E30 Zone

Okay Right well I was considering doing a little conversion on an e30 its all theoretical at the moment so bear with me .

the E36 BMW's are selling for DIRT CHEAP money at the moment and i was wondering if a conversion into an E30 would be an option? if so what engine is best to go for power/ratio/reliability?

or is the E36 even the way to go??

definatly want an E30 all the other BMW's just don't look right!(+I have worked out i have a thing for square cars example: Lancia Delta Evo1/2s, E30s, Alfa Romeo 75 you get the point!)

i don't want a drift weapon i just want to scare evos and scoobys that get a bit over friendly with the rear bumper!

what i am after is a well balanced car without the M3 E30 price tag that goes round corners well!!

the figures I am after
BHP 250 (is this to much?)
250 ft/lbs torque or thereabouts preferably naturally aspirated
top speed of about 150ish

preferably returning a 20+MPG(when I am driving "economically") without an LPG conversion

i have no preference on straight 6, straight 4, V8! although would prefer NA, also i don't mind going down the tuning routes!

at present i haven't got an E30 but am in the market but shh don't tell the missus so what I am asking is whats the easiest way to 250ish BHP without an S14 I4out of M3 Sport Evo?????

sorry its so long winded! any help appreciated!

a bit of searching and i see the 328 lump M52 with the 325 inlet bits will give power on a par with what you want... its similar to my M50/M52 plan for my E36...

i was just wondering peoples experiences in this field! sure i could bolt a 328 in but is it the best to help the car handle as best as possible??
is there a better/lighter way to make 250bhp??

not cheap but i was chatting to a guy at Blyton with an S2000 engine and box in his e30, and it was absolutly fantastic!!!!!

The M52 engine (328 E36 lump) with the 2.5 inlet manifold a decent exhaust and a remap will probably have you around 230bhp.

The M52 lump is a good all rounder and is an alloy block, so keeps the weight down over the front end.

A zoner called DanThe has a nice 24v engine for sale which is freshly built with 2.8 guts but in the M50 iron block so it's a strong engine, does 243bhp due to Alpina cams. I don't even think it has had a remap so there's potential for more.

If you are serious then give him a PM but be quick as I believe there is some serious interest and it may not be far from sold.

bulletproofbob wrote:not cheap but i was chatting to a guy at Blyton with an S2000 engine and box in his e30, and it was absolutly fantastic!!!!!

that's different!!! seen cossie engined e30s and some other wacky stuff but that's just that extra bit different!

E30BeemerLad wrote:The M52 engine (328 E36 lump) with the 2.5 inlet manifold a decent exhaust and a remap will probably have you around 230bhp.

The M52 lump is a good all rounder and is an alloy block, so keeps the weight down over the front end.

A zoner called DanThe has a nice 24v engine for sale which is freshly built with 2.8 guts but in the M50 iron block so it's a strong engine, does 243bhp due to Alpina cams. I don't even think it has had a remap so there's potential for more.

If you are serious then give him a PM but be quick as I believe there is some serious interest and it may not be far from sold.

its all theoretical at the moment i want to have all the bits ready in my head that i want to do to the car so i can get it all out the way straight away! so i know exactly what i need!
i want to get the 2 key components together, a plastic bumper car with a good strong light engine, so the alloy block appeals more as im trying to keep the weight down as far as possible!

what would i need for the conversion? how longs it take? how hard is it? etc any details

Ze-German wrote:seen cossie engined e30s

There's a 'kit' for that for sale on here as well!
See "fuzzy".

Brianmoooore wrote:

Ze-German wrote:seen cossie engined e30s

There's a 'kit' for that for sale on here as well!
See "fuzzy".

hmmm sadly that wouldn't go down well with the missus! how much dosh is a cossie conversion nowadyas??

++
id like to keep it as Bee-em-dubya as possible!

Ze-German wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:

Ze-German wrote:seen cossie engined e30s

There's a 'kit' for that for sale on here as well!
See "fuzzy".

hmmm sadly that wouldn't go down well with the missus! how much dosh is a cossie conversion nowadyas??

++
id like to keep it as Bee-em-dubya as possible!

