to m30 or not to m30?

[320Touring]

that is the question...

I've got a 325i Auto touring with at best, a cracked head...

and an e34 535i Manual ready to strip..

and I want a trackcar using the 325i touring shell.

so, do i..

A) repair head/gasket on the 325i and thrash it about?

B) strip the 535i and do a 335i conversion...

C) strip the 535i and sell it as a conversion kit to someone wanting an m30.

?

advice please- let me know if you think i'm wise to take on another project...

[Rav335uk]

M30 the tourer , 3/4 days and your done

[e30_singh]

m30 can be a pain in the ass when they start going wrong. Also they are juicy. Ok fair enough they have more power over a M20 but when you weight up the odds.... it would be better to rebuild the M20.

This way you still got the realibility, economy and less hassle. If I was too mess around with an E30 again I would go down the M52 route...

[Ziggy]

Do it. You know it's the way forward(/sideways)!

[leeparkes]

Do it!

Its sitting there telling you to.

[DRIFTBOY]

It's a no-brainer really!

The only slightly fiddly bits are the exhaust, propshaft and engine mounting brackets, but even these are quite easily sorted.

The rest is a peice of cake!


I don't see why reliability would be a problem.

[leeparkes]

I don't see why reliability would be a problem.

Same here,M30's are known for there reliability

[320Touring]

i didnt mention reliability?

[Rav335uk]

OK "BULLETPROOF"

[e30_singh]

i didnt mention reliability?

They are having a poke at me...

Well after three different cylinder heads all failing pressure tests... leaving me well out of pocket. I would never touch another M30 again...

Also I recall reading posts from certain people here regarding M30 problems.... not mentioning no names LOL.

[Jon_Bmw]

You are a 12v wrongun, so get it fitted.

[Rav335uk]

Come on spill the beans, who

[leeparkes]

Luck of the draw,ive had no end of problems with m20's,heads cracking (twice),valve dropping,rocker snapping

Im hoping the m30 is a different story.

[DRIFTBOY]

i didnt mention reliability?

They are having a poke at me...

Well after three different cylinder heads all failing pressure tests... leaving me well out of pocket. I would never touch another M30 again...

Also I recall reading posts from certain people here regarding M30 problems.... not mentioning no names LOL.

Not having a poke at you dude!

I admit to having had M30 issues (if it's me you're thinking of), but these have mostly been my fault!
Especially my recent electrical problems, not engine related.

But the M30 I bought on Ebay for £100 and threw in the car with no more than a new oil filter and fresh oil never missed a beat.
It's putting up with 7psi of boost now too!

I think you were very unlucky having three bad cylinder heads!


Anyway, 320Touring's M20 is broken, that's not very reliable...?

[DRIFTBOY]

Luck of the draw,ive had no end of problems with m20's,heads cracking (twice),valve dropping,rocker snapping

Im hoping the m30 is a different story.

M30s are known to do this as well occasionally.

[320Touring]

You are a 12v wrongun, so get it fitted.

too right chief- but I fear it'll be a bit too executive for my chariot..after all, i'm used to b20 power!

[djk]

You'd have to convert to manual and sort the head out on the M20 to turn it into a track car - this will cost more and leave you with less power than the M30 swap. Are you serious about a track car? You'll need to spend big on brakes, shocks and tyres to make any work worthwhile.

[seanboy]

You got the parts parts to get you started 320 touring, I have recently got hold of a E30 touring with a M30B35 and its a Tool.
Now toying with the idea of putting a M30 in my Chromie.
By the way, full tank covers 250 odd miles while pushing her as well.
Cheers Sean.

[320Touring]

You'd have to convert to manual and sort the head out on the M20 to turn it into a track car - this will cost more and leave you with less power than the M30 swap. Are you serious about a track car? You'll need to spend big on brakes, shocks and tyres to make any work worthwhile.

I'd be making it manual if M30'ing- if staying m20, it'd be auto. Not after a serious track car- just the odd track day each year.

The m30 swap will need a Rad/Prop/Mounts etc which will all cost..

on the other hand, I have an m30/manual box I could sell...

