IE 3.0 L stroker kit - any good/worth it?

[nando]

yeah, he told me that the 328i rods were a bit stronger as well, but that the S50 ones I have will be okay. if I didn't already have them I'd probably look for a set of the 328i rods.

[Sean]

yeah, he told me that the 328i rods were a bit stronger as well, but that the S50 ones I have will be okay. if I didn't already have them I'd probably look for a set of the 328i rods.

Yea, I found a short block - but I don't wanna spend $400 shipped on a short block if I'm only gonna use rods, unless I could resell the crank and pistons. Hmm.

I think S50 rods would be strong enough - I mean the damn things take like 400 hp + in teh S50's with superchargers and whatnot.

[Madhatter]

The euro crank has the same sized mains as the US engines (60mm), but the rod bearings are 50mm instead of 45. So, as long as you use euro motor connecting rods, you should be OK.

The problem is the larger euro rods are way too long in length to use them. The m50/m52/m54 motors have rod combinations which can be used but they have the smaller bearing sizes. You simply just cant run a rod longer than 135mm in the eta block, you sacrifice too much metal when it comes to piston design to make it all fit within the block.

M54 330i crank has a similar throw as the 3.2L M3 motor, the reason for the lesser capacity is they only run a 84mm bore.

[Madhatter]

U use the M52 crank with S50B30Euro pistons. u can uses the M52 rods, but u need 2 get offset small end bushes. Or u could use M40B18 rods, which r 3mm longer, and u don't need offset bushes. Cause whne using the S50B30Euro Pistons, they have a dish in them, and u need 2 cut them down 2 make a nice high CR... with the longer rods u can cut them down 2 a flat top piston, which would give u around 10.5:1 CR... Another trick for a higher CR is 2 cut the pistons out the block, but cause of the head design and the fact that u can pretty much only get a 84mm gasket... u have 2 chamfer the sides in 1mm 2 fit inside the gasket... It works well.

Actually spoke 2 a guy 2day. For when I build my race motor... Gonna make me a 324td crank, and weld it up 2 94mm, with a built up block... (sort of a custom long block) and 86mm pistons... Gives u a 3.3lt M20... Sounds cool with about a 12:1 CR that would be a rocket on the track

Thats not exactly ideal, but you can get away with it.

206.7mm - (89.6/2) + 135mm = 206.7mm - 179.8 = 26.9mm. You dont really want to run a piston with less comp height than 28mm, too little metal on the crown.

its not good enough to simply get them to fit into the block, you need to think about what weak points you are inducing by reducing the amount of metal available.

I dont know who you have been talking to, but if you think you can weld up a crank to 94mm, you had better speak to someone who knows that they are doing, you are simply not going to build up 10mm. With offset grinding you are going to find increases of 2mm, maybe 3mm at best.

[525_M20]

What about Metric Mechanic's 3.2?

Hi guys,

I haven't posted in a while, but I've been considering either an Ireland kit or a Metric Mechanic 3.2. I think MM also uses the longer-stroked M3 crank. Not sure which rods they use. I confess I don't know much about ratios, so are you saying that the MM ratio would not be ideal? I'm assuming that the result of a less than ideal rod ratio would be a less rev-happy engine?

Thanks,

Mark

[JJGBMW323]

they are almost definitely lighter than M20 rods

as far as longer, heavier rods vs lighter, shorter rods, I'd go with the lighter ones in that case. with an 81mm crank, your R/S really isn't going to be that bad, but using a heavier rod with a better R/S in search of higher RPMs isn't going to work.


and on the original topic of this thread, now that I have pretty much everything together, I've pretty much concluded that the IE kit is definitely not worth it. Including my crank, MM pistons, rods, and every tiny detail part (bolts, washers, o-rings, gaskets, freeze plugs etc), plus extra things like the IE billet AFPR (which is VERY nice btw), a new ICV and a new oil pump, my stroker will cost about the same as IE's kit which only includes the basic peices (and you have to use your old rods).

Yes its not worth it. They give you a new crank, but their is nothing wrong with an old one.

Yea, I found a short block - but I don't wanna spend $400 shipped on a short block if I'm only gonna use rods, unless I could resell the crank and pistons. Hmm.

I think S50 rods would be strong enough - I mean the damn things take like 400 hp + in teh S50's with superchargers and whatnot.

S50 crank, s50 rods, and custom pistoms are great in the m20.
This Is what I will build someday.

I have both the 81mm knife edged 524td crank and 86mm s50 one.
My 2.8 uses the 81mm 524td crank with the 325i rods and forged "I" Metric mechanic pistons.

Hi guys,

I haven't posted in a while, but I've been considering either an Ireland kit or a Metric Mechanic 3.2. I think MM also uses the longer-stroked M3 crank. Not sure which rods they use. I confess I don't know much about ratios, so are you saying that the MM ratio would not be ideal? I'm assuming that the result of a less than ideal rod ratio would be a less rev-happy engine?

Thanks,

Mark

Mark, The problem with the s52 crank used in MM 3.2 engine is that you need
both custom rods and forged pistons - so that is very pricey for both of these items.

[Sean]

Hi guys,

I haven't posted in a while, but I've been considering either an Ireland kit or a Metric Mechanic 3.2. I think MM also uses the longer-stroked M3 crank. Not sure which rods they use. I confess I don't know much about ratios, so are you saying that the MM ratio would not be ideal? I'm assuming that the result of a less than ideal rod ratio would be a less rev-happy engine?

Thanks,

Mark

Even the S52 crank with S52 rods (135mm) is still revvable due to the lightweight pistons, rods and pins.

There's more to it than ratio.

The longest rod humanly possible with the 89.6mm stroke crank is the 138mm rod MM makes - at least that's the most that's ever been done.

[525_M20]

Thanks all,

I will most likely go with an MM setup if and when I rebuild. I've also been looking at a supercharger, since I'm running a nice set of RD headers. Maybe a lower compression MM engine. For now, though, my poor bimmer is serving as a field mouse breeding ground. I was really steamed when I found the nest. My folks took it out of a nice heated garage about a month ago...and now this happened.

Sorry for the rant, and thanks again for your input on MM.

[Sean]

Thanks all,

I will most likely go with an MM setup if and when I rebuild. I've also been looking at a supercharger, since I'm running a nice set of RD headers. Maybe a lower compression MM engine. For now, though, my poor bimmer is serving as a field mouse breeding ground. I was really steamed when I found the nest. My folks took it out of a nice heated garage about a month ago...and now this happened.

Sorry for the rant, and thanks again for your input on MM.

Fin rats!

Can you do a low compression MM engine? I didn't think they made CUSTOM pistons outside of the ones listed in their brochure?

[525_M20]

I'm pretty sure MM does make custom pistons. There was an article in European Car Magazine a while back about a guy who had MM build him a custom turbo M30 engine with 7:1 compression. So I would think it's just a question of how much.

I just cleaned out my car yesterday...no more mice!!! It fired right up after storage. Needs a new battery soon.

Mark

[JJGBMW323]

I'm pretty sure MM does make custom pistons. There was an article in European Car Magazine a while back about a guy who had MM build him a custom turbo M30 engine with 7:1 compression. So I would think it's just a question of how much.

I just cleaned out my car yesterday...no more mice!!! It fired right up after storage. Needs a new battery soon.

Mark

I think they can make custom pistons, if not Weisco can...
Its just a question of what CR ratio you want and what you are trying to do.

I was kinda of hoping the talk of a afforable supercharger for the M20 would pan out....

[Sean]

I musta been mistaken then. Hmm. Interesting.