S50 Vs. S52

[avery0829]

I offically found a buyer for my R6 and its time for motor shopping. I have found an S50 (info from CL ad) 60,000 miles, with auto trans, ECU, harness and was pulled from a wrecked M3 for $2500. Sounds like the miles are a little to low maybe for being a 95. Anything else good to ask or check out about it?

Found an S52 for also $2500 came from an auto 97'. Still in car to drive and hear run. "includes all accessories/various engine bay items, DME, etc"

I'm looking to do my swap for as little as possible, without going to cheap. I'm leaning towards the S50 because of not being OBD1. But I hear about them having some sort of Valve problems? Any other info or things I should know or look at would be appricated.

Also I would like to cut costs down by using my G260 just becasue I know it works great. Or is it worth it to use the Zf? I have one and an E30 M3 drive shalf but that would require me to get a new rear end which is more dollars..

Thanks.

[FLYNAVY]

I can't really offer a comparison as I've only driven cars w/ s52, but of note, the s50 does have OBD1. Common swap for the s52 folks who don't want the later OBD2 and associated equipment. I'd suggest going with whichever motor you can find that is in the best condition.

[Mossman]

I think I would lean towards the one you can hear run, and would say the same whether the motors were switched. 60k is uber low and probably means the person is lying, so who knows what else they're fibbing about. Unless he can provide a carfax or something on the vin I wouldn't trust the mileage.

OBD1 is definitely a bit easier but if you have access to the whole car then you could get all the stuff necessary to fool EWS, or just get EWS flashed out of the chip I think the tuners are doing that these days. To convert the S52 to obd1 would require basically a whole parts motor, (harness, dme, crank, cam and coolant sensors, maf...intake mani... a lot of stuff.

Sorry for useless post, in closing I would say 1st choice S52 staying obd2 if you think you can make it work, 2nd choice coin flip between more work and parts sourcing for the s52 or s50 that you never get to hear run first.

[e30s50dan]

You want to fast or faster. Lol. I just installed an S50 and it was uber easy. Also check to the date of the S50 10/95 will have the better valve retainers. Good luck

[Adrian_Visser]

Converting to OBDI isn't all that hard. You don't need a whole parts motor at all and there are lots of people here and on bimmerforums selling the OBDI conversion parts for fairly cheap. I spent about $500 all in on OBDI conversion hardware for my s52.

[e30s52]

If you want a full swap I will sell you everything out of my car. PM me.

[avery0829]

Wow, thanks for all the good info other then the typical search noob post.

Since this would be my first real swap I would not like to have THAT much of a learning curve doing OBD1 on the S52, I know I could do if I really wanted to and had that much more money.

I'm going to call the guy about the S50 and see what he says.

[BimmerScreamer]

I have driven both s50 and s52 swapped cars, yes the 52 has some more mid range torque but in the end their is just something about the s50 I love, I am now working on a S50 swap of my own.

For the record both cars could keep up with my e46 m3

[e30s50dan]

See if you can get a leakdown test on the S50. Post here. Don't forget to check the date also. When I bought my S50 the first thing I did was a leakdown. Turns out it sucked. Pulled the head had it rebuilt and installed new gaskets. It runs and pulls strong

[FLYNAVY]

I have an OBD1 converted S52 in my car and love it. Might do a blower at some point, but otherwise it is all that I think I will ever need in this little car. DO IT :)

[etxxz]

you have about another 1.5L of displacement on the s52. (its like 3150cc, not 3200) anyways, If you can get all the electronics with this motor you are golden. Rear this thread for wiring and needed components to keep it obd2.

http://r3vlimited.org/board/showthread.php?t=100950

If you get the s50, know its a motor that only came in 1995 so sourcing internal parts if you need in the future is harder. All electronics (even the ecu) you can swap with all the 325is (obd1 6cyl e36's). s52>s50. If you conver the s52 to obd1 then you have a badass powerplant. If you keep the s52 obd2 and swap to obd1 intake manifold you'll have an equally badass power plant. Either engine is a badass engine for our e30's.

[Danny]

Never driven an S52 but I love my S50.

[FLYNAVY]

Yeah, I mean people complain about them "not being real M motors" but you will not know the difference when it is in your little light e30. Well, maybe you would if you have driven an s50B32 or s38b36/38 powered e30 :)

[Adrian_Visser]

you have about another 1.5L of displacement on the s52. (its like 3150cc, not 3200) anyways, If you can get all the electronics with this motor you are golden. Rear this thread for wiring and needed components to keep it obd2.

http://r3vlimited.org/board/showthread.php?t=100950

If you get the s50, know its a motor that only came in 1995 so sourcing internal parts if you need in the future is harder. All electronics (even the ecu) you can swap with all the 325is (obd1 6cyl e36's). s52>s50. If you conver the s52 to obd1 then you have a badass powerplant. If you keep the s52 obd2 and swap to obd1 intake manifold you'll have an equally badass power plant. Either engine is a badass engine for our e30's.

Badass indeed. But it is only .15L bigger not 1.5L ;) I wish it was 1.5L bigger though

And like you said the OBDI swap isn't that hard to do just a few more things to grab which can come from any U.S. m/s5x

[jrdeamicis]

Just buy the S50. It Comes with everything you need.

The .2 isn't worth it. Really. A bump in gearing is significantly better. Run a 3.46 with an S50. Drop some weight. And you will be shitting grins.