Raise your hand if you think Tim C. needs an S38!

[94is]

Or you can just vote.

For those of you who don't know Tim (tc535i), he has been a long time E34 owner (5.5 years now) and has a '90 535i 5spd. It is a really cool car and he has done many tasteful modifications to it. Some of which include, h&r springs, bilstein shocks/struts, racing dynamics sways, euro ellipsoids, xenons, chip, intake and a pretty kickass stereo. Sometimes I am even lucky enough to drive it.

Well his M30 now has almost 220k on it and it's hurting pretty badly. He had the head/head gasket replaced almost two years ago. But now he is hearing alot of bottom end noise and the oil pressure light comes on even at idle!

Since he has a 2nd car I am trying to convince him to save up to buy an S38 and swap it in. Who is with me?!

[MarkD]

Or you can just vote.

For those of you who don't know Tim (tc535i), he has been a long time E34 owner (5.5 years now) and has a '90 535i 5spd. It is a really cool car and he has done many tasteful modifications to it. Some of which include, h&r springs, bilstein shocks/struts, racing dynamics sways, euro ellipsoids, xenons, chip, intake and a pretty kickass stereo. Sometimes I am even lucky enough to drive it.

Well his M30 now has almost 220k on it and it's hurting pretty badly. He had the head/head gasket replaced almost two years ago. But now he is hearing alot of bottom end noise and the oil pressure light comes on even at idle!

Since he has a 2nd car I am trying to convince him to save up to buy an S38 and swap it in. Who is with me?!

It would be better if he just bought an E34 M5 instead, resale value would be better and everything would be done properly, with matching brakes, drivetrain, and suspension.

You can get some really nice M5's in CA.

Or, find an M60 4.0 l and put that in with a 6 speed tranny. Costs less than an S38, has a nice power band, and a more modern motor with knock sensors etc. (an advantage when you are using the special 91 octane CA fuel that's really only 90 octane)


MarkD

[AllanS]

If I was 100% rational (I'm not), I'd do what Mark suggests and buy an m5 outright... but it's tricky because the value of the car is now a lot less with that 220k mi motor. Looking on autotrader, you can expect to spend around 13-18k on a 91' m5 with less than 120k miles. It might make more sense to go ahead and get the s38 engine/tranny/ecu/etc. due to the fact that your engine is shot.

If you can get it for a certain price, like under 7k$, it would make some sense. You'd have to gauge what a 90' 535i with a bad motor would go for; let's say 3k. It would make sense to replace the engine in that case. And you have enough performance gear put on to even out the differences a bit.

You'll never be able to sell the 535i for what an m5 goes for, of course, but I don't think you'd lose much either, since the engine is on its way out, and a 535i with an s38 motor would still sell for more. And Tim's put so much into it probably, that there's little point to selling it for 3k$ with a bad motor. Then you pay 15k$ for an m5, lose all the money spent on the 535i, etc. etc.

[Brian C.]

:d

[94is]

I don't think he is in any position to buy an M5 unfortunately. And he has told me that the only way the 535i is leaving him is in a fiery wreck, so I don't think he wants to part with his baby. I just get a little bummed when you end up spending lots of money just to have the same old car.
My headgasket and auto tranny went at the same time last year. Rather than spending $3-5k to fix that crap, I found a great deal on an m3 and swapped a ton of stuff over. However my situation is alot different than his, in that I got a good deal on parts, had a place to do the work myself and had some financial assistance from my sponsor (dad). Oh well, I'm sure he'll figure it out anyhow.

[ryan roopnarine]

mebbe if he buys the m30 rebuild parts and stroke out and turbo the motor in his car already? how much is an s38? i priced the rebuild parts for a m50 reg. in early 2003 from bma, it was about 300 dollars.

[632 Regal]

it's OK I was married to one with at least 4 at one time (personalities that is).

The M60 4 litre is a viable option as long as you get the doner car with it to change out the computers and brake unit over to the V8 one. (simple stuff with the right attitude)

You will also need a heavier duty rear differential as the smaller 6cyl and 3 litre units are made for Tonka and not Caterpiller which that added HP will need. Think conversion here with the brackets etc.

Also think about the transmission in this conversion.

I think it is possible with a lower priced doner car and the amount of time that it will take. However I also think it would be more economically sound to dump that money and effort into the doner car and mod that up a bit, sell the old POS and be on your ways.

I cant vote...theres not this option in the poll.

[winfred]

another thing to deal with on a v8 swap is the remote booster/master cylinder, lotsa bracket's and other linkage that the 6 banger don't come with

[94is]

another thing to deal with on a v8 swap is the remote booster/master cylinder, lotsa bracket's and other linkage that the 6 banger don't come with

Isn't that why a 6cyl would be better? I thought that it was be essentially the same and a very straight forward swap. But I haven't researched it too much.

[winfred]

i don't see why it's not plug/bolt and play as long as you have the wiring and computer

Isn't that why a 6cyl would be better? I thought that it was be essentially the same and a very straight forward swap. But I haven't researched it too much.