M42B18 to M50B30 Swap

[318isCoupe 0]

I have the money and the means to get my (soon to be grubby) little hands on an M50B30 E36 M3 (american) engine.

ECU, intake manifold, exhaust manifold & fuel system would be included..

What else is required for the swap? (I'm assuming the standard gearbox would in no way be up to the task, have a 328 manual box lined up..)

Mainly just thinking about engine mounts and such.. anyone know the differences between the M50B30 and the S50 3.0 from the Euro spec M3 as far as mounting goes? As far as I'm aware the M50B30 has a lot more in common with the M52 2.8 than the S-Series engines, so I'm guessing that 2.8 mounts or S50 3.0 mounts would be the go.

Edit: Scratch the 328 box. Have a M3 5-speed offered!

Edited January 9, 2007 by 318isCoupe

[318isCoupe 0]

Looks like I'm now the proud owner of an M50B30 & M3 5-speed.

Being a forum slut on overseas forums browsing for conversion info.

[drifty325i 0]

Very sweet mate!

[318isCoupe 0]

This may put my secret project on hold for a while/over altogether.. So there might be some parts/a car for sale soon. We'll wait and see.

[TronSpec 0]

I have the money and the means to get my (soon to be grubby) little hands on an M50B30 E36 M3 (american) engine.

ECU, intake manifold, exhaust manifold & fuel system would be included..

What else is required for the swap? (I'm assuming the standard gearbox would in no way be up to the task, have a 328 manual box lined up..)

Mainly just thinking about engine mounts and such.. anyone know the differences between the M50B30 and the S50 3.0 from the Euro spec M3 as far as mounting goes? As far as I'm aware the M50B30 has a lot more in common with the M52 2.8 than the S-Series engines, so I'm guessing that 2.8 mounts or S50 3.0 mounts would be the go.

Edit: Scratch the 328 box. Have a M3 5-speed offered!

As far as motor mounts go you should use e28 535i or m5 rubber cylindrical ones

e34 5 series sump oil pickup etc

Smaller Brake Booster ( i've used e21 )

I'm pretty sure you can use a stock e30 gearbox crossmember with those transmissions without modification

And correct me if I'm wrong but you may need the front half of the e36 m3 driveshaft.

Wiring shouldn't be too hard either

Hardest part of the swap will be your exhaust manifold setup....

There is heaps of information about putting this motor in e30's on these american forums......

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=129

Edited January 9, 2007 by MrHamWallet

[conrod 1]

As far as motor mounts go you should use e28 535i or m5 rubber cylindrical ones

e34 5 series sump oil pickup etc

Smaller Brake Booster ( i've used e21 )

I'm pretty sure you can use a stock e30 gearbox crossmember with those transmissions without modification

And correct me if I'm wrong but you may need the front half of the e36 m3 driveshaft.

Wiring shouldn't be too hard either

Hardest part of the swap will be your exhaust manifold setup....

There is heaps of information about putting this motor in e30's on these american forums......

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=129

Pretty sure it is going into an E36 coupe!

Just use M50/M52 parts, such as engine mounts etc, should be a 100% bolt in job. That was a good deal by the way!

[Gaz 1060]

haha u got the one off trademe ay? I was sersiously considering buying it aswell for the 318i but i didnt have cash for it . Oh well theres always the next one

[Guest Spargo]

This may put my secret project on hold for a while/over altogether.. So there might be some parts/a car for sale soon. We'll wait and see.

Details on secret project punk!

[TronSpec 0]

Pretty sure it is going into an E36 coupe!

Just use M50/M52 parts, such as engine mounts etc, should be a 100% bolt in job. That was a good deal by the way!

Woops my bad. Sell the e36 man and put it in a e dirty. It'll go much better.................

[E30-323ti 66]

Brakes and suspension will be well short of the task of holding this lump of cast iron off the road.

SO put some serious thought into the parts you will need for this.

Have you got some thoughts you may like to share with him??

As your 2.8 beast will be putting out nearly as much power with the same sized brakes!!

Due to the cost and lack of supply I doubt E36 M3 brakes are a viable option, and the need to replace knuckles, trailing arms and axles to accomodate them front and rear.

As a rule of thumb the certification process does not require brakes to be upgraded if the vehicle has not significantly increased in weight.

Then there is common sence, for example I was not about to drive a E30 around with over twice the factory power on stock sized brakes.

I'd say some pretty good pads would be the minimum you should do!!

Good score BTW, I think the E36 it is in was at the trackday I went to at Manfield in November, sounded nice!!

[Guest Spargo]

Brakes and suspension will be well short of the task of holding this lump of cast iron off the road.

SO put some serious thought into the parts you will need for this.

Erm it has 240hp

[318isCoupe 0]

Cheer's guys.

It's dynoed at 204hp atw (around 235ish at the flywheel) so its not far from the stock output.

Brakes wise I'm going to go with some decent pads for now and if that doesn't make certification then I'll look at something from there.

