Tell me about m30 swaps

[Garageaholic]

Correct you are Jon.

BMW used the M30 for a LONG time, over which time it did evolve to larger displacements, and higher output.

I think the runner up for production run would have to be the M10.

That said, when it comes to the M30 swap for me.. I just don't like those motors in e30's. If for no other reason you are ripping out a much newer motor for one designed in the late 50's early 60's. That folks is old technology.

well the B52's were designed and built in the 50's and are still used religiously today

[rwh11385]

that comment was stupid.

i'm with jordan. it's like installing a 8trak player in your car.

besides, you can get a torquey engine without adding weight to the car, and running stock mounts, everything with a stroker. . . . who needs a huge heavy dinosaur engine?

[Mot]

Have you guys ever ridden in M30 swapped E30's? What do you guys notice? Anything different?

I rode in a 91 325iS with a 3.5L m30 swap. Wheels spin through first and second, Pull hard as hell though. Id rather learn how to drive my e30 first tho. M30 makes stupid TQ for an e30 tho..

[var1ant]

Once again a thread asking about something turns into a shitfest of motherfucking said something. Thanks r3v!

[Garageaholic]

All I'm saying ......is that Alpina didn't make the B6 for no reason. It's a 6 second 0-60 and only 3000 pounds.

[E30/M30]

M30s arn't high tech by any stretch of the imagination but they are a cheap upgrade/swap with more torque and power compaired to an M50 which i guess is more expensive to buy, not to sure on prices over in the US though ?

Each to thier own............

[george graves]

M20 vs a m30b35? You guys keep brining it up. Am I missing something?

Both Motrontic 1.3
Both have 2-valves per cyl
Both single overhead cam's
Both inline 6's

Where is this *huge* leap in technology for the m20?

I don't see it...


...

[rs4pro3]

if anything the newer M30's are more advanced, as some got electronic throttles and trannies.

[rwh11385]

Id rather learn how to drive my e30 first tho. M30 makes stupid TQ for an e30 tho..

nooooo that's a hoooorrrible idea :roll: :roll: just m30 swap it ASAP and then turbo it when you can!!!!11

[klrskies]

I have an US spec. M30 and they are low compression " green" engines with low compression and less than 200 HP but good torque. Good for tubo, but have you seen how tight it is trying to fit a turbo'ed M30 into an e30? Add the 150 lbs (or more with turbo and intercooler) of extra weight and you'll be wishing you had that engine pushed back to position 3.

A modified (275+H.P.) N/A M30 in position 3 would be intresting....but their not cheap to build either.

I came to the conclusion that a tubo'ed M20 is plenty for the e-30 chassis with out the hassle, added weight, fabrication work, and expense of doing the M30 swap unless it's Modified for more power, and placed in Position 3. I'm question how much the extra weight would hurt a track/autocross car.

[george graves]

M30 swap adds so much weight (400 pounds) that you can't drive the car anymore...

And I don't lie too much either....

....

[klrskies]

I think it's hard to get overly excited about big, heavy, 2 valve engines that struggle to make 75 HP / Liter when 4-valve technology, alloy blocks, and improved electronic and mechanical technology is available. It's expensive now, but the cars utilizing it will come down in time and we'll capitilize on it when it does. It's natural evolution. But the best will always be the most expensive. Look at the S54 for whats evolved out of our little M20. I think we've got a pretty good package now that responds well to mods and turbocharging and it's relatively inexpensive and easy and fun.275-300 HP is obtainable and alot in our chassis.

[Bimmerfanatik]

I think it's hard to get overly excited about big, heavy, 2 valve engines that struggle to make 75 HP / Liter when 4-valve technology, alloy blocks, and improved electronic and mechanical technology is available. It's expensive now, but the cars utilizing it will come down in time and we'll capitilize on it when it does. It's natural evolution. But the best will always be the most expensive. Look at the S54 for whats evolved out of our little M20. I think we've got a pretty good package now that responds well to mods and turbocharging and it's relatively inexpensive and easy and fun.275-300 HP is obtainable and alot in our chassis.

I agree in part with what you're saying here, but there's something to be said for the "no replacement for displacement" argument. Granted, it's going a different route to get some extra horses (displacement over technological advances like DOHC, 4 valves per cyl, etc) but I can find an e32 735i, in good running shape, for under 1k if I look hard enough. Sell a few parts off the car, and I've got everything I need for not a whole lot of beans.

And furthermore, I'm a sucker for period correctness. Our cars were made from 84-91, and should display technology that came from that same era (yes, the M50 was developed and used in Europe as early as 1990, but there was never a factory nor factory supported e30m50, whereas aftermarket supertuners Hartge and Alpina both found the M30 to be quite a potent powermill.)

My car has SOHC and 2 valves per cyl. If I can add an extra litre of displacement and with a few mods almost 100 extra horsies, all while sticking with a similarly equipped motor, I've got a period-correct swap and a whole lotta fun. :)

Besides, this would be for my street car, the cabbie, and all I really want to do is nasty burnouts ;) The track car will live solely on an m20 drivetrain, more than that is a waste.

[Brew]

M50>M30 in almost every way. I've said this before, but the M50 swap is much simpler, there is much more aftermarket, it is smoother, lighter, gets much better gas mileage, and fits well in the engine bay.

That said, if you're going to do an engine swap, do it right the first time with a S50. Obviously more expensive, but WAY more potential than any other reasonable (read: not S38 or S50b32) BMW-engined swap.

[Bimmerfanatik]

M50>M30 in almost every way. I've said this before, but the M50 swap is much simpler, there is much more aftermarket, it is smoother, lighter, gets much better gas mileage, and fits well in the engine bay.

That said, if you're going to do an engine swap, do it right the first time with a S50. Obviously more expensive, but WAY more potential than any other reasonable (read: not S38 or S50b32) BMW-engined swap.

I agree about going S over M the first time, but maybe that's why I'm hesitant to get into an S50 swap. Just the engine alone rivals the cost of a decent condition E30. Factor in the fact that you're probably getting an engine that's been abused, and the fact that you've still got to buy the e34 oil pan and other swap related parts, and things get pricey.

I'm also scared like a little girl when it comes to vanos, double vanos, quad vanos, all that shit. To me, if I can't fix it myself, I don't fucking want it. I haven't paid a mechanic to do a single thing to any of my cars aside from tire mounts and the occasional welding work since high school, and swear that unless absolutely necessary, I never will. Putting an arguably complicated engine like the S50/2 in a car as fundamentally simple and basic as the e30 all but defeats the purpose of buying one in the first place, IMO.

Yes, I can learn the ways of vanos, but there are so many other things I'd rather be learning and worrying about. You're in school and working at a BMW shop; submersing yourself in the technology we're discussing can only help you find an understanding faster, cheaper, and more effectively than anyone not in your shoes. I can read all I want about it on here or elsewhere - doing it firsthand is a different story.

I don't want to spend a fortune on my car, because it still needs other things - paint/body, interior, wheels. This is my daily/resto project - having 500 hp isn't my first priority. But I do want some extra power under the hood, and I also want to do a fresh rebuilt motor, with all new parts, seals, gaskets, etc - and I don't feel doing that to an m20 is worth the money that it would take, not to mention the minimal gains that would come from it.