E30 Zone

Hi all

This may have been covered before but anyway here I go....

I currently have a M50'd E30, and well, quick as it is, I went in search for a little more ummph

This has come along in the shape of a E36 325i complete with M3 engine & running gear, mine for £1300 I'm going to tear this apart as it's a absolute death trap and liberate it of it powerplant for a more worthy cause

Now I know most of the ins and outs of the conversion, but my question is can anything be done with the original S50 manifolds, or do I really have to dig deep and get the btb ones?

For the record the E30 is as quick with the M50 in it as the E36 is with the M3 engine, so I'm looking foward to a S50 powered E30 Should be fun..............

i modified a s50 manifold to fit my m50.
it was not difficult and sounded great, i knocked the bulkhead back a bit to clear no6 primary tube and cut and rotated the offside pipe to clear the offside wishbone rear mount, also i made a spacer to lower the anti roll bar about 5mm.

i have sold the manifold to fund a turbo conversion, however there have been problems for the new owner as the manifold wont clear the bulkhead on his m50 touring. i dont understand why as i would imagine the bulkheads are the same.

anyway if you can work a hacksaw and a mig welder then it will go on.

Thats good news, I modified some M52 manifolds to fit the M50, but wasn't sure if it was doable for the S50.

Want to try and keep the cost of the conversion down to a minimum if possible, but obviously want the engine to make proper power, and I know they are sensative to exhaust manifold design.

I believe the clearances are much tighter on the S50 then they are on the S50?

SM AUTOS wrote:Want to try and keep the cost of the conversion down to a minimum if possible, but obviously want the engine to make proper power, and I know they are sensative to exhaust manifold design.

I believe the clearances are much tighter on the S50 then they are on the M50?

Quite a bit tighter..!

Tbh, much as I dislike btb's ethics.. The manifold is MASSIVELY important and should not be scrimped on.. My B30 makes 294bhp with the BTB modded one, all pipes are equal length etc etc, unless you are a skilled exhaust fabricator I can't see you being able to 'put something together' that will work as it should.. A lot of skilled exhaust people won't even take on the modding of the standard manifold as they don't think they can recreate something suitable!

The other slightly cheaper offering is fritzbitz..

You need to bare in mind, this is NOT a cheap or easy conversion, and trying to do it as such won't reap the full benefits (which are 911/993 bashing capabilities ) even if it is more documented and possibly a little cheaper than it used to be.

is there a difference in the width between m50 and s50 cylinder heads?

Yes, S50's are 5mm wider

From what i have read the S50 only produces the power it does due to extensive cylinder scavenging from the Ex manifold.

So it's gotta be top notch.

I do seem to remember that there was talk of cutting the flange off the headers, then cutting the header tubes at about 10-15 degrees (cant remember, think it depends on the vehicle) then re welding. Something about letting the manifold hug the block a little tighter. without making the exit angle too tight to slow the gas.

Although, i reckon you'd have to custom the downpipes, and not sure on S50 but changing the oil filter could be fun

Good luck with it, should make an awesome chariot,
Chris

That is for the M50/M52..

Also, the oil filter for the S50 is on the top of the engine

Thanks for all the replys guys.

It's begining to look like a proper manifold then if I want factory figure power, or have a go at "engineering" a solution using the original manifold, with the possability of losing power.

It's a shame the manifolds on sale are so expensive, as it makes you feel like saying sod that, I will have a go myself..

I understand you pay for craftsmanship, but can't help but think we're being fleeced at the prices being asked...

Its not like there is much competition out there though

as long as the length of no6 primary stays the same it wont hamper performance.
also i think if the wishbone bushes were replaced for some like those treehouse racing eyeball type
then the outer downpipe should clear.
that just leaves a modified steering coupling and either lower the antiroll bar or change it for an e36 item.

you have a manifold anyway so its worth giving it a go

I have used the Fritzbits manifold on my M50 conversion.I tried and failed to make up a manifold myself(shite welding skills!)The Fritz manifold is a thing of beauty,shame to bolt it to the engine! I needed to mod the downpipes alongside the gearbox for a reasonable fit and create sliding joins to the rest of my(standard)325 system.Piccies in my thread in the photo section,'Daimlerman's folly'. Yes,it is expensive,I estimate that the exhaust took a third or more of my total spend,but you get just what you pay for,and it is a bit cheaper than BTB.

I think in that case I will go for a Fritzbits manifold then, as long as the quality is good.

I currently have a e30 m3 scorpion exhaust system on my car, joined to my m52 manifold using sliding joints, so sounds like a similar arrangement to what I already have, and I would like obviously like to keep my exhaust.

