e30 325i 12v to 325/328 24v

[AF5387]

i want a 24v lump in my e30 (the avatar gold/black one) but dont know how hard/expensive/better it would be... i need a little bit more power and a lot more reliability. would i get that with a 24v 325 lump (i.e. e36 lump) what is the best engine to use and the easiest/cheapest to do?

i'm most concerned about having to re-wire the whole bloody car... so if there is a better more powerful more reliable lump out there with the same wiring loom... please let me know what it is and where i find one lol

cheers, andy

p.s. i need another 325i, MUST be cheap... dont care what condition within reason dont care what body type either

[hongkongfuey]

there is an american company that makes a loom add on that converts m50 loom to e30 shell, i'll try and find you a link, i would go with the e34 24v engine as the sump is the same as e30

[jaffro]

ive got 1 of them loom converters on my m50 swap the guy who i got the engine off had made it but it looks the part a works great

[RichIS]

www.treehouseracing.com do the looms but not sure if there would be a diffrence between are uk looms and the us looms ect ?

ps im hoping to do the 2.8 m52 to my is soon just collecting the part as and when funds are avalible

rich

[jmc330i]

www.treehouseracing.com do the looms but not sure if there would be a diffrence between are uk looms and the us looms ect ?

That M50-M20 loom adaptor is a complete rip off.
If you want to make one yourself, it will cost you no more than a tenner and an hour or two with a soldering iron. And thats if you want to bother, most people fit an M20 connector onto the M50 loom and be done with it.

[ricey46]

And also You don't have to rewire your whole car, just the engine wiring loom and a maybe a couple of other bits. But for a small amount of hassle you get great results, well worth it...

[Brianmoooore]

The wiring is dead easy - nothing to worry about at all.
Just make sure that if your donor car has EWS (post'95), you get the ECU with matching EWS unit, the antenna, and a key.

[Brianmoooore]

Regarding the poll at the top of the thread: The 24 valve 2.5 litre (M50) engine is going to be far more reliable than the 2.8 (M52) lump. For reliability, rebuild the 2.8 internals into a M50 iron block.

[RichIS]

whats wrong with the m52 then ? apart from the nikasil problem ?

[Brianmoooore]

The M52 is still a nice reliable engine - we're talking comparatively, here.
If it's the steel liner-ed version, the liners can sink and the head gasket fail, and with either the original type or the liner-ed type, head gasket replacement can be unsuccessful, because of the head bolts pulling out of the alloy block.

[DanThe]

M50B25 for reliability, M52 obviously more power but only if you can find a good one or rebuild it into an iron block like I did

[1an]

M50B25 for reliability, M52 obviously more power but only if you can find a good one or rebuild it into an iron block like I did

exactly what ive been thinking when i do mine, as im gonna put th m50 intake on it anyway.

[jaistanley]

The wiring is easy. Johnno's done it twice, the second time I was there, and he's basically rain man...

[DanThe]

Where is Johnno?

[jaistanley]

His laptop gayed it up along with his wardrobe and his hair. Must be a brighton thing.

Maybe the badgers have taken their revenge?

[DanThe]

Well will you remind him he owes me a MAF or the equivalent in pounds sterling please Jai

[maz1]

M20 all the way - i'd rather have a 2.7 build running upwards of 210 bhp.

[DanThe]

a 2.7 running upwards of 210 bhp.

Money-toilet