Is the S50/S52 swap really worth it

[I8UR911]

I'm building a M42 stroker right now (2.0L, 11:1 comp. ratio, 279/274 cams, supertech valve springs, lightweight lifters, pnp headwork, 19lb injectors, lightweight flywheel and potentially itb's). Doing it because no one does these, already done a S50 swap and the balance of the 4 cylinder is so much better than a heavy 6 (cough, cough, e30 M3, cough). The motor I'm building should rev to 7500-8000 rpm and will make 180whp in a 2400lb car.....that'll be pretty quick :) .....maybe faster than some S5x cars?????

Do whatever floats your boat. Anything you do can be easily reversed if done right the first time.

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[jdirty]

i love the balance of my m42 e30 but the oil pan clearance is fucking terrible on a lowered car. As dumb as it might sound to some people, that's pretty much one of the reasons i'm planning to do an m54b30. lightweight 24v and a slightly better oil pan clearance.

[Wanganstyle]

Wait, so can we have some input from people running an S50/S52 on a track? Which is the better motor, S50 or S52? All this talk about S2Ks vs swapped E30s in straight lines is totally boring!

Newer bigger better all day.

S50 is band aid patch in the 1995 lineup


Our car is a m50; it gets pulled on by e30's with m30 swaps in the straights. My grocery getter e36M is the practice car with a stock s52

the e30 with me did 2:15 in lemons enduro traffic on practice tires at bwillow.


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[robgoesvroom]

Wanganstyle, I'm down to head to the track with some other E30s! Post a thread in the California section or something.

Have you driven a swapped E30 at buttonwillow yet? How many seconds faster is it compared to an M20? One of the S52 E30 racecars here in socal is running sub 2's already!

Not worth bringing out the e30 to a public street; id have to wear a helmet to prevent getting a concussion. I'd also have to wear a HANS lol rofl

If you want to come try chasing it on track ill invite some r3v folks to the next shakedown open day befote thill sept.



Ours somehow magically can pass 2 wheels off track at Buttonwillow in the slalom or talledega on the outside. ....with outside tires on dirt.... managed to run a 2:15 in severe traffic on practice tires :)

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[robgoesvroom]

Wait, so can we have some input from people running an S50/S52 on a track? Which is the better motor, S50 or S52? All this talk about S2Ks vs swapped E30s in straight lines is totally boring!

[mulletman]

This thread is making me want an S50 even more. I don't need a ton more power, just a bit.


And a 6-speed.

[achtunge30]

The real question is...Is an S50/S52 swap with Cams worth it? ;)

[matthugie]

In my opinion the torque and power delivery is much better than any engine originally offered in the e30, and that includes the S14. This isn't a slight to the S14, but the torque and broad power band of the S52 make it easy to drive, especially when not flogging it. I also think the additional power really brings the car alive.

[jwiles]

Good thread, this def talks about the elephant in the room.

[NickL]

I don't think the M20 even compares to an S52. My car is so much more fun to drive now, it feels like a completely different car. Go drive an E30 with an M20 and then get out and drive an S52 swapped car, I guarantee you'll decide on the spot. Im not knocking the M20 whatsoever because its a fantastic motor, but it doesn't compare to the S52 in an E30 chassis.

[nando]

I was dead set on a s50/52 swap but this thread is really making me rethink that. Kind of bumming me out.

why? because some people are happy with 90bhp M10s? :p

[scbmw017]

To dillon7....Honestly, it sounds like if you don't skimp on the install you should have a pretty good car and it really depends on whether or not you want to keep your e30 for a while. If you can do those things then I think the s50/s52 swap is really worth it.

At first I was also turned off by wanting to do the swap but when you sift through all the responses it really depends on what you want out of the car and how much you want to spend.

[M-technik-3]

Enjoyed mine. Honestly for street use with 65 mph speed limits it's fine in my area.

[dillon7]

I was dead set on a s50/52 swap but this thread is really making me rethink that. Kind of bumming me out.

[36brua]

that is being remedied already, my car no longer rubs after i took off the spacers, Spencer is going back down to 215/40/17 soft tires. i dont seem to remember any1 being behind me when i was doing 120 through the shasta mountains..

You sure your speedo is correctly calibrated ?:p
and that is where I got my first speeding ticket a long time ago