advice for track car?

[Massive Lee]

The 318is is lighter, more nimble and better balanced than the 325is. Your choice will most likely depend on what you prioritize. I know a few people who swapped an M20 into their 318is and then complained about how the handling got altered. And not in the right way.

Somebody who wants to learn how to be a better driver and work on momentum in corners should consider the 318is. This is a real mini M3.

[QUKBMER]

I had a 91 318is track car that did very well running against miata's and sentra SER's on the 2.8 mile road course at califonia speedway.My best lap time was 2:12.833 at 80 mph ave speed and was between 2:12 to 2:15 on lap times. I didnt do any engine work to it other that exhaust and chip (i had cams and injectors ready to go in) and it did quite well. I like the fact that the engine sits back further to the fire wall for better center of gravity and is lighter that an 2.5 or a 2.7 engine and doesnt have any push in the front end through corners as much as a 325i/is has. I have been drive my 91 325is for about 9 years now and by far my 318is handled way better in my choice. Suspension mods where about the same on both cars.

[Rockinlittle325i]

oh ya how bullet proof are M42s?

[Dave]

e30 325i/iS + seat time

[Dj Buttchug]

just weld your diff and start drifting

[kishg]

just weld your diff and start drifting

worst advice ITT

[Mike The Bavarian]

get a 318is if you can find one go for a slicktop.
Get a timing chain tensioner, delete the mess under the intake, re tourque the upper oil pan bolts along with a new gasket, if the timing chain guides/chains/sprockets are bad change them. I love my 318, it truley is an amazing car. Even with horribly blown suspension it still handles really well. the perfect weight balance and light weight make it really predictable and fun to drive. It's really not scary to push these at all. If you went the 318 route a chip, cams, injectors, cop, and lightweight flywheel would make some decent power. When you get bored you can turbo it.

[Rockinlittle325i]

Well I don't want to turbo,
What do you mean slick top?

How about this, 318is for a year, suspension over that time period, then... A s52 if money permits

How will the swap effect handling?

And drifting is for the soy sause toys.... Fun though

[kishg]

slicktop=non sunroof

[Mike The Bavarian]

Well I don't want to turbo,
What do you mean slick top?

How about this, 318is for a year, suspension over that time period, then... A s52 if money permits

How will the swap effect handling?

And drifting is for the soy sause toys.... Fun though

If you want an s50 or s52 don't bother getting a 318 then.
For a track car they're pretty pointless in swapping. You're going to end up being faster with the better balanced, lighting car. especially with race spec suspension. the 318is has a 50/50 weight balance, I'm pretty sure with the added weight of the s52 it bring you to something like 70/30?
The car will rotate well, due to it being very tail happy. but it's never going to handle the same.

[Jean]

Why pointless? It makes sense to start with lighter chassis no? There is a quite a bit of weight difference between early 318/325 cars vs late model 325i or 325ic as well. You can still balance the car with co's.

[Mike The Bavarian]

Why pointless? It makes sense to start with lighter chassis no? There is a quite a bit of weight difference between early 318/325 cars vs late model 325i or 325ic as well. You can still balance the car with co's.

Because the us s50 or s52 doesn't make crazy power to justify the cost and time of the swap. And why would you bother getting a 318 to swap a heavy motor in it? I'd just buy a 325, if that's what you want to do.

[Emre]

The 318is is lighter, more nimble and better balanced than the 325is. Your choice will most likely depend on what you prioritize. I know a few people who swapped an M20 into their 318is and then complained about how the handling got altered. And not in the right way.

I'm one of them. I really regret swapping out my M42. It was really a cost issue: rebuilding my M42 and tranny was going to be a lot more expensive than swapping in an I6 at the time.

[Mike The Bavarian]

I'm one of them. I really regret swapping out my M42. It was really a cost issue: rebuilding my M42 and tranny was going to be a lot more expensive than swapping in an I6 at the time.

exactly. the balance and lightness of that car, especially gutted.
If you really want to get serious with the m42, for the same money you're gonna spend on doing an s52 swap correctly you can probably stroke the m42 to a 2.1 and if i remember correctly it makes around 170-180hp?
I'm not completely sure on that though. I do know that what you need to do that is a m47 crank from a desiel(can be found on ebay from anywhere from $300-$800) and s52 pistons. a few millimeters needs to be shaved off the piston and I believe the crank needs to be shortened. this along with cams a good tune will make great power and the car will still be real light.
You can also get and modify itb's from a euro s50.

[nrubenstein]

If you want an s50 or s52 don't bother getting a 318 then.
For a track car they're pretty pointless in swapping. You're going to end up being faster with the better balanced, lighting car. especially with race spec suspension. the 318is has a 50/50 weight balance, I'm pretty sure with the added weight of the s52 it bring you to something like 70/30?
The car will rotate well, due to it being very tail happy. but it's never going to handle the same.

You really think two extra cylinders will take the car from 50/50 to 70/30? The difference is a couple percentage points at most.

...and an S50/S52 with mild work done will make 250-280rwhp. That compares pretty well with the 120ish that you'll get out of the M42.

Edit: And now you're suggesting an M42 stroker? For a whopping 140 or so rwhp?