Is the M50 route worth the hassle?

[reggid]

why swap 2.5L for 2.5L..........doesn't make sense when you look at it.

[Kos]

I've been considering the M52 and box out of the 728i we are scrapping, but can't let go of the higher compression lump. The sound it makes, the way it looks.. think it adds character to the car! Mines only done 103K and had a full top end rebuild/adjusted tappets etc 2K ago.

And the power isn't that bad..

One day...I'll bite the bullet. Has to be big enough though! Would BMWs 4.0/4.4 sport engine from the E38 etc fit in an E30?

you've answered your own question

and yes the m60 v8 fits but its not that easy

[Jhonno]

why swap 2.5L for 2.5L..........doesn't make sense when you look at it.

It's more than just displacement.. Afterall, that would make the M30 a decent lump..

[daimlerman]

I'm running two E30's....
One is an '88 touring with an M50.
Other is a '91 cabbie with an M20 2.7.
Which do I like best?
The one I'm driving!
M50 goes very well above 4000rpm,driven the way I drive I get about 30/32mpg.
M20 needs less gearchanges,pulls almost like a diesel,but is out of steam at about 5500rpm,but is returning 33/34mpg.
There's no replacement for displacement,I fancy an M52 in the touring and an M20 2.8 in the cabbie,next.....
But 'er who must be obayed requires some bedroom furniture making before I can play with my cars

[Ace 325i]

I've been considering the M52 and box out of the 728i we are scrapping, but can't let go of the higher compression lump. The sound it makes, the way it looks.. think it adds character to the car! Mines only done 103K and had a full top end rebuild/adjusted tappets etc 2K ago.

And the power isn't that bad..

One day...I'll bite the bullet. Has to be big enough though! Would BMWs 4.0/4.4 sport engine from the E38 etc fit in an E30?

you've answered your own question

and yes the m60 v8 fits but its not that easy

Thanks kos

is it as or just as hard as the E34/E32 V8's?

For now the M20 will do. I never knew the amount i'd begin to actually prefer the pre-facelift>> facelift.

[bss325i]

Thats a nice figure. what has yours got done to it?

Im not of fan of ppl throwing away m20's as i can never understand why as i love them

BTB2 manifold, sebring centre box, scorpion rear.

That is all.

The scorp and sebring a going though.

[325isporttech1]

Goes to show the good old m20 doesnt need much to get good power figures when they are kwpt in good shape

[Nay]

M20 was pretty brutal in the top end after a full cylinder head rebuild.

Then said head got cracked

[mattmk1]

Thanks for all the input, seems to have cleared up a few things. I wont plump for the M50, but the 2.8 M52 is definately going to be a future project.

A lot of people keep saying the M20 runs out of puff beyond 5k rpm but in all honesty mine spins round to the limiter very happily, so i think ill invest in a chipped ECU and a good service until i can find a m52 donor car.

I do like the M20, but the business i run with my dad does an awful lot of modern engine fitments into the older cars and the results are normally quite special. When i swapped my 205 GTI to 16 valve it was in a completely different league and the extra 30 odd horspower gained in terms of bhp physically felt far greater. So after 18 months of the m20 im getting itchy feet!

[Barx325i]

there are a few quick m20 tweaks, bbtb, & bypass tb hot water supply, adjust tappets etc

[Jhonno]

A lot of people keep saying the M20 runs out of puff beyond 5k rpm but in all honesty mine spins round to the limiter very happily, so i think ill invest in a chipped ECU and a good service until i can find a m52 donor car.

I have not driven an M20 that is worth taking to the limiter.. Try driving something that genuinely has a top end and you will see. Even the cam'd M20 I drove was done by 6k..

My S50 on the other hand is all to easy to hit the 7.4k limiter

[maf260]

there are a few quick m20 tweaks, bbtb, & bypass tb hot water supply, adjust tappets etc

Could you explain further please?

[ETERNITY]

thats the main reason why m42 are rated. A few tweaks and they rev freely up to 7200.

[Barx325i]

there are two tubes leading to the throttle body which are fairly easily identifed by the buildup of corrosion around them, connect them together..

[mattmk1]

A lot of people keep saying the M20 runs out of puff beyond 5k rpm but in all honesty mine spins round to the limiter very happily, so i think ill invest in a chipped ECU and a good service until i can find a m52 donor car.

