Building a motor, what should I put it in?

[pureaudio]

If you buy the M3, I would hang on to the S14 instead of selling it off. You could sell it for a few grand right now but in the future when prices go up, including the matching S14 to the M3 if you choose to sell it will probably give you more than a few grand and make selling it that much easier.

[Intro]

some ideas: 2002, e21, e28, 240z

[Jean]

I wish m50nv engines would just disappear

[sonnyqm3]

[QUOTE=Sc0tt;1754581]I'm building a 3.2 liter m50 non vanos with cams (258intake/244exhaust). I'm very tempted to pickup this e30 m3 in LA for 9k and sell the motor since it probably needs a rebuild. I'd sell my e30 325i delphin sedan which is extremely clean for 3k. What do you think? Should I just put it in the sedan? or should i buy a beat e30 m3? My initial thought is a e30 m3 for 9k is going to have a lot of issues.

What's your opinion? Any other ideas?
I have an euro s50b32 engine kit for sale with 80k on it and have 2 transmissions. 5 or 6 spd your choice. kqader at hot mail dot com

[Sc0tt]

3.2 liter non vanos m50 with hotter cams to put in a car with a very tired s14. When is the last time you looked at rebuilding an s14? The cost is nuts. Buying the m3 would to use the shell since the motor is beat. Some time I could rebuild that s14 and just hold on to it.


and hey hey hey, do some reading on non vanos builds. Beefier valve train and a potential peeky-er motor. It's a preference of a dirtier characteristic. Not everyone likes vanos. With more aggressive cams, it will idle lopey but scream up top.

Rather than hear your speculation, I'll post back with results and get a dyno when it's in.

[freeride53]

lol....de-m-ifying a m3.

[mikeedler]

please kill the M3 so mine raises again in value.-- and for the price of your M50-- you can freshen up the S14 no problem-- and when you grow up you would realize how much better of a decision it was to leave a "youngtimer" non raped.

but do what you want.

[nando]

3.2 liter non vanos m50 with hotter cams to put in a car with a very tired s14. When is the last time you looked at rebuilding an s14? The cost is nuts. Buying the m3 would to use the shell since the motor is beat. Some time I could rebuild that s14 and just hold on to it.


and hey hey hey, do some reading on non vanos builds. Beefier valve train and a potential peeky-er motor. It's a preference of a dirtier characteristic. Not everyone likes vanos. With more aggressive cams, it will idle lopey but scream up top.

Rather than hear your speculation, I'll post back with results and get a dyno when it's in.

what, because it has double valve springs? so what? it also has far heavier valves. you could just as easily stick stiffer aftermarket valve springs in a vanos head with a performance cam. There's no advantage to a NV head if you're building it from the ground up, or are you going to re-use high mileage parts? at least I hope you aren't putting in a race cam with stock valve springs.

[xwill112x]

buy m3, pull s14, sell the shell or the m. then use that cash to buy/fund a s14 02' swap.



thats what id do.

[Sc0tt]

Maybe so. This has been a debate in many many other threads. I'm sure if you're feeling up to it, you can go argue somewhere else. Like I said, after I'm done, we'll see how it does instead of speculating in a pissing contest :up:

The thread is about what to put a motor build in. As of now I'm leaning towards putting it in the sedan or a 318ti.

I'd love to do a built s14 but right not it's not in the cards.

what, because it has double valve springs? so what? it also has far heavier valves. you could just as easily stick stiffer aftermarket valve springs in a vanos head with a performance cam. There's no advantage to a NV head if you're building it from the ground up, or are you going to re-use high mileage parts? at least I hope you aren't putting in a race cam with stock valve springs.

[nando]

you asked for peoples opinions, don't cry when you don't like them. ;)

[Sc0tt]

I asked about the platform, not the motor chief.

I prefer how m50 non vanos motors feel. They are more raw, and to me they feel happier up high than similar vanos motors and one less part to break. There are certainly differing personal opinions on vanos. I know a guy that pulled his m20 for an m10. He's extremely happy with the swap. To each his own I suppose.

My hope is to produce similar peak numbers to s52s but not as much area under the curve. The characteristics of a motor are important to me and it's a personal preference
that I'll be happy to report my findings after the project's completion.

After hearing opinions, I agree that taking the M out of a great car like an M3 would be a shame. clean m3s are a rarity and the s14 is a truly fantastic historic motor.


but again, I asked about the platform, not your opinion about my motor build. If you'd like to talk about it, create a thread or chime in on the numerous other threads about non vanos motors. Thanks