my m50 swap in progress... pics (no 56k)

[DanGillan]

as i said in the other thread, the reason im here is my m20 threw a connecting rod and blew a half dollar size hole in block at cylinder 1 last sunday. So im quickly going m50. the swap should be done within a week or two, so i will update the thread until then and hopefully compile it into some hack ass write up for all you waffleswaffleswaffleswaffleswaffles's











I have a 92 non vanos complete motor from a 525i automatic wagon. new head 10k ago, 90k on motor, solid everything. m20 came out today and the m50 is on a stand



the car gets a ton of maintenance items like tie rods, power steering hoses, guibo, CSB, etc... and the motor gets items like water pump, tstat and housing, plugs, belt, oil change, etc...

im using my trans (getrag 260) my flywheel, my starter, my driveshaft stock sachs e30 clutch kit and hopefully keeping my built 4.10lsd

all but a couple parts are either in my possesion or on order, i should have everything within the week.



DAY ONE - Jarvis and I drank some beers and prepped the m20 to be pulled in the driveway... only real problem was one of the manifold nuts was so siezed i couldnt take it off with anything. so i pulled the manifold off on the one bank it needed to be taken off and we dropped the whole exhaust like that. i was working on the damn exhaust while jarvis removed most of the wiring harness and did a bunch of various other things to get the m20 ready.




DAY TWO - Car got flatbedded to the shop this morning, we unloaded the car and put the m50 on a stand. I pulled the trans first, then we pulled the m20. I started to prep the engine bay for the swap and pressure washed the bay. (pictures are pre engine bay wash, it looks much better now, im sure i will do it one more time right before the motor goes in becuase it really makes a difference.)





















my old motor mount...



so thats it. i'll keep updating and may have a few questions along the way.




-Dan

[1990m3]

keep up the good work, we've all been there! What are the specs on the motor you're putting in, or is it just stock? How come you didn't go for the s50?

dave

[DanGillan]

it's stock, the reason i didnt go any other route is because i need my car quick (its my DD, im borrowing a car) i knew this motor was for sale locally and cheap, and im doing this right (i.e. buying all necessary replacement parts) but im doing it on a budget. So far everything I have bought has been very inexpensive due to friends helping me out. that's why i didnt go s50. in the future it will be much easier to go s50 once the swap has already been done, so its definately a possibility.

[Mike325]

Dan, let me get that valve cover

[DanGillan]

mike i got one for you to buy, brand new never installed, sandblasted and painted, just needs the ridges sanded. the one on the motor now has some paint peeling. you'd want the other one. buyyyy it. let me know tomorrow.

[Mike325]

Word, thanks.

[DEV0 E30]

Good stuff, and nice sourced M50. That hole in the M20 looks identical to the one on my 89 I picked up, just driver side instead.

[Skafrog]

Wait... You work on cars with your hair styled?

[DanGillan]

i woke up like that :) hungover and unshowered.

[rwh11385]

oh shit, this from someone who felt like growing out of an e30 for a jeep... (haha, i feel in the same boat... no mo fuh raze)


I know a more gutsy e30-m50 would be a fun daily, i just am too cheap to comtemplate it. forunate your engine fucking up encouraged your work

[permit]

Hooray for non-vanosness.

[DanGillan]

i did want to give up the e30, but this will rejuvinate my love for the car, and i sorta decided to keep it and fix it more this summer anyway, so im getting everything mechanical fixed during this as well. the plan is to finish this work which should leave the car in 95% perfect mechanical condition, and do body work and paint this summer when im working full time and have some money to pay for it. this will include a couple necesary body mods, then if there's any money left in the car budget, the basic modding will begin on the m50. i really do owe the m50 swap to blowing the m20 though, i wasnt planning on doing it, but i priced out both options for fixing the car, and not only was the m50 swap cheaper than fixing my m20 but also obviously a better solution in every possible way.

[DanGillan]

Hooray for non-vanosness.

hooray for picking up a complete running m50 from e34, all accessories and wiring harness for $200. im in a rush and on a budget. swapping in an s50 will be very easy after completing this swap.


forgot to mention, ill be ditching the iron manifolds and using the modified OBDII manifolds. nothing like free:)

[permit]

$200? Impressive. You'll be quite happy with that motor until you can get an S50, then all hell breaks loose.

[Ray Smoodiver]

Sweeet, looks good Dan.