Cost of m52b28 conversion?

[Underdog]

To the guys who have actually done this, realistically what sort of cost am i looking at for to drop an m52b28 engine into a 6 pot e30? What would a rough estimate of the parts needed be and what would it cost if i payed to have it done for me (just curious on this one as i have a few friends who are very good with engines)?

[maf260]

Minimum £1k-£2k if you do it DIY

[Jozi]

Mines at over 2k euro but there's a lot of new parts, m50 manifold, diff, exhaust etc

[ross_jsy]

Mines bumped up to near £2k, but that's with stuff like Samco hoses, AKG mounts and things pushing it up and a few "while I'm there" type jobs. Could be done for sub £1k easily enough, sub £500 if you really pinched, got a cheap engine etc

[E30BeemerLad]

You would probably get away with doing it for about £1k if you are lucky, but I would realistically budget for more. it also depends on what car you are starting off with and how much you can do for yourself such as wiring and exhaust manifolds.

[VW-will]

Mine so far has come out to 650. In m50 inlet and 525 sump.... Engine is 450 alone... Doesn't take much lol

[Duke137]

'Buy cheap buy twice' rule applies....

Cut corners now and you will be starting a thread in the technical help section shortly after

[Jozi]

Add to that a new clutch, lightened flywheel, spigot bearing, gaskets, new water pump etc it all adds up slowly.

[Jimbob]

I've got a parts list I can post up when I get home, I think it stands at about £1,500 - but like anyone else's build the price will fluctuate by at least a few hundred quid.

Like Ross said, there are some 'while im there jobs' which if you can afford it at the time it makes absolute sense to get done, such as upgrading the steering rack, I picked up the e46 clubsport rack for £40 but that could cost up to £130 from what I've seen since. The M50B25 inlet manifold can also cost anywhere from £10 to £100 depending where you can source it, not forgetting new gaskets. Then other prices factor in with some of the fabricating jobs can vary quite a bit, I had a mate do my exhaust manifold for free along with turning down the temp sensor, but have had to pay £35 to lighten the flywheel so it's all horses for courses dude.

People also forget a whole box of new fluids for g/box, diff, engine, coolant etc comes to over a £100 by itself!

[Underdog]

I've got a parts list I can post up when I get home, I think it stands at about £1,500 - but like anyone else's build the price will fluctuate by at least a few hundred quid.

Like Ross said, there are some 'while im there jobs' which if you can afford it at the time it makes absolute sense to get done, such as upgrading the steering rack, I picked up the e46 clubsport rack for £40 but that could cost up to £130 from what I've seen since. The M50B25 inlet manifold can also cost anywhere from £10 to £100 depending where you can source it, not forgetting new gaskets. Then other prices factor in with some of the fabricating jobs can vary quite a bit, I had a mate do my exhaust manifold for free along with turning down the temp sensor, but have had to pay £35 to lighten the flywheel so it's all horses for courses dude.

People also forget a whole box of new fluids for g/box, diff, engine, coolant etc comes to over a £100 by itself!

that parts list would be awesome! looks like im going to need to save for a while longer...

[joshce]

pushing €2400, just finishing now, its really ALL about preperation in my opinion. That includes a very good engine that I got to drive for a month, and a few small cock ups. maybe that seems expensive to some, but any of the good ones Ive seen seem expensive

[E30BeemerLad]

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=177634

[magpie]

my conversion is over £2k but i did buy recon 51mm struts fully built up and an e36 rack conversion + oem control arms/m3 eccentric bushes new lucas rack tie arms/track rods etc

drives like a new motor now though

[Green]

Think in total mine was £1400 to get it in and running but there's still bits I want to make it better like LSD, full stainless exhaust, BBTB etc. Although after selling the leftovers and scrap I made about 600 back!

[BATTS91]

a quick guess my m50 conversion stands me in bout £5-600 if that as far as im aware its only the ews thats diffrent and that jus takes time not money , you jus gta have ya head switched on personally if it dont need replacing leave it until it does but depends how far you go into a conversion , i made manifold down pipes , solid enine moounts myself, plus i sold the old m42 lump for £100

[VW-will]

Yeah, I can see why it could cost £££ if people can't make there own exhausts and that, must mount up quickly... I've been pretty lucky so far found cheap bits everywhere lool! Sump etcetc, just the wiering to do once I have the engine really..

[magpie]

it's all about smiles per miles.

[shedrool83]

Mines cost over 2k .It alll adds up rather quickly but i did do all the bushes ,e36 rack and a few other jobs while i was at it .

[leeparkes]

Imo, lets say you start with a 325i E30 (so you already have suspension/brakes/diff.

