New 87 325e, Clean slate, decision help!

[delamaize]

So quick background of me: had a euro 316i E30, while living in germay, ex wife made me sell it after a year, then about 2 years later, divorce, and sent back to the states. Brings me to now, I got bit by the E30 bug in Germany, and have been looking for another once since.

I picked up a 1987 325e the other day for $1000, their is some catch, the motor and tranny is out of the car, motor (M20b27) is stripped to a bare block and bare head. the guy I bought it from included everything I need, except crank bearings and bottom end seal kit, to rebuild the motor, all new BMW parts. Body is in good shape, the only rust I can find is the battery tray.

so here's my question, if you were in my shoes, with a VERY limited budget, what would you do? rebuild the M20B27 to stock or do a 885 head? say screw it and do a M50/S50 swap? I'm just having a hard time deciding what I should do.

TLDR: NEW, MOTORLESS 325, WHICH MOTOR ON A TIGHT BUDGET.

[jalopi]

Negative on the 50 series swaps... cracked heads are becoming more and more common. too much trouble for what you get.

I think if you do the 'i' head you need pulleys from an 'i'. But yeah, if you're working with a tight budget that's the best I can think of.

[delamaize]

Negative on the 50 series swaps... cracked heads are becoming more and more common. too much trouble for what you get.

I think if you do the 'i' head you need pulleys from an 'i'. But yeah, if you're working with a tight budget that's the best I can think of.

That's the direction I was leaning. Does anyone know if I can reuse the intake and ecu from the e motor? Or do I need the I stuff there also....

[jalopi]

Pretty sure the intake is the same. Double check with someone more knowledgeable, but I think the MAF needs to be changed out too. Not 100% sure though... there are guides everywhere on the swap though.

[e30jake]

Intake manifolds and ECU are both different. Go here for a ton of info

[delamaize]

Intake manifolds and ECU are both different. Go here for a ton of info

I'll get reading....thanks.....

[Gary Horneck]

The 2.7i conversion is fun as hell. My '87 325e/2.7i hauls ass.

[delamaize]

The 2.7i conversion is fun as hell. My '87 325e/2.7i hauls ass.

thats what I am leaning towards given what I have already, and what I want to ultimatly do with it.

From what I have been reading, given I'd like to go FI sometime in the not so distant future, I'm thinking I'm going to go with the eta short block, i heads, and all the other i stuff bolted onto it, if I can find an i motor to strip.

I gotta work a 24 hour shift tomorrow, maybe thursday I'll try to get some pictures up......

[jalopi]

work a 24 hour shift tomorrow

wut

[delamaize]

wut

I'm an EMT, we work 24 hour shifts. 24 on, 24 off. Do that 3 times, then I get 4 days off. it's a sweet gig, if I made more than about $11/hr/

[jalopi]

That's stupid (on your employers). Seems like a pretty important job to have your employees go 24 hours without sleep... either that, or they only make you do it because you're a machine. :p

On a more relevant note, I'd do a MLS and head studs if you plan on going FI in the future. Then again, I've heard of many people just getting away with head studs and a stock gasket.

[delamaize]

That's stupid (on your employers). Seems like a pretty important job to have your employees go 24 hours without sleep... either that, or they only make you do it because you're a machine. :p

On a more relevant note, I'd do a MLS and head studs if you plan on going FI in the future. Then again, I've heard of many people just getting away with head studs and a stock gasket.

I've heard good things about the MLS head studs, I have also heard that the "blue ones" are good also, but the majority of people seem to lean towards the MLS stuff.

[jalopi]

Lol, two different things there. ARP head studs, Multi-Layer Steel head gasket :P

By blue ones I'm assuming you mean metric blues. They're really just random bolts that are blue and happen to have ridiculous tensile strength. Also, they're about 1/5th of the price of proper head studs. Personally? I'd go with the head studs for legitness and peace of mind. I know you're on a limited budget so $220 might be a bit much for head studs... I'll take a look in the garage later tonight and see if I still have my blues laying around. Cut you one hell of a deal if I still have them.

[delamaize]

So as promiced, here is a few pictures.