M30 Engine rebuild

[E... 55]

In the process of rebuilding a m30b34 engine, would like to know the cost involving the following:

- A hardness test?

- engine clean (acid wash)?

- crankshaft knife edged & balanced? 

- port & polished head?

Also are there any recommendation of places that could do this work, Auckland based?

TIA

 

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

Talk to Taylor Automotive after lockdown

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2957]

+1 for Taylor’s

As for costs, it would be best to talk directly to them, as it would vary from job to job. They have the experience of these things to cost them up accurately.

[richard 384]

what's your intension with/for the engine Race, show. etc

[zero 1162]

+2 for Taylor Automotive

 

If you are stuck at home for the lockdown, now is the perfect time to clean the motor yourself and save a few dollars.

Also, Taylor Automotive will prefer the engine disassembled.

[E... 55]

Its going into my M-tech 1  E30.

Race & show.

Plan to be doing track events in the near future. I've been somewhat inspired by Jim Richards group A set up, so I'd like to hinge off his set up.

 

 

1 hour ago, richard said:

what's your intension with/for the engine Race, show. etc

 

[richard 384]

29 minutes ago, E... said:

Its going into my M-tech 1  E30.

Race & show.

Plan to be doing track events in the near future. I've been somewhat inspired by Jim Richards group A set up, so I'd like to hinge off his set up.

 

 

 

I see,

budget for about $12k

[Driftit 2078]

Look at replacing the oil pump shaft to one with a bolt rather than a nut. The nuts fall off destroying the motor.

https://store.vacmotorsports.com/mobile/vac-oil-pump-upgrade-kit-bmw-m50m52uss50s52us-p1041.aspx

Though I think these doubled in price since I purchased it. 

Another thing to look at is cnc'd rockers and retaining clamps rather than springs. Especially if you will be revving her out. 

VAC do sump baffles too. I have a crank scraper but it took 5 months to arrive and needed lots of work to fit it. Not worth it imo.

[User Name 19]

On 4/15/2020 at 5:41 PM, Driftit said:

Look at replacing the oil pump shaft to one with a bolt rather than a nut. The nuts fall off destroying the motor.

https://store.vacmotorsports.com/mobile/vac-oil-pump-upgrade-kit-bmw-m50m52uss50s52us-p1041.aspx

Though I think these doubled in price since I purchased it. 

Another thing to look at is cnc'd rockers and retaining clamps rather than springs. Especially if you will be revving her out. 

VAC do sump baffles too. I have a crank scraper but it took 5 months to arrive and needed lots of work to fit it. Not worth it imo.

Awesome info to know, and i have been pricing things for years to re-build my M30 engine, A good budget IMO is about 15k as allows for some wiggle room and depending on parts you want to modify/replace more than others.

Always shop around and go with people with experience, there heaps of good builders out there

The big issue i found in relation to head work was having real evidence with flow testing, found base numbers around but finding reliable after modification numbers is hard...the whole argument why would i give you X if you can't prove the gain. Although i tend to over engineer things instead of keeping simple

Good luck

 

[Eagle 1662]

If you spending that kinda of money then a good set of headers, MAF\MAP conversion and a remap are proven and deliver good gains. 

[Driftit 2078]

TBH with the cost of head work I would be looking at trying to source an S38.  I saw a couple go in the US for around 7K USD.

I looked at playing with the M30 to get more power out of it.  The answer was always forced induction.

I'm running an old MAP ECU 2 piggyback on mine.  It made some good gains with some headers and a AFM delete.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Driftit

[kiwi535 538]

a lovely engine in some ways the old M30 but it is prolly purely down the the innate characteristics of a reasonably sized straight six.They just too old fashioned i reckon.I reckon you be far better off with a  more modern engine,say an M54b30.The M30 hails from the 60s

Edited April 20, 2020 by kiwi535

[eliongater 718]

Especially if you're going to drop $15k on it like some have suggested. Unless you're doing it for love, there are better options out there. Or like me your plan is to just dump some boost into a stock one and away you go.

[E... 55]

11 hours ago, eliongater said:

Especially if you're going to drop $15k on it like some have suggested. Unless you're doing it for love, there are better options out there. Or like me your plan is to just dump some boost into a stock one and away you go.

100% doing it for love mate, keeping this build n/a. 

 

[E... 55]

13 hours ago, kiwi535 said:

a lovely engine in some ways the old M30 but it is prolly purely down the the innate characteristics of a reasonably sized straight six.They just too old fashioned i reckon.I reckon you be far better off with a  more modern engine,say an M54b30.The M30 hails from the 60s

I agree with modern engine with greater performance, Im just not the biggest fan of a newer plastic covered engines sitting in a 80s car haha. I love the history around the m30 keeping it period correct is the theme for this build.

[E... 55]

On 4/20/2020 at 8:55 AM, Driftit said:

TBH with the cost of head work I would be looking at trying to source an S38.  I saw a couple go in the US for around 7K USD.

