Our swap mounts are designed to work with any LS V8. All LS engines share identical external dimensions and mounting bosses, so you can choose an LS1, LS2, LS3, LQ4 or even a Gen‑V LT with the appropriate mounts. The only incompatible variant is the front‑wheel‑drive LS4, which uses a unique bellhousing. On the BMW side, any E9x chassis (2006–2013 E90, E91, E92 or E93) or E8x (1‑Series) can be swapped; there is no “best year” for fitment. Pre‑ and post‑LCI cars use the same subframe and engine bay dimensions, so the choice usually comes down to the condition of the donor car and your personal preference. Make sure to read specifics for M3 chassis as they used a different subframe which require our M3 specic mounts

The overall cost of an LS swap depends on many factors, including the engine and transmission you choose, whether you’re converting an x‑drive car to rear‑wheel drive, and how much of the work you’re able to do yourself. A basic swap built around a junkyard truck engine and a used manual gearbox can be done fairly economically, especially if you’re comfortable handling the labor. At the other end of the spectrum, a fully rebuilt aluminum LS engine, new transmission, high‑end accessories and professional fabrication can bring the total into the realm of a full custom build. Because there’s such a wide range, we suggest watching our “How Cheap can you really LS swap a BMW?” video for a detailed breakdown of budget versus premium builds. The video walks through the major components and their typical price ranges so you can plan a swap that meets your goals and budget.

How Cheap can you really LS swap a BMW??

The stock brake booster connects directly to the vacuum port on the LS intake manifold and functions normally. The factory hydraulic clutch master cylinder can also be retained on manual conversions. For mild builds the OEM brake calipers and rotors are adequate, but high‑horsepower or track‑focused cars benefit from upgrading to M3 brakes or aftermarket big‑brake kits.

We’ve designed our kits to make the wiring as straightforward as possible. The majority of the work is concentrated in one area of the car, the dme box, rather than being spread throughout the chassis. A few additional connections are needed for things like the fuel pump, reverse lights and air‑conditioning, but everything is documented in our step‑by‑step guides and videos.

Links to these resources are available in the How‑To Guides section of our website so you can follow along and get your wiring done with confidence.

Yes, interior functions are almost 100% functional. The items that will not work (depending on the ecu setup) are cruise control, DSC, and accurate ac temperature mixing due to using a clutched ac compressor. Heat, AC, fan control, defrost will all function with correct configuration of ac compressor.

Convertible tops have been reported to work after the swap as well.

OBDII readiness will not be functional. You can code the chassis with BMW tools as you would normally after the swap. Without any coding you will have a brake and traction control light using the Lse9x can box and Holley ecu.

In most cases the stock BMW radiator and electric fan are up to the task. The factory fan is a brushless, variable‑speed unit and the stock radiators are built with a high‑density core, so they handle the heat from an LS engine surprisingly well. There are two heights of factory radiators: turbocharged 335i models use a shorter radiator and fan to make room for the intercooler, while non‑turbo cars have a taller, full‑height radiator. Either can be used with an LS swap, but you can also opt for one of the aftermarket aluminum radiators we offer if you want additional capacity or prefer an all‑aluminum construction.

Yes, but you have two distinct options:

• Keep the x‑drive front subframe. Remove the front differential and axles, then disassemble each front axle so that the stub axles remain in the hubs to hold the wheels. We offer engine mounts for this setup. The trade‑offs are reduced exhaust clearance, slower steering and a heavier front suspension. The larger xi subframe opening does allow more oil‑pan choices (LS3 or F‑body pans as well as the 302‑1/302‑2 pans).

• Convert to a RWD front subframe. This is the recommended path for most builds. Swap in a complete RWD front subframe along with knuckles, control arms, sway bar, struts, tie rods and steering rack and shaft (entire front end). Many of these parts can be sourced from a junkyard for a few hundred dollars. Benefits include better steering feel, more suspension options (for example, M3 control arms) and significantly more space for headers and exhaust. Even after converting, you must use an x‑drive‑specific transmission crossmember because the xi tunnel shape is different.

Whichever route you choose, an x‑drive car cannot retain AWD with an LS engine without substantial custom fabrication; our kits support rear‑wheel drive only.

Currently, No. The x‑drive front differential is built into the BMW’s oil pan and integrates with the engine block. There is currently no off‑the‑shelf oil pan or transfer‑case solution for an LS or LT engine. Retaining AWD would require custom fabrication of a front diff housing and drive system. Our kits are designed for RWD conversions only.

Yes. The GS6‑53BZ six‑speed from a RWD 335i mates to the LS engine using a PMC adapter plate and our mounts. Use an automatic 335i driveshaft; with the engine mounted in the forward‑most position the transmission aligns with the factory automatic location. You can reuse the automatic transmission crossmember or our DCT crossmember with minor adjustment.

Additional notes:

1. 
   Using a 328i six‑speed is technically possible but more trouble than it’s worth. The 328i gearbox is weaker and has different ratios; stick with the GS6‑53BZ or choose a Tremec T56 or TR6060 for higher power levels.
   
2. 
   For the GS6‑53BZ swap, use an automatic 335i driveshaft. For Tremec transmissions, our kit specifies a custom driveshaft length.
   
3. 
   Drift HQ sells the “LS → N54 GS6‑53BZ Adapter Kit.” We also offer clutch and flywheel packages to simplify ordering.
   
4. 
   The PMC kit offers two flywheel options: a 240 mm flywheel for stock‑style clutches and a 184 mm flywheel for multi‑disk clutches. Pair the 240 mm flywheel with a 550i or 335is clutch for a factory‑feel pedal; choose a twin‑disk setup for high‑power builds.
   

We also offer crossmembers for Tremec T56/TR6060, 4L80E, 6L80E, TH400 and other transmissions; contact us if you plan to run a different gearbox.

The E9x uses a saddle‑style fuel tank with a returnless system that runs 72 psi fuel pressure. When you swap an LS engine, especially at higher power levels, you need to consider pump control and fuel delivery

See our Lse9x Fuel System Tech Page

The BMW Footwell Module (FRM) controls the reverse lights. Run a wire from the manual transmission’s reverse‑light switch (or a programmable ECU output) to Pin 19 of connector X14261; when this pin sees ground, the FRM turns on the reverse lights. Cars originally coded as automatics must have the automatic transmission option ($205) removed from the vehicle order and all modules recoded as a manual so the FRM accepts the ground signal.

See our LSe9x Reverse light wiring guide