s50 engined e30's

[GraniteE30]

Just wondering if these ever crop up for sale, don't think i've every seen one for sale.
Also, what sort of cash do they go for? Just wondering if the forsale price reflects the cost of doing the conversion?

[Rav335uk]

One was for sale on her and went for £4k, but needed lots of work.
Expect to pay about £7k+ for one as the conversion costs about £6k to carry out in itself.

[GraniteE30]

Cheers Rav. Yeah i kind of imaged they would be around that cost.
But do many pop up on here for sale (other then the one mentioned)?

[ImysE30]

As Rav said, last one to be advertised on here was Buster's S50 Sport, went cheap but needed work to make it mint again.

They very rarely come up for sale as it's a lot of money to spend on a conversion and then to just sell it. Most will tend to keep their car's unless they need the money

Keep an eyeout on eBay and PistonHeads. There is a full conversion kit for sale on eBay if you fancy doing the swap yourself.

[jmc330i]

Not many on here.

Theres one or two that pop up on ebay from time to time. Im guessing they arent converted to the best standard as they seemed to get moved on quite quickly. A cheaply done conversion will only lead to problems and more money needing to be spent.

[marty325]

out of interest where do the major costs to amount to £6k cost come into this conversion, considering that i've been offered a couple of complete e36 m3's for under £2.5k?

[ImysE30]

I may be wrong but from what i have read, the main cost is the exhaust manifold at over 1k for this, full system is around 2k i think.

Then custom mounts, wiring etc etc...... It all adds up

[jmc330i]

out of interest where do the major costs to amount to £6k cost come into this conversion

Ive said it before and I'll say it again, its not just a case of buying an engine, fitting it and driving it away - if it was that simple, everyone would be doing it.

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... rsion+cost

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... rsion+cost

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... rsion+cost

considering that i've been offered a couple of complete e36 m3's for under £2.5k?

Ask yourself why are they under £2.5k. Most in that price bracket will be shagged, tired examples - try costing up an S50 rebuild
Having said that, if I was do it again I would buy an M3 to break, to try and get some money back.

I may be wrong but from what i have read, the main cost is the exhaust manifold at over 1k for this, full system is around 2k i think.

Dave at Fritz is now doing a complete manifold/system for around £1k (M50/52 and S50) - designed and built properly by a local company, it looks very good indeed

[mr_cool]

I may be wrong but from what i have read, the main cost is the exhaust manifold at over 1k for this, full system is around 2k i think.

Then custom mounts, wiring etc etc...... It all adds up

ive had my manifold custom made professionally for £600
then i used the stainless e36 m3 exhaust and backbox from the dona car and had that cut and made up to fix on the e30 for £200! total £800!

[NomNomNom]

Dave at Fritz is now doing a complete manifold/system for around £1k (M50/52 and S50) - designed and built properly by a local company, it looks very good indeed

It's 1200 +VAT

[Cook318IS]

I may be wrong but from what i have read, the main cost is the exhaust manifold at over 1k for this, full system is around 2k i think.

Then custom mounts, wiring etc etc...... It all adds up

ive had my manifold custom made professionally for £600
then i used the stainless e36 m3 exhaust and backbox from the dona car and had that cut and made up to fix on the e30 for £200! total £800!

But exactly how good is your custom manifold? Have you had the car dynoed? The exhaust is where the power is made or lost!

[GraniteE30]

Anyone seen these for sale with a turbo conversion??
I'm imagining mega £££££'s to do an s50 turbo...

[ross_jsy]

never seen one for sale, but if people are chasing big power they seem to use the m50 for what ever reason.

[mr_cool]

I may be wrong but from what i have read, the main cost is the exhaust manifold at over 1k for this, full system is around 2k i think.

Then custom mounts, wiring etc etc...... It all adds up

ive had my manifold custom made professionally for £600
then i used the stainless e36 m3 exhaust and backbox from the dona car and had that cut and made up to fix on the e30 for £200! total £800!

But exactly how good is your custom manifold? Have you had the car dynoed? The exhaust is where the power is made or lost!

ever heard of richard longman?? he did it! super bit of work! only got it done for £600 as its my dads mate!

[NomNomNom]

never seen one for sale, but if people are chasing big power they seem to use the m50 for what ever reason.

Ever seen how thin the cylinder walls are on the S50 engines?
Plus they're iron unlike the M52, tough as hell.

[GraniteE30]

Ever seen how thin the cylinder walls are on the S50 engines?
Plus they're iron unlike the M52, tough as hell.

Are you talking about M50 being tough as hell??

[Dezzy]

Ever seen how thin the cylinder walls are on the S50 engines?
Plus they're iron unlike the M52, tough as hell.

Are you talking about M50 being tough as hell??

M50 bored out to 86mm (S50)


Just to show wall thinkness. Standard M50 is 84mm.