I looked at playing with the M30 to get more power out of it.  The answer was always forced induction.

I'm running an old MAP ECU 2 piggyback on mine.  It made some good gains with some headers and a AFM delete.

Great stuff, I don't plan to boost this however headers and AFM delete are definitely on the cards.

[Driftit 2078]

The other option would be going to individual throttle bodies.  The intake on the M30 is not great, in both looks and performance.

[E... 55]

5 minutes ago, Driftit said:

The other option would be going to individual throttle bodies.  The intake on the M30 is not great, in both looks and performance.

For sure mate, have seen some variations of modified intake setups, Jim Richards group A would be the exception. Looking into the triple weber set up. Crazy how quickly it all starts to add up haha ?

[Driftit 2078]

Last I saw webbers show up they were close to 3K.  And would need extensive time on the dyno to dial in.

But the sound!

Could look at the indvidual system off the S50/52.  Whilst silly expensive here they are pretty cheap in the US.

What are you planning to drop this into BTW?

Edited April 21, 2020 by Driftit

[E... 55]

20 minutes ago, Driftit said:

Last I saw webbers show up they were close to 3K.  And would need extensive time on the dyno to dial in.

But the sound!

Could look at the indvidual system off the S50/52.  Whilst silly expensive here they are pretty cheap in the US.

What are you planning to drop this into BTW?

Yeah they look and sound amazing. 

 I have considered that, I would need to make an adapter plate to match m30

Would you have anymore info on matching m30 with s50/2 itbs?

 Its going in my E30 M-Tech 1.

[Eagle 1662]

2 hours ago, E... said:

I agree with modern engine with greater performance, Im just not the biggest fan of a newer plastic covered engines sitting in a 80s car haha. I love the history around the m30 keeping it period correct is the theme for this build.

Haha i was going to state exactly the same line but figured you'd say it yourself. More disadvantages than advantages when using a M54 in E30 imo. 

[eliongater 718]

Wouldn't the bore spacing on the S5X ITBs be wrong for an M30? I think I have a dual carb setup at home somewhere. There's also the path I'm, planning to take which is using the earlier two piece "banana" intake manifold and using only the initial piece with some motorcycle TBs bolted to it.

 

Example here: https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/general-forums/members-rides/the-project-forum/376836-m30b35-backyard-budget-itb-s

Edited April 21, 2020 by eliongater

[Michael. 2313]

While this M30 conversion has been done, I would advise against it.

I've seen a setup up close multiple times and it's extremely tight length wise, to the point of the dizzy rubbing on a stock radiator even after moving the rad forward slightly by tweaking the mounts

Motor also sits really close to the fire wall, as well as the brake booster so that needs to be changed out for a smaller one or it will fowl on the intake runners

Performance is ok, 200hp/300nm in a fairly light car goes well enough but for the effort and time it's still fairly tardy by todays standards. 

I mean if you are set in using that engine go for gold, but I think there is more merit in using a M20B25 with some low boost, simple supercharger or turbo setup would be more effective in the long run, 6psi done correctly would put out around 240hp/300nm on one of those which would be quite fun and responsive. Probably cheaper than trying to NA work the M30 as well, considering the ones you listed won't really make discernible gains. 

[Driftit 2078]

If I was going to do a swap on my old E30 Tech 1 it would have been an N52.

Amazing motor.  Tons of them around (Every 330 and 130).  And with the horrible covers off, a loom tuck and some paint they don't look too bad.

One of these and a ITB conversion would be awesome.

[E... 55]

1 hour ago, Michael. said:

While this M30 conversion has been done, I would advise against it.

I've seen a setup up close multiple times and it's extremely tight length wise, to the point of the dizzy rubbing on a stock radiator even after moving the rad forward slightly by tweaking the mounts

Motor also sits really close to the fire wall, as well as the brake booster so that needs to be changed out for a smaller one or it will fowl on the intake runners

Performance is ok, 200hp/300nm in a fairly light car goes well enough but for the effort and time it's still fairly tardy by todays standards. 

I mean if you are set in using that engine go for gold, but I think there is more merit in using a M20B25 with some low boost, simple supercharger or turbo setup would be more effective in the long run, 6psi done correctly would put out around 240hp/300nm on one of those which would be quite fun and responsive. Probably cheaper than trying to NA work the M30 as well, considering the ones you listed won't really make discernible gains. 

Appreciate your opinion mate, the BMW 333i came factory with an m30b32 which was a contributing factor in choosing to go m30.

,I don't think the swap is tardy at all haha, in fact HARTGE and ALPINA have both developed the m30s. Theres only 204 of the 333i worldwide so their more of a spectacle than the standard m20b25 of today.

Yes it is a close fit, I'll be relocating the dizzy, will have to get around the booster issue for sure haha

 Why waste time boosting a m20b25 when boosting a m30b34/5 would give you even better gains...?

 Like i said before, sticking to N/A is the plan.

 

Edited April 21, 2020 by E...