M30 specs

[bmwannabe]

The more and more i read, the more i am tempted to toy with the M30. How much more power is availible than the M20? I know that the M30 was the longest production bmw 6 cyl, and one of the stoutest, but what years make what kinda power, and what years should I shoot for? Also, what are the specs on an m5? Would the engine code still be m30, and what years were those made? I know its alot of questions, but i havent found a really good resource on what is what.

[iXer]

M30 Cylinder Head FAQ

http://www.firstfives.org/faq/cylinder_head/cylinder_head_faq.htm

That link was not specifically what you asked for but it's a good one.

[TCD]

You want the m30b35 from a 1988-92 535 635 or 735. It had 208hp.
Todd

[rs4pro3]

From what I've read the early M30 found inthe 533, 633, 733 had good power and felt very Lively, then when the 535 and 635 came out he engine lost some of it's livelyness but became more dependable as the early engines had cylinder head problems. Then the Latest M30 found in the E34 and E32 cars are the best Engines to get as they have more power, and better engine control software.
I'm serriously considering this swap as I've driven 2 M30 equiped cars so far and just Love the way the Engine feels and also the way it looks in the engine bay.

The M5 is an S38 engine, They are a lot more power full then the M30 but also cost around 2-3k for the Engine where as an M30 can be found for $300-$400.
If I do the swap I'm just going to buy the whole car for under $800 so that way I have any little tidbits I might need.

[B6guy]

M30 is a good way to go if you want more power and a strong engine however you will have to either buy Alpina engine mounts or fab up your own. Also, the swap will likely require a larger radiator which will be a tight fit. Check out e30.de they have a good article on the swap, althought its in German ;) it will give you an idea of what ti takes. As far as power goes somewhere between 200-250 can be expected depending on displacement and other details. Good luck with your project.
Sean

[M3 Ryan]

M30's ROCK.
I have my 535iS, and now I am building a 230hp Euro Motor for it... I am half of the way done, waiting for a few parts and this thing will start getting assembled.
I say go for it. I love the sound and feel of the motor. It pulls strong and hard all the time, whether you are at 3k or 6k rpm, it pulls nice and smooth.

[Nate325ic]

http://www.e30.de/335i.htm

I didn't know others were actually interested in this...I'm gathering parts for my swap I'm picking up the motor in a week, from a 90 535 has 56k miles on it for $400 with all accessories except tranny

[bmwannabe]

how much are the mounts? does only alpina make them? Is there any type of custom fabrication involved?

[Nate325ic]

you can get the mounts from e30.de around 200 euros depending on what car your m30 came from, and the mounts are good for engine position 2 and 3...mounts, if you wanted position 1 the original m30 mounts work

[JPbmw]

well i didnt know either this many people were interested on doing this.
im also searching for a donor car

check out www.e30.de for a great article on this(theres a version of it in english)

i plan on doing this swap during this summer break :twisted:

[E30/M30]

Just to show you what sort of power you can get out of an M30 from an E34 535 with a ported/flowed head,schrick cam and a chip i thoght i'd post this.The figures are estimated power at the fly wheel.This was done just after the head/cam work and is feeling stronger now it's got some miles under it's belt.

This is a UK car with no kat so you might have to refigure what you'll get from a US spec engine with a kat ?

HTH

Andy

[Stuart B]

how flat is that torque curve!!! very nice. I have thought about it too, but need to get the rest of the car mint first.

Stu

[Bokes]

http://www.e30.de/335i/00.htm <--- English

very good write up. gives you a list of everything you need and the differences between the two engines. I plan on doing this swap eventually.

[Jon325i]

For specs, the lastest US spec M30 cranked out around 208bhp and 218 ft/lbs of torque (to the best of my memory). Simple upgrades such as a JC chip and perhaps a cam will produce some measureable gains, perhaps 8-10 more for HP and torque. Due to its 2 valve per cylinder design, it has the same limitations as the M20. To get any substantial gains would require forced induction and we all know how those types of projects can add up. So here are some points to consider...

Pluses about the M30:

1. Abundant torque.....plenty of it in stock form, even a bit more w/ a chip and cam
2. Its much cheaper to acquire compared to an S50
3. Similar upgrades required to the twin cam swap (brakes, driveshaft, mounts, exhaust)
4. Roughly the same weight of an S50 (similar handling traits)

Minuses of the M30:

1. Antiquated design and technology...not nearly as tunable as an S50
2. Finding a low-mileage core may be tough due to age (possible rebuild = $$$)
3. Mechanical valves require adjustment....unlike the S50s hydraulic valves

So there's a short list of pro/con M30 swap points. I'm sure there's more (feel free to add). Basically it all boils down to what best suits your own taste and budget.

Jon

[Nate325ic]

the m30 weighs about 130lbs more then the m20, not sure how much more an m50 weighs compared to either of the two. the m50 doesn't hurt weight distribution as much, if you're lazy and use stock engine mount brackets then the m30 will be really far forward (position 1), but if you buy the custom mounts then you can retain the weight balance, I just love the idea of this swap; old school engine for an old school car