If you were spending 7K on a new NA M20 engine

[PУCCKAЯ_e30ka]

in all honesty... I think you shouldn't listen to the "get s50" guys... I LOVE the SOUND OF M20!! I can't imagine it sounding with ITB's nice headers, catless+brullen muffler, nice cam and somewhere in the 2.9L range... sunch an unrefined, raw, loud, girgling m20! I love listening to the video where Jordan gets to drive his e30 for second or first time, where he is checking brakes... that sounds awesome!

For 7K you can definately make m20 to be a nicer enginethan it already is!

[hugh jass]

I don't want to swap cause I like the "plug n play" aspect of keeping the M20. I also want to maintain the balance of my car. I don't want to get coil-overs to accommodate the extra 80lbs worth of S50/S52.

No S14 due to cost to rebuild. Besides, I don't want a high strung engine.

I'm looking at 7K installed.

This may be the wrong thread, but why 24V or S14 over the Mighty M20?

Devon, yeah, I can't really afford it, but I can afford it more now than once the bambino gets older. Whatcha got for me?

what makes you think you need coilovers for an s50/s52 swap? it isn't that much extra weight.
if you want a reliable high hp, a twincam swap is going to be a lot more reliable than a built m20. the m20 is old tech - timing belt, 12v head, single cam. the twincam is a much better, smoother motor and is a great way to get lots of reliable power in the e30.
find one local and have the owner take you for a spin. i can almost guarantee you'll be scouring craiglist for a s52 motor that night.

[Charlie]

Perhaps a non-VANOS M50. That's another motor that I'd go for, personally.

Why non? Vanos is nice, torque is a good thing.

-Charlie

[TDE30]

Perhaps a non-VANOS M50. That's another motor that I'd go for, personally.

[Charlie]

Jordan (Stuck) made something around 220-230bhp with his built 2.8L m20, and he only spent around $3k. His car was plenty fast.

Ask Jordan what he has in there now.

-Charlie

[Charlie]

I don't want to swap cause I like the "plug n play" aspect of keeping the M20. I also want to maintain the balance of my car. I don't want to get coil-overs to accommodate the extra 80lbs worth of S50/S52.

Yank the AC, ditch the unnecessary oil cooler & condensors up front and the front firewall insulation, and you're almost at a wash weightwise.

No S14 due to cost to rebuild. Besides, I don't want a high strung engine.

You honestly think a NA 3.1 M20 making 240 hp isn't going to be "high strung"?

I'm looking at 7K installed.

Do it yourself, it builds character. I'm mechanically retarded, and I handled a swap on my own (mostly).

This may be the wrong thread, but why 24V or S14 over the Mighty M20?

You said you wanted reliable. An S50 is 240 HP out of the box, can be had installed for 7k, and is definetly reliable. No rocker arms to snap, no timing belt to break, no valves to adjust, no distributor, etc.

Devon, yeah, I can't really afford it, but I can afford it more now than once the bambino gets older. Whatcha got for me?

Hopping into a 7+k project "you can't really afford" doesn't seem too wise with a newborn.

-Charlie

[Jordan325iC]

I personally think high output N/A m20s are freaking cool.

Jordan (Stuck) made something around 220-230bhp with his built 2.8L m20, and he only spent around $3k. His car was plenty fast.

[markseven]

I don't want to swap cause I like the "plug n play" aspect of keeping the M20. I also want to maintain the balance of my car. I don't want to get coil-overs to accommodate the extra 80lbs worth of S50/S52.

No S14 due to cost to rebuild. Besides, I don't want a high strung engine.

I'm looking at 7K installed.

This may be the wrong thread, but why 24V or S14 over the Mighty M20?

Devon, yeah, I can't really afford it, but I can afford it more now than once the bambino gets older. Whatcha got for me?

[z31maniac]

240 at the crank is exactly what Metric Mechanic advertises for his 3.1L Rally M20.

[Van Westervelt]

Some of the built up and stroked UK guys with itb setups get upward of 225.

I went s50. and I am glad I did, for the car anyway.

[PУCCKAЯ_e30ka]

If you were spending 7K on a new NA M20 engine

I'd buy a bunch of t-belt kits, oil, couple of sets of rocker arms/valves.

[backtrail69]

24v or Turbo.

[TDE30]

For $7k, buy a S14.

/thread

[devonjordan]

Mark, you just had a kid, how are you going to spend 7k on a new motor?

and everyone is going to tell you S50 or better, so look out!!!

I have a gift for you if you decide to go with the M20... Next time we get together I can bring it...

[Charlie]

how much crank HP would you expect? This is for a DD / HPDE car, so it has to run on 91 octane, legally pass smog, and be reliable in every sense of the word. Is 240 reasonable?

TIA,
Mark

If I were spending 7k, it would be on a freshened S50.

-Charlie