Fuzzy wants £1800 for everything required to fit the engine.

if you're aiming for 250BHP, it'll be a lot more costly than a more realistic 230BHP

230 BHP can be achieved with a mildly breathed M52 or M30. more will need cams, headwork etc. or forced induction. Or a dirty great V8. all of which are a lot more expensive.

don't forget, to be on a par with a subaru etc in a straight line, you don't need the same power. a E30 is lighter and has no turbo lag etc.

gareth wrote:if you're aiming for 250BHP, it'll be a lot more costly than a more realistic 230BHP

230 BHP can be achieved with a mildly breathed M52 or M30. more will need cams, headwork etc. or forced induction. Or a dirty great V8. all of which are a lot more expensive.

don't forget, to be on a par with a subaru etc in a straight line, you don't need the same power. a E30 is lighter and has no turbo lag etc.

230is a good number just anything above the 200 marks good!

V8 not really an option unless its made of some new metal that's lighter then the straight 6!

whats the easiest engine transplant to get this magical 230BHP?
what sort of power figures can i expect from a mildly tuned engine? ie proper breathing in and out(induction and exsaust) ?

Have you considered a supercharger? You could get your original 250bhp target (and more) from a 325i with the standard engine and very little increase in weight.

Alpina spec M30B35?

i'd say dropping in a M30, a M3 exhaust, compression increase (skim head) and a chip. that'll probably be the easiest way to 230bhp in a E30. a M52 can be done but a litte more costly, more complicated, fiddy on the exhaust manifold (more so than the M30 downpipes) but lighter and higher revving.

Morat wrote:Have you considered a supercharger? You could get your original 250bhp target (and more) from a 325i with the standard engine and very little increase in weight.

yeah but prefer NA i dont know why i just do i thnk its to do with reliability and teh fact that i prefer NA engines which is why i thought a straight 6 BMW engine could handle 250BHP easy peasy! obviously not!.

M30's can keep up with the bumper scoobys no problem and that's unning about 220bhp.
Plus they're a torquey engine too.
A weeks job to do plus you can also swap diffs for what you want to achieve.

Blitz wrote:Alpina spec M30B35?

how much u lookin £$ for a conversion??

gareth wrote:i'd say dropping in a M30, a M3 exhaust, compression increase (skim head) and a chip. that'll probably be the easiest way to 230bhp in a E30. a M52 can be done but a litte more costly, more complicated, fiddy on the exhaust manifold (more so than the M30 downpipes) but lighter and higher revving.

it all comes down to cost! how much more am i looking for an M52 over an M50? what size would you guys recommend(cc)??
the exhaust and manifold are not a problem as ill get powerflow to do me a custom jobber!

the only thing that i cant do (cos im stupid) is wiring i have no idea what im doing! ill end up blowing myself up!

why cant it be plug n play like my old ZX!??!?!?!

Rav335uk wrote:M30's can keep up with the bumper scoobys no problem and that's unning about 220bhp.
Plus they're a torquey engine too.
A weeks job to do plus you can also swap diffs for what you want to achieve.

ok this is also an area i have no prior knowlege!!! having only modified front drivers!

what diff for what engine for what speeed!

is it worth just ringing up quafie and getting them to chuk an ATB on the back!?

if you're talking about powerflow exhausts and quafe diffs, you may have the budget to go S50 (e36 m3) instead and be in the 300bhp area.

do a search and read through the M30 threads (i have one, search M30 and my username, was a fair while back) and the M52 ones to get an idea on what needs to be done.

the M30 needs almost no wiring and all bar downpipe welding and engine mounts is a fabrication free zone

Ze-German wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:

Ze-German wrote:seen cossie engined e30s

There's a 'kit' for that for sale on here as well!
See "fuzzy".

hmmm sadly that wouldn't go down well with the missus!

So your expecting 250bhp from a lightweight donk for peanuts?
Dont think so....

