Metric Mechanics motors...opinions?

[RCWells]

Anyone have any experience or know of anyone with a MM motor? I've heard some negative things here and there, and just want some people with first-hand knowledge to share what they know. Shit, even someone with second-hand knowledge, or just what the general consensus is on these things.

[asubimmer]

PM sam, febi guibo

[RCWells]

Thanks, will do.

Anyone else??

[browntown]

I'm fairly sure the consensus is very well built and reliable motors but very costly. Check the concensus part, lets just call it second hand knowledge.

[asubimmer]

personally I would say if you have the $ for a metric engine then you should go w/ a Korman engine ;)

[RCWells]

personally I would say if you have the $ for a metric engine then you should go w/ a Korman engine ;)

Are you flippin' kiddin' me? Korman prices are wayyy higher. SHeesh, I had no idea!

[Hawk]

Never ever buy an MM engine. The use the cheapest rods from china. I asked my 30 year BMW mech as I was planning on purchasing one and found this out.

[nando]

the only negative opinions I've heard on MM products have been from people who have 3rd or 4th hand information (such as the above poster).

[Hawk]

Ok nando maybe you should look at the shops credentials before you open your mouth. www.bimmerhaus.com They just scored 5 more national wins in scca. They work on everything from M1s to twin turbo korman 850s. This is one of the best BMW shops in the United States. This information comes from my mech who had an MM engine so it would be 2nd hand information, not 3rd or 4th, not to mention the engine was sitting in front of me the rods did not look anything like factory rods so we called around and found where they were manufactured. MM had admitted to not using OE rods and wouldnt divulge where they had sourced them. Apparently the rods come out of a factory in china that makes B18c1 rods for like 20 bucks apiece. It seems as if people just read the board and form opinions from other people who have had no first hand experience. Nando you may have know someone with a good experience with one of their engines. And their rods may have never failed in their engine but they did in this one and it was due to their poor quality. The rest of the MM engine is bulletproof and thier spanish made OE head is great but the rods are a problem. If i wasnt boosting I would go korman all the way.

[bmwm3n528]

Great work, fudged #s.

That's what I continue to hear.

I personally think there's a lot of other great engine builders to consider, don't just jump on the one with the best advertising.

[uofom3]

please put an s50 from there in your car... along with a 5 lug suspension and you'd have the hottest e30 period.

[MarkD]

please put an s50 from there in your car... along with a 5 lug suspension and you'd have the hottest e30 period.

I've tuned various motors for MM this summer, including these (plus others) :

- m42 2.15l
- m20 3.2l (Teddy Rowe's car)
- 1995 s50 bored/stroked to 3.2

They have all turned out very well. I don't know how they compare with the other builders, but they seem to have a good reputation based on the feedback I have heard.

MarkD

[RCWells]

please put an s50 from there in your car... along with a 5 lug suspension and you'd have the hottest e30 period.

There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the suspension swap will happen next year.

Motor? Who knows? I may wind up doing an s50/52 swap in the end. We'll see. ;)

[ehlpitel]

My dad got one from them as a replacement for the 528e we used to own. Nothing special, except for the fact that it was way overpriced. I would get a different engine builder. I have also always heard that they have skewed the output of their motors.

[Brian D]

And their rods may have never failed in their engine but they did in this one and it was due to their poor quality.

How did the rod fail? Details would be helpful here.

FWIW it looks like MM uses http://www.sportcompactwarehouse.com/eagle/ Eagle rods or some variation. Yes they come from China, no that doesn't automatically make them junk. I would do a lot of searching for information before I put them in my engine though. If you look at some of the prices in that link for Honda/Acura rods, you can see MM charges a premium (330ish for 4 Eagle rods, 1000 for a set of 6 MM rods).

Go to a Chevy forum, you will find pages of arguments over Eagle/Scat rods and cranks. An engine builder that I trust for Chevys uses Scat, won't touch Eagle. Others disagree. Do lots of reading, and don't limit yourself to BMW info. Like it or not, at this level, an engine is pretty much the same no matter the brand name on the valve cover.