328i donor car @ a realistic £500, remove the engine and all thats needed then weigh the shell/cat/alloys and whatever else, lets say you make at least £200 back.

So engine owes you £300
Sump/oil pick up £100
M50 manifold £100
Gearbox/prop/linkages £50
Clio servo/mounts £50

There's at least £600 just to lob it in DIY style!

BUT your gonna want to change the water pump (which is a must) then gaskets (sump/exhaust manifold at least) then you are going to want fresh oil, filters plugs etc... So id say add another £200 which now your up to £800 DIY.

If you want plug and play with the manifolds and loom Dans bill will be around £400 (if not more) iirc you need the steering linkage to work with his manifolds so add another £60 + E34 UJ's.

There's nearly £1,300!

[Green]

You don't need the steering linkage with the mani's, mine's just fine You also can recover the losses from the old engine, mine was smoking from start up so I broke it and in total managed about £200-300 off it.

[DanThe]

Did you get that E36 rack on in the end Green?

[BATTS91]

aha now these prices
Sump/oil pick up £100
M50 manifold £100
in my opinion you will only pay these prices on here as people know there sought after for conversion and want a profit you go to a breakers yard and you can get manis half the price and sumps well even less a breakers things of the weighing value plus a pack of smokes water pumps are peanuts from ecp just got to have the right frame of mind it can be expensive for someone buying a kit or aall bits from here for example but i payed 350 for my m50 engine e36 gearbox servo loom modded linkage sump and pick up granted i got a deal but the prices people sell things are daft

[Jimbob]

But it's good to always over-budget than to sell yourself short. Granted £100 is OTT but if that's all you can source at the time then that's what you're going to pay.

[DanThe]

S hit waterpumps cost peanuts, the best 'cheap' pump is about £45 KWP brand
You will be lucky to find any breakers that will let you take the sump off an engine, if they do allow you to remove the sump you need the car tipping on its side or the engine lifting, again, good luck

M50 manifolds come at a premium from anyone who knows what they are. You can get them cheap in scrapyards but even some of these places now know why they get snapped up quickly so you pay £40-£50

[BATTS91]

ye £50 in all respect is ok for an inlet but like 100 for a sump :/ i dont know one breakers round here that wont let a sump go , and most about 20-30£

and ye like you say dan £45 for a water pump is peanuts really i just dont see how this could amount in exess of 1k i know at the same time most renew bushes ect but thats got no part of the conversion right

[Jimbob]

i know at the same time most renew bushes ect but thats got no part of the conversion right

True dude, but "whilst your there..." springs to mind.

Just by adding up my costs for gaskets, water pump, belts, clutch and a few other necessary parts it comes to £384, more than half for your whole conversion!
Did you re-use the old clutch and things like that to keep the cost down?

I'm mechanically inept so things take me a little longer to do and so I'm more than happy to spend that little extra and buy a few more new parts so I have a slimmer chance of having to fettle with anything a few months after completing the conversion.

[DanThe]

/\ exactly, how many have left the old clutch on and then had to change it not long down the line? Leave the old clutch cylinders on and they only last a couple of months, how many have not bothered to change the sump gasket and then realised its a days work once the engine is in? Old engine/gearbox mounts etc etc, some get away with it for a while but its usually a recipe for disaster, ie more work/cost waiting for you round the corner.

[BATTS91]

mehh you do have a point yes , i didnt replace the clutch i just took the box off while it was out car and checked the clutch has lodsa life yet and bites perfect i did however replace gearbox and rocker gaskets , bigger alternator as a 90amp was not enough for some reason but still dont see 1k mark

[leeparkes]

Depends what donor car you start with too, 328i sports break fairly well whereas a pov spec moordoor wont break at all!

Id forgot about the clutch and M20 fly to add to the list,
you can do this swap on a shoe string but imo 'do it once do it right'

[deanocool]

i can where youre coming from batts. i reckon a 2nd conversion wouldnt cost as much for me, basically because i know what im doing now. ive blown a few £100 on unknowns but now i would have a box of stuff ready to go. 328 isnt a more costly conversion its just a more expensive engine to buy in the 1st place.

my conversion
m50 engine, ecu and rad zone £200
m20 clutch fly starter already on old engine FOC
gearbox 318 m44 and clutch slave ebay £45
clio servo ebay £25
M52 manis ebay £30
525 sump, dipstick etc zone £115
3.08 diff zone £75
m5 engine mounts gsf £60
electric fan ebay £20
525 throttle cable ebay £20
various other parts and bits - exhaust bits, sensors, filters, oils, plugs etc approx £100

total £690

wasted cash on diffs and props etc - approx £150

if i went m52 it would be a bolt over job which is a possibility in the future - for now the m50 stands strong - and LOUD