3.0 e36 m3 engine, 280ish brake.
Don't forget that the brakes and suspension on a (non sport) 170bhp 325i struggle to cope with that power when driven hard. My engine's stockish and I've spent my money upgrading braking and handling which has made a nicely balanced reliable car now.

gareth wrote:if you're talking about powerflow exhausts and quafe diffs, you may have the budget to go S50 (e36 m3) instead and be in the 300bhp area.

do a search and read through the M30 threads (i have one, search M30 and my username, was a fair while back) and the M52 ones to get an idea on what needs to be done.

the M30 needs almost no wiring and all bar downpipe welding and engine mounts is a fabrication free zone

powerflow exhaust is a last resort if a standard part doesn't fit/needs to be customed!
quaiffe as i have no idea bout diffs
im not keen on 300bhp i wanna usable lightweight 250ish

wow sounds like M30 then! but how much harder is it to put an m52 in( that is the one with the alloy block?! iirc)

e301988325i wrote:3.0 e36 m3 engine, 280ish brake.
Don't forget that the brakes and suspension on a (non sport) 170bhp 325i struggle to cope with that power when driven hard. My engine's stockish and I've spent my money upgrading braking and handling which has made a nicely balanced reliable car now.

ya see thats what im after but with about 230-250 bhp with a lightish engine to keep weight/under-steer down on the front!

DanThe wrote:

Ze-German wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:There's a 'kit' for that for sale on here as well!
See "fuzzy".

hmmm sadly that wouldn't go down well with the missus!

So your expecting 250bhp from a lightweight donk for peanuts?
Dont think so....

no the missus hates cossies so much she says if i buy one shes leaving me! so thats a nono!

The lightly modded M52B28 is the one you want! Well documented swap (see the sticky at the top of this forum - M50 is the same as the M52 as far as fitting is concerned), one of the exhaust manifolds needs some simple cut and shut welding, and the wiring mods consists of chopping off one multi pin plug, and splicing a different one in its place.

my complete cosworth conversion ready to fit in a e30 for £1800.
263bhp as it stands but 330bhp and 300lbft is easy to get with another couple of hundred spent.
who wears the trousers in your house?

who wears the trousers in your house?

lol.

I would go for a 2.5 24v just for cheapness and then if you feel the need for more power sell the engine on and whack a 2.8 in at a later date

Will

fuzzy wrote:my complete cosworth conversion ready to fit in a e30 for £1800.
263bhp as it stands but 330bhp and 300lbft is easy to get with another couple of hundred spent.
who wears the trousers in your house?

Why would his other half "kick off" when the only Cosworth part was hidden under the bonnet?

N00b wrote:

fuzzy wrote:my complete cosworth conversion ready to fit in a e30 for £1800.
263bhp as it stands but 330bhp and 300lbft is easy to get with another couple of hundred spent.
who wears the trousers in your house?

Why would his other half "kick off" when the only Cosworth part was hidden under the bonnet?

cos her old man died in a escort cosworth and she wont have anyone else drive ti! she goes spare when she sees a whale tale!
+ the turbo might give it away!

i presume it is a YB out of an escort? with the turbo?

M52B28
So ideally i would want that engine! 192bhp
im sure with some breathing mods it can be over the 200bhp mark or am i really wrong?

DP.

Ze-German wrote:cos her old man died in a escort cosworth and she wont have anyone else drive ti! she goes spare when she sees a whale tale!
+ the turbo might give it away!

i presume it is a YB out of an escort? with the turbo?

It's a YB from a Sierra IIRC.
do you think she'd know it was turbocharged?
Plus, you wouldn't whale tail a BMW anyway

any e30 and sport included will need a suspension and brake upgrade if you go over 200bhp if you are putting it into a standard car

my input is m52 with m50 inlet manifold and decent exhuast, flash map job done for 220bhp. 230bhp will require a BBTB and a good re map, any more you'll need cams and that where it starts getting expensive

Kos wrote:any e30 and sport included will need a suspension and brake upgrade if you go over 200bhp if you are putting it into a standard car

my input is m52 with m50 inlet manifold and decent exhuast, flash map job done for 220bhp. 230bhp will require a BBTB and a good re map, any more you'll need cams and that where it starts getting expensive

that seems to be the ideal upgrade!

now the nitty grtty of cost?!

N00b wrote:DP.

what?!?