Easiest Swap

[The Dark Side of Will]

I agree my "old school" brutha! lol I have a secret to tell though, I rode in a M50 (Kadunza) swap car today and I am still cleaning the giz out of my pants. But if the info I have found is correct the m30 has about 30hp more than a stock m50, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Well I was looking at a b20 M50 not a b25 so the hp numbers are about the same, nvm.

Yeah, the M30B35 is 210 HP stock and 220ish torque. The M50B25 is 192 HP stock and IDK torque (170ish?). The 24V is easier to mod as it has more unused port flow than the M30.

Also, the S50US and S52 are both 240 HP.

[Bullhead]

why not build a stroker m20, and not the 2.7l do a 3.0l-3.1l or even 3.2l??

I have a couple friends that wanted me to do a swap, and I didn't for a few reasons...

My main reason was why go thru the headache of trying to figure things out (wiring, etc.), for a whole 10-15HP more, and also end up possibly having a hacked up looking engine bay like "most", (not all) I've seen?

Another reason is everyone seems to be so quick to swap, does anyone know how to build their own power anymore?

Sure maybe I spent a little more on my 3.1L stroker than most are wanting or willing to spend on an m20 but I did so for a reason, you take an m20 out, and essentially put it back in...just much better than before.

Well honestly I like the idea, but everyone has said to junk the 200 head and I am listening because this seems like people have tried to make power with it and it's just not a good power maker, it reminds me of those nasty 350 sbc smog heads now lol. I would also like to stress that I am not out for 250+hp. I would like to get around 175hp and 250ftlbs and I think I would be happy as a lark. Me and forcedfirebird have been chatting and I think he has tuned me into a good option to keep me happy for a long time. I will pm him again to ask if I can relay the information he shared with me out of respect or maybe ask him to stop in here and tell you guys what he told me.

[shadowracer]

why not build a stroker m20, and not the 2.7l do a 3.0l-3.1l or even 3.2l??

I have a couple friends that wanted me to do a swap, and I didn't for a few reasons...

My main reason was why go thru the headache of trying to figure things out (wiring, etc.), for a whole 10-15HP more, and also end up possibly having a hacked up looking engine bay like "most", (not all) I've seen?

Another reason is everyone seems to be so quick to swap, does anyone know how to build their own power anymore?

Sure maybe I spent a little more on my 3.1L stroker than most are wanting or willing to spend on an m20 but I did so for a reason, you take an m20 out, and essentially put it back in...just much better than before.

[Bullhead]

Don't let em talk you into that new-fangled garbage! (whispers) m30………

Getrag 240's from early 318i's are a dime a dozen and bolt right on to the m30 and are reported to hold 300 torques. And if you use the 240 with your m30, you can just use your stock driveshaft.

I agree my "old school" brutha! lol I have a secret to tell though, I rode in a M50 (Kadunza) swap car today and I am still cleaning the giz out of my pants. But if the info I have found is correct the m30 has about 30hp more than a stock m50, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Well I was looking at a b20 M50 not a b25 so the hp numbers are about the same, nvm.

[Ether-D]

Don't let em talk you into that new-fangled garbage! (whispers) m30………

Getrag 240's from early 318i's are a dime a dozen and bolt right on to the m30 and are reported to hold 300 torques. And if you use the 240 with your m30, you can just use your stock driveshaft.

[uturn]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M50

You might want to go here

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=129

[Bullhead]

Now is the m50 the newer engine that's in the E36 M cars? I think I'm right, I do not want a vanos engine, well I don't think I do cause that stuff can get expensive if it breaks I would think.

[uturn]

I would say M30 but manual transmissions are getting harder to come by. M5x is the smarter choice now.

[iceman]

^Yeah if I had bought my car with an m20 in it, I would have just upgraded that. I think if you are going to take the trouble to swap, I recommend you go for an M5x because it is easier to maintain, more reliable, plenty powerful, affordable, and more efficient.

For maintenance, the m5x doesn't need valve adjustments, there is no distributor to wear out, no timing belts to change, and replacement sensors are usually cheap.

M5x motors can be pretty cheap, I got a clean m50b25tu for $300.

Other than that, they are more efficient than the m20 or m30. They use full sequential fuel injection, wide band oxygen sensor, maf sensors, dohc, and vanos.

[E30NJ]

Keep it original, put another M20 in it.

[Ether-D]

I feel ya. Mine goes down for a month sometimes for augmentation. It's been down a solid ten days now just waiting for a head gasket n such. But I have a 4runner also.

[Bullhead]

This is the natural progression.

Yeah Ether I am thinking this will be my best route, if I still had my truck I would already went balls deep some way with this lol. I am just so scared to do anything where the car won't be ready by the end of the next day.

[Ether-D]

Honestly I may pick something up on the side (like an m30) and piddle with it till my m20 dies as well. I can pick up a hole m30 at my local PaP for $120.

This is the natural progression.

[Bullhead]

Yeah, that's basically what I came up with. Being in CA though, I'd like a legal swap if I were to do one at all, but i'll just run the M20 until it dies and decide what to do then.

Honestly I may pick something up on the side (like an m30) and piddle with it till my m20 dies as well. I am seriously thinking about the 885 and 1.1 1.3 deal but I think I may just save up for the m30 swap later on. I mean I could scoop everything I need for the 885 deal pretty reasonable but I am not one to slap a head back on a vehicle without getting it cleaned and a valve job done to it (I am picky as heck on heads, my pet peeve or down fall). So by the time I have the 885 swap ready I would prob have close to the same $ invested because I can pick up a hole m30 at my local PaP for $120.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Roger that, I was also thinking M30 because it has a nasty fat torque curve having the extra displacement. I like torque on the street.

M30 is what I did.