S50 Block with M50 Head, WHAT DO I NEED

[devonjordan]

I am building an s50 block but have no head. I found an M50 head, but it has no internals. What should I use as far as cams, valves, springs etc.

I also found an S50 intake cam, Ive heard swapping this to exhaust side is an upgrade, but what intake cam would I use. I would probably be buying schrick.

Thanks for helping with my noobiness, just trying to learn.

[FredK]

Vanos or Non Vanos head?

[golde30]

wanna spend alotta money? or on a budget? my vote is some stock s50 cams, titanium dual valve springs + retainers, fresh new hydraulic lifters...

[devonjordan]

Not on a super tight budget, as its an at my leisure swap, just hoping to be done befor may next year. Gotta be ready for the fest.

Its a vanos.

[matt]

my advice? Buy a whole motor, running.

Too many little tiny pieces to buy. Have you priced valves?

24x$12 for cheap ones. Springs 24x$10, retainers, perches, cams, gears, chains, a whole damn VANOS unit, intake manifold, wiring harness...

A $3000 S50 is sounding a lot better now, right?

Or find a whole M50TU and use the head and accessories and manifolds and such off that... they are the same aside from the cams.

[matt]

PS I did my swap basically the way you're starting... I regret every month I wasn't driving my car (about 9), and I regret every extra dollar I spent on it (probably $3k).

[1990m3]

what matt says is true -- I bought an s50 with matching trans, harness, and DME for $3k. It all came out of the same car with the same mileage and of course, eliminated the messing around off building a frankenstein motor. Basically plug and play...basically

[So Live]

So you wouldnt do it if you could take a s50 block that needed say... pistons (i know... but assuming everything was actually good) you wouldnt buy the motor for $500. and good custom pistons for a total of around $1300 and then you could buy a M50 head for a few hundred and the s50 cams for a few hundred. Then you get the head checked, surfaced, valve job and some porting for another 500.

So youve got a better than stock us s50 for less money. you could put more money into it and actually have a fresh motor and youd still be at or around the stock s50 price.

Why the hell not?! Dude, if you honestly go through and REALISTICALLY price everything out (dont forget bearings and bolts and seals and all the little stuff) and you can do it for even the same ammount of money why not have a better US s50? i would if i had some extra money to through around. Too bad im in college and spent about $1600 on my shitty non-vanos m50 (just the motor) :)

[devonjordan]

Yeah, I got a complete block with pistons and e34 M50 pan pickup etc. for 500 buck. I didnt really want to pass it up @ the time.

Im in college too, but luckily live @ home with the parents. I also have lots of hookups for parts and stuff so I have never been that worried about the cost of things.

I guess I will continue the waiting game.

SoLive, where can I get some nice pistons for $800, I had a set of stock 20 overs @ 700 but they got sold too quick for me to jump on them.

Also, does anyone know how to Identify CP pistons?

[ptownTSI]

living at home with the parents and driving an S50 e30 still means you're living at home with the parents.

[devonjordan]

Ive got no problem living at home with the rents.

[matt]

Must be a california thing...

[golde30]

Must be a california thing...

it is, b/c rent is rediculous. shit, i still live with the rents, a 1 bedroom apt in SF is like $1500...living w/parents, $500.

[So Live]

little less: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-M...spagenameZWD1V

Little more:

http://www.vacmotorsports.com/cgi-bin/view_item.pl?item_id=566

Id say try wiesco for custom pistons. Im pretty sure i remember custom m20 pistons being around 700.

great deal btw. if you wanna get rid of it... :)

[WillisE30]

Ive got no problem living at home with the rents.

Fuck anyone who tells you different, living at home was the shit. I still miss it, except that is when I bring some random girl back to my place.:D