Do you have a M20 hot rod or swapped Motor?

[VinniE30]

An S5x is like the girl you want to marry - an m30 is the girl you don't bring home to mom.

sigged.:)

[george graves]

Cheapest swap IMO would be the M30b35, gobs of trq and feels like a freight train from low to WOT. I loved my e24 just because of the straight line fun.

If you like an m30 in an e24/e28 - you'd love it in an e30. An e28m30 feels like it's twice as heavy - the m30 really struggles to move all that mass. In an e30 the m30 behaves as if it's pushing a go-kart.

I don't mean to knock s5x swaps - It's a great motor. But in some ways it doesn't feel right in an e30 - almost too "smooth". But then again - it's a heck of a motor.

With that said. I know if I ever need a to do some head work on my m30 it's not going to cost me much. I pucker-up at the cost of a proper 24 valve rebuild.

And m50...pfff....not worth the effort IMHO. Unless your m20 needs rebuilding/replacing. Then pick one up for cheap. Cost will be about the same.

Also - since I'm on a rant - turbos just don't do it for me. I don't like the "SUSPRISE!!! YOUR ON BOOST" feeling in a corner.

Back to M30's - you won't find one person that has owned or driven a e30m30 that doesn't like all that pure, unadulterated, grunt that a m30 gives you.

An S5x is like the girl you want to marry - an m30 is the girl you don't bring home to mom.

[evandael]

^ yeah, I can't deny how fun it would be to have a nice turbo M20. But doing it right is not cheap!

[F34R]

Ain't no replacement for displacement.

Except a turbo.


My own opinion ranks these options, from best to worst on a smiles/$ ratio: proper running stock M20, M30, S52, LSx, proper turbo M20, built M20.

I agree, I would rather have a s52 over anything else swapped. But if it was a built m20 turbo I would go with that. Power is not everything, I think the m20 parts are cheaper to get/come by. Maintenance is easy and minimal, you really cannot go wrong with a boosted m20. Cheapest swap IMO would be the M30b35, gobs of trq and feels like a freight train from low to WOT. I loved my e24 just because of the straight line fun.

I already went the m50 route once on one of my first e30s. I am going back to the m20 for a happy revving force induced monster. low to mid 300s it more than I would ever need for SCCA/Weekend track days.

I know in the long run to reach s52 power with my m20 is going to cost more than s52 swap. BUT in the end I will have a rebuilt m20 with everything replaced and a cute snail :)

For NA swaps for best bang it is M30b35 with a single mass FW hands down. Cheaper than a S5x and sounds amazing. IMO I would never S50 swap, not really worth it for the price of a S52 now days.

S54 is the perfect swap if you have the money, that engine is insane in the e46 M3. I have never gotten the honor to ride in a e30 with that...but I bet it is scary fast.

[evandael]

Ain't no replacement for displacement.

Except a turbo.


My own opinion ranks these options, from best to worst on a smiles/$ ratio: proper running stock M20, M30, S52, LSx, proper turbo M20, built M20.

[SpeicherBimmer]

My M30 with headers and full exhaust sounds like Zeus yelling at WOT...plus you get the cool Alpina wannabe feeling. M30s in E30s just seems right.

[mikeedler]

I love my M20 because of its rawness. It sounds great with headers, may not be the fastest thing, but a good motor for the E30. after saying that, I def. am going to go euro S50 one of these days though.

[F34R]

My long term is 350 to the wheels on a built m20b27(seta)

So far what is done:

Schrick 288 cam/Schrick HiPerformance springs(rated to bursts of 11k)
IE HD rockers
MLS and ARP studs

Then boost like a madman with a clutch to put it to the ground.

[firemanory]

I like the big stroker M20 because it's period correct and sounds sweet at idle. That's a lot of questions in the OP, but lets just say I'm happy with my choice even if it's been a pain in the ass to keep running right lately. It probably costed more than an S5x swap but was easier to do IMO, and you don't have to fiddle with anything to retain all of your features. Fuel economy is as expected for a brand new engine - pretty decent. The only thing I'd do differently is find a better fuel management option.

Did you do the build of your motor yourself? Are you happy with the gains achieved, or do you find yourself wanting more?

[Raxe]

I like the big stroker M20 because it's period correct and sounds sweet at idle. That's a lot of questions in the OP, but lets just say I'm happy with my choice even if it's been a pain in the ass to keep running right lately. It probably costed more than an S5x swap but was easier to do IMO, and you don't have to fiddle with anything to retain all of your features. Fuel economy is as expected for a brand new engine - pretty decent. The only thing I'd do differently is find a better fuel management option.

[Eurotrash727]

If you want to Turbo you m20 for track purposes use a Really efficient internal gated turbo. I know Sr's are known to make 300whp or a little more on a Disco potato "gt28r" with supporting mods.

[Eurotrash727]

You really have to wring those motors out to get the big numbers out of them. If money were no object, why would you use this motor?

Its a honda its made to be rev'd out, & the f20c makes more power per liter than any other motor in the world, Setups have been known to do 6-700WHP on stock longblocks with headbolts & a thicker head gasket...and you get the pleasure of reving to 9k... Better than an sr swap imo.

If money was truly no issue though id prolly do a 1jz gte with a single turbo setup. But i just feel with a f20 it would prolly handle Reasonably better due to weighing prolly half of what a Cast iron I6 weighs.

[jaywood]

Lots of guys track with turbos!

You're going to be spending BIG $$ trying to get decent #'s out of the NA m20.

[firemanory]

firemanory are you thinking of modding your m20?

Yes and no. I have a specific project idea that I am toying with that no one to my knowledge has done before. If I said what it might be then it might shape what people say I should do to it. I am a long ways way from starting it, but I like to do my homework long in advance so when the time is right I can execute with speed and confidence that I am doing right thing for the right reasons.

A turbo is probably the highest gaining/cheapest per unit of horsepower gained with an M20 option, but I think it may not be the perfect solution for a car that does double duty as a commuter and an occasional track toy(turbo lag, boost kick in mid-apex, etc). Tell me how I am wrong...because I know I don't know much!

[LowR3V'in]

firemanory are you thinking of modding your m20?


I worked my way up like most people from bolt on ricer stuff m20
to nitrous
to turbo.

The goal was just-more-power. That's it.
One thing I can honestly say and hope
it'll save people time & money....
M20 is balls slow no matter what you do N/A,
for the most part.

I know some of you will post a N/A m20 that revs out to 8k and is super fast but that is very rare to do $.

Turbo the m20 and make over 300hp stock.
Don't waste the cash on your jimC or whatever name brand is good chip, or K&N ricer filters, regrind cam
or a 3'' exhaust thinking it's going to do anything.
It's not.

You can dial in 1psi on a stocker and make over the gain of stock vs ultimate 2.8L bolt on m20. You know?

btw off topic but a stock m30b35 feels allot like a m20 at 5psi.
For you "I want this thing to just be faster" guys. :o