3.0 m20 or 3.0 m50nv

[Bimmer_man]

So I'm a little on the fence on what I want to do with adding some power to my daily ix car. I've been planning on a m20b30 stroker and the modifying it more later. But the more I think about it for my daily I would like a little more power than a built m20 would be. I know with the m50nv more power can be had down the line.

I can get a m50nv for next to nothing all day long because I plan on rebuilding it if I get it. In a standard e30 this swap is relatively easy. In an ix car there's a bit more involved because of the fwd part of the awd system. So what would you guys do?

I'm already building up a top notch m20 for my white car.

[stonea]

As a fellow ix owner I vote built M20. I've looked into the ix 24v stuff and its not gonna be cheap or easy. You can go the easy route and do a frakenpan, but I think thats the cheap way to go about it and it has its problems... The M50 will be at the wrong angle, you need to do a boosterless set up, and you still have the weak diff. Theres been talk about using x5 and e34 ix parts, but no one has tried it except for a guy who transplanted the e34ix drivetrain in his e30 but it required A LOT of fab work to the fire wall and trans tunnel. Plus he was in Europe so it was realistic.

[MR 325]

I'm obviously a M20 fan but I think for a 325iX you should definitely stay M20.

M20 engines can make S50 power without issue when done right!

[Bimmer_man]

Mr 325 what do you recommend?

[MR 325]

I would go all out with a 3.1L using S52 crank, S52 rods, and custom 85mm pistons.

Work the head with porting, HD rockers and a nice cam.