Tracking down some M52 mounts..

From what I've seen this isn't too massive a project but I know something will go wrong.

Engine comes with everything required to run including most of the exhaust system.

In total I hope to have the car off the road for less than two weeks for a full engine swap & gearbox swap.

But I'm sure something will mess that up.

[Guest Spargo]

Exhaust might come into contact with the RHD steering shaft

[318isCoupe 0]

Exhaust might come into contact with the RHD steering shaft

It's currently in a RHD car.

[drifty325i 0]

Does the e36is not come with larger brakes than the standard 1.8?

The e30is came with factory 325i brakes if i remember right

[Andrew 30]

Does the e36is not come with larger brakes than the standard 1.8?

The e30is came with factory 325i brakes if i remember right

E30 brakes are all the same size

[Guest Spargo]

E30 narrow-bodies, that is, Andrew.

[drifty325i 0]

E30 brakes are all the same size

Is that right? learn some thing new every day lol. So the front brakes are all the same on e30?

Even tho alot have drum rears

[will 169]

Some front brakes on earlier E30's will be solid discs, not ventilated, but are the same diameter. Use different calipers obviously.

Will

[drifty325i 0]

Mines vented all round, not sure what im going to do to my brakes as yet. Thinking just mintex pads, ss lines,and slotted, but may upgrade all together. prob a willwood kit

Edited January 9, 2007 by drifty325i

[Andrew 30]

Mines vented all round, not sure what im going to do to my brakes as yet. Thinking just mintex pads, ss lines,and slotted, but may upgrade all together. prob a willwood kit

spend the money on a real upgrade- it costs the same

[E30-323ti 66]

Check the brakes in the 318 , 328 has ventilated disks front and rear , 318 iS should have solid discs from memory, so potentially a huge difference here.

The 318i & ti def. have solid fronts, but the iS should have vented fronts.

The 328i has slightly smaller dia. rears but yes, are vented. (May have been to do with traction control via the rear brakes and generating more heat??)

Changing to these would be easy enough if it was warrented.

But given BMW's heavy front bias (and ABS programming) I doubt you'd see any problem with the rear brakes before you manage to destroy the fronts!!

As 3pedals said, you'd def. want to look at getting some shocks & springs to suit the 6cyl application.

Make sure you get some progress pics up for us!!

[E30-323ti 66]

Vented rear brakes have got nothing to do with traction control , for a start mine does not have AST.

Secondly the weight distribution with the Alloy motor is pretty even so you can use the back brake power effectively hence the comment put 1166 Mintex pads all round.

With the amount of power you will have you need to set the suspension geometry more like an M3 excessive negative camber will just chew tyres so don't lower it much. I can give you my ride heights if you wish.

I'm sure some would have been fitted with AST, and as a result of the application of only one or both rear brakes by the AST would have caused more heat in the rear discs thus nessesitating vented discs.

I'll refer you to a top gear episode when JC has thrashing the new AMG CLS55, if you recall it came up with a warning that the rear brakes had over heated, now I'm sure Merc (as with BMW no doubt) would think using vented discs with traction control would have a lot to do with each other.

I was merely highlighting why vented discs "may" have been used and that the the use of vented discs should not be perceived as and "upgrade" especially when they are the same (or smaller) dia. as solid discs when considered in the case of a rear scenario with stock bias.

I also doubt there is much weight difference or change in distribution with the use of the alloy block, most of the gains are from better thermal efficiency and beign able to recycle materials for it's construction.

An SR20 is a prime example of this where the engine weighs very similar to a cast iron blocked engine, however in a race car scenario they didn't last as the blocks would distort and need replacing each season (if they lasted) when used in the NZ touring cars.

One would assume for this reason (or similar) BMW chose to keep the CI block for the S50 and S54 engines. It will be interesting to see how the newer Al/Mg 6cyl blocks last when used for racing.

Sorry for getting rather "Off Topic"

[BM WORLD 1283]

you might need the coded key for the ecu as well .

also change the diff for a larger case one . i will have a 3.73 medium case up for grabs soon .

but the m3's run large case i think .( probably over kill though)

the only diffs i sell is small case ones . to young boys who try to prove things with 320i or 318i etc .

very rare to screw the bigger diffs .

[E30-323ti 66]

you might need the coded key for the ecu as well .

also change the diff for a larger case one . i will have a 3.73 medium case up for grabs soon .

but the m3's run large case i think .( probably over kill though)

the only diffs i sell is small case ones . to young boys who try to prove things with 320i or 318i etc .

very rare to screw the bigger diffs .

The Big case diffs were only in the Euro 3.2's and have a different subframe to accomodate it.

The US M3's all had medium case diff's but with larger axles/CV's/output flanges (same as the Euro 3.0's).

A 3.73 would be a fun diff with the 1:1 5th

Might get a bit buzzy down the motorway/open road, rev-ing ~3100@100kph and maxing out ~220kph, but hell it would get there fast