Alternative Engines?

[cee]

So I'm toying with the idea of doing something crazy/different. Maybe Volvo? Any ideas/suggestions?

[ross_jsy]

Seen a few Volvo conversions before, the turbo lumps can make decent power apparently.

But then so can a lot of BMW lumps so not sure if I would bother given the added hassle

[ross2009]

crazy different ??

1jz or rb25 ???

[Rav335uk]

There's a Touring on here with a Saab Turbo enigine

[appletree]

volvo lumps are built well there are some stupidly powerful ones from norway but i dont think there such thing as a crazy swap in an e30 other than somthing exotic no a days

[taylorstattoo]

theres one on ebay at the moment with a skyline motor fitted, bet that would be fun http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E30-RB25- ... 3cd20b7cad

[cee]

Jap engine in a German car? No way. Other than that I'm easy. Saab, Volvo, Alfa etc. are all cool. Just wanted something a bit different that would give a good project rather than just plugging a generic BMW engine in.

[Gunni]

First you might want to ask yourself what is the purpose of the car?

Motorway cruiser/warrior or in town cruiser ?

In general there are no new engine swaps to E30´s. Just about all have been done.
It´s just down to what you want your project to be, making bits, researching and solving, wiring, standalone or whatever.

[leeparkes]

I remember a thread with an Audi V8, one of the later engines.

[Speedtouch]

Has anyone ever fitted an Alfa Romeo/Fiat/Lancia twin cam in one?

[davethegoat]

I was thinking of a 4G63 Mitsubish Evo engine in mine at one point. This, from a link in S62 engine swaps on here: http://e30m3b-spec.blogspot.co.uk/

[78gizmo]

I have always wanted to do a Volvo T5 (850 or V70 5 cyl turbo) engine swap. Big power for little cash, I love the 5 pot noise and I think some of the older rear wheel drive volvos(960 / 940??) uses the same bell housing pattern, so that's most of the drive train sorted out!

[Andy325i]

Jap engine in a German car? No way.

Not sure of his driving though!

[Rav335uk]

Jap engine in a German car? No way.

Not sure of his driving though!

That's bloody qiuck

[cee]

I have always wanted to do a Volvo T5 (850 or V70 5 cyl turbo) engine swap. Big power for little cash, I love the 5 pot noise and I think some of the older rear wheel drive volvos(960 / 940??) uses the same bell housing pattern, so that's most of the drive train sorted out!

That's more along the lines of what I was thinking! Thanks

[jmc330i]

Volvo T5 isn't so easy, or an easy way to get the right side of 300bhp. Many on the Volvo forums will tell you, 280-300bhp is the most standard internals will take - an M50 will do that all day long as standard.

The 960 M90 gearbox will bolt straight up to the 5pot, although I've been told it isn't good at taking abuse. It's worth noting there were two versions of the RWD M90 box, the Volvo 940 version won't fit the 5pot, but will fit the 4pot. It apparently is stronger than the 960 version, but I don't know how or why.

The sump is a big issue. You can chop the middle section out of the 960 6pot sump, but the bowl is still in the wrong place for the E30 subframe/arb, so more cutting and modding is needed. I know of one guy who built his own sump using the FWD sump for bits.

The dizzy cap also presents problems. It's fine for big power (500+bhp has been done on the standard management/dizzy), but its placement at the back of the head puts it right in the way of the E30s bulkhead.
The later T5s use coil packs, but the later engine management is sketchy in the Volvo it was designed for, let alone trying to get it working in an E30, so a standalone ecu will be needed.


Seems a lot of work for maybe 280bhp, when a turbo M20 will do that without the hassle of trying to get the engine to fit.
Still doesn't stop me wanting to try it though.... I do have a T5 engine after all

[cee]

Volvo T5 isn't so easy, or an easy way to get the right side of 300bhp. Many on the Volvo forums will tell you, 280-300bhp is the most standard internals will take - an M50 will do that all day long as standard.

The 960 M90 gearbox will bolt straight up to the 5pot, although I've been told it isn't good at taking abuse. It's worth noting there were two versions of the RWD M90 box, the Volvo 940 version won't fit the 5pot, but will fit the 4pot. It apparently is stronger than the 960 version, but I don't know how or why.

The sump is a big issue. You can chop the middle section out of the 960 6pot sump, but the bowl is still in the wrong place for the E30 subframe/arb, so more cutting and modding is needed. I know of one guy who built his own sump using the FWD sump for bits.

The dizzy cap also presents problems. It's fine for big power (500+bhp has been done on the standard management/dizzy), but its placement at the back of the head puts it right in the way of the E30s bulkhead.
The later T5s use coil packs, but the later engine management is sketchy in the Volvo it was designed for, let alone trying to get it working in an E30, so a standalone ecu will be needed.


Seems a lot of work for maybe 280bhp, when a turbo M20 will do that without the hassle of trying to get the engine to fit.
Still doesn't stop me wanting to try it though.... I do have a T5 engine after all

Thanks for the details. It does sound a lot of hassle when I could be bolting an m52 in there...

[handpaper]

For a track toy I'd consider a Mazda Wankel - decent power, turbo well if you want to, and light weight and compactness should help with the weight distribution (stripped e30s get very front-heavy)