be that different as the full swap, unless you are in pro lapping.
yes the transmission still can hold ton of power, yes you can do donuts. I know few folks with 335 with serious TT upgrade or even 6466 ST setup.


for the automatic guys, Bimmer Barn (youtube) did the swap xi to i. He explain every steps. But he had a donnor car...