I have not driven an M20 that is worth taking to the limiter.. Try driving something that genuinely has a top end and you will see. Even the cam'd M20 I drove was done by 6k..

My S50 on the other hand is all to easy to hit the 7.4k limiter

I never said that it was worth pinging the limiter, and for the record i barely ever do, but there doesnt seem any noticeable drop in power after 5k. Near to 6 and it does start to lose urgency, i agree, but i definately wouldnt say it was reluctant.

My 205 was too much all at the top end, its ok having meat loads of power at 7.5k rpm, throttle bodies snarling, but as a road car it never felt that useable, hence why i swapped to the BMW.

[town325i]

thats the main reason why m42 are rated. A few tweaks and they rev freely up to 7200.

There is allways one

[ETERNITY]

thats the main reason why m42 are rated. A few tweaks and they rev freely up to 7200.

There is allways one

because theres always 318is owners on the zone and the is loves to rev, so my point has some validity

get with the script.

[Nay]

M42. Bless...
(Joking)


Anyway, I have the option to get both the M50 and M52 (+ other decent/useful stuff) and really contemplating an engine swap and drop that bloody 2.0lt auto out of my daily, after my 325i project pissed me off enough.

From what Kos said earlier, M52 lump with the M50 inlet? Does that help? Also heard about swapping the crank over from the M52 into the M50 (for a stronger engine for turbo'ing). What is the best combo to use from the two? I know the M52 is the lighter, more ecconomical engine...

I'm thinking about doing the swap if these engines enjoy turbos...(more research *and money* required )

[sweep]

M20 2.5 Benchmark all the way...as they say vorsprung dorch tecknic

[town325i]

thats the main reason why m42 are rated. A few tweaks and they rev freely up to 7200.

There is allways one

because theres always 318is owners on the zone and the is loves to rev, so my point has some validity

get with the script.

The thing is this about about the M50 and the M20 engine.

All you are is two cylinders short of an M50 engine you sir should get with the script

[Barx325i]

he's right..

[Jhonno]

A lot of people keep saying the M20 runs out of puff beyond 5k rpm but in all honesty mine spins round to the limiter very happily, so i think ill invest in a chipped ECU and a good service until i can find a m52 donor car.

I have not driven an M20 that is worth taking to the limiter.. Try driving something that genuinely has a top end and you will see. Even the cam'd M20 I drove was done by 6k..

My S50 on the other hand is all to easy to hit the 7.4k limiter

I never said that it was worth pinging the limiter, and for the record i barely ever do, but there doesnt seem any noticeable drop in power after 5k. Near to 6 and it does start to lose urgency, i agree, but i definately wouldnt say it was reluctant.

My 205 was too much all at the top end, its ok having meat loads of power at 7.5k rpm, throttle bodies snarling, but as a road car it never felt that useable, hence why i swapped to the BMW.

There is a noticeable power drop after 5k.. If the cam'd one stopped producing the goods before 6k.. The higher the gear the more noticeable it is..

That is the beauty of the S50, makes power to the limiter, yet you can drive it about under 1.5k to keep up with traffic

[DanThe]

The M50 is not a nice engine rather nasty actualy...you have been warned not good on petrol either from my experience.

Sorry, but you clearly have no idea what makes an engine good or bad, if you were getting poor MPG then the engine was obviously running in limp mode, this will gradually wear the rings/bores to the extent compression is reduced and the engine becomes scrap.
The M50 is an excellent engine and highly reliable unless its neglected by the users, no rotor arms, no valve gap adjusting, no poxy cambelts, keep it serviced on time and it will go forever.

M50 haters = ignorant plebs

[Dezzy]

Here here.

Stick M52 crack in one and E36M3 pistons oh and a pair of shrick sticks and you have the King of all M50's.
Always to remember to grind the sump though to clear the flywheel or you sh1t your pants.
M20's were great in there day. They are scrap now though.

[town325i]

Here here.

Stick M52 crack in one and E36M3 pistons oh and a pair of shrick sticks and you have the King of all M50's.
Always to remember to grind the sump though to clear the flywheel or you sh1t your pants.
M20's were great in there day. They are scrap now though.

Not really good ones are worth keeping hold of but i for one wont be going back to one in a hurry

[bss325i]

Here here.

