wtf is up with m42swaps?

[CrusherCurtis]

Wow what a can or worms. I've owned them both and its a no contest. The m42 is fucking GUTLESS! I see almost no reason to own one. As much as I hate ricers my 318i sedan was far less fun to drive than my 95 civic ej not the mention its less reliable and got worst gas mileage. I can't even associate the feel of driving an m42 e30 with driving a BMW. The m42 e30 even feels worst then m44 e36 for some reason. Smooth incline 6's are becoming a thing of the past and the m20 is one of the good ones. The m42 is sub bar for many reasons. The inlines six is one of the things bmw did well and it shows in the m20. Cherish it, its a part of the heritage.

[JinormusJ]

yes and ive been in an m20b25 auto storming down the road through 1st/2nd/3rd, gear shifts were pretty lagged by the auto.

But it still has a user input to gear selection; whether or not the shift is fast is a completely different variable in the test.
So I lose; 5-speed swap and run again for better results. If I lose again; nothing to be butthurt about. This is a recreational scientific experiment, I'm afforded any and all liberty to be right or wrong without shame, as long as the facts are obtained through a scientific method. I win, I win. I lose, I lose. Whatever.

I don't care about opinions, I just want facts


I'm out

[atmobenzin]

i swapped an m20 for an m42. it worked out. I basically created a 318 out of a loaded 325. Got a weight at a certified scale not to long ago and im sittin pretty at 2700 lbs wet.
Thats only 100ish lbs heavier than my factory 318i that came with a crank sunroof, no sound deadening and lighter carpet ect.

2700 pounds = 1 224.6994 kilograms acording to google

Is it wrong kind of pounds or is that pretty darn heavy for a m42 car?

My m20 facelift 4 door with full interior and everything is 1145kg wet.

[e30trooper]

ive never driven or been in a m42 car but i can my old vert pulled on a early 318i(m10) with a great running m42 swap. Pull started at 65 to 100. My 4th gear pull ripped him.

No idea how my 2.7i would do now lol

[dannyyisntt]

I have a slick top 318i sedan. It has an m30. You wanna fight about it?

Tho my m42 went on to be parted for an m42 swap in a 2002

[F34R]

Hey man, I'm just trying to close out a dumb thread for ya.

Unless I'm missing the mustang joke.

Just a joke, your drag race challenge reminded me of this funny thread.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=259867

[blunttech]

I fell in love with my 318is on the drive back from Washington state and really regretted ripping the M42 out to replace with M52 turbo. Its an entirely different car now, Better in most ways but it lost the feel of the 318is
They are all great cars. you just have to have one of each. 318is in stock form was nearly as fun to drive as my stock e30M3

[agent]

...that same M42 got me a 138mph speeding ticket.

[decay]

Just a joke, your drag race challenge reminded me of this funny thread.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=259867

I figured had to be something like that.

"Give me the $100, you both lose."

^^^^ bahahahahah

[gazellebeigem3]

As someone who has pulled an m42 in favor of an s50 and in another car, pulled an m20 in favor of a m42, I can confirm that the m20 blows cocks like f34r after one too many hard lemonades

[Ryann]

I love how people who have no idea what they are talking about tell others what they know. I drove this car for over a year.

I have probably owned more e30s than you have seen.

Fair enough. :)

The m20 is simple, less things to go wrong. M42 has tappets and profile gasket failures that BOTH alone take more time than adjusting the valves and everything else you mentioned.

This is a combination of misinformation and opinion.

[gazellebeigem3]

also fwiw the m42 does not sound like a sewing machine. how many m20 guys get asked if there is something wrong with their motor by "laymen"?

[Keith M]

I can confirm that the m20 blows cocks like f34r after one too many hard lemonades

[Nick_S]

I like my M42 for what it is...but it's slow and gutless, even when ran hard they are slow. I don't plan on swapping unless something catastrophic happens to the engine though.

[Emre]

After my second profile gasket failure, I swapped from an M42 to an M20. In those days (late '90s) the M50 swap wasn't a realistic option. I've spent a lot of time on the track with both engines in the same chassis.

I really liked the extra midrange torque pulling out of corners. I didn't like the series of broken rocker arms and oil starvation issues. And I definitely missed the grippy/pointy front-end response. My 318is definitely had more of the 2002tii DNA with the original engine under the hood.

I came to regret the M20 swap in the end.

?... stick an M47 crank, S50 rods and pistons making 2.1L. The euro S50 itb's fit up to the head nicely, seams like a fun little motor.

A stroked M42 with cams, ITBs, and MS would be the ultimate engine for an HPDE car IMNSHO.