You got the parts parts to get you started 320 touring, I have recently got hold of a E30 touring with a M30B35 and its a Tool.
Now toying with the idea of putting a M30 in my Chromie.
By the way, full tank covers 250 odd miles while pushing her as well.
Cheers Sean.

I'm well aware what an m30'd touring can do- had Gareth chasing me in his a fair few times!

I can guarentee i'll not see anywhere near 250 miles out a tank...

[gareth]

250 miles from a tank is doable, depending on how far you go on each run. i personally feel the economy of a B20, B25 and B35 is similar enough not to be worth worrying about

Are you serious about a track car? You'll need to spend big on brakes, shocks and tyres to make any work worthwhile.

brakes? not sure i've ever seen neil use them?

if you do go M30, you'll need to uprate the front suspension a bit, or live with an increased ride height as otherwise you'll be bumpstop pogo-ing the whole way

M30...
you know it makes sense
alpineweee B35 tourers FTW

[DRIFTBOY]

The m30 swap will need a Rad/Prop/Mounts etc which will all cost..
...

You can use the E34 radiator.

Mounts from Beefy - £100

Front half of E34 prop shortened and prop balanced - £100 ish

Manual pedals, clutch master cylinder and reservoir from a scrappy - £50 ???

Sell your gearbox - £100 or so

And ta-daaaaa!

Done! One very cheap conversion!

[e21Jason]

M30 touring all the way

Boyd breaks a lot of e28's in hamilton so he shoudl have a rad etc, plus he is fraging a few manual e30' so you can get the pedal box etc

Jason

[leeparkes]

The m30 swap will need a Rad/Prop/Mounts etc which will all cost..
...

You can use the E34 radiator.

Mounts from Beefy - £100

Front half of E34 prop shortened and prop balanced - £100 ish

Manual pedals, clutch master cylinder and reservoir from a scrappy - £50 ???

Sell your gearbox - £100 or so

And ta-daaaaa!

Done! One very cheap conversion!

Or go down my route and use a manual 325i prop with the flanges swaped over and the M20 rad can remain,im using one with no issues,even in this heat we have recently had!

[DRIFTBOY]

Or that then!


Fair doooes!

[scottidog]

M30, 100 quid for mounts, 100 quid for prop and your away providing you can weld an exhaust. BARGAIN!!!!!

[retroboyo]

m20 and m30 is basically the same design. Hence baby 6 and big 6. The M30 is naturally going to be stronger. The cylinder head issues got sorted on the e34 design.

You dont need anyone to justify m30 conversion to you. Its the best choice.

[12345kevin]

Did you not learn anything from the "naughty" red cars on the roam equipped with more than 2 valves per cylinder ! Or are the white tourings sticking together

[daimlerman]

Well,Neil piloting a 320i touring was scary...
Taking Fangio to the limit...
Just think what he could do with 214bhp...

[charlE30]

M30 compared to M20, no competition M30 every time. I drive both regularly and the M20B25 is sluggish compared to the M30, fuel wise I'm getting 290miles per tank each week, admittedly not stuck in traffic around town every day.

[charlE30]

Do the 335.. I have just completed a M52B28 in my one vert and am about to start a 335 in the other one, be an interesting comparison. The M20 cant compare to the M52, pretty sure it will be the same with the 335.. Sideways is the way

That's going to be my next project M52B28 in a tourer. I'll never get rid of the 335 though

[gareth]

Did you not learn anything from the "naughty" red cars on the roam equipped with more than 2 valves per cylinder ! Or are the white tourings sticking together

you're confusing exquisite mechanical finesse with brute force and ignorance i feel the brute force and ignorance approach kind of suits our glaswegian friend

bad tyres aside (big big oops on my part!) mine even managed to hold onto the M3 on the straights and reign it in on the hills. on LPG too which costs a lump of the power.

i'm more impressed with how well it held onto the naughty cars too since getting it onto a scrappy weigh bridge after a recend frag fest and finding it weighs 1400kg!

the M30 torque is immense and proved itself on the same trip the scrappy, towing a E28 fragger (weighed in at 1620kg with extra scrap loaded onboard) up a 1:10 hill in 3rd, at 1200RPM!

[Rav335uk]

You got to love the M30!!!!!!!!!!