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Due to a hard knock in the engine of this 1996 BMW E36 328, it was time to swap that old engine out for a new one. What normally is a German-powered BMW E36 is now powered by Ford with an all-new American heart transplant. That’s right, stuffed deep inside this BMW’s engine bay is a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine. We’re beginning to see more of these swaps happen in a variety of vehicles as the engine ages and they become available in the used parts market. It puts a smile on our faces and warms our hearts to see a Ford swap instead of the “LS Swap The World” mantra that has been so popular in recent years.
In the first video the car is at Granite State Dyno in New Hampshire receiving a tune. According to the YouTube description, everything was custom fabricated for the swap except the drive shaft and the Ford Racing engine control unit (ECU). The second video, which can be found below, shows it making several passes at New England Dragway.
The entire build has been documented on BimmerForums in great detail with plenty of photos. Also installed on the BMW E36 was the Ford Coyote Controls pack, as well as a TR-3650 transmission, clutch setup and starter out of a 2002 Mustang GT.
According to the owner, the most difficult part was the driver’s side header. With no other choice, he installed a Tri-Y, the most common header used on Coyotes, and used every square inch of space making it one tight fit.
Custom engine mounts, custom headers, a modified oil pan and more went into making this swap happen.
While at the shop, the BMW was getting tuned. On the dyno it threw down 336 hp and 347 ft-lbs of torque. At the drag strip it looks like the car managed a best of 13.50. While we know Coyote powered Mustangs have gone faster, we also know this is a great start, and the car likely feels much stronger when driven. Some advice from the owner, “Remember, you need to modify the oil pan, move the bottom of the steering column, and build your own headers. If you can do those three things making mounts is the least of your problems.”
With Coyote swps becoming increasingly popular what non-Ford do you want to drop Ford’s high-tech V8 into? Tell us below.
