TronSpec 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2006 Has any body in this fine country of ours done a m50 swap before. I have a 89 320i south africa new 5spd and have aquired a 92 non vanos 2.5ltr which I''m going to attempt putting it in the next couple of mouths. I have done lot's of reaserch on this swap allready and just about have all the parts I need (just saving up for clutch etc) and realise there is heaps of information located around the net but was just wondering if anybody down here in New Zealand have done it??? ps I bought a non vanos motor as I'm looking into forced induction once it's in and running and have ironed out some problems that may arise. Thanks Gazza Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 34 Report post Posted March 11, 2006 Hey man - are you the guy who was selling the auto from this motor on Trademe? I was the one who asked for your number - I been meaning to call you - still keen as to give you a hand mate. Been looking for an m50 myself but got several different options on the cards, so holding off. I don't know of anyone on here who has done it, but I have seen m50 e30's come up for sale every so often so someone must have done them here before. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmwsparkle 3 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 pm ?jontym50e30? hes a guy in palmy thats done it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted March 12, 2006 JontyM50 on here has done one - quite a few I can think of in the country. Conrad is also in the process of doing one (except m3 motor) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmwsparkle 3 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 teh magical land of search jontys m50 stz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surge 1 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Good man, Im in the process of locating bits at the moment for the swap - that and getting the car mechanically upto scratch to house an M50 (It's going into a 318i coupe, so I'm basically stripping to a shell then working up from there to 325i spec) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 JontyM50 on here has done one - quite a few I can think of in the country. Conrad is also in the process of doing one (except m3 motor) Ahemmm!....... S50 thank you very much! The M50 swap is so well documented on sites such as R3V it is almost pointless going through the whole scenario here. Have a look here:http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=129 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Conrad, what are you doing about brakes? Vaccuum or mixing and matching hydraulic bits? I note that if one uses a c/f air box, with cut down runners you can retain the stock location for booster etc (the setup I saw utilised a mk2 golf servo with audi 25mm master). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Isn't it pretty (yes) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 I have binned all the standard brake setup, and will be fitting a floor mounted pedal box, which I am in the process of getting made. Yes the CF intake looks pretty cool, I am in touch with someone who is fitting one to his E30 S50, as I am interested to see how much difference it makes power wise, as it is hellishly expensive..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 will be v interested to see how the floor mounted pedal box....might help get rid of the e30 spongy feel brakes.....or would you say its race car only material Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 I spent a lot of time trying to improve the brake pedal feel on a race car I built a few years back, and only managed a small improvement. A lot of it comes from the play in the linkages, and even with new bushes there is still quite a bit. If you have ever had a look under the dash, there are a lot of linkages and pivots between the brake pedal and the master cylinder, so its a case of a little bit of play in each linkage, adding up to a large amount in total. Floor mount pedal box would only really work in a road car if you were running larger than stock brakes, otherwise you would probably end up having to stand on the pedal very hard to stop, I have never tried it, but pretty sure that would be the case. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted March 13, 2006 AP Racing setup with Bias on Targa M3: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 it stems from e30's originally being left hand drive...i imagine a left hooker would have much nicer pedal feel. does non assisted make it extremely heavy? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 AP Racing setup with Bias on Targa M3: Yeah that is one I fitted a few years ago, worked really well too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 ...ps I bought a non vanos motor as I'm looking into forced induction... Well have I got the turbo for you!!!! A lovely brand spankers Holset HX-35.OT Conrad/Gus, I looked at going the pedal box route but the BCR wasn't there (Benefit/Cost (and effort) ratio) to justify it. And the lack of space in the footwell in the first place for a floor mounted box would mean it had to be a reversed MC box which means the floor plate needs to be raised as per those pics, which is rather messy. As far as spongy goes, mine are far from that (still with rubber lines) with the 25mm MC. And as soon as the slop in the linkages (not much) is taken up the pedal is nice and firm. Don't get me wrong I'm justifying the gawd-awful setup we are bleased with, just that it is not that bad or hard to make better, esp. if a "all out" pedal box is your alternative. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Just looked at the pics again. I see it isn't a reversed box, maybe it has the $$$ AP stubby MC's?? Hard to tell if it is sitting further back than stock?? (fine if you are short). