Cracked head, time for engine swap?

[bimmerobsession]

So after about 2-3 years of work and alot of money I finally got my e30 up and running. Within the last 5 months i have been driving it, I somehow managed to get a hairline crack in my head testing at 160psi compared to 190 from the rest of the cylinders. The leakdown test showed 15%. i wish I had some more time to get some money together, but now that the head is off it requires some attention. I kind of just want to get rid of my m50 non-vanos and start out fresh. I really want an s50, but spending 3k on motor and wiring harness may be out of my price range right now. I have heard of people doing a frankenstein m50/s50 and making about 220-240 rwhp. I don't remember how it went, if it was m50 block with s50 cams and head or the other way around. Can someone point me in the right direction of some threads and any suggestions of what you would do in my shoes would be really helpful. I just want to explore my options If you know of anyone selling a reliable and good compression tested m50/s50 in the northwest i would be very interested in purchasing it in the very near future.

[Funkmasta]

My roommate just wrecked his 7x,000 mile 95 M3... We will be parting it out in the near future, not sure exactly when. It is going to be more than $3k, but with the mileage and my personal intimate knowledge of the car, it will be worth every penny..

[bimmerobsession]

Keep me updated, i'm definetly interested.

Here are the 3 choices i have come across.

New head for the non-vanos m50
Build the non vanos to a 2.9l
S50 swap


For the 2.9l do you need just crank, head and cams from the s50? If anyone here has done it, how much money would i be getting into and what kind of horsepower gains.

[PiercedE30]

Click the link in my sig for a 2.9 build up.
Also, you just need the crank and a set of vanos pistons.

[bimmerobsession]

I'm creating a new thread for a 2.9l rebuild. Please visit here http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...460#post789460

[bostonbmw]

you dont have to spend 3k on an S motor. I got a S52 with 90k on ebay for 1.5k.

[Funkmasta]

you dont have to spend 3k on an S motor. I got a S52 with 90k on ebay for 1.5k.

That is quite a gamble... I would never buy a motor from a semi-legit source.
There is a reason that you got it for 1.5k, if you can point me to the ended auction, I will point out the reason that it went for so cheap.

:D

[bimmerobsession]

Yeah, no more risks for me, I already fucked up and bought too much of a project car for my age and financial situation. Ihave replaced and rebuilt everything but my engine. Now my heads cracked and thats got to go. Sucks that after about 15k, I have little to show and way deeper then I ever wanted to be. Hopefully another year and I will have my beauty all done, progress comes slow as a college student, and the NW chron :).