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anyone still doing m30 swaps?

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    anyone still doing m30 swaps?

    just wondering. i feel that m30s sorta an uncool swap now a days.

    #2
    Nope
    '72 2002 pickup | '88 M5 | '89 330is | '89 M3 | '01 Z3M | '11 328xi-t

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      #3
      M30s are still solid swaps, and an M30 with a cam, headers, billy boat is about the most sonorous BMW engine I've heard.

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        #4
        From a pure performance and handling standpoint maybe they're uncool, but overall I think the cool factor is very high. I've pondered the swap each time I've seen one in the junkyard, I just think the availability of a healthy M30 for a reasonable price has dried up.

        I've really been enjoying the ITB'd M30 Anythony B has been building. The noises that engine is going to make should be incredible, and hopefully it comes with some healthy performance gains to boot.

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          #5
          i still see them once and a while and have spare heads and blocks.

          sometimes i want to go m54 or m52 just because they are so abundant at the junkyards
          theres a guy on bimmerforums selling adaptor plates to bolt the 335i trannys to them which are supposed to be the beefiest trans bmw makes.

          already killed an m30 trans and a good 5spd is the real gem to find at the junkyards. supppper rare now a days.

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            #6
            Was going to get mine back on the road this past summer but other responsibilities got in the way. I would do another but lack of parking and lack of the perfect donor car prohibit it.

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              #7
              Great timing. Just had a walk in at the shop inquiring about an m30 swap in his super clean e30. Very period correct swap - back in the day the big 6's and some select 5's came with them - they were THE swap to have - THEN the m50's came along and the plastic fantastic swaps became common.

              m30/m90's are underrated. Have an '82 grey market shark at the shop right now with 100k original miles on it. Base dyno was over 200whp, 220wtq through the dogleg Getrag. We ported/flowed the head, added a 284 cam, +1mm b35 valves, and IE long headers. Can't wait to take it back to the rollers. It takes an m20 with 6psi for those numbers, but the m30/m90 has no lag :) Plan is to use the Weber triple carb manifold we have sitting on the shelf and use ITB's on it. Hehe.

              Oh wait, the OP is LowR3V'in, the m30 sucks! :P
              john@m20guru.com
              Links:
              Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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                #8
                I'm working on a turbo m30 right now to put into my e30.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Topper03 View Post
                  I'm working on a turbo m30 right now to put into my e30.
                  Need a manifold? We stock them :)
                  john@m20guru.com
                  Links:
                  Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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                    #10
                    In the midst of making a really ridiculous m30 build, after this one is done it’s onto a m30b35 turbo swap in the wife’s e30

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                      #11
                      ya the m30 stock feels like a 5psi m20.
                      boosted m30 though. it's over.

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                        #12
                        M30 is my favorite E30 swap. Tons of fun to drive.

                        ....your initial feelings.... are wrong (according my my feelings).
                        ADAMS Autosport

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                          #13
                          I was dead set on an M30 swap for a long while- it's still my favorite swap for an E30, in theory, as I have never driven one.

                          I had half the swap and sold it all because:

                          -M30b35s and G260/6s I found are getting much harder to find, in even half decent shape. You almost have to buy a manual E34 535i parts car to get what you need.
                          -It's a PITA to get M30 long tubes to fit into an E30
                          -I ended up with some really nice m20 parts over the years, and it's really hard to convince myself to not use them (like a super low mile dot-r g260)

                          I WILL M30 swap a car someday, but it won't be my red iS (building a 3.1L m20 w/ ported 731 head meow)

                          If you're leaving the bottom end stock and just doing OEM+ with some light headwork, cam, headers, etc, an M30 is a huge bang for the buck over what I'm doing if you find some a solid m30 setup on the cheap.

                          1990 Brilliantrot 325iS Build Thread
                          1989 Zinnoberrot M3 Build Thread

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                            #14
                            An M30 would be a great swap as long as wasn't stock. stock it does not provide enough benefit IMO
                            Last edited by digger; 09-26-2019, 11:24 PM.
                            89 E30 325is Lachs Silber - currently M20B31, M20B33 in the works, stroked to the hilt...

                            new build thread http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=317505

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by digger View Post
                              stock it does not provide enough benefit IMO
                              A m30 is all about the TQ curve and not about numbers. It's the table top looking TQ curve that makes it a great daily driver for a e30. Remember phz class where it's all about the area under the curve? This is that.

                              MPG's suck, but not any worse then say a pickup truck I guess. Really slamming it around town it's as low as 12-14 mpg, but tip towing it around it's still 18. 22ish highway?!?!? I've only gone on one long trip, and just remembered it was thirsty like a big SUV would be. The weight thing gets over blown. Now, would I recommend it today??? Sure? Kinda? M30 last forever. But a m6x is a better swap, but 4x the work. Now if you want to compare a m30 swap to a m50 swap - the m50 is a joke.

                              Originally posted by Matt-B
                              hey does anyone know anyone who gets upset and makes electronics?

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