n00b m20 build!?!?!?!?!

[depape]

hey guys, im new to the e30 scene (in the market for a 325ix-is)

and ive been looking around and trying to learn as much as i can about getting some more power out of a m20.

ill be using this car for the track/rally-x/(possibly stage rally latter on), so im leaning towards N/A since turbos seem to have heat problems.

i dont want to get to crazy.... and it looks like i want to do a 2.7 stroker.

so i have a few questions:
1) approx. how much would it cost to do a 2.7?? and what would be the best way to do it.

2)what are the best aftermarket companies for the e30 (m20)... (headers, exhaust, chip, cams etc....)
and what are the best "bolt on" mods. (this seems self explanatory :( )

3) is there a company that makes ITB for the e30????

thanks and please let me know anything usful :)

[Mr Deagle]

i have always wanted to use that

[euroshark]

hey guys, im new to the e30 scene (in the market for a 325ix-is)

and ive been looking around and trying to learn as much as i can about getting some more power out of a m20.

ill be using this car for the track/rally-x/(possibly stage rally latter on), so im leaning towards N/A since turbos seem to have heat problems.

i dont want to get to crazy.... and it looks like i want to do a 2.7 stroker.

so i have a few questions:
1) approx. how much would it cost to do a 2.7?? and what would be the best way to do it.

2)what are the best aftermarket companies for the e30 (m20)... (headers, exhaust, chip, cams etc....)
and what are the best "bolt on" mods. (this seems self explanatory )

3) is there a company that makes ITB for the e30????

thanks and please let me know anything usful

1: Not sure of cost, but I think you will need a 2.7 bottom end with 2.5 "i" pistons and head. I have a 2.7 bottom end for sale :)

2: There are so many options... Seriously. Check out www.bmw2002.com and www.flyingbrickperformance.com

3: Yes, Jenvey I believe still sells a kit but it's damn expensive! BMP sells a kit as well, and it is also damn expensive!

You could spend a lot less money and swap in an M30 engine. Even stock the torque will be tremendous compared to an M20, and the power will be decent. If you remove your AC system, you will wind up weighing about the same since the motor only weighs 57lbs more. I am super biased though ;)

[depape]

"You could spend a lot less money and swap in an M30 engine. Even stock the torque will be tremendous compared to an M20, and the power will be decent. If you remove your AC system, you will wind up weighing about the same since the motor only weighs 57lbs more. I am super biased though "

i was thinking about doing some type of swap.. m30 s50 m50 w/e.... but wasnt sure if it would work with the 4wd of the 325ix?!?!

i have always wanted to use that

i have been...but for a m20 n00b everything is so damn confussing.....

i found some post's that explaind a good bit, but im still confussed about all the options in building a 2.7, can anyone let me know exactly whats all involved.

thanks alot in advanced!

[mrsleeve]

I got a stock 2.7 crank in great shape 100 plus actual shipping. If you want it

[jrabbit]

use a super eta bottom end with i head, thats the easiest and cheapest way to go.

[depape]

use a super eta bottom end with i head, thats the easiest and cheapest way to go.

is that all i need??
can some one explain exactly what a eta bottom end is and an i head or e head etc.

whats the eta and i exactly stand for. i saw something about seta too?!?! this is whats conffussing me, i dont know all the abbreviations stand for and what not....:(

sorry for the trouble, and thanks alot!

(from what ive read too... it seems that a swap can be easier and/or cheaper to go with a swap... my biggest problem is getting it to work w/ a 325ix..... :( :( )

[depape]

what if i got
81mm "e" crank (would 84 mm cost that much more??)
86mm MM pistons
e36 m3 rod (135mm)

ok so here are my simple questions...

1) is "e" and "i" just the denotation of the model e30 it came from ( i feel kinda stupid if it is.. i thought it stood for somthing else :( )

2) could i use a 84mm crank w/ what i have listed above?? or would i HAVE to get a londer rod.

and is that all i need (except for the pins and what not) is it basically a bolt on thing?!

sorry if im annoying you guys with my "newbie" questions im just trying to get everything straight.

thanks alot in advanced!!

[nando]

you can use the 135mm rods with the 84mm crank, in fact that's what BMW uses. the metric mechanic stroker that uses the 84mm crank has it's own rods though, I think they are 138mm. but if you get forged pistons you can have them made so you can use any length rod you want (within limits).

and no, an M30 swap or S50 swap isn't all tha realistic in an ix, nor is it a bolt in. and dare I say it, but x50 swapped E30s are kinda boring IMO.

[SA E30]

M30 swap would make a pretty nose heavy car for circuit racing purposes... as even more weight is in front of the front axle.

[depape]

ya im def not doing a swap...
im just trying to figure out info about a stroker, and ive been reading alot more old post and talked to a few guys and starting to understand all the lingo better.

i think im going to go with a 2.7or 2.8 for $$ purposes... now i just need to figure out exactly what i want to do, and how much its gunna cost.

[wazzu70]

Because no one else has answered yet, "e" motors/heads came from the early 325e cars and they were considered high efficiency motors (hence eta designation). These motors had a longer stroke than the "i" motors that came later which is why people use cranks from them for a stroker. the head/valve springs/cam from the "e" is different than the "i" as the head does not flow as well, and the springs are not made for higher RPM (redline is around 4500). The "i" motor is the more performance orienated motor which had less of a stroke to make it more rev happy. The head and valvetrain on this motor was also designed for more performance and the double valve springs allow for a wider rev band.

Hopefully this clears a little of the confusion if you havent found the info elsewhere.

[depape]

ok after reading a bunch of threads and from what you guys have said i pretty much understand the basics....

so for a 2.8:
e crank
custom 85mm-86mm pistons (MM)
i rods (135mm...)
+ the 325 engine (i head)

and i should be good right?? (thats pretty much all ill need .. except for seals and what not)


or i could just pay the $1800 from ireland engineering and get there 2.8 or 2.9 (forgot what they offered) "kit"

[nando]

I would stay away from the IE kit. you can do much better putting your own together.. plus they only offer 85mm pistons, which require far more cylinder wall clearance (which means you will burn oil), and they are still an interference design. also because of their design, you can't run as much timing advance (hell, even a stock chip was too much for Dave Length's cabby).

if you stick to the i rods and e crank, you can do it pretty cheap even with MM pistons. but be sure to have the proper machine work done (having the rods and crank checked over, balanced, etc).

[depape]

ok, sounds good..... should be getting the car soon, and the "project" should start there after. (so using 86mm MM pistons would work ok with the above setup?)