E30 Zone

after almost 2 years i have finaly decided to m50 my 318is ive done a lot of reserch on here and just wanted to no if theres any tips or advice anyone can give me?
any help would be great

cheers Neil

Yes! Leave the iS original they are quite rare!!

There's several engine available in the parts for sale, got to be a 2.8L whilst you're going to all that effort!

i will make the original ones even rarer

read my build thread in the photo gallery.

DanThe has all the important parts to make it work and look good

yea ive been following your build it looks great i think thats want made me decide to go for it!

B15NAC wrote:yea ive been following your build it looks great i think thats want made me decide to go for it!

don't blame me

Sounds like a plan .

Give me a shout if your intrested in a complete 328i.

I have a touring for sale with a very good engine

haha i wont

ok i will let you no at the mo i want a m50 2.5 vanos engine so im looking for a 525 so if anyone knows of one let me no

don't forget a build thread so we can check up on you

yea im planning to get all the bits needed and them do the swap over one or two weekends i will be taken pictures of it all just about to order my pas pipes off the danthe im planning to make my manifolds up ive got some pipe on order and some 328 manifolds i got a feeling that may be the hard part . Got a m20 flywheel just wondering how much to have it lightened by?

Also is this the servo i need? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

my flywheel weighs 6.7 kg

not sure on the servo ?if the car has plastic wings then it's right.


good price too

Just have the flywheel skimmed back to the ring gear, or further if you want.
Id get a picture of the actual servo, some of these are now rusted very badly and you wouldnt want to fit them

Hello mate i've got everything you need for your conversion for sale, all together sitting on the crossmember. Have a look at my for sale thread and make me an offer

what front springs are best to use? m20?

For M50 you want 325i springs at the front (assuming you have the 51m bigger front struts)

Yea i have so 325 springs i will get. are they normal ride hight for a 318is then with a m50 in?

you want mtech 6-pot springs to keep the same ride height you have,i used - 35mm apex 6-pot springs and it looks the same as it did but may get a bit lower when i drive it.

ok great also what prop shaft do i need is a 320 differant to 325 one?

I fitted 51mm struts and bought a gmax super sport kit, 40mm gas shocks and springs- £230 all in
The car looks great on them and also handles brill, not to harsh but gripy as hell.

As for peope telling you to go 2.8.... Yes do so but don't use ally block!! Get your 525 lump (as I did) and put internals into the iron block

325 front section of prop is shorter than the 320, and it depends on what box you plan to use as to which prop you need...

M42 box = 325i prop minus vibration damper
M40 box = 320 prop

B15NAC wrote:ok great also what prop shaft do i need is a 320 differant to 325 one?

M42 box is slightly bigger than the M40
M42 box = 325 prop
M40 box = 320 prop


edit too slow,even went and searched my build thread for that

Lol mate
Its engraved in my memory now haha, I'm doing the same build in my mates compact as he's so impressed with mine beating an audi tt and renault megan sport amongst other idiots that thought they were clever

what diff you got in yours? i got a 3.91 at the mo and just wondered on what people rate them on a m50 with a m42 box?

Don't laugh mate but I'm running the 2.0 dif at the moment, its 4.10 iirc
Some woman decided to pull straight across my path and hit my car last friday so the money I was going to spend on a dif went on getting the car back together!!
Anyway, the 4.10 is great around town, but a bit of a howler on the motorway! 65mph @3000rpm.... Brilliant fun though about town all the same!
I was going to get a 3.64 or 3.73 but due to the above not happening yet

Best ratio for m42 box is as I've mentioned, 3.64 or 3.73

haha sounds fun with a 4.10 i think i will run mine with a 3.91 for the time being see wht its like! did you use m5 engine mounts? and do i need to get a m50 throttle cable? thanks for all the help

Yeah its great fun mate tbh, a 3.91 will be fine as a runnabout and fun fun fun if its a slipper

Yes I used e28 m535 rubber mounts and e36 alloy engine arms
Also an e34 525 throttle cable, there are 2 sizes and its the longest one you need. Can't remember the measurement right now sorry but I'm sure someone can shed more light. Just ask for an e34 throttle cable from a car with the m50 engine

ok thanks yea its a slipper so should be good is the wiring hard to do?

Excellent on the slipper man! Result

The wiring is easier to do than the thought of it lol, if you get what I mean
There are plenty of wiring charts in the m50 section, do what I did.... Follow the chart, cut 1, join it, shrink it then move onto the next 1.
Post up if you need any help, few of us 24valvers on here to help you now

yea should be ok got to fine my doner car first do all m50s have ews? i no the m52 do! ive decided on m50 because they seem easyier to fit and i no they can go well monkey a chap on here who only lives 10mins from me got 217bhp out his 2.5 m50

I love my m50 mate I have to be honest! It loves to rev and really produces the goods up top
I'm not sure about ews on the m50's tbh but mine came out of a 1992-93 e34 525i and is non ews.

are good yea ive had mine for a few years and i want a m50 now the sound and the performace and knowing you have built it just gotta get me a e34

That's the way mate, built not bought lol
And I tell you what..... Seriously now someone said to me would you take £5000 for your car and I said no!! And although you could buy an e30 already 24valved for £3500 and have change, my reason for refusing is that I built it and I personaly can't put a price on that!
Get it done mate