Stick M52 crack in one and E36M3 pistons oh and a pair of shrick sticks and you have the King of all M50's.
Always to remember to grind the sump though to clear the flywheel or you sh1t your pants.
M20's were great in there day. They are scrap now though.

Not really good ones are worth keeping hold of but i for one wont be going back to one in a hurry

+1. A good M20 is still a decent engine.

Thing is, most M20 (and M30's!) are worn out scrap.

Saying that, good M50's are getting rarer buy the day but this is all to do with age.

Good M52's/S50's will be thin on the ground in the not to distant future.

[Rav335uk]

Good M52's/S50's will be thin on the ground in the not to distant future.

True Barry, they'll have shi7 their pants by then

[e30topless]

Here here.

Stick M52 crack in one and E36M3 pistons oh and a pair of shrick sticks and you have the King of all M50's.
Always to remember to grind the sump though to clear the flywheel or you sh1t your pants.
M20's were great in there day. They are scrap now though.

Not really good ones are worth keeping hold of but i for one wont be going back to one in a hurry

+1. A good M20 is still a decent engine.

Thing is, most M20 (and M30's!) are worn out scrap.

Saying that, good M50's are getting rarer buy the day but this is all to do with age.

Good M52's/S50's will be thin on the ground in the not to distant future.

in 20 years time, M20/30's will still be spewing oil onto our roads when most of the M50/2's are dead !

I do like a good running M52 and I totally agree
they are more advanced, more powerful, Dan more than proved this at the pod by slaughtering every coont !

the M20 is old skool cool, something the M52 will never be !

[westie84]

there are two tubes leading to the throttle body which are fairly easily identifed by the buildup of corrosion around them, connect them together..

Does this just help with air intake temps?

[Barx325i]

yes, it's the only heat getting to the plenum, as far as I know only fitted for extreme cold to stop the tb icing up.

[DanThe]

+1. A good M20 is still a decent engine.

Thing is, most M20 (and M30's!) are worn out scrap.

Saying that, good M50's are getting rarer buy the day but this is all to do with age.

Good M52's/S50's will be thin on the ground in the not to distant future.

Not age Barry but more because of neglect, if they are kept to service intervals etc they will do the milage, same as most engines. Its when the cars get into the hands of idiots that think dragging oil changes out to 15-20k miles is a good idea for saving money, the sort of fools that ignore warning lights on the dash in the mind set of "it still drives ok"
These are the idiots responsible for the amount of fooked engines out there

[Alex]

thats the main reason why m42 are rated. A few tweaks and they rev freely up to 7200.

There is allways one

Shame the power band drops off at around 6000rpm

Ive had mine to 7200rpm a few times, but there is absolutly no point and will fook up your engine, mine starts making a different noise at 7000rpm as if someone has taken the exhaust off all of a sudden

an m52 would probably be just as revvy

[bss325i]

+1. A good M20 is still a decent engine.

Thing is, most M20 (and M30's!) are worn out scrap.

Saying that, good M50's are getting rarer buy the day but this is all to do with age.

Good M52's/S50's will be thin on the ground in the not to distant future.

Not age Barry but more because of neglect, if they are kept to service intervals etc they will do the milage, same as most engines. Its when the cars get into the hands of idiots that think dragging oil changes out to 15-20k miles is a good idea for saving money, the sort of fools that ignore warning lights on the dash in the mind set of "it still drives ok"
These are the idiots responsible for the amount of fooked engines out there

Sorry Dan, i didn explain myself clearly. When i say age i mean that the cars that they are in (E36, E34) are at an age where they are as you say, neglected because lets face it, most E36's and E34's are cheap old bangers now and are in the hands of people who just dont care.

Im all to aware of foolish car owners from my line of work.

I myself cant sing the M52's praises high enough, my mrs 323i saloon has done 177k and has never leaked a drop of fluid, the block and head are bone dry and have no staining. It uses a little oil though as its still on the nikasil block and her journerys are a bit short now. It gets an oil change every 6k.

My 328i daily on the other hand uses no oil but is a steel liner block.

[E30BeemerLad]

This was my touring with the M52 getting some 3rd gear action, the chromie should feel & go even better

[youtube][/youtube]

[Rav335uk]

This was my touring with the M52 getting some 3rd gear action, the chromie should feel & go even better

[youtube][/youtube]

Was that it?