What engine to go for M30 or M50?

[bmw-mad]

I am in a dilema here i dont know what engine to go for in my e30 m30 or m50 which one is easier. Was going to stick a s50 in but the deal i done fell through and now i cant find one at the right price , So i am now considering either of the above.

[E30BeemerLad]

What are you going to be using the car for?

[wullie325i]

both are easy compared to an s50 swap.

m30 is heavier than m50/2 more of a lazy grunty engine

m50/2 is ligther and more rev happy screamer engine.

[bmw-mad]

What are you going to be using the car for?

Will be a daily car not for track use etc.

[Rav335uk]

Want a passenger ride in mine to help you decide???

[E30BeemerLad]

I think it's down to personal choice really, those on here that have done a swap will big up their own type of engine.

The 24v boys will say the M30 is an old anchor and the M30 boys will say the 24v doesn't give a big enough gain or is too expensive or complicated.

For what it's worth 2.8 24v is the best all rounder

[Bob_S]

neither both m30 and m50's are old hat,

M52b28's can be had cheap cheap cheap and are a damn good conversion, especially with an m50 inlet. I sold my kit to daf318is and he will say it's infinately better than an m50b25 swop and the b28 will push a decent 2.7 build along nicely and then walk on by.

[ImysE30]

M30 with LPG

[gareth]

M30 with LPG

+1
a good M30 can get 220bhp and nearly 240lb.ft of torque with nothing more than a 1mm head skim.
and on a run i can get 100 miles to £10 on LPG

horses for courses though, some peope like to have a revvy engine that needs to be driven hard to get results, in this case, a 24V lump suits the purpose better. a M30 doesn't need thrashing to make rapid progress, has huge bottom end grunt but doesn't like or need to spend it's life at 6000RPM

for a lightweight car (2 door track animal) i'd go M52
for a heavier road car (touring/cab) i'd go M30

[zaust]

M30 and the right mod's =

[/// KAMI]

M30 is more power from m20 and is cheap and cheerful loves to drink but thats part of it.....m50 is more expensive but is more modern and is more to fit...so depends on your budget pal

[minicooper172]

I drive around every day with a gay M52 engine and I hate it. I want my old asthmatic 12 valve M30 back.

[leeparkes]

I drive around every day with a gay M52 engine and I hate it. I want my old asthmatic 12 valve M30 back.

Really?

I was considering ditching my M30 for an M52 next year.

[Kos]

i dont know how many people have lived with both cars ........


i have, and you know what
M52 2.8 is the way forward. it will make 220bhp and the vanos gives it plenty of low end grunt. i'll happily take on an m30 powered e30

[ImysE30]

But which one is better for BOOST!!! ??

[Kos]

depends how much boost........

the m30 was turbo's by bmw and alpina with great results.......

the m52 has been supercharged with equaly impressive results

[gareth]

it would be an interesting race
though based purely on times at santa pod, the M52 does seem to have the edge over the M30 but that's in a ball out, max revs, perfect gearchange type situation. on the road the difference isa lot smaller. i had many pririted sprints with 12345kevin (M52 2 door) and FEP (2.3 M3) round scotland and on level ground there was very little in it. mine would be the fastest when pointed up a steep hill and the M3 would be the fastest down the other side. all told, nobody ever really had the legs on the others. and that's with me carrying a 150/200kg touring+LPG weight penalty too.

it really all has to do with personal preference i reckon. i don't have a turbo as i don't like the power delivery of them. i know many people who don't like 6 pots as they prefer a screaming 4 pot that's slower but needs driving hard to get the best out of it, so you need to work harder to drive as fast.

horses for courses and all that pish

[chris_335]

now this is spining out like a loc diff on snow funny but kind of stupid.
FLIP A COIN
not had a m52 but doing a m30 and its just so easy to work on and god help the day when she is done

[Kos]

i dont mind the m30, but think in a world where e30's are evolving i to retro cars, i like the fact an old car can run a modern engine, reliable economical etc and look factory

dans e30's car is perfect examle as is ian332i's

immaculte old school with modern powerplants

but then ther's the novelty of have in big old donk in lightish car, anything over 3.5l is big engine. car sitting at the lights with burbling idle sounding a little out of tune but still has guts

its bit like the film rocky balboa if you compare the m30 against the m52, in similar way its comparing the s88/s38 against the s50 b30/b32

[chris_335]

i dont mind the m30, but think in a world where e30's are evolving i to retro cars, i like the fact an old car can run a modern engine, reliable economical etc and look factory

dans e30's car is perfect examle as is ian332i's

immaculte old school with modern powerplants

but then ther's the novelty of have in big old donk in lightish car, anything over 3.5l is big engine. car sitting at the lights with burbling idle sounding a little out of tune but still has guts

its bit like the film rocky balboa if you compare the m30 against the m52, in similar way its comparing the s88/s38 against the s50 b30/b32

Now that is Right

[chris_335]

M30

[gareth]

i dont mind the m30, but think in a world where e30's are evolving i to retro cars, i like the fact an old car can run a modern engine, reliable economical etc and look factory

they're not factory looking, they're all plastic.
the M30 looks right in there, a 'period' swap, imo, they're all chunky and metal i can't understand why so many engines have plastic all over them. it's a bloody engine, not a dashboard

[chris_335]

i now what the plastic for. its to give the people who service ya car ( not now but when they did) a dinner plate........ i would eat off a 24v and rest my cuppa tea on it

[gareth]

alas E30's don't need one, the inlet manifold and battery make excellent coffee tables

[chris_335]

m30 is a bit lump for space but there is allways somewhere for a cuppa

[chris_335]

any way note better that a boggy old engine
even better when cold

[ImysE30]

Would it be possible to do M30 turbo + LPG

[chris_335]

yer any thing is possible

[e30bmlover]

m52 ftw... simple.

[gareth]

Would it be possible to do M30 turbo + LPG

it certainly would
FI cars love LPG, it's about 115 octane

[chris_335]

reli never looked at lpg but y do you lose bhp

[ImysE30]

Would it be possible to do M30 turbo + LPG

it certainly would
FI cars love LPG, it's about 115 octane

Interesting

Could you send me a pic of your tank, how big it is? I'm thinking space would be a big issue in a cabby

Sorry for the hi-jack

[gareth]

reli never looked at lpg but y do you lose bhp

the simple single point mixer systems most of us on here are using have a venturi (like a carb) to draw the gas in. this is in itself a restiction.

LPG as a fuel has got a lower calorific value (less energy) and a higher octane. to make full advantage of the fuel, the engine should have higher compression ratio and more igition advance. if perfect for LPG, will cause it to pink on petrol so a compromise has to be made. more modern multi point vapour injection systems have no venturi and better fuelling control so often lose no power at all. add the appropriate compression and timing and they can make more power than the same engine would on petrol.

Would it be possible to do M30 turbo + LPG

it certainly would
FI cars love LPG, it's about 115 octane

Interesting

Could you send me a pic of your tank, how big it is? I'm thinking space would be a big issue in a cabby

Sorry for the hi-jack

i lose no space at all with mine, it's in the spare wheel well.
pics are in here somewhere: http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=103005
worth having a read on on here. search for LPG, there's been quite a lot of dscussion on it, though mainly based around single point mixer systems
also, www.lpgforum.co.uk is worth a look, a few of us are on there too

[ImysE30]

Thanks Gareth, legend

[chris_335]

well i got a lad from down my end will do me a new kit for about £900 with my help fitting but one day. but for now will kill it for a bit on good old petrol