2 choices what are your opinions

[Pat W]

now since my 240 with my rb was sold i have some play money i almost got it back but things fell through....anyways here it goes:

1) i was thinking about doing a S50 swap but wanted to know how much mpg you guys are getting also....if anyone knows anyone in the tristate that will do this swap...my schedule is too busy to try to complete this myself...

2) buy a I motor give it to a shop have them build it for FI then get the TCD kit...i have already talked to tod about this....

which do u think will be the cheapest...most reliable.....and still get a decent amount of mpg...this car will be my daily driver and will be driven in the winter....thank you in advance

[Ryan Stewart]

Well fully rebuilding and turboing an M20 by a good shop is going to run you into S50 swap #s but the power when done will be higher. The S50 has the advantages of self adjusting valves, timing chains, Eta like gas mileage if you actually drive nice, and the ability to chug along at 1500rpm in 3rd gear.

I guess it just depends on whether you want pure reliability or massive power. For massive power its tough to beat FI.

Then again, this car is pretty damn quick. :twisted:

[atmh]

turbo an e30 motor :)
I only say that cause thats what I am planning on doing, seems to be most reliable/trouble free/least hastle way to get power.

It all depends on what you want...M50/S50 is gonna certainly be a very relaible setup, and have lots of aftermarket. Also probably the best HP potential.

I was thinking m50, s50 or turbo, or any combination there of myself.

My plan is as follows:

Buy a cheap 'e' motor, give it a partial rebuild (connecting rod wrist pins and bearings, piston rings, maybe a few more things) and turbocharge that. Reasons for doing that is as follows: Still pretty reliable if the 4800 fuel cutoff is kept, and MASSIVE torque. I want about 250hp from my setup, and I estimate I will easily have over 300 ft/lbs of torque, maybe even get close to 400ft/lb.

m50 would be my second choice though, the newer technology is very tempting, and a lot cheaper than s50, and you can make the power up with a turbo.

[nando]

I think stu mentioned his MPG being in the high 20s/low 30s, certainly higher than a standard 150,000 mile M20 would get.

[M-technik-3]

TCD's Turbo car gets very good mileage. I drove it about 150 miles on a 1/4 tank.

[Stu]

I think stu mentioned his MPG being in the high 20s/low 30s, certainly higher than a standard 150,000 mile M20 would get.

Havn't seen 30mpg since the M42, but I can get 26-27 with tamed highway driving. Slightly more/less depending on fuel pressure.

[rwh11385]

Why not buy an late model i?

You're going to likely want to do something about those early bumpers later anyway, and if you turbo it, then you wouldn't have to have downtime to install since you have the e.

And if you want to swap motors to the S50/2, a late model would have some items you need for the swap.

As far as S50 verus Turbo 325i in my book: S50 has been done, would be easier without having much to worry about.....but the turbo would probably have higher potential and be more unique. Because the S50 thing has been done before, time and again.

Of course, a late model 318 might make a good platform to build as well. Just hate to see you kick yourself for not starting in the right place to begin with.

[James Crivellone]

Why not buy an late model i?

You're going to likely want to do something about those early bumpers later anyway, and if you turbo it, then you wouldn't have to have downtime to install since you have the e.

And if you want to swap motors to the S50/2, a late model would have some items you need for the swap.

As far as S50 verus Turbo 325i in my book: S50 has been done, would be easier without having much to worry about.....but the turbo would probably have higher potential and be more unique. Because the S50 thing has been done before, time and again.

Of course, a late model 318 might make a good platform to build as well. Just hate to see you kick yourself for not starting in the right place to begin with.

Silly people and your late models





My vote is Turbo M20

[rwh11385]

lol, well with a few exceptions, late models rock harder than early models
but to show what I meant, how much $ did you and Ryan Stewart spend on Euro Bumpers??

back on topic.

Wouldn't it be a pain to swatch an "i" motor into an "e"? You might be better off even with an early i if you go turbo. But I do know late model i's have some components already that are required for the M50/S50 swap.

[Matto]

Go entirely overboard and turbo an s50.

[Pat W]

yeah but how much would an S50 swap cost me?....my friend has been telling me to drop a S50 and turbo it also...too much $$$.....i need a mechanic where i could drop the car off with the m20 and drive away with the S50....

[Wes325]

Ballpark estimate from what Ive heard is 7-8K with someone esle doing all the labor for the S50 swap

[Digitalwave]

Why not buy an late model i?

You're going to likely want to do something about those early bumpers later anyway, and if you turbo it, then you wouldn't have to have downtime to install since you have the e.

And if you want to swap motors to the S50/2, a late model would have some items you need for the swap.

As far as S50 verus Turbo 325i in my book: S50 has been done, would be easier without having much to worry about.....but the turbo would probably have higher potential and be more unique. Because the S50 thing has been done before, time and again.

Of course, a late model 318 might make a good platform to build as well. Just hate to see you kick yourself for not starting in the right place to begin with.

Your logic is retarded. Turbo M20's have been done over and over again, I would say more often than S50 swaps. And S50 has higher potential than an M20, given that both have FI.

[Pat W]

that includes the motor/everything i need for the motor to be ready to be droped in...also how fast are these cars with the s50 in them...0-60? 1/4 mile?..i think an s50 in an e30 would be an amazing daily driver.....amazing!!

[Digitalwave]

that includes the motor/everything i need for the motor to be ready to be droped in...also how fast are these cars with the s50 in them...0-60? 1/4 mile?..i think an s50 in an e30 would be an amazing daily driver.....amazing!!

My friends stock S50 325e did a 13.6 1/4. Don't know about 0-60. It wasn't stock for long... its got over 500hp now.