m20b28 build

Post Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:06 am

Been readling through some of the 2.8 bukds on here and must say its tickled my fancy and have decided to do one myself while im still looking for a decent doner for my sport. I'm trying to source a single vanos m52b28 crank atm and was wondering if anyone could tell me what the casting number of one is. thanks

Post Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:18 pm

If you put a add up in the wanted section im sure someone will have one knocking about, be sure to get the pully drive flange with it as that can be machined down to make the spacer for the M20 oil seal

What kinda spec do you have in mind?

Mine is
325 block, pistons, head
320 rods
273/273 catcam with vernier
BBTB
ANT 2.8 chip
0.5mm skimmed off the block to keep the squish height standard, gives it around 9.7:1 compression.

Bear in mind that costs can run away, just having my head re-conditioned with new exhaust guides and some snapped studs drilled out came to £230

Post Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:22 am

cheers for that mate
i currently have a high comp 2.5 m20 (possibly with a 2.7 crank in it already not sure til i start stripping)
was thinking of a spec very similar to yours as it goes was also thinking of purchasing some arp head bolts and big end bolts. Also wanna get a 6 branch manifold. I had a word with Ant earlier as it goes, an engineering place we use at work gave me his number ( didnt think to give him a go for e36 bits) and he said he has one

only he has to find it lol.
Just a quickie aswell, are the earlier high compression pistons ok to use with this build?

Post Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:01 pm

They will raise the compression even higher then the 8.8´s

You need to calculate the compression change.

Post Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:46 pm

yeah i know they will increase the compression ratio even higher should of worded my question better. What i mean to ask was do they fit without catching the m52 crank? I thought the high compression pistons were a wee bit taller than the 8.8's?

Post Thu Jul 16, 2009 1:54 pm

Ok so im still on the hunt for an m52 crank unfortunatly Ant cant find the one he had kicking around. Just waiting to clear a bit of space in the lockup then the engine stripping begins

Post Thu Jul 16, 2009 2:30 pm

If you can't find the single VANOS crank, it's really not much work at all to get the M20 block to accept the dual VANOS one.

Power drill, long bolt, a nut, some washers and the cutting disc from an angle grinder are all you need

Post Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:16 pm

Turbo-Brown wrote:If you can't find the single VANOS crank, it's really not much work at all to get the M20 block to accept the dual VANOS one.

Power drill, long bolt, a nut, some washers and the cutting disc from an angle grinder are all you need

Sounds dangerous, id love to see one in action

Post Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:00 pm

Goggles, you need goggles too!

Post Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:25 pm

Disagree on the above Alex

M52B28TU crank has larger counter weights on the front 5 cyls, yes you can clearance the crankcase for the crank throw but with the short 130mm rod there are major piston skirt clash issues, late 8.8:1 will not clear even machined down to the max ( ie min thickness around wrist pin )

Slipper pistons would solve this issue as per OEM M52B28TU slugs, or custom pistons to suit the 135mm rods maybe....

Been there, tried that :lol:

@ Nath, Sorry dude, that crank is FUBAR, its fallen off the middle shelf of the racking and is now, 3 2 cyl cranks Doh !

Post Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:05 pm

Ant wrote:
Slipper pistons would solve this issue as per OEM M52B28TU slugs, or custom pistons to suit the 135mm rods maybe....

Ant

Are you saying that the M52B28TU pistons will work in the M20 block???

If so,what rods do you use?.

I've currently got a selection here to choose from

Post Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:21 pm

dave is your touring TU or not? im going to have to start a search for a crank soon.

Post Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:24 am

Ant wrote:
@ Nath, Sorry dude, that crank is FUBAR, its fallen off the middle shelf of the racking and is now, 3 2 cyl cranks Doh !

No probs dude sorry if it seemed like i phoned up alot last week lol didnt mean to feel like i was pestering you. I only work in dunton green so was gonna pick it up on the way home from work one day. I have phoned up a few places a couple had some but i refuse to pay over £500 for a second hand crank

can get a complete lump for that sort of money

Post Sat Jul 18, 2009 6:30 am

Nath325i wrote:cheers for that mate
i currently have a high comp 2.5 m20 (possibly with a 2.7 crank in it already not sure til i start stripping)
was thinking of a spec very similar to yours as it goes was also thinking of purchasing some arp head bolts and big end bolts. Also wanna get a 6 branch manifold. I had a word with Ant earlier as it goes, an engineering place we use at work gave me his number ( didnt think to give him a go for e36 bits) and he said he has one only he has to find it lol.
Just a quickie aswell, are the earlier high compression pistons ok to use with this build?

