Want to do an M30 swap

[Funkmasta]

A few posts back someone asked about putting the M30 into a cabrio... that's me! Wish me luck!

Joe let me know if you get some mounts made up! I'm anxious to move forward with my project.

Its looking like I am going to be getting an E30 cabrio parts car here soonish. So we will probably build the E34 mounts on that chassis.

[euroshark]

The majority of 335's are Cabrios, at least lately on e30.de!

[talltorontoguy]

A few posts back someone asked about putting the M30 into a cabrio... that's me! Wish me luck!

Joe let me know if you get some mounts made up! I'm anxious to move forward with my project.

[ping65810]

I gotta get back to work on mine... Only thing keeping me from starting it up is having to splice the wiring in for the engine to fusebox wire looms. Other wise, its on the make the exhaust, then just body work and suspension/brakes LOL

With any luck I will find the motivation to work on it this week and get it donw...I am tired of looking at a taken apart and 3 different color e30 taking up space in the garage

[JoeMadoo]

Thanks. Most of it is from the E34 535i, the manifolds, the tranny i'm going to use and other little parts are from an e32 735i.

[E30/M30]

Very nice looking prep work !

Which model is the engine from, E24 ?

Is the front exhaust manifold standard like that for the year ?

(sorry, i've not read the whole thread)

[JoeMadoo]

Put like a 4 inch long 3.5 or so inch wide piece of wood in there.

[george graves]

Looking very good sir!!!!!

How you hold the crank when you tightened the nut?

[JoeMadoo]

I can't believe my thread has 154 replies. Wow. I just started building my M30 last night at like 2AM, and noticed there is no timing mark on the head. Anyone know where it is? I "think" i have it just right, with the block at TDC, and the rotor is straight down sparking #1. Someone tell me if thats not right, please.

Here are some pics of my progress...
Putting the Crank Nut on.


Let my girlfriend scrub the carbon off the pistons.



Trying to line up with the imaginary timing mark on the head.



Progress as of last night at 2.



Alpina Oil Cooler :) ^^^

[Garageaholic]

Hey funky joe funk,

I've thought about doing it in a cabrio, but said no bc of structural integrity. Sure you could put a stress bar in the front and rear, but it's really not going to help. It would be hot though!

If you plan on using it easy and don't take the turns like F1, you should be fine.

[Funkmasta]

A few weeks would be a little optimistic for us. I am not expecting to drive the car for another 2 weeks or so while we dial in the remainder of the swap.

On top of that, you need the SECOND version that we are going to fabricate (since you have an E34/E32 motor). My motor is basically an E24 motor with a B35 head, so I have E28 placement motor mounts which are about 3 inches further back than yours.

Has anyone done this in a cabrio yet?

At this point I dont anticipate having to relocate the motor... but if it would make the swap better, we will. Things that just *work* are not good enough. My fabricator and my tech are perfectionists. :)

I will keep you (and everyone) posted.

[talltorontoguy]

Joe I'm looking for them in next few weeks. I want to be sure that you have them in the right position (III). Seems that there is some debate and I don't want to risk having the engine in the wrong spot. Do you plan to readjust?

Rod

[Funkmasta]

Joe, your discription of a m20 vs a m30 is EXACTLY was the way I was thinking the whole time I did my swap. After 3 years I think very differently about it.

It's has it's own character. It's a TQ monster, that also like to rev. It builds power very linearly, where a m20 you can feel it's peaks. It's TQ curve is flat, and very rewarding.

Ive been addicted to the M30 feel ever since I drove your donor car. :D

[Funkmasta]

Oh yea, I almost forgot. In the summer months when income is low, I swap a 4.10 diff into my car. Usually from April to July sometimes a bit longer. I end up making quite a bit of extra cash pulling out tree stumps...
Ohhhh LOLzzzz...

:rofl:

[george graves]

We need to do two things to help everyone out.

- Rename this thread and give it a sticky "comprehensive m30 motor swap thread"

- come up with a standard measurment for engine placement (left, right, front and/or back)

Someone go nag a mod they know....I never have luck asking for thing to get things edited.

Joe, your discription of a m20 vs a m30 is EXACTLY was the way I was thinking the whole time I did my swap. After 3 years I think very differently about it.

It's has it's own character. It's a TQ monster, that also like to rev. It builds power very linearly, where a m20 you can feel it's peaks. It's TQ curve is flat, and very rewarding.

While the m20 needs revs to make power, the m30 just powers along, making the m20 look like a gutless wounder.

The m30 had alway been described as "silky smooth" by the automotive press (they couldn't believe a in-line BIG six could be so smooth) - but a m20 is smoother. A m50/s50 even more so...

I hear ya about the m30/s50 debate. But I'm kinda old school. And I don't think a e30 chassie (in a perfect world) is a good match with a motor that is "over smooth". You could throw in a (insert name of a very smooth jap motor here) and it just wouldn't be the same car. You need to feel the motor at idle...let it find every loose interior part you got!!! You know what I mean.

With that said I'd take a McHenery built s5X any day of the week!!! But i would count on spending close to 6 G's out the door.

Oh, and one of the first cool things you notice about a m30 in a e30....

When you rev it at a stop light - Yea...your car tilts about 2-3 degress...just like a big block american car would... It feels nice!

Oh, and starting out in second to carry the gear till 60 is fun to. Lets see. passing cars up a steep mountain road like nothing...fun. Flipping the tail out at very low speeds...fun. Tring to convince people that your little 2-door car has 3.5L in it...not so much fun.

Oh yea, I almost forgot. In the summer months when income is low, I swap a 4.10 diff into my car. Usually from April to July sometimes a bit longer. I end up making quite a bit of extra cash pulling out tree stumps...






Ohhhh LOLzzzz...