how does an e30 with e36 2.8lt go?

[drifty325i]

ive been looking at transplanting an e36 2.8 with 5speed into my early e30 325i as i can pick up a damaged e36 cheapish.
just wondering what your opinions are with that swap? is it worth spending all that for .3lts and and 12more valves and another cam? what sort of power firgues would you get using the standard e36 management with extractors? air box in an e30? cheers for any help

[bigdek]

do it.

much more power and with a chip and 2.5 manifold even more

[Simon13]

ditto these engines can be tuned with bolt on objects for a solid 25bhp!

hardly anyone has done this, nikasil issues maybe?

u need the ignition barrel and key too EWS system or something from later cars

[drifty325i]

very interesting, so does the standard e36 2.5 manafold fit in an e30? and do you use a shortend e36 driveshaft or e30? item cheers

[Simon13]

what prop u need i don't know, the 2.5 inlet will be fine, also get the 2.5 throttle body which is bigger too.

[drifty325i]

nice, i would presume the 2.5inlet would be bolt on? and the factory computer would run it fine? awesome info cheers

[nadz325i]

ive been looking in to this last couple days to,

its the same setup as m50 conversion in an e30, one thing i found out with these engine, management it uses is OBDII, which means ews, barrel key, wiring etc etc, but i have read that you can convert to OBDI and infact this releases more power (BHP?) form the engine, something about it being more versatile/programmable easier than OBDII. so you need m50 wiring harness bits and bats for this, which im sure is not that hard,

more info here
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/stor ... ory_Code=S

andy has done this conversion recenty, and we both agreeed (over PM's) that compared to doing 2.7 m20, you get more bang for buck with the 2.8 conversion. plus those engine looks sweeeeet in the e30 bay..

also ive found this little goody http://www.treehouseracing.com/home/content/view/14/42/ which

im not sure, but to me seems that the wiring is more like plug and play sorted, with the m50 wiring harness to the e30??

regarding the drive train you can use the stock e30 gbox and everything after it, but theres something about the gbox tilting more? but also good to know is that the e36 g/box fits good to (but less tilt?), and then go on from there to match the prob(e30 m3?) diff etc etc.

the informaiton i know is like 2 3 days worth, its not much but do a search for the m50/m52 conversion and its similiar as that, loads of information available, i think more and more people will be doing these soon as the cost of the engine will come down...if they arent cheap at the moment.

does anybody know how much they go for?

mhhh busy summer for me i thinks

[drifty325i]

i think im going to have a very busy winter this conversion looks like the go. the good thing is i have access to the complete car think it would make a very fun e30.

[Simon13]

the 2.8 has loads of grunt 200lbs standard which is plenty to have proper fun in an E30.

yes the 325i stufff just bolts in

will probably be faster than most 2.7's but it's going to cost a fair bit aswell. I've driven an M50 2.5 E30 i liked it, was quick too, faster than a 2.5 M20 car

[curly]

I just picked up a 2.8 m52 engine so I'll be doing mine hopefully before summer. I looked at loads of engine swaps but these seem to be the best for looks and power. Just deciding which g/box to go for e30 or e36. If you get hold of the whole car you can fit the steering rack as well. The only problem fitting the m50/52 engine seems to be clearance issues with the exhaust manifold and steering column. Do a search on m50/52 and you'll find all the info you need.

[Aico]

It drives GREAT! Lots of torque down low. You should get a higher end-gear or else you will be shifting the entire time. You might get in trouble with the steering. I have a LHD car so no problems there.

[mason]

My daily hack (family car) is a 328i touring and i love it bomb proof engines and quick too

Just wish that engine was in my sport

Must be a great conversion for the e30

Mason

[hammoj28]

Yeah, saw this conversion in total bmw a while back in a red 316i. Was meant to be very fast. the guy had fifth gear as an acceleation one aswel!

[Geeman]

How about a 330i motor...? is this the same block, etc as a 2.8, or is it a completely different unit?

Giles.

