What would be a good swap to consider?

[daniel]

i went from a stock 318is directly to a 5-lugged s52 car. the 318is, even stock, definitely wins in terms of "feel" and turn-in responsiveness because of the weight savings up front, but there is no fucking way it would be faster around any auto-x course just because of the lighter motor. people with 4-bangers make way too big of a deal about the slight extra weight that a 6 cylinder motor adds... until they realize it has twice the horsepower. as for the handling, it is still an extremely balanced car, so understeer is limited and oversteer is easily accessible with your right foot.

[yberther]

and you may even stay under your budget!! crazy.

[dinanm3atl]

Why not M52 with S52 cams? Cost is down and can get power very close and m52 is more robust. Could add a blower if you so choose with the budget.

[z31maniac]

Why not M52 with S52 cams? Cost is down and can get power very close and m52 is more robust. Could add a blower if you so choose with the budget.

An M52 with S52 cams, OBD-I intake and good tune is CLOSE to the peak whp of an S52 but down under teh peak as well as tq. Now do the OBD-I Manifold, tune, headers, good exhaust to the S52 and you've just added another 30-40whp over an M52.

An M52 is more robust than an S52? How? I've never heard this before.

[herbivor]

i went from a stock 318is directly to a 5-lugged s52 car.

So, since I'm considering the same conversion, how much was your conversion? I imagine you had to stiffen up the chassis with some bracing or a roll cage and buy coilovers to handle the extra power properly. I can see doing the driveline and exhaust for $5k but the suspension, reinforcement, brakes, rims and tires may bring it over a bit. Do you run 225 on the rears and 215s up front to handle the power? An E36 M3 non-staggered runs 235's I believe. With the same amount of power and a lighter car I'd think 225s would be the minimum at the rear. Hell 245's maybe.

[dinanm3atl]

An M52 with S52 cams, OBD-I intake and good tune is CLOSE to the peak whp of an S52 but down under teh peak as well as tq. Now do the OBD-I Manifold, tune, headers, good exhaust to the S52 and you've just added another 30-40whp over an M52.

An M52 is more robust than an S52? How? I've never heard this before.

And S52 is an M52 bored and stroked with some cams in all reality. If I remember the cylinder walls on an m52 are ~6mm and on the S52 they are 3 or 4mm thick.

If you want to boost the M52 is a better motor.

Think about it though. You spend an extra 2K on an S52 and 1500-2000 buys an S/C. So you have a motor and a blower for the price of just a motor.

[xwill112x]

So it sounds like a S5x swap of some sort is the consensus. This is mainly a daily driver, so although I don't really need that kind of power I would like to put her on the track occasionally, but not competitively. How does this swap feel from a handling perspective? Is it nose heavy? Does the turn in still feel crisp? Does understeer worsen or stay the same?

i think you would be very happy with a m30b35 then if your going to DD it.
m30's with a mild cam and a little bit of head work would be perfect with tons of torque for the street . :p


EDIT: and they're alot cheaper!

[TexasTerp]

The only reason you would need a roll cage would be for the track ad if you're really throwing the car around. the stock chassis can easily handle the power from the m5x/s5x on it own. I still highly recommend the e36 solid rubber bushings over poly because the vibration dampening is better and for a primarily DD car you'll like it better in the long run. that's what I'm going to be running with my m52 build. Bigger wheels are just better in general, and it is kinda necessary for the extra power, but not much.

[herbivor]

Assuming I run an S52, what's the general consensus on the diff? My 4.10 won't be practical. I've ridden in a car with a 2.73? that still had shitload of acceleration.

[TexasTerp]

Either a 2.93 or 3.25 I believe. I'll e running both a 2.93 and 3.73 depending on the application. Mostly the 2.93 when I turbo (still gotta get decent gas mileage)

[e30s52]

Assuming I run an S52, what's the general consensus on the diff? My 4.10 won't be practical. I've ridden in a car with a 2.73? that still had shitload of acceleration.

If you dd this car then a 2.93 would be good but I have had both the 3.46 and 3.25lsd. All three of them are great diffs but the 3.46lsd pulls like a train! And you will not need a roll cage or extra suspension.

[dinanm3atl]

If you dd this car then a 2.93 would be good but I have had both the 3.46 and 3.25lsd. All three of them are great diffs but the 3.46lsd pulls like a train! And you will not need a roll cage or extra suspension.

I assume you are using ZF trans as well? That is what I am going to use.

What do those 2 diffs come out of?

[e30s52]

I assume you are using ZF trans as well? That is what I am going to use.

What do those 2 diffs come out of?

I got both out of the e28 and swapped the rear covers/drive flanges. Yes I am using the ZF tranny.

[dinanm3atl]

I got both out of the e28 and swapped the rear covers/drive flanges. Yes I am using the ZF tranny.

Good info thanks.

[Simon S]

supercharge the m42

318isc