E30 Zone

I had a 316 M10 and loved it, so when I bought the Baur I decided that it is such a robust engine and causes no problems as do the 320/325 engines so an M10 it was.I was not looking for performance as I have an e46 330 sport as my daily and after five months of just being there ,she started up within seconds !!

Why did you choose yours ???


Mart.

Before this car, the smallest BMW engine I'd owned was 2.8 and the largest with 3.2.

For me it's the low end grunt. Suits my driving style

inkeys wrote:Before this car, the smallest BMW engine I'd owned was 2.8 and the largest with 3.2.

For me it's the low end grunt. Suits my driving style

I understand that, my choice being that I cant pass most cars these days and what a relaxed way to drive ?

Mart.

martauto wrote:

inkeys wrote:Before this car, the smallest BMW engine I'd owned was 2.8 and the largest with 3.2.

For me it's the low end grunt. Suits my driving style

I understand that, my choice being that I cant pass most cars these days and what a relaxed way to drive ?

Mart.

Exactly. Nothing like a good waft!

When my b20 started sounding like a box of nails it was the obvious choice to replace it with an M20b25. I could have gone the M50/52 route but then it ceases to be an E30 in my opinion.

I got a 325i cos I wanted a sport. When that engine died, I stroked it to 2.8 for the same reasons above - it's a bit more power, but it still keeps the E30 character.

Plus, it's super torquey low down, so makes it very nice to drive around town, and it's pokey enough to hold its own in modern traffic without any issues (and it overtakes nicely too).

I bought mine because it was clean in budget and I liked it. It had a b25 which subsequently blew up and was replaced by a b20 purely because it was there.

I’m now replacing it with an LS family engine because I believe they are the best engines you buy. Extremely simple, reliable and very powerful. Plus you can use the torque and not have to work them hard, or depending on your cam and rocker set up have them highly strung and screaming.

engine choice? got to be an m20,

had my sport nearly 13yr's (in march next year) & i wanted to keep it with an m20 as that's what it came with,

had the chance for an m5x swap a couple of times even had the chance of an s5x swap at one point but stucj with the m20,

it's going to be getting it's 3rd engine in a weeks time, so far it's gad the standard b25 it came with, then a 2.7 hartge built lump (with quite a few mods) & next is a decent spec 2.6 m20 being slotted in.

i've stuck with the m20 because it looks factory original (if it it's far from standard ) & has a sound no m5x or s5x can replicate.

maybe one day i'll fit a different engine but only time will tell.

What's wrong with the 2.7 Hartge mill?

M40. 316i was the only engine size I was ever going to get insurance on. Glad I got it.

Honestly enjoyed owning an M40 E30. Easy to work on, very simple design, cheap(er) to maintain and run.

Speedtouch wrote:What's wrong with the 2.7 Hartge mill?

nothing wrong with it, just sold to a good mate who has just finished a full (nut & bolt etc) resto on a LHD 2 door hartge h27 minus engine he got from germany a fe years ago, the funds from the sale will partly cover what it cost me to build the 2.6.

I like 6 cylinders engines so the M20 325 ticked the boxes.

M42... what’s not to like? Forged bottom end, nippy and ok on fuel... last time it saw the light of day.

steve_k wrote:

Speedtouch wrote:What's wrong with the 2.7 Hartge mill?

nothing wrong with it, just sold to a good mate who has just finished a full (nut & bolt etc) resto on a LHD 2 door hartge h27 minus engine he got from germany a fe years ago, the funds from the sale will partly cover what it cost me to build the 2.6.

Very generous of you to sell it, and good to hear it's going back in a Hartge.

Speedtouch wrote:

steve_k wrote:

Speedtouch wrote:What's wrong with the 2.7 Hartge mill?

nothing wrong with it, just sold to a good mate who has just finished a full (nut & bolt etc) resto on a LHD 2 door hartge h27 minus engine he got from germany a fe years ago, the funds from the sale will partly cover what it cost me to build the 2.6.

Very generous of you to sell it, and good to hear it's going back in a Hartge.

it was a good engine, mind you i only sold him the bottom end as it had my griffin head on it, he's got a head built to the same type of spec as the hartge heads so he's fine with it.

at the end of the day it belonged in a hartge e30, but he is looking into building a 2.8 m20 so i might get the chance to own it again.

Well I have agonised over engines for a little while now and it will not be stopping any time soon as I have a few things to finish before playing with cars.

The early henna chromie I have needs to stay original, but the late M20B23 is a dog of an engine to start with and mine is a Friday version. Much as though it may be spoiling the originality and I may get shot down by 'originalists' it is going to get a M20B25 and get rid of the L-Jetronic at the same time too.

Part of me however sees the B25 Motronic as a bit modern for the old chromie and making a 'special' B26 is a bit more in-keeping with an early car.

The late facelift that is giving its engine to the chromie will go a different way. That will be getting the guts of the 330i I have. M54B30 with DISA and double Vanos is a nice lightweight drivable unit, lots of easy torque, paired with a 6-speed and long torsen LSD. Not the easiest of changes but I think it will make good balanced car (eventually) the aim will be to make it look like it came out of the factory that way.