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...but has anyone else seen more, or got any info?
It seems to fit nicely if you use the rear hump sumps, but has anyone here done it?
All engines from the early 90s M50 from a 525i to the E46 M3 CSL S54 engine should go in using the rear hump sump (all sumps are interchangable).
In the UK these engines are ten a penny, and far cheaper than any V8 to buy and tune over here, so could be a good option.
Be amazing if anyone did the mounts, but im not holding my breath...
Honestly though, why bother? They're HEAVY and don't make a whole lot of power, unless you're talking M3 EVO engines, and those aren't dime a dozen anywhere.
M3 engines really are dime a dozen here, well, in comparison to V8s anyhow, sucks being in the UK for V8s. AND they much more powerful than US versions too.
Generally ebay UK will have 10x E36 or E46 M3 engines at any one time, but even a SBF or SBC, never mind an LS, will only come up once in a blue moon and even a stock SBF in need of a rebuild will cost only half what a working E36 M3 engine will.
Can easy make 500bhp turbo with very little effort too, even if its a 325 24V.
The engines cost next to nothing, even the 24V 2.5s can do 500bhp in turbo form reliably with northing more than a head gasket swap, the sumps are in the right place to fit straight in, even the gearstick ends up poking thru the original hole.
Iron block M50s are meant to weigh 190kg, thats less than a JZ or RB isnt it?
yup, but you also gotta think about the added weight from FI pieces though when thinking about a turbo m50. 1jz is 225kg and the r154 is 46kg. the rb26 is just under 260kg. i just wonder how much weight is from the turbos and accompanying parts
A turbo/intercooler/wastegate wont add up to 70kg by a long way, and other parts will weigh similar regardless, so it looks like its on part with the Japanese alternatives, just far cheaper and more widely available, and in many respects easier to fit.
The later alloy M52 blocks are like 50kg lighter too I think? Cant remember now.
There is a guy in the UK attempting it now, ill see how that progresses I guess as nobody seems to have tried it here, and ive not got the patience/ability to attempt it blind, lol
If the motors are as cheap as you say to get that power out of them and they are fairly light and go in relatively easily then it all makes sense. Still a goddam ugly looking donk though.
Depends on where you are for motors though, here in NZ a E46 bimmer 6 would cost a fortune to get and if you needed to replace any part then you would have to pay through the teeth.
People that do swaps into sevs here (of which there is around 2 in the country) put sr20's or v8's in. They only just get out the driveway normally and are then mobbed by a crowd of angry rotor heads and ritualistically beheaded for their blasphemy.
A turbo/intercooler/wastegate wont add up to 70kg by a long way, and other parts will weigh similar regardless, so it looks like its on part with the Japanese alternatives, just far cheaper and more widely available, and in many respects easier to fit.
The later alloy M52 blocks are like 50kg lighter too I think? Cant remember now.
There is a guy in the UK attempting it now, ill see how that progresses I guess as nobody seems to have tried it here, and ive not got the patience/ability to attempt it blind, lol
where is this 70kg difference coming from? is the m50 weight w/ tranny?
Im wrong sorry, its 30kg lighter, and just from going from iron block to alloy in the M52s.
And regarding prices...
A stock 70s/80s small block chevy needing a rebuild in the UK is about £550.
A stock LS1 with plenty of miles would be about £2k+
A stock SR20 or 1JZ is about £800.
An RB26 is about £1500.
A stock M50 2.5 24V is £14 and everywhere. I know they £14 as I just bought one for that, lol.
And suitable transmissions are similar scales of cash.
I'm a BMW enthusiast but also love the styling of rx7s. I'm planning on putting a turbo m52 in an fc and have already started working on the mounts. Should have a build thread here within the next week r
Iron block M50s are meant to weigh 190kg, thats less than a JZ or RB isnt it?
the RB engines are HEAVY! the JGTC skylines were running RB blocks with something like 120kg milled off of them, and they were STILL heavier than the V6...
its funny that in the UK the BMW engines are everywhere and cheap, its not like that in the US. they aren't really that reliable here either. we go racing with this other shop, and in a 25 hour race they go thru at least 2 engines, if not 3.
I would not have guessed that a BMW straight six is that cheap to acquire. I'm sure parts are easy to find too. The thing about pushrod GM (and to a lesser extent Ford) engines is that they are all over the place around here.
I have done it
M52b25 swap, costum engine mounts, shaft, bmw gearbox standalone ecu amoung other liat of parts, lack of engine supply in Portugal 🇵🇹 demanded some home made mods... Any questions glad to explain.
I have done it
M52b25 swap, costum engine mounts, shaft, bmw gearbox standalone ecu amoung other liat of parts, lack of engine supply in Portugal 🇵🇹 demanded some home made mods... Any questions glad to explain.
Hi, where did you get the mounts, and can you send any pictures of them? How did you work the cooling system to fit right in the car? Did you use the steering column from the bmw, or did you remove the ignition switch from the bmw?
I have done it
M52b25 swap, costum engine mounts, shaft, bmw gearbox standalone ecu amoung other liat of parts, lack of engine supply in Portugal 🇵🇹 demanded some home made mods... Any questions glad to explain.
Hi, awesome build! Where did you get the mounts, how did you make the cooling system fit, and did you use the steering column from a BMW?
