M3 engine - BMW Forum

Skatebline · 08-22-2006, 05:27 PM

i would like to do the m3 engine swap for my e30. i found one just a few miiles from my house at a salvage yard, its a 1997 m3 with 110k miles on it and they want $3000 for it, is it worth it? cuz i found some on ebay for about $4000-$6000 but then i would have to travel far...

gotKRAUT · 08-22-2006, 06:01 PM

its OBDII, means the swap is more extensive. Your best bet is to find a S50B30 which is from the 95 M3 and is OBDI but its still going to cost about $3000, save your money and go with a M50 still gives you around 190hp and you can find them complete with transmission and wiring harness for about $1200

ldsbeaker · 08-22-2006, 06:30 PM

I would stay with OBD I as well. S50B30.

Skatebline · 08-22-2006, 10:11 PM

ok i still dont know what one to go with cuz ldsbeaker is saying to go with the S50 and on the other hand gotKRAUT is saying to go with the M50 ?? idk

so then why do the more performancey e30's have the S50, S52 enignes?

e30dream · 08-22-2006, 10:15 PM

i think hes saying, get the M50 instead of the S50, itll give you decent power for less than half the price.

gotKRAUT · 08-23-2006, 03:24 AM

exactly the M50 is less than half the price and stock for stock its like a 20-30 whp difference...silly if you really think about it...

on the other hand, if you come accross an S50 for a rediculously cheap price, say $2000 with transmission wiring harness then do it by all means, but 9 times out of 10 the M50 is the best for cost/gain ratio

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skatebline

so then why do the more performancey e30's have the S50, S52 enignes?

im not sure what you mean there, no E30 came with an M50, S50 or S52 lol...only M10, M20, and M42

Skatebline · 08-23-2006, 05:49 AM

lol yeah i know that but im saying the guys that are all about performance put the s50 in other than the m50 it seems to me.

Aether · 08-23-2006, 09:43 AM

That's just a no-compromise swap. If you're not concerned with money or reliability, then an S50/2 will be faster out of the box and react better to upgrades down the line. The advantage to using the M50 is that if you're never going to spend $10,000 on your engine, you'll have a more reliable and drivable car when all is said and done.

If you just get an M50, then you can spend the overhead you would've spent on an M3 engine on bolt-ons and wind up with more power than a stock S50 anyway.

Skatebline · 08-23-2006, 03:57 PM

yeah i found an s50 for $3500 with no tranny, just engine and with 110k miles on it. a few miles away from my house, but then they also have a m50 for $700 lol

triggrhaapi · 08-23-2006, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skatebline

i would like to do the m3 engine swap for my e30. i found one just a few miiles from my house at a salvage yard, its a 1997 m3 with 110k miles on it and they want $3000 for it, is it worth it? cuz i found some on ebay for about $4000-$6000 but then i would have to travel far...

Buy. Now. Don't hesitate.

triggrhaapi · 08-23-2006, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skatebline

lol yeah i know that but im saying the guys that are all about performance put the s50 in other than the m50 it seems to me.

Or if they're me, they make their own damn engine.

ldsbeaker · 08-23-2006, 08:59 PM

Power costs money. Despite there only being a small bump in hp from the M50 to the S50, I would tend to say that there is a more dedicated performance/aftermarket following for any ///M car. (or engine, in this case)
I myself am absolutely set on getting the S50B30, so you can't talk me out of it. If you're on the fence, we could go back and forth all night... but in the end....
Money Talks.