m60 vs s52 vs ford 5.0 vs LS1

[Brezzi]

Hey guys,

Wanted to make a quick little thread addressing the question I've been bouncing around in my head. The turbo m20 vs s52 thread that just went up made me think this would be a cool comparison too... for all those deciding to stay NA when they swap.

My power goals are 250 to 300ish HP. I want the car to be fast but usable on a track, which is why I've decided to stay away from boost. I do still drive it around town and take a few highway trips every once in awhile. However, its basically a toy for me since I live in Hoboken and commute via bus or train to the city for work. I always wanted a v8 car so that's why they dominate this list, just not sure if its worth the headache.

questions I have:
-least pain in the ass to do (I'm guessing s52)
-best bang for buck power wise (I'm guessing 5.0 or m60)
-Is the LS1 worth the all the cash? given my goals.

[flyboyx]

are you talking at the wheel hp? if so, the s52 isn't going to get you there unless you throw a shitload of money at it.

i do not believe LS engines to be worth all the swap cost.

you can buy a decent m62(290hp/310ft-lb) all day long at the local pick a part for less than 300.00. i have not seen any dyno numbers from guys that have tuned them, but i bet an extra 25hp is easily attainable. if you take your time looking you can find one that is nice and clean in the inside to start with. you will spend more money on the fabrication, but it will still be a lot cheaper than an ls. if you look around you can buy a getrag 420 for 6-800 bucks. i got lucky and found two of them in the local lkq(170 bucks each). i haven't gotten to them yet, but i hope one if not both are in good usable shape. i think if you are careful about what you buy and do the work yourself, you should be able to get this engine refreshed and running in your car for around 3-4k after engine/trans purchase.

the great thing about bmw v8's is that they are so readily available at the jy and cheap.

[Kershaw]

A friend of mine has high compression s50b30 with 250whp/250wtq. VAC stage 2 head. I'm sure he's spent 15k on the motor though. At least. Maybe 20k.

A ford 5.0 can go from 225hp to 400whp with a ported head, cam, and intake. It's silly. Same with the LS series. And they can both take a 200 shot for a nice giggle switch.

I havent seen anyone make power as easily with the m60 like you can with a ford or chevy v8. 250whp is of course totally doable and I'm sure 300whp is too though. I do like how the 5.0 and and m60 fit in the engine bay though. I think the LS fits a lot better in an e36.

[Brezzi]

thanks guys - honestly went into this a little jaded and wanted to go with the m6x. Just wanted to see if there was any solid arguments for the american's or the s52.

Anyone think they know they easiest of the v8s to swap? I'm guessing its between 5.0 and m60 b/c Kershaw you're right all the LS e30 swaps I've seen look pretty tight. Most likely 5.0?

[mbonder]

Only way to get easy power out of the m60/2 motor is a supercharger. Other than that you'll be spending a bunch of money on motor work.

I think it's the way to go if you want stock power though, not as much fab as LSx motors but more power/torque than s5x motors. You'll be lucky to see 250whp with an s5x motor and that's with some serious money invested if you're still NA power.

[Brezzi]

Added a poll for the hell of it

[Kershaw]

Anyone think they know they easiest of the v8s to swap? I'm guessing its between 5.0 and m60 b/c Kershaw you're right all the LS e30 swaps I've seen look pretty tight. Most likely 5.0?

Probably the m60. I have a friend with a 5.0 e30 and the drivers side exhaust manifold goes towards the front of the car, around the motor, and then joins the passenger side to head back. No other way to clear the steering column. AFAIK, with the m60 (and LSx), you can run the exhaust straight back, no shenanigans.

Easiest of all is the s52, of course.

[supermansocks95]

LS swap, only because I don't like ford, and those chevy v8's can definitely hold their own.

[Brezzi]

I've kind of ruled out LS since I wana get this done in under a year and wouldn't be able to cover the cost. At least with me being somewhat responsible haha

[jpod999]

Lots more fab work involved in a 32v swap versus the 24v! I voted m6x just for my own sanity's sake.

[digger]

S52 with a few bolt ons and call it a day

[Brezzi]

S52 with a few bolt ons and call it a day

what bolt ons though? I thought I'd need head work to get 250+ whp on a s52.

[digger]

ive seen low mileage cammed ones get to 250whp when tuned correctly get around 250

[Nick's e30]

Maybe I can help. I can speak to having driven all of these, having helped install 3/4 and putting 2 in my personal cars. I'll start on the American side.

I did a 5.0 swap and in the end I hated it. Sure, you'll spend a lot of time figuring out the typical swap things (gauges, exhaust, clearancing, etc; expect that). My real complaint is if you plan on any serious track duty, the oil pan cuts necessary to fit the motor lower the reservoir size so drastically that unless you plan to use a dry sump or secondary sump, you'll pop the motor. I contributed to a fairly lengthy thread on this swap in the V8 section.

The LS is fun and feels nice in an e30 out of the box, especially if you spend a few more bucks and can find a donor GTO with an LS2. Sikky figured out most of the hard stuff as far as mounts, and it was fairly straightforward to install, again, aside from usual banging and fitting.

I have an S52 car currently. It is absolutely my favorite. It made 220 wheel and is more than enough power (I also have a convertible). You need heads to get beyond 250, but intake, injectors, good headers and exhaust and a cam will get you real close. The install is like fitting legos and can be surprisingly cheap after you sell your stock parts (my out of pocket was less than $1,000).

It was a long time since I've been in a v8 e30, but I remember having a stupid grin on my face getting out of it.

I'd go S52 if I were you. They're so great.

[supermansocks95]

I've kind of ruled out LS since I wana get this done in under a year and wouldn't be able to cover the cost. At least with me being somewhat responsible haha

Lol that's very true. They are expensive to do, but the power to weight would be amazing... If/When my m20 goes on my cabby, an LS swap will probably be in the works. My dad really wants to do it as well.