M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
DISCUSSION => Swaps, Turbos, Buildups => Topic started by: HHH_SSS on March 27, 2010, 02:48:04 PM
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I have a 1991 318IS, I love the car, but the power does disappoint me a bit. Im looking for something with more power. I dont have the kind of money to try and go the forced induction route so I have been thinking about swapping in a 6 cylinder. i know there are some beefier engines I can swap in, but I found a great deal on an M20B25 from a 1990 325ic with only 109k on the motor. I was wondering if any of you could tell me what is everything i would need to do a swap? ECU, Wiring harness, driveshaft, etc.
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you may want to check r3v as this is m42club and we love out m42's
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Haha I see what your saying man. Don't ge me wrong I love my m42 more than any car i've had. I just want more power out of it, i want to go turbo with it, but it seems like its a bit complicated and pricey.
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You'd need the motor, tranny, drive shaft, likely the diff, the engine wiring harness, DME, air box too. Radiator, expansion tank, all coolant hoses. I'm not 100% sure that the compressor is the same unit either. Engine mounts too. Might need a tranny subframe. Front springs are different because of the longer engine.
I'd take the whole front clip for something like this. You know that the M20 has less than 40 hp than the M42, right? You could get a COP kit, MarkD chip and a nice open element filter to make that up. You'd be out what, $500? Less than the M20, I'll bet. And a bit easier to install.
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You'd need the motor, tranny, drive shaft, likely the diff, the engine wiring harness, DME, air box too. Radiator, expansion tank, all coolant hoses. I'm not 100% sure that the compressor is the same unit either. Engine mounts too. Might need a tranny subframe. Front springs are different because of the longer engine.
I'd take the whole front clip for something like this. You know that the M20 has less than 40 hp than the M42, right? You could get a COP kit, MarkD chip and a nice open element filter to make that up. You'd be out what, $500? Less than the M20, I'll bet. And a bit easier to install.
+1
a set of cams from delta as well
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It's not quite THAT complicated, but still not really worth the work when you're not gaining a lot. m50 would make a lot more sense.
I have an m42 and an m20iX car. I swear the 318 is faster sometimes, and a lot more fun to drive. (granted a 4x4 6 cyl e30 is a ton heavier than 2wd 4 cyl car.) I do know the 318 gets about another 10mpg also.
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why would you spend the money on that swap for only 19 HP? get a mark D chip and a 373
when i had my M42 in my car i could smoke stock 325i's and some chipped ones...
now its basically to easy ;)
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M42 144 stock
M20 170 so its acctually only 26 HP
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Driven properly, the li'l M42 can keep up with the best of em! And the M20 has all that extra maintenance.... rocker arms breaking, timing belts, distributor caps.... the M42 is so much simpler IMO.
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^^ what he said!
and i wish my motor was this simple! haha
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what kind of power gains are we talking about when just throwing in a 373?
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what kind of power gains are we talking about when just throwing in a 373?
None.
And, the m20 is actually a ton simpler. Other than the t-belts and occasional rocker arms they're pretty much bulletproof. No loose oil pan nuts, weird timing gear, profile gaskets, vacuum hose nightmares, etc... My m20 has 277k on it and doesn't skip a beat.
That having been said, I still enjoy driving my m42 car a bunch more than my m20 car, and the work I've had to do to it is pretty minimal.
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what kind of power gains are we talking about when just throwing in a 373?
none but my M42 with the GR 240 from an E36 could get 70 in 2nd with it :D
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I'd say the 3.73 helps a stock M42 stay in its power band. I did it to mine and it really makes for a far smoother car particularly on the highways. I still start in 2nd a lot of the time, at least when Pittsburgh's pretty steep hills allow.
The 3.73 would be ideal for a chipped M42, especially because it's rated for much more torque. The stock 4.10 is too high a ratio and too small to last IMHO. On the downside, a medium case diff is about 20 pounds heavier.
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you'd have to be kinda retarded to do this swap IMO.
starting with an m42 car makes an M5X/S5X swap easier... why would you do more work to put in an older, less reliable engine that makes less power?
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^^^ well kinda wat he said... BUT no the M20s are probably one of BMWs most reliable motors..... my friend was trying to blow his up and it had 270k on it and it wouldnt go...
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If I can hijack the thread since it's going the direction of my question. What sort of parts would you guys start from a stock 318is to get it (more) track worthy? I know my shocks are out, but I'm curious what others move through first.
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^^^ well kinda wat he said... BUT no the M20s are probably one of BMWs most reliable motors..... my friend was trying to blow his up and it had 270k on it and it wouldnt go...
all you have to do is wait long enough on the timing belt :P
anyway that is kinda less the point of what i was saying. it's more work to swap in an older engine that makes less power. you'd probably spend less money and have less headaches putting an m50 in. if a swap is what you're after, i don't see why you wouldn't go that route.
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our m42's are much lighter than the m20, and smaller too, giving us the possibility of doing pretty much what we want with it (mod-wise) Maybe your engine isn't running right and don't have all the 134 horsies working for ya.
+1 with chipping it
might be interested in a lightweight flywheel too
replace fuel filter if it isn't already done, might help free up a few hp's up high
check your spark plug condition - worn?
drivetrain resistance?
just a few places to poke around if some maintance was negleted...
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M20 is a great engine :)
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I like them both. The torque of the M20 and the peakiness of the M42. It's Bavarian Motor Works after all...they're really serious about good engines.
On the M20 side the the valve adjustments and timing belt changes are a PITA. But, no worries about cam chain/tensioners/guides, profile gaskets and leaky radiators. And the baby six is so deliciously smooth.
On the M42 side you get less weight and it's all further back, better flow through the head, far better fuel economy and even some cam timing magic on the later models. On the downside...oil leaks like nobody's business, ridiculous prices for motor mounts, buzzier car, transmission is less durable, the diff is undersized. I'd like an oil cooler too, but that's quite a bit more difficult than the bolt-on M20 version.
Speaking of swaps, who's going to be the first to put a newer (like post-1993) BMW engine in an e30? The N52, N54 & N55 look very promising, don't they?
Six of one, half-dozen of another...
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I like them both. The torque of the M20 and the peakiness of the M42. It's Bavarian Motor Works after all...they're really serious about good engines.
On the M20 side the the valve adjustments and timing belt changes are a PITA. But, no worries about cam chain/tensioners/guides, profile gaskets and leaky radiators. And the baby six is so deliciously smooth.
On the M42 side you get less weight and it's all further back, better flow through the head, far better fuel economy and even some cam timing magic on the later models. On the downside...oil leaks like nobody's business, ridiculous prices for motor mounts, buzzier car, transmission is less durable, the diff is undersized. I'd like an oil cooler too, but that's quite a bit more difficult than the bolt-on M20 version.
Speaking of swaps, who's going to be the first to put a newer (like post-1993) BMW engine in an e30? The N52, N54 & N55 look very promising, don't they?
Six of one, half-dozen of another...
ive already seen some N5X swaps done...
but still the OBDII in those is kind of a bitch... but still i cant believe this thread is still up... the M20 is a great motor but performance stuff is not cheap! lol