[Brianmoooore]

How about a 330i motor...? is this the same block, etc as a 2.8, or is it a completely different unit?

Giles.

Same,AFAIK. I was runner up in an auction for one of those with a six speed box a couple of weeks ago.

[glenn]

How about a 330i motor...? is this the same block, etc as a 2.8, or is it a completely different unit?

Giles.

Same,AFAIK. I was runner up in an auction for one of those with a six speed box a couple of weeks ago.

the 330i motor is the M54

[Andy325i]

Well worth it, mine will be mobile very soon (I hope!)

Standard M52B28 figures are 193bhp and 207lb/Ft torque

with a M50B25 inlet manifold/good filter and exhaust I would hope for at least 200BHP, hopefully more.


Andy

[Geoff]

In one of my old TBMW mags, some guy gets 205bhp out of his 328i with just a carbon induction kit.

Not bad!

[powerone]

If you check on the e36 forum you will see chippeduk have live mapped a few of these now with emulators and managed to get 263.3hp on a modified 328 which is the europe record for a non-turbo`d 328i and also 4 cases of 218hp+ on stock engines. on gforce rolling road which is one of the uk`s most accurate and well respected rolling roads.
I think only 3 companies in the country have this equipment and they have just had a 4wd 1500hp rolling road installed.
The 325 manifold wont just fit either, you need to contact alpina527@aol.com for this.

[drifty325i]

this is going to be great! so exciting . so will a 3.73lsd to to low geard with a e30 gear box?

[powerone]

you will use the e36 325 or 328 gearbox and front part of the prop together with the e30 rear prop section and e30 dif and it will fit sweet as a nut.

[Aico]

this is going to be great! so exciting . so will a 3.73lsd to to low geard with a e30 gear box?

yes it will be. You should get a M3 diff or higher.

[Andy325i]

I still have the 320i diff in there atm

Should be fun.....Until it blows up!!!


Andy

[Brianmoooore]

How about a 330i motor...? is this the same block, etc as a 2.8, or is it a completely different unit?

Giles.

Same,AFAIK. I was runner up in an auction for one of those with a six speed box a couple of weeks ago.

the 330i motor is the M54

I mean the same as in the same family and same fitting issues

[Simon13]

if u could get over the electrics the 3.0 231bhp lump would be the conversion. No need for tuning it, that puppy would fly one day someone will do this!

Brian, me thinks u are a man who is up to this challenge?

[Andy325i]

I can Now confirm the 2.8 swap is well worth it

Outside the workshop I span the wheels up in first second and third without giving it much abuse at all, and you can really feel it stick you to the seat comaired to the M20B25 in my white car. Just need to sort a small few issues then I can get it on the rolling road to get some figures before I start modding it

Can't wait to feel an S50 under there

Andy

[Andy335Touring]

Nice one Andy, it's got to be said........

[Brianmoooore]

if u could get over the electrics the 3.0 231bhp lump would be the conversion. No need for tuning it, that puppy would fly one day someone will do this!

Brian, me thinks u are a man who is up to this challenge?

No problem with the electrics, as long as you get all the matching EWS stuff.

[M5pilot]

Given the cost of a proper 2.7 conversion the 2.8 is a much better way IMHO.

You get a MUCH better engine to start with. The m52B28 is very tuneable.

You'd need a very very highly tuned 2.7 M20 to compete with it once the M52 has been modded.

[Motorhole]

Isn't the M52 about 20kg heavier than the already weighty M20 though?? How does this effect the handling on track? Anyone got any experience of the matter?

[ian332isport]

if u could get over the electrics the 3.0 231bhp lump would be the conversion. No need for tuning it, that puppy would fly one day someone will do this!

Brian, me thinks u are a man who is up to this challenge?

No problem with the electrics, as long as you get all the matching EWS stuff.

Brian,

It's not so much the EWS (relatively simple), it's the fly by wire throttle that's the biggest problem.

I guess it's probably not that hard to rig up a throttle position sensor on the pedal, but making sure it's calibrated may be.

Ian.