m30... do they even compare??

[siexyy55]

This sight seems to really love the m30... They are easy to swap, tons of torque and love boost. But do they even compare to the m50/2?

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=572535&highlight=704

I've heard the m30 can reach ~400hp stock internals, but just look at this m52. 704hp with just hg and studs!

The m50/2 is more reliable and gets better gas mileage.

Comparing price, and potential which one is really better, it seems like the m50/2 would be the better choice?
what is the max potential of an m30?

[Madhatter]

easy to swap? heh, you say that like its such a simple thing.

m30 is a stronger block than an m50, so if someone ever boosted it high enough i think it would certainly be a stable platform.

400hp is a walk in the park for an M30.

these threads are useless, the max potential is how much money you want to put in it. The block is pretty much never going to break and the head is going to be the bottle neck.

[euroshark]

The m50/2 is more reliable and gets better gas mileage.

The gas mileage part is true, but the reliability claim is totally unsubstantiated... I have personally never seen a 300,000 mile M50, or a 400,000 mile M50, or a 500,000 mile M50... I've seen M30s with miles varying all over those ranges and still driving strong. At the age of the M30 there will be seals and sensors and stuff that need to be replaced, but assuming all of that stuff is good, the actual mechanicals of the engine are absolutely indestructible.

We could go on and on all day about maximum power potential, but as far as I am concerned, if you want an affordable swap that offers lots of torque and great drivability, the M30 is the way I would go. The S50 / S52 may have higher potential as a naturally aspirated motor, and maybe even make more hp on boost, but the M30's characteristic MASSIVE torque curve is only made better with a turbo. If you were to drive a 400hp turbo M30 back to back with a 450hp turbo S50, I bet you'd pick the M30 because it would probably be just as fast with it's monstrous torque spread and higher peak torque. Also, starting with an S50 / S52 is one thing, but getting an M50 to S50 spec is expensive enough to make me pick an M30 anyways.

[euroshark]

m30 is a stronger block than an m50, so if someone ever boosted it high enough i think it would certainly be a stable platform.

Has anyone seen the 1100hp S38 videos on youtube? Granted, the S38 is a slightly different block than a standard M30, but if anything it is WEAKER because of the larger bore / less material between cylinder walls / smaller head gasket area! The M30 can take a serious beating, they all come with a forged crank...

[der affe]

Has anyone seen the 1100hp S38 videos on youtube? Granted, the S38 is a slightly different block than a standard M30, but if anything it is WEAKER because of the larger bore / less material between cylinder walls / smaller head gasket area! The M30 can take a serious beating, they all come with a forged crank...

links please???????
is this one of them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9bm86AWOfY&NR=1

[echothreezero]

What about stock?

ie which is a better swap - m30 or m50 leaving everything stock?

What sort of improvement am I going to see over a m20b25 in 325i trim?

How do they compare bang for buck on a 2.7 rebuild? (ie eta with i head conversion)

[Jonsku]

What about stock?

ie which is a better swap - m30 or m50 leaving everything stock?

What sort of improvement am I going to see over a m20b25 in 325i trim?

How do they compare bang for buck on a 2.7 rebuild? (ie eta with i head conversion)

M30B34 is way better than M50. Lots of torque in use in all revs. Huge difference compared to M20B25. M30 is also lot cheaper than M50.

M52B28 is good choice, it can be made to produce 230hp / 300Nm quite cheaply, which is about the same as M30B34 220hp / 320Nm. M52 has also much better fuel economy.

My friend had M30B35 out of E34. Totally stock, 1.3bar boost and it made ~500hp. It lasted fine, drove about 10 000km but blew headgaskets few times during those kilometers :-/ but no other problems.

My other friend had totally stock M50, 0.8bar boost and ~400hp. It lasted also ~10 000km without any problems.

In the end it's 12v big volume VS. 24v little volume.

[Garageaholic]

Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over, the battle between M30 and M50.

Do some searching noobies, this has all been said before..and the same people are consistently saying the same things in all the threads!

Reliability, power potential, size, ease of swap...

If you're really not even serious about doing a swap, then what's the point? This thread is a dime a dozen on this forum. Do some searching...

[echothreezero]

Feel better now?

[kylebes1]

I like both engines.

Option 1:
If you want an easy conversion with great fuel economy and a reliable base engine the m50 is a great choice. There are many m50s with over 200k miles that still run well. I would recommend a refresh before you install it, however.

Option 2:
If you can handle a little more fabrication for your swap (ie engine mounting, trans mounting, shifter, and driveshaft) the m30 is for you. Reliablity is not in question. Keep the vavles adjusted and the stock engine is a beast in an e30.

Option 3:
m50 swap + $1000= 240hp. m/s52 exhaust manifolds, m3 cams, m3 injectors and Turner Chip

Option 4: My fav
m30 swap + $500= Closer to 300 hp. Have 3 Thous shaved off the head, cam grind, and chip.


My vote is Option 4.

[JoeMadoo]

There is no modification needed to the shift linkage, trans mounting, or the driveshaft unless you put your M30 way to the front or hammer your firewall a ton and push it back.

And you don't have to make your mounts, you can buy them also.

I think thats +1 for the M30.

[windsor318is]

where do you buy the engine mounts?

[echothreezero]

www.300mm.de for a start.

[windsor318is]

is it the last mounts i would need or the second one? i cant understand it lol. i take it there all for e30s?

[echothreezero]

It depends on the motor you are using. They are all for e30 conversions. I would contact them before you buy. Most Germans are pretty good with English.