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What motor can i pu in my e34 525i

13K views 28 replies 10 participants last post by  3star 
#1 ·
Looking fir motors to drop in it i have a singke cam m20 but i want to go stronger. In need of help..
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#2 ·
I want one with a GM LS platform V8 and six speed manual. Truth is, you can fit just about anything with enough time and money. I have seen Japanese, American and German engined versions of these cars. Probably the biggest questions are your budget and skill level...
 
#3 ·
Best answer ever:thumbup: but yeah you have alot of options.

The easiest is the m50 or m52its not much more power but the after market support is pretty good.making it a good platform to build on

the m62b44 will work you can find the mounts for this swap online just do a Google search for it. Its also a fairly common swap. And those engines are very affordable.IMHO this is the best swap for these cars.

Other swaps I've seen are the s52 and s54 swaps. Way more work and money, and Toyota 1jz swap. You can also do the ls1 t56 swa. I think the mounts for that swap are also available online.

The m20 is also a good engine it maybe single cam but it does have after market support. Schrick sells cams for it. And there are alot of Turbo builds out there you can follow. Although I'm not much of a Turbo fan
 
#9 ·
Im trying to waste like 1500-2000 on a motor

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M62b44 swap is the best bang for buck choice and can be done for that much. I've seen them sell as cheap as 500.00 the after market hasn't caught on to their potential. But it makes the most sense, you not only get 280hp but you also lose weight upfront. The m62 is a very lightweight engine its lighter than a Honda f20 engine from a s2000.
 
#13 · (Edited)
if your engine is still running and you have a nikasil block, you don't need to worry about it anymore. the problem would have showed up by 50,000 miles. the fuel is too clean in the US for it to be an issue at this point. it would have been the fuel from about 15 years ago that had a high enough lead content to eat through the nikasil components and cause damage. so if it hasn't happened by now, it won't happen. at least not with US fuel

the Nikasil block is the biggest boogeyman put out there on this series when they can't find anything else wrong with the engine.

The dealership told me that an engine hesitation and low idle I had in my e34 with 175k was from the Nikasil block. then I changed the spark plugs and the engine runs like brand new now.

Otherwise, I have to echo some of the sentiments here and just recommend getting a 540i for that kind of power instead of dealing the electrical gremlins that an engine swap is going to create, unless you enjoy the process of problem solving.

I have heard of one person putting a Chevy V-8s in 94 530i's but I cannot confirm that rumor. It's probably on some thread somewhere.

But on the broader view of things, why would you need a six speed for anything but track racing or driving 120 mph on the Autobahn?
 
#14 ·
It isn't lead that is the problem, it was sulfer content that caused problems for the nikasil coatings. You are correct, it is no longer an issue in fact nikasil coatings are still used today, my sled has freshly re-coated cylinders, about $200 each to refinish.

I wish my 535 had a six speed. 1-5 for performance, 6 to get the rpm's down on the highway for economy. Or, like my six speed truck, 1 for low speed grunt work, 2-6 for road duty. Seems like a good balance for most vehicles. I do not understand the new 8 speed automatics though. That seems like it would be really busy.
 
#15 ·
I don't know, my 530i is at about 2000 RPM in 5th gear at about 60 mph and gets me about 28 mpg. Every once in a while, I'll juice it on a lonely highway but I frankly can't afford to get a ticket and even more, I can't afford to have my insurance jacked after that ticket.

I'm still recovering from the 100 mph ticket I got in my 1985 535i in Tennessee from years and years ago. I'm only lucky my radar detector went off all of a sudden and I was able to get down from 120 mph, before he got me.

"Do you know how fast you were runnin', boy?"

You don't wanna hear a cop say that.
 
#18 ·
Im just trying to put a new motor cause im at 230,000 miles and i don't wanna take a risk. Imjust looking for a motor i can by and just drop in the car really

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Just find another M20 and drop it in then:dunno: That would be the easiest and cheapest route.

If there is nothing wrong with the engine in your car currently, I would keep driving it and not worry. If well cared for that engine could still last for years.
 
#26 ·
Bank the cash youre thinking of spending, wait until something dies, then make your decision. If the real 'problem' is the M20 isnt enough grunt then sell it and buy a 535/540, you will spend less fixing one up than you will fixing up wiring issues from engine swap, or much less vs FI.
 
#27 ·
Probably the best swap that's damn near plug and play is a m30.
For both have almost the same setup except the ecu.

IIRC putting a m50 in a m20 or m30 car is a little more time and cost consuming for essentially your updating everything under the hood harness wise.

I maybe wrong (probably) but I think thats your best bet.

Otherwise I'd just do the maintenance on it, save that coin, and purchase a e34 with a more modern powerplant or get a 535i.

You can boost a m20. But usually you see this in the lighter more agile e30s.
Our cars are a tad too heavy and the gains wouldn't be the same as if you went with a m30, m50, on up.

GL though.
 
#28 ·
People keep talking about wiring issues what wiring issues its just an engine swap not assembling a Saturn v rocket.

How hard can it possibly be all engines are essentially the same they need spark air and fuel to work. Each of those systems needs a sensor to provide the ecu with input.

All an ecu needs to work is a constant voltage signal, through a relay. For engines with ews issues get a ews delete chip.

Swaps are not that difficult to do god. It just takes time and patience. But the end results are always worth it. True selling your car and buying a faster one is the cheaper easier option but what knowledge do you gain from doing that. Any idiot can buy a fast car. You learn alot from building a car knowledge that can help u when ur stranded or save u money in the long run. I say choose an engine u can afford get it with ECUs and airflow meter and other sensors and do the swap. You will have a ton of fun and learn alot of valuable skills. If you plan it right you can do th e entire thing in a couple weekends or in a week or so if u work at it.

I used to swap motors in a day back when. Was working on tuners
 
#29 · (Edited)
Finally when choosing a motor look for one with the power u want. Look at the after market look for common problems and research the price of common wear and tear parts. Look into the gearbox and diff make sure your current units can take it. Once you've considered all this do it even if u fail you can sell the motor for what you paid and part out your car on the web for double what anyone would give you for it.

Or you can reverse what you did and go back to stock. Bittomline is you would have stil tried and learned alot. Knowledge is way more valuable than speed, and hands on is the best way to learn anything new.

Hell we have a guy that put a v12 in his e34. That alone should show that anything is possible if you try. I'm sure he doesn't regret ignoring the nay sayers
 
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