E30 Zone

Hi,
Recently got a 320i in surprisingly good nick for £150. Passed its MOT no trouble, driven it about 1,000 miles now. Training as a doctor, so going to be pulling a wage of about £35,000 in a couple of years, and I was eyeing up the 3.5l engine conversion. How practical would it be? I'd be able to spare about £5,000 to do the car up. Would that be enough to get all the components I'd need and get the car back in top notch shape? I know a £150 320i isn't the best car to invest that money in - but I've just fallen in love with the car.

Want I want to know is what the car would actually be like to drive? Now it drives beautifully, but just doesn't have the power. Would it just drive stupidly with the extra weight from the 535 engine, and would it wreck the balancing when round corners etc? Would it feel as nice to drive? And what sort of performance would I actually be looking at? - I'm meaning 0-60 times, top speeds etc.

Sorry about all the questions - but at least you've just got a new E30 enthusiast who should have the money to make a great car from an old shabby unloved 320i destined for the scrap heap!

Cheers, Ian

I think you'd be better off going the M5X route. Much more modern engines, and a 2.8 can easily give more power than the 3.5, as well as being lighter than the original M20.

Hi m8s! I've finally started the swap - the engine is almost in, steering rack from e36 already installed. Now i have a problem -what radiator to use? There is only ~5 cm (a bit less than 2") gap to put the radiator in...
So what radiator should I use? The one from the e28 535 doesn't fit there, it's a bit too thick.

Batch wrote:Hi m8s! I've finally started the swap - the engine is almost in, steering rack from e36 already installed. Now i have a problem -what radiator to use? There is only ~5 cm (a bit less than 2") gap to put the radiator in...
So what radiator should I use? The one from the e28 535 doesn't fit there, it's a bit too thick.

Why doesn't your E28 535 rad fit ?

Is your engine mounted a little bit to far forward ?

Brianmoooore wrote:I think you'd be better off going the M5X route. Much more modern engines, and a 2.8 can easily give more power than the 3.5, as well as being lighter than the original M20.

What power can be easily acheived from the 2.8? A lighter, more powerful and most likely, more economical engine is definately a good idea!!!

Gravy wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:I think you'd be better off going the M5X route. Much more modern engines, and a 2.8 can easily give more power than the 3.5, as well as being lighter than the original M20.

What power can be easily acheived from the 2.8? A lighter, more powerful and most likely, more economical engine is definately a good idea!!!

260 i think with decent exhaust, bbtb, 325i inlet and a remap

Batch wrote: Now i have a problem -what radiator to use? There is only ~5 cm (a bit less than 2") gap to put the radiator in...
So what radiator should I use? The one from the e28 535 doesn't fit there, it's a bit too thick.

you can't use the thick rubber top mounts off the e28.

unless you're using P1, or you want to use a viscous fan (neither particularly good ideas!) the e28 rad is perfect.

The problem is that the rad from e28 i have is a bit different from others - it's a bit thicker - the plastic side parts are different - they are thicker. And it seems to be rather hard to get the right one. So i'm thinking about any alternatives - like the rad from e36 m50 or anything else. The gap where the rad should fit is about 2"...

sounds like you have the wrong rad

you can get the right one brand new for not much over £100 in the UK

thanks 4 the advice But unfortunately i'm not planning to go to UK very soon.
Fortunately I got the right rad today - not in a very good condition - it has a small leak, but still better than nothing for now. Later I'll try to find a better one.
Here is the pic of the engine bay - still a lot of work to do
Don't mention the mud in there - the car was left outside for some months - somehow the engine bay started lookin a bit dirty


And today i got an mTech1 front - looks like brand new - no scratches at all. Payed 50 quid for it.

looks like sweet progress you are making...is that from an e28 or an e34 and what tranny, clutch are you putting in it?

SpunkyE30nOk wrote: looks like sweet progress you are making...is that from an e28 or an e34 and what tranny, clutch are you putting in it?

Engine came from e23, tranny from e28 535, clutch... i dunno - bought it from breakers... Got the flywheel lightened (about 50% off) and ballanced, clutch - stock, but in very good condition.

is looking good batch, that cam cover looks sweet !

thinking i might put an old style cam cover on mine now there's no inlet plumbing hanging over it. matt black

Firefly, sounds like you have found a nice car, and don't let the fact it's a 320 put you off, does it have rear discs??
If you have £5000 to spend on it then I think you should go for one of the more modern engine conversions. You'll get more power, yes it may be more complicated to fit (but it'll be within you budget), you'll get a lighter engine so handling won't be an issue, and the MPG's will be better! Be prepared for 12mpg regularly if you go for the 335.
There are loads of options out there, if I was you I'd try and track down a nice M3 engine - E36 - and slot that in
Good luck with it, and remember whatever problems you may come up against, there is bound to be 1 person on here who has had the same problem before, and if not Dips and Glenn will be there to help!!!
Have you thought about a V12 conversion????

Toby_Unna wrote:is looking good batch, that cam cover looks sweet !

thinking i might put an old style cam cover on mine now there's no inlet plumbing hanging over it. matt black

I'll have to refurbish the cover because the paint comes off...
Now i'm planning the brakes upgrade - i think that brakes from e38 740 (326mm discs at the front) will be ok
I'll only have to drill some extra holes in the discs to make them 4-stud and make some kind of an adaptor for the calipers.
And make some gadget so the brakes don't work unless i wear the seatbelt

Widge wrote:There are loads of options out there, if I was you I'd try and track down a nice M3 engine - E36 - and slot that in

good luck for 5k imo..

best bet for 5k is the m52b28 and a couple of mods

Before I decided to go down the M30 route I did some research into engine weights, and was suprised to find that the M3 S50/52 engines are actually heavier than the M30 and that the M50/52 engines are not that much lighter. Dry weights are as follows:
M10 = 82kgs
M20 = 117kgs
M30 = 143kgs
M42 = 100kgs
M50/52 = 136kgs
S14 = 106kgs
S50/52 = 152kgs

For the cost per bhp I think the M30 is a good choice. No problem pulling 300bhp out of one. I have located a guy here in Australia who has specialised in the M30 for the past 20 years and he has the pattern for many tasty options including a Group A spec head. He is going to build the engine for my brother in laws track car and he says that 330bhp is going to be achieveable. For a street daily driver with a chip, exhaust and cam you can expect between 240 and 260bhp. I think there is too much myth associated with the M30 making the E30 a nose heavy understeering monster. Every article that I have read has said the opposite. My favourite article is the feature of Andy335i's car in which the writer said it was the best E30 he had driven. I cant wait to get mine on the road and finally put this myth to death with personally experienced evidence.