BMW e30. To engine convert or not?
Discussion
I have a 1988 e30 320i manual 4 door i bought years. It is full on 1980 grandad spec, Luxor beige with beige leather, a/c. 15" OEM cross spokes.
I've amassed most of the bits needed to build a 2.7 stroker over the years, but I still need some machining done, vernier pulley, cam, so now I'm thinking maybe a m54b30 is the way to go. I can't run to an s50 or s54 as they are silly money.
I can't make my mind up, so three options:
1) 2.7 stroker, I think 190 to 200hp, keeps it in period with the m20.
2) m54b30, 231hp, modern engine and reliability, cheap to buy.
3) it's an e30, who cares, keep it as is and enjoy it. You have a track car and a a couple of modern cars.
Any thoughts on the matter?
I've amassed most of the bits needed to build a 2.7 stroker over the years, but I still need some machining done, vernier pulley, cam, so now I'm thinking maybe a m54b30 is the way to go. I can't run to an s50 or s54 as they are silly money.
I can't make my mind up, so three options:
1) 2.7 stroker, I think 190 to 200hp, keeps it in period with the m20.
2) m54b30, 231hp, modern engine and reliability, cheap to buy.
3) it's an e30, who cares, keep it as is and enjoy it. You have a track car and a a couple of modern cars.
Any thoughts on the matter?
Muzzman said:
.
3) it's an e30, who cares..........
........Any thoughts on the matter?
E30's are becoming rare and are starting to go up in value.3) it's an e30, who cares..........
........Any thoughts on the matter?
Two doors are leading the way, 325i Sports and 318is especially, followed by the smaller engined 2 doors.
As is the way with these things, once the 2 doors become "silly money", the four doors will start to follow them.
It's your car at the end of the day, so do what you want with it.
helix402 said:
Don’t forget the M52tu 2.8. Doesn’t drink oil like the M54. Can also be fitted with the M54 inlet manifold for 329 power.
I had a 2 door with an M52b28 stroked to 3.0 with shrick cams built for me by Dan Harborow who is well known in e30 circles, lovely car that.I have an m54b30 in my BMW Compact track car, its been pretty good apart from the nut shearing on the oil pump at Goodwood.
An M54 swap is a LOT of work.
A half decent 2.7 gives enough power to haul an E30 along. 190 bhp and the useable torque they give will be pretty lively with the stock 4.1 diff. Use the standard diff, prop and gearbox, the existing 320i radiator and ancillaries etc. It'll be in the car and running in a day, look stock and go very nicely.
M54 - another gearbox, prop and maybe diff, engine mounts, radiator, wiring, exhaust, FBW throttle..............then you find it drinks a litre of oil every 300 miles. Before it goes in you have to do all the standard M54 crap - breather, the plastic front to back coolant tube, oil filter housing gasket..........
A good 2.7 is all it needs.
A half decent 2.7 gives enough power to haul an E30 along. 190 bhp and the useable torque they give will be pretty lively with the stock 4.1 diff. Use the standard diff, prop and gearbox, the existing 320i radiator and ancillaries etc. It'll be in the car and running in a day, look stock and go very nicely.
M54 - another gearbox, prop and maybe diff, engine mounts, radiator, wiring, exhaust, FBW throttle..............then you find it drinks a litre of oil every 300 miles. Before it goes in you have to do all the standard M54 crap - breather, the plastic front to back coolant tube, oil filter housing gasket..........
A good 2.7 is all it needs.
The Conflated Outlier said:
An M54 swap is a LOT of work.
A half decent 2.7 gives enough power to haul an E30 along. 190 bhp and the useable torque they give will be pretty lively with the stock 4.1 diff. Use the standard diff, prop and gearbox, the existing 320i radiator and ancillaries etc. It'll be in the car and running in a day, look stock and go very nicely.
M54 - another gearbox, prop and maybe diff, engine mounts, radiator, wiring, exhaust, FBW throttle..............then you find it drinks a litre of oil every 300 miles. Before it goes in you have to do all the standard M54 crap - breather, the plastic front to back coolant tube, oil filter housing gasket..........
A good 2.7 is all it needs.
Thanks for the reply. Going the 2.7 route is definitely appealing now you've actually spelled out the difference in work and keeping the stock nature of the old car is no bad thing. The car will never go on track and will just be for going out for weekend blats so it does fit the bill.A half decent 2.7 gives enough power to haul an E30 along. 190 bhp and the useable torque they give will be pretty lively with the stock 4.1 diff. Use the standard diff, prop and gearbox, the existing 320i radiator and ancillaries etc. It'll be in the car and running in a day, look stock and go very nicely.
M54 - another gearbox, prop and maybe diff, engine mounts, radiator, wiring, exhaust, FBW throttle..............then you find it drinks a litre of oil every 300 miles. Before it goes in you have to do all the standard M54 crap - breather, the plastic front to back coolant tube, oil filter housing gasket..........
A good 2.7 is all it needs.
The Conflated Outlier said:
A good 2.7 is all it needs.
What he said. I had a well sorted (Les Stannard) 2.7 in my 325i for many years. It was surprisingly quick. Sticking with the M20 is certainly going to be the easiest option.
If you want a newer engine, the M52 is easier than the M54. Not too different mechanically, but the wiring is a lot less work. I went the whole hog and put an S50B32 in mine, but it’s a lot of work.
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