[yetti24]

s50 conversions are not easy so much time went into trying to solve problems on the one i did it took me a year with lots of cuts bruises and swearing, well worth it in the end though, trouble is i think it gets addictive and quite fancy doing another project, i must be

[w17led]

I have a s50 turbo engine, complete with a manifold, ecu, everything but the intercooler.

Could be tempted to sell

[NomNomNom]

Ever seen how thin the cylinder walls are on the S50 engines?
Plus they're iron unlike the M52, tough as hell.

Are you talking about M50 being tough as hell??

M50 bored out to 86mm (S50)


Just to show wall thinkness. Standard M50 is 84mm.

Yep, compared to the S50:

[NomNomNom]

Ever seen how thin the cylinder walls are on the S50 engines?
Plus they're iron unlike the M52, tough as hell.

Are you talking about M50 being tough as hell??

Yes, M52 have iron sleeves so are pretty much as tough but not as resistant to extreme heat.

[Dezzy]

Are you talking about M50 being tough as hell??

M50 bored out to 86mm (S50)


Just to show wall thinkness. Standard M50 is 84mm.

Yep, compared to the S50:

Interesting M50 block must be longer than S50 then? There is 5mm in between bores on my M50. That's with S50 pistons.

[ross_jsy]

fark that will be why people don't seem to run crazy boost through them!

[Jhonno]

Interesting M50 block must be longer than S50 then? There is 5mm in between bores on my M50. That's with S50 pistons.

How does that work then fella, considering both have the same sump fitment

[gareth]

Interesting M50 block must be longer than S50 then? There is 5mm in between bores on my M50. That's with S50 pistons.

How does that work then fella, considering both have the same sump fitment

dezzy bores must be laid out in a large arc!

[Dezzy]

Interesting M50 block must be longer than S50 then? There is 5mm in between bores on my M50. That's with S50 pistons.

How does that work then fella, considering both have the same sump fitment

I new that too. I am thick.
Why do the S50 bores look much closer together?

[jmc330i]

if people are chasing big power they seem to use the m50 for what ever reason.

Cheaper engine to start with, less complicated if you use a non-Vanos and cheaper to replace when the boost gets too much

Having said that.... 1000+bhp with an S50 - Clicky
I bet it wasnt cheap

[NomNomNom]

hmmm are you sure they're s50 pistons, since the s50 engine has a longer stroke than the m50 to get it's capacity to 3.0/3.2 which would mean you're compression would be something like 7:1 with M50 75mm stroke vs B30 85.8mm/B32 91mm? also the above pic is a B32 which has a slightly bigger 86.4mm bore.

[Jhonno]

How does that work? He's fitted S50 pistons into an M50 block with a 2.8 crank, the compression ratio will be fine..

[Dezzy]

M50/M52 share pistons and rods. S50 pistons are the same height as M50/52.

I have used M50 block, S50 pistons, M52 crank and rods. I also have taken 0.5mm off the block for a comp ratio of 11.1

[NomNomNom]

How does that work? He's fitted S50 pistons into an M50 block with a 2.8 crank, the compression ratio will be fine..

I didn't know he has used a 2.8 crank, assumption is the mother of all fuck ups

M50/M52 share pistons and rods. S50 pistons are the same height as M50/52.

I have used M50 block, S50 pistons, M52 crank and rods. I also have taken 0.5mm off the block for a comp ratio of 11.1

I was talking stroke (piston/rod/crank), thought you had kept the M50 crank with stock rods and S50 pistons.

[Dezzy]

M50/M52 share pistons and rods. S50 pistons are the same height as M50/52.

I have used M50 block, S50 pistons, M52 crank and rods. I also have taken 0.5mm off the block for a comp ratio of 11.1

I was talking stroke (piston/rod/crank), thought you had kept the M50 crank with stock rods and S50 pistons.[/quote]


^^^^ So was I.

[harry_p]

the pistons / rods make no difference at all to the stroke, only where the piston sits in the bore / compression ratio.

keeping everything else equal but fitting a longer stroke crank the piston would be sat higher in the block at tdc as the crank has pushed it up further, youd need to use shorter rods, or pistons to bring it back down to the same compression ratio.

[NomNomNom]

the pistons / rods make no difference at all to the stroke, only where the piston sits in the bore / compression ratio.

The term relates to a half revolution of an engine during which the piston travels from one extreme of its range to the other, so if you fit shorter rods or skim the piston, it changes the stroke...

[Jhonno]

the pistons / rods make no difference at all to the stroke, only where the piston sits in the bore / compression ratio.

The term relates to a half revolution of an engine during which the piston travels from one extreme of its range to the other, so if you fit shorter rods or skim the piston, it changes the stroke...

No it doesn't.. It still travels the same distance, just further down the bore