My 24v swap (love welcome)

[shiboujin]

Ive never really gotten on R3v much but there seems to be the best 24v knowledge here. So I guess this is also my intro thread.

Anywho, background on the car. Right now its an M20T pushing 7psi on a Saab T3 on a home grown setup using MS1 V3 with fuel/spark. I drift so I love the power.

Im not looking for huge power, Ive just never done a full engine build/swap. I want to do this for my own technical knowledge since I have no classic auto experience/training. Should be fun.

Anywho, the plan! I have an M50B25 sitting in my garage from an E34 so I dont need the oil pump/pan. The down side is that its non vanos. I did read the huge thread on boosting vanos and non vanos and my conclusion was that vanos sacrifices top end to spread out the hp. I figure thats what I wanted for any kind of auto sports.

I am trying to source S50 pistons, rods, crank, etc and turn it into a 3 liter. Also, Im going to use a thicker MLS gasket with some metric blues to slightly lower compression but also to allow me to run more boost. The turbo im thinking of using is an HX40 but I am open to suggestions. My MS system will be running this thing so I dont care about OBD. The ignition system will be fun to wire tho. My goal with this is around 450whp at 15psi. +-50whp wont make a big difference for me, its not a dyno queen.

My questions to you guys are:
-What head work should I do to prep for boost?
-Plastic valve cover... good or bad?
-I can get a 2.8 liter kit for cheap but is it worth holding out for 3 liters?
-What are the weak spots of the engine?
-I only need e28 M5 engine/tranny mounts to make the engine sit correctly right?
-Anyone know how to do the indv coil packs on MS?

The engine


The car (really old pic)

[Ray Smoodiver]

I can't wait for clanger to see this

[shiboujin]

I can't wait for clanger to see this

Thanks?

[FredK]

Clanger's Dulcolax for gentle overnite relief probably kicked in a few hours ago, he'll probably come to this afternoon.

Anyway...

1. NV vs. Vanos. You do not sacrifice top end with a Vanos engine. The NV engine will feel like the top end is hot because the cams are hotter and also the engine has poorer VE at lower engine speeds because of the lack of Vanos.
2. Do not try to assemble a stock 2.8L bottom end. It is expensive and with all the refresh parts the costs will skyrocket. If you want to mess around with the bottom end, do it for turbo with custom pistons.
3. Plastic valve cover. Good. You can fill the oil from the front of the engine if you rice out the engine bay with a stress bar, and also it doesn't suffer from paint chipping like OBD-I valve covers
4. M5 mounts, regular E30 transmission mounts if you're using an E36 transmission.
5. P.S. Most any question can be answered by searching.

[shiboujin]

I searched for most things but like #4 werent very clear from my reading. I thought the 2.8 liter kit was fairly good. Its only $400 and it comes with everything except rings iirc.

[FredK]

You'll still need

Top end gasket set $150
Lower end gasket set $50
Rings $150 / set
Main and rod bearings $110
Rod bolts $40
Main bolts $14
Lower timing chain
Upper timing chain
Oil pump chain

You're better off getting a completely assembled bottom end.

[shiboujin]

I would get an already assembled bottom end but im trying to get experience doing all this from the ground up. Its going to take me a while but I plan on having everything machined, new gaskets on everything, new parts, etc. I want to be able to eat off this engine when im done with it. No chance of warped anything, no chances of scored cylinder walls, no cracks, nothing.

[FredK]

Ah ok. Well 2.8L then! It's a nice bottom end, isn't too expensive, and has been proven to produce plenty of power when boosted.

[shiboujin]

I COULD find an S50 crank for around the same price as the 2.8 liter kit tho. That would give me 2.9... or I could hold out for all the S50 parts and get that extra 0.1 liter. *shrugs*

[Van Westervelt]

Or, just buy an blown s50 and rebuild that. the m52 has the forged crank though.

[matt]

Be prepared to pay out the nose if you try to put a whole motor together yourself. These things add up.

The #1 piece of advice I have is to put a whole motor in all at once from a reputable wrecker.

[Beej '86 325es]

Be prepared to pay out the nose if you try to put a whole motor together yourself. These things add up.

The #1 piece of advice I have is to put a whole motor in all at once from a reputable wrecker.

boy does it ever add up. $11k and counting...

[devonjordan]

I may have an s50 crank. I should know by the end of the week. PM Me. good luck with your build.

[shiboujin]

lol 11k seems kinda high but im planning to spend big bucks on it. No pain no gain right? It just doesnt seem as good to just drop a motor in and have at it. Im thinking 1-2k range. Im planning on dropping the motor in about this time next year so I have time.

[Farbin Kaiber]

lol 11k seems kinda high but im planning to spend big bucks on it. No pain no gain right? It just doesnt seem as good to just drop a motor in and have at it. Im thinking 1-2k range. Im planning on dropping the motor in about this time next year so I have time.

I think you misplaced a 10.