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Just looked at the pics again. I see it isn't a reversed box, maybe it has the $$$ AP stubby MC's?? Hard to tell if it is sitting further back than stock?? (fine if you are short). Yes you are right, it is not a reversed m/c setup, and has the shorter master cylinders, even with these it only just snuck in, as the original throttle pedal was still used, and the brake and clutch pedal needed to stay in line with it. The car it was fitted to had an M50, now has an M54 3.0. I am making a pedal box as we speak (type?) and will post pics in my thread in the next week or two of progress. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Looking forward to pics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TronSpec 0 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 pm ?jontym50e30? hes a guy in palmy thats done it. Cheers mate but yeah pm him but has not replied yet Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TronSpec 0 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Ahemmm!....... S50 thank you very much! The M50 swap is so well documented on sites such as R3V it is almost pointless going through the whole scenario here. Have a look here: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=129 Yeah man that's a great forum I have made a haines manuel type book to help me with my swap. Was just looking for sum local knowledge. You know what americans can be like.... There are alot of cool e30s around the net. I went for the cheap m50 as I have basically no budget but a 320i with a tired motor. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Just looked at the pics again. I see it isn't a reversed box, maybe it has the $$$ AP stubby MC's?? Hard to tell if it is sitting further back than stock?? (fine if you are short). Yes you are right, it is not a reversed m/c setup, and has the shorter master cylinders, even with these it only just snuck in, as the original throttle pedal was still used, and the brake and clutch pedal needed to stay in line with it. The car it was fitted to had an M50, now has an M54 3.0. I am making a pedal box as we speak (type?) and will post pics in my thread in the next week or two of progress. Fairly sure I saw this car at Ruapuna during Skope Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Just looked at the pics again. I see it isn't a reversed box, maybe it has the $$$ AP stubby MC's?? Hard to tell if it is sitting further back than stock?? (fine if you are short). Yes you are right, it is not a reversed m/c setup, and has the shorter master cylinders, even with these it only just snuck in, as the original throttle pedal was still used, and the brake and clutch pedal needed to stay in line with it. The car it was fitted to had an M50, now has an M54 3.0. I am making a pedal box as we speak (type?) and will post pics in my thread in the next week or two of progress. Fairly sure I saw this car at Ruapuna during Skope Yes it was there. Has some naff looking E46 wheels on it now, and someone in their wisdom has changed that pedal box setup back to a top-hung unit. Last time I spoke to the owner he was having brake issues. (If it aint broke, don't try to fix it!............ ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conrod 1 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Ahemmm!....... S50 thank you very much! The M50 swap is so well documented on sites such as R3V it is almost pointless going through the whole scenario here. Have a look here: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=129 Yeah man that's a great forum I have made a haines manuel type book to help me with my swap. Was just looking for sum local knowledge. You know what americans can be like.... There are alot of cool e30s around the net. I went for the cheap m50 as I have basically no budget but a 320i with a tired motor. Basically what you need is a 5 series sump and pickup (off an M50 engine 5 of course) You can use the M20 gearbox from what I have read, but better to get the M50 unit if you can. Engine pretty much drops straight on mounts (5 series) Then it is just detail stuff, like sorting wiring, exhaust, propshaft etc. Not a difficult conversion by any stretch. Having said that, I have driven one with a 2.5 litre M50, and it didn't feel THAT much quicker than an M20 2.5, probably better to go for an M52 2.8 ali block if you can,or even an M54 3.0,it gives you a better base to start modding from. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonty m50e30 0 Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Couldn't agree more with Conrod re the m52b28 or the s50b30/32 if you can afford it the m50b25 is only 20 or so bhp more standard than the m20, heaps more mod potential in my opionion though than the m20, I run a link and its in a fully stripped race car with custom headers etc so I would expect it would be a little quicker than a m20 I expect to see BHP figures of 220 to 230 as it is however have not had it on the dyno yet, this is only 28 - 38 more than stock. You have the option of m3 cams etc later on and really as far as internal mods go N/A the sky is the limit,vortech supercharger is next on my list, good for an extra 80-100 bhp at 8psi no engine mods required, turbo would be pretty tight as there is stuff all room around the steering column on the right hooker you could do it though with some custom fabrication but then you have compression issues at higher boost, this isnt an arguement I will start. I guess the advantage of the m50 over m52 or s50/52 is first price $$$ second in my case non vanos, simplier to run with the link. Give me a shout if you have any questions, btw I tried the no booster brake set up, with standard 325i discs all round and just about boke my leg tring to stop the car, now have teh mk2 golf booster installed-heaps better Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