It is a fair bit cheaper then the btb, which is obviously a deciding factor as well

I'm going to get the primary for number 6 modified on my S50 manifold and I won't be paying BTB money that's for sure.

E30BeemerLad wrote:I'm going to get the primary for number 6 modified on my S50 manifold and I won't be paying BTB money that's for sure.

how much is BTB money if you don't mind me asking??

UweM3 wrote:

E30BeemerLad wrote:I'm going to get the primary for number 6 modified on my S50 manifold and I won't be paying BTB money that's for sure.

how much is BTB money if you don't mind me asking??

£1200 for them to rework your standard manifold!!!

penton08 wrote:

UweM3 wrote:

E30BeemerLad wrote:I'm going to get the primary for number 6 modified on my S50 manifold and I won't be paying BTB money that's for sure.

how much is BTB money if you don't mind me asking??

£1200 for them to rework your standard manifold!!!

what for changing ONE pipe?????

You can see what they do here..

Jhonno wrote:

You can see what they do here..

dan is that your hottuning manifold

Errrrr... No

This manifold is well made, welded properly and has had thought put into the design..

as jhonno said above, there is a bit more to it than cutting a pipe and turning it round!! the cross pipe aint included for £1200 either.
ps, in my experience so far s50 conversions make you poor!!!

UweM3 wrote:what for changing ONE pipe?????

Uwe,

Nearly every pipe is modified to get it to clear the steering column. It probably would only need one pipe modifying on a LHD car.

Saying that, I think they do charge over the odds for what is done. I'd still use them again though.

Ian.

ian332isport wrote:

UweM3 wrote:what for changing ONE pipe?????

Uwe,

Nearly every pipe is modified to get it to clear the steering column. It probably would only need one pipe modifying on a LHD car.

Saying that, I think they do charge over the odds for what is done. I'd still use them again though.

Ian.

oh I see. I always forget that I sit on the other side of the cabin...

Spoke to Fritzbits today, going to go with one of their manifolds/systems, it isn't cheap, but they are quoting good power gains over stock with their system fitted to a S50.

I have a customers E28 in at the moment with a m30 fitted, it has one of their manifolds and system on it and sounds epic, deep and bassey, sounds more like a v8 Nice quality system and the manifold is a work of art.

So.... decision made, but there is a 6 week lead time

Jhonno wrote:the full benefits (which are 911/993 bashing capabilities )

Im interested in getting a fritz one when i can afford it. M52 manifolds will have to do until i get the money! You going to get just the manifold or the full system? Any possibility that you will be taking a video of the noise. Or would you be able to tell me if it will sound like this (i know its in an e36 but it would surly sound similar?):
[youtube][/youtube]

Obviously when you get it though

I'm going to go for the full system.

The above clip sounds a bit like mine does at the moment with a e30 scorpion m3 system and modified 328i manifolds, although mine is a little more raspy then that, can't beat 24v rightness

this is the only m50 with s50 exhaust in an e30 ive found on youtube and its not the best of videos tbh.
[youtube][/youtube]

Im looking into the full system so i would deffinately be interested in what yours sounds like, goes like, etc. A standard m20 system will do me fine for the meantime! Ive seen a photo on here of the fritzs system and it does look very tastey!

I'm going to be going with a chopped up stock 235 2 piece system mated after the x pipe with my S50 mani.

In time I may custom build one using the jetex custom/ design you own stuff.

[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

.................

That first video sound proper!! Definately looking to fit a modified S50 manifold with a home made SS system to my M50

Jhonno wrote:



.................

I had seen them on my travels, didnt know that it had the s50 manifold though! S50 sounds awesome on the dyno btw

SM AUTOS wrote:Spoke to Fritzbits today, going to go with one of their manifolds/systems, it isn't cheap, but they are quoting good power gains over stock with their system fitted to a S50.

Bear in mind a 20year old stock M42 makes 150bhp on their rollers

tomson wrote:

SM AUTOS wrote:Spoke to Fritzbits today, going to go with one of their manifolds/systems, it isn't cheap, but they are quoting good power gains over stock with their system fitted to a S50.

Bear in mind a 20year old stock M42 makes 150bhp on their rollers

That is true! (tried and tested )

tomson wrote:

SM AUTOS wrote:Spoke to Fritzbits today, going to go with one of their manifolds/systems, it isn't cheap, but they are quoting good power gains over stock with their system fitted to a S50.

Bear in mind a 20year old stock M42 makes 150bhp on their rollers

Did they get the cars mixed up with a 325i?