If you had to build??

[stevetigger]

If you had to put an engine in an e30, would you pick??

2.7 or 3.5

[Andy335Touring]

Thats a tough question !

[Dan318-is]

s38b38 hands down

an that was its still a bmw an not jsut the shell, it still has the soul

[Andy335Touring]

2.7 or 3.5

[stevetigger]

Also it has to be easy for somebody to do!
For example in there garage with small amount of macanic knowledge.
Boy my spelling tonight has got bad!

[Ziggy]

3.5 probably - cheaper & more straightforward to get big fun compared to a decent 2.7 & cheaper to replace if it all goes pop too...

[stevetigger]

2.7 or 3.5

Still unsure! Remember I asked you ages ago!

[Dan318-is]

if the choice was between a 2.7 m20 an 3.5 m30

IT HAS TO BE M30 SURELY!

bags more torque an much more unique an theres always the turbo route

and its chain driven rightness

[Andy335Touring]

2.7 or 3.5

Still unsure! Remember I asked you ages ago!

Sorry, that post was ment for 318is for suggesting S38 when the choice was between 2.7 or 3.5

[Jhonno]

3.5 then supercharge it

[stevetigger]

3.5 then supercharge it

I thought that or turbo it

[stevetigger]

How much do you all think, all diy??

[Dan318-is]

i prefer supercharging

andy u no an s38 converison makes sense

[Andy335Touring]

How much do you all think, all diy??

Have a look is the engine swap section, heres part of a post iwrote out there.

" The main expenses are........

Engine mounts-120(?) from Karan(or 30 in metal for home made mounts ?)
M3 prop or Reco-prop-100-150
LSD dif-200-230
new rad E28 535-124(or 30 ish for a second hand one ?)
Exhaust-30 right up to 500(home made through to good quality custom exhaust)
uprated springs and shocks 300-1000 for Hartge H36 stuff !
Cheap E34 535 300-500(sell some of the parts on to make some money back) "

[stevetigger]

couple of grand then, to do it proper!

[Dan318-is]

well worth it though

in my opinion, besides an s engine swap, the m30 is the best conversion for an e30 period

andy is a fookin hero

[Hyperion]

if i was gonna go through the trouble of ripping out my engine, i would go 3.5, but thats a bit of a problem over here, cars to salvage parts from are thin.At the moment i am happy with my 2.5.

[kam-325i]

2.7 or 3.5

Easy, M30B35. lets do it together !!!!

I will be starting mine (Transplant) in the spring.....

[Gwynleym10]

Easy, M30B35. lets do it together !!!!

I will be starting mine (Transplant) in the spring.....

Same here! We should do a group m30 fiiting!

[M5pilot]

M30 turbo all the way with megasquirt.

[Moofles]

if it's a standard m30b35 i'd go for the 2.7 - 3.5 is so wasteful, 3.5 litres and only 218hp? and it's not that much torque either, not enough to make up for the "lost" hp, imo.

if it's a modded 3.5 and you could get at least 260-280hp i'd look upon the 3.5 with less disdain...

[6potWil6pot]

if it's a standard m30b35 i'd go for the 2.7 - 3.5 is so wasteful, 3.5 litres and only 218hp? and it's not that much torque either, not enough to make up for the "lost" hp, imo.

if it's a modded 3.5 and you could get at least 260-280hp i'd look upon the 3.5 with less disdain...

Please, we're not talking 21st century engineering here, like the Nissan 350z lump that pushes out nice power

M30 has good power for its era! Even if most engines were produced before i was born

[Moofles]

if it's a standard m30b35 i'd go for the 2.7 - 3.5 is so wasteful, 3.5 litres and only 218hp? and it's not that much torque either, not enough to make up for the "lost" hp, imo.

if it's a modded 3.5 and you could get at least 260-280hp i'd look upon the 3.5 with less disdain...