Not sure if this is 100% Nath, but if you do have a 2.7 crank
in a high comp, won,t your pistons have already been altered, something like 15mm from the skirts?

Post Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:16 pm

[quote="gooner1]
Not sure if this is 100% Nath, but if you do have a 2.7 crank
in a high comp, won,t your pistons have already been altered, something like 15mm from the skirts?[/quote]

thanks for that i'll check that when its apart. To be honest i dont think it does have a 2.7 bottom end, thats just what the guy i bought it off of told me but i never bought it on that basis. He had no proof and i do supsect it is just probably a high comp b25 lump.

Post Sat Jul 18, 2009 6:47 pm

I have one, not sure if it's spare and will need cleaning up. What's the going rate for one these days??

Post Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:29 am

Aah fair enough :lol:

What do they use in the US, surely they can't all be running custom pistons?

Apologies all for the misinformation anyway!

Post Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:39 pm

Sourced a single vanos crank today along with the front pulley and the bolt. Should be on my doorstep next monday

. All i gotta do now is wait 6 weeks til i move into my bigger lockup

.

Post Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:17 pm

Nath325i wrote:Sourced a single vanos crank today along with the front pulley and the bolt. Should be on my doorstep next monday . All i gotta do now is wait 6 weeks til i move into my bigger lockup .

Where did you find yours as ive been looking for a while now, with no luck.

Post Thu Jul 23, 2009 10:11 pm

http://www.1stchoice.co.uk/ filled out a parts request and a bmw breakers phoned me up and told me they had one
http://www.a1bmspecialist.co.uk/

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:30 am

This turned up on the door today

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:32 am

I mentioned I had a crank and frankly I was offered some insulting amounts to sell! Think I'll be keeping it on a shelf until all the vw boys grow up and buy old bimmers!

Good luck on the build the 2.8 is well worth it and arguably better value than the 2.7 and FYI clearly the naughtier option!!

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:38 am

Thx looking forward to starting the build

For anyone who was wondering got a bit of bargain with this crank, that lot was £63 delivered

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:56 am

That's not a bad price but the build costs will soon add up! Trust me!

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:55 am

march109 wrote:That's not a bad price but the build costs will soon add up! Trust me!

yeah im in no dilusion it'll soon rack up but every little helps

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:58 pm

Nath325i wrote:* I tried to use text speak but the text speak filter stopped me * looking forward to starting the build For anyone who was wondering got a bit of bargain with this crank, that lot was £63 delivered

God thats a bargin.....best start looking harder!!

march109 wrote:I mentioned I had a crank and frankly I was offered some insulting amounts to sell! Think I'll be keeping it on a shelf until all the vw boys grow up and buy old bimmers!

Good luck on the build the 2.8 is well worth it and arguably better value than the 2.7 and FYI clearly the naughtier option!!

I did PM you but just woundered how much you wanted.....as live in the same road...

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:01 pm

Mine was £75 + about £18 postage, not complaining though, the machine shop said it didn't even need polishing... then charged £35 to machine the spacer C***'s

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:34 pm

doc323 wrote:
Nath325i wrote:* I tried to use text speak but the text speak filter stopped me * looking forward to starting the build For anyone who was wondering got a bit of bargain with this crank, that lot was £63 delivered
God thats a bargin.....best start looking harder!!

march109 wrote:I mentioned I had a crank and frankly I was offered some insulting amounts to sell! Think I'll be keeping it on a shelf until all the vw boys grow up and buy old bimmers!

Good luck on the build the 2.8 is well worth it and arguably better value than the 2.7 and FYI clearly the naughtier option!!

I did PM you but just woundered how much you wanted.....as live in the same road...

don't worry I wasn't referring to you, within minutes of my post mentioned above my inbox was full of messages, what road do you live in? PM me!

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:08 pm

...have pm'd you.

Post Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:36 pm

Nothing too excitng but started stripping the engine the other day

none of the studs snapped!

the bores look pretty clean

Post Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:04 am

how are you getting on with this?
Im also going to do this build next year. how did you get on with your pistons?
I also have a high comp engine and was wondering if i need to get some facelift pistons

Post Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:29 pm

Havnt really touched the engine for a while been focusing on the stripping and welding of my tech 1. Just got a set of b20 rods from Sweep so ill be dummy buildinmg the bottom end soon ready for the machine shop to fab up a spacer and balance the bottom end. Will update. Reference the high compression pistons, from my understanding the skirts may need a bit of a trim to clear the m52 crank webs.