engine and drivetrain the best bang for buck swap

[PappaSquatch]

Hi guys...newbie here... just bought my first 2002....been looking around at all the cool "mods" some of you guys are doing....the power plant ideas really capture my attention.... i am finding a few engines out there and am getting a bug to pump up the power in mine after i get the first phase completed.... so my question is....whats the best bang for buck swap?... what does and doesn't fit easy?...(i know there will be some fab....but don't want to destroy the option to return to the 2 liter someday).... so tell me wise ones .... what should i keep my eyes peeled for if i do decide to make this part of phase two 002

[89e30]

Swapping in an m20 is usually pretty cheap as the engines arent really expensive at all.

Then theres the s14 and m42

[mooseheadm5]

Bang for buck would be a stroker M20. How much power do you want? How much money do you want to spend? How much do you want to hack up your car? What is your skill level?

[M3M3]

as a newbie...do a lot of searching first. this topic has been covered massively. just last week there was a long thread in it.

search first, ask later. lots of folks will help with q's after you have a foundation.

[PappaSquatch]

well thank you...been trying to get better at navigating the posts and archives... my search techniques are a bit unrefined.....many apologies to all the vets i have bothered with redundancy

[PappaSquatch]

power?...only know what my m10 has ...not what is an acceptable compromise... found a m30b3.4....180hp or so...again new to 2002 dynamics so not sure if its a good idea

spending?....not in a hurry and enjoy the hunt as much as the kill....but not willing to get back to the "top ramen gourmet days"

hacking? ...would hope i wouldn't have to "shoe horn" the thing in or gut the front end beyond recovery

skill?.... what i don't know i will learn...i work in industrial maint as i/e tech... construction....maritime engineer .. instrument tech...cert pipe welder....many hats over the years and everyday i learn something new...just today i learned one of the FAQ's is swap choices

thanks again i appreciate any and all input

[mooseheadm5]

An M30 is not an advisable swap. Far too heavy and long.

[PappaSquatch]

thanks mooseheadm5 ..will email a pass to the guy that has it

[eurotrash]

Just buy another m10 and build an EFI/megasuirt/turbo motor. ..?

[PappaSquatch]

what would this produce (hp) and is the reliability pushed beyond reason?.... i do have another m10 in a 1978 320i as well as a 5 speed sitting beside it .... was considering some kind of build as an option...just something about two extra holes makes me do the happy man "grunt"..... still have time .... suspension and general refresh first...thanks eurotrash

[roadhog0]

What I plan to do is run a megasquirt ITB'd M10 with a 304 cam. That should provide plenty of power and still be light weight. But then again I like the M10 a lot and dont want a 6 in my car unless it's a Cummins Diesel

[eurotrash]

what would this produce (hp) and is the reliability pushed beyond reason?.... i do have another m10 in a 1978 320i as well as a 5 speed sitting beside it .... was considering some kind of build as an option...just something about two extra holes makes me do the happy man "grunt"..... still have time .... suspension and general refresh first...thanks eurotrash

Build that, man! search all the key words I listed. 200 HP is easily attainable..

[PappaSquatch]

lmao ....i have a 7.3 in my truck but its blue oval not horned up....thanks roadhog0...lots to ponder.... hmmmmmm ..a lot of 6 cylinder builds on here

[ClayW]

I bought a used M42 with it's transmission, driveshaft and ECU for $700. Total swap was probably around $1200. I only have the M42's stock 136hp (my M10 was around 115hp), but it's fuel injected with digital ignition, gets 30mph and likes to rev.

[mooseheadm5]

I bought a used M42 with it's transmission, driveshaft and ECU for $700. Total swap was probably around $1200. I only have the M42's stock 136hp (my M10 was around 115hp), but it's fuel injected with digital ignition, gets 30mph and likes to rev.

I am in a similar situation, but because I have the resources and connections necessary to part out a car (which is messy business,) I will start with a rebuildable engine with a trans, driveshaft, harness, ECU, etc. for nothing. Because I will rebuild and upgrade my motor, I'll have a similar amont invested in the swap as Clay, though, but probably far more labor trying to recoup the cost (fetching the parts car, parting it out, selling parts online, scrapping the shell.) The M42 requires no permanent modification to the vehicle to install and is a great starting point for a turbo.

You will get more bang for your buck, as you say, with an M20, though. Buy a super eta (88 325e or 528e) motor or parts car, change the induction and injection system to 325i parts and you have a 2.7L i motor. It'll put out around 180HP and plenty of torque. It will be more nose heavy than an M10 or M42, though, and a turbo M10 or built or turbo M42 can outpace it while retaining better balance but turbocharging and engine building are seldom cheap and easy when done properly.