Alright guys, this is what a eta bottom end and i head gets you.

[Aveman]

This combo really works well if you mill the head a little and run all the i parts. It makes just as much tq @ 2400 rpms as most stock i's make @ their peak. My 885 head ended up @ 38.5cc and has 180 psi cranking compression w/ 9.0:1 US ETA bottom end @ 200K miles. Best pull below 152HP / 164 TQ. Make sure the dyno you use has a properly functioning weather station.

Hey can you provide details of how much you had to take off the head? Did you do an adjustable cam gear to compensate for the timing being retarted from taking so much off the head?

Good numbers!

[Aveman]

I think I'm gonna have to do this same "ghetto rebuild." I actually have an I head that's been machined and everything sitting in my garage. Now that I know what this thing can do I am planning on getting it put on my engine soon.

Nice

Good luck with your build, good to know this information may have helped you make the decision. Driveability wise you retain the low end torque the eta had stock so you won't be missing anything really. I drove around with the 2.79 rear for a while and it was still pretty driveable, just not ideal.

We should call this the "ghetto stroker" lol

[jmarch]

If I read this correctly, the original poster used non-super eta pistons. For someone who already has an "I" engine (like me), but does not want aftermarket pistons, has anyone dynoed an M20 with super eta pistons, "I" head and cam, eta or turbo crank, M30 AFM, adj FPR and M50 injectors?

[Mitch M]

Re:

Hey can you provide details of how much you had to take off the head? Did you do an adjustable cam gear to compensate for the timing being retarted from taking so much off the head?

Good numbers!

Mic your head before having it milled in case it's ever been off before. Mine was actually a virgin 4 bearing SETA 885 head so I had the oil holes drilled and told them 0.018"....Typical Gomer machine shop and it came back
@ 0.020". Cam timing is only 1.5 deg retarded @ 0.020" by my math so I used the stock i cam sprocket.

Here's the scary part...w/ a no wear i cam and new BMW rockers @ 0.010 valve clearance cold, piston to valve clearance was 0.055 intake and 0.070" ex. w/ the head torqued to 20 ft x lbs using a used head gasket and not a drop of carbon on the stock ETA piston tops turning the engine over by hand and checking the closest point.

DON'T SKIP A TOOTH DURING TIMING BELT INSTALL AND IF YOU RUN A CAM BIGGER THAN A STOCK i, CHECK PISTON TO VALVE CLEARANCE or enlarge the piston valve reliefs w/ the cutter that attaches to your valve that you can get from most hot rod shops.

[Aveman]

i'd be interested in the compression test results if you get around to it.

I know it's been a while, I just tested my compression the other day cause my buddy has the same setup and wanted to compare compression numbers as he thought his was a little low. After doing the test I remembered this thread. Basically it was about 140 PSI accross.

We have already slapped the turbo on my buddies car, it pulls pretty hard.

Here is a video or his car accelerating, 15 psi on a 2.7L stroker making 330 WHP and 325 WTQ tuned by me with MS2 :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxt8AR7VnZw

[E30Eric]

Nice videos! I have the SETA short block with an "I" head, schrick 288 cam, 19lb injectors and all other "I" components. It's loading up and running really rich with the stock DME. I'm going to have Mark D make a chip for me to run until I boost it and run MS. Are other people also running really rich w/ 19lb injectors and a stock 325i DME?

[nando]

mine ran just fine with 19# injectors - I also had a new o2 sensor, all maintenance items taken care of, all sensor checked out and no vacuum leaks.

[E30Eric]

I have had a blinking "check" light since i hit a rather sizable pot hole coming back from Stevens pass a while ago. I called a friend, he said it's most likely that it's the o2 sensor. I'm going to hook it up the reader today to get to the bottom of this. It's rich to the point that if i kill the car in the morning I cannot start it again for half an hour because it floods the engine with so much fuel. Sorry for jacking thread/

[nando]

I'd say O2 sensor and/or coolant temp sensor. you can test the coolant sensor with a multimeter.

if a sensor is bad and you are forced to run in open-loop mode, it would run really rich as it's going to go by the default fuel tables, ingoring the trim tables that are needed to run larger injectors with stock motronic.

[e30 gangsta]

I pulled 150rwhp on my bolt on m20. If 153rwhp is what you get to the floor with a 2.7 bottom end then i guess its not worth it.

[rThor432]

But you get eta torque across the rev range.

[Aveman]

I pulled 150rwhp on my bolt on m20. If 153rwhp is what you get to the floor with a 2.7 bottom end then i guess its not worth it.

Yes if you have a 325i this information isn't for you, but 140-150WHP should sound pretty damn good for a regular eta guy looking for a decent power upgrade.

[rThor432]

Yes if you have a 325i this information isn't for you, but 140-150WHP should sound pretty damn good for a regular eta guy looking for a decent power upgrade.

Exactly. It is a simple upgrade that out performs a stock "i" motor.

I like eta's.

[e30_lover_CT]

I pretty much have this setup in my '90. It's a pretty ballsy setup. I noticed a significant improvement over the original stock 325i engine. The combo I have is the eta shortblock, i head, stock 5 speed (converted from auto), and I think a 4.10 rear since my car was originally an auto and it's a 325is. Coolbeans! I just sold the '90 to a dude who's going to turbo it... he's an r3v'er too so hopefully he'll keep us abreast of his progress.

[T.Dot_E30]

Got the coolant channels welded on the head and had it resurfaced.

Got any pictures of the welding?