Please, we're not talking 21st century engineering here, like the Nissan 350z lump that pushes out nice power

M30 has good power for its era! Even if most engines were produced before i was born

lol, you forgot to mention what else you said to me? don't blame it all on me!

[6potWil6pot]

if it's a standard m30b35 i'd go for the 2.7 - 3.5 is so wasteful, 3.5 litres and only 218hp? and it's not that much torque either, not enough to make up for the "lost" hp, imo.

if it's a modded 3.5 and you could get at least 260-280hp i'd look upon the 3.5 with less disdain...

Please, we're not talking 21st century engineering here, like the Nissan 350z lump that pushes out nice power

M30 has good power for its era! Even if most engines were produced before i was born

lol, you forgot to mention what else you said to me? don't blame it all on me!

Stop dragging me down into your E30 world of hate! Why dont you go over to Pacerpetes house after work and borrow his petrol saw for a late nite frag fest? Im actually gonna do some work now, internet at work is naughty

[M5pilot]

You must live in a world of pain driving that super caped thing.

You know you want to come back to our hateful world of E30's!

[6potWil6pot]

You must live in a world of pain driving that super caped thing.

You know you want to come back to our hateful world of E30's!

I quite like it! Feels fresh to drive, small enough around town, quick enough and costs barely anything to run

After 3 E30s ive had my fill now

Dont wanna rain on conversion guys parade tho! So

[Simon13]

in goes the 2p into the pot, ding

3.5 conversion great, can make the car quicker than a 2.7 BUT, fair old weight is the M30 plus she has a serious thirst for fuel than even a tuned 2.7 would struggle to match. The m30 is thirsty all the time, where as a good 2.7 will actually give better consumption than a 2.5, when the slow mood takes u of course

I like both and have been driven in both cars with these conversions. But my personal view is 2.7, don't know why i'm just into them! Partly also is the fact i think the M20 sounds better! but just my opinion

I like my engine to be a really good alrounder and not be great at one thing, and i think the 2.7 does this better than a 3.5

[M5pilot]

You and Kermit have been talking 2.7's alot isnt it!

A good 2.7 can be a real weapon and it gives just the right amount of on road performance to make a E30 alot of fun. You also dont lose the weight distribution either and the engine bay look fairly stock still.

I like 2.7's, very good compromise.

Sit in turbo 2.5 and you might change your mind!

[Jhonno]

turbo 2.7 Si - you know it makes sense

[Simon13]

this is the dilema, as i have the crank to do turbo 2.7. Money is saying other wise plus with T-bo u cannot have a sexy 6 branch. Choices and not being able to make up your own mind does not help things!

I to set some GOALS!!

[jonb]

moofles

what do you know. youve only suffered the anguish of a 320i and a "fag meister" z3. i will eat humble pie once youve given pete the green for his tr7!

a standard m30 in an e30 is great, and cheapish conversion. the torque is unreal in the light shell. very rapid with great midrange pull.

[Dan318-is]

i have to agree with jonB

im usually one for as little weight as possible, i dont really even like 6 pots except TVR engines

but when an e30 bonnet is opened an an m30 is lying there you know love has gone in to the car

maybe its because the first m30 converted e30 i saw was dips346

[Simon13]

tvr engines belong in the bin, 20,00mile rebuilds and only 350bhp from 4.5 litre V8's is not a very well tuned engine to me. Just cos it's light doesn't mean the engine shouldn't be a decent tuned level.

The fact everyone else makes more powerful and reliable engines of the same capacity as TVR makes it all the more funny.

Correct me if i'm wrong though.

Bmw make the best 6's, thats it. NO porka's with real poke turbo theirs

[Dan318-is]

there unreliable il give it that

but when they work that noise

i agree bmw make theb est six pots hands down, i prefer tvr ones even though they arent the best

[Simon13]

bmws sound better too! natural not lack or baffles in the exhaust like TVR, vauxhall side repeaters anyone?