What do you guys think? M20 turbo or s50 N.A

[snowflake]

Just checking in to see if it's been done yet(m50/s50) swap.

How the clearance would be and so on.

Didn't get much driving in this summer, to many hrs on the job away from home ect.

I'm having a hard time deciding whether to through on my turbo parts to the m20 or sell everything and go for 240hp naturally aspirated power of the s50 motor.

169hp with the m20 is fun the s50 would be great.

Turbo parts all add up to close to the price of a s50 motor, what would you rather have?

Winters a good time for a swap

What you guys think?

[74tiiGolf]

Seems to me that, while the parts might be close in monetary value, the cost of shoehorning a S50 motor into your '02 will be astronomical. But I'd love to see it done!

Matthew

[snowflake]

The most expensive part would be the engine/tranny/ecu. which can be had for around $2000-$2500.

I'd be doing the work myself so i don't see why it would be astronomical.

I just see a naturally aspirated s50/s52 being able to take track days better than a turbo m20(boost/heat on hot summer days)

So i guess it(m50/s50) hasn't been done yet?

[-=Charley]

if this can fit, I think an S52 has a chance...

[robspeed]

hmmmmmmmm........ i believe the m/s50 is heavier than m20 but with a turbo system, m20 would prolly be heavier. s50 has advantage of less complexity than turbo m20 but you could prolly (fairly easily) get an additional 100hp(+) from a turbo setup than NA s50, but probably with *some* drivability issues (lag/powerslam), which would require some adjustment in driving style. tuning/designing it down would probably eliminate most of that. if its for autocrossing track days id say the clear choice is the s50 for smoothness of power delivery, but for longer road courses id prolly go with turbo power for those long straights..

also, m20 has the hated timing belt, s50 proper chains...

[jgerry2002]

If you are going for just lapping days, i'd say you ought to try a stock m10 or slightly warmed over M10.

I've tracked both my E36M3 (S52US) and my tii (metric 2.2L) and having around 135hp is a LOT of fun. Yeah bring a newspaper to read on the long straights, but who cares, you can run them down in the turns.

If you are set on a conversion, I'd honestly consider one of the fully aluminum block M54 versions to try to maintain some weight balance.

[canadamatt]

Coming from someone who has a turbo m20 2002...I'd love to rock an aluminum m54, stock ecu and everything else (if that is possible). As much fun as ridiculous amounts of horsepower are, it would be nice to have something simpler and fairly dependable. Not that mine hasn't been dependable have you....okay, maybe a m5x/s5x would just be cooler

welder+sawzall=anything is possible. Go for it ! Besides, you'd be the first to complete one (aside from Saythers car which doesn't count for obvious reasons..)

Matt

[MrNvgtr]

welder+sawzall=anything is possible. Go for it ! Besides, you'd be the first to complete one (aside from Saythers car which doesn't count for obvious reasons..)

Matt

Welder + sawzall + mechanical ability + money = anything is possible. I already tried the Welder + sawzall method on this project and it didn't work out too well for me.

[-=Charley]

just saw this in another thread.. like Matt says.. go get a sawzall

[RKS]

I had a Korman/Mosselman turbocharger setup on my '93 E34 525i (M50TU with a 5 speed manual). Totally transformed the car. Not saying you could fit that setup in an '02, but not saying you couldn't.

Don't know if Curtis in Orlando with the M20 turbo still frequents this board, but he probably has an opinion. Also, there were a few M60 blocks (aluminum V8) sitting at the shop in Florida where he used to work. If I recall (there was probably beer involved), we measured the space between the front shock towers in an '02 and it seemed like the V8 would fit. I didn't say it would bolt right in.

It's only money.

[TobyB]

My vote is to have at the firewall, and slip that s50 in-

but tucked back as far as you can. Try to keep the

front radiator support!

Turbo M20 will be a ton of headache as a track car... and you'll be

tempted to go for more power... until that teeny bottom

end goes blammo!

that's my thought.

t

[browneskids]

Didn't the S50 have more like 286-321BHP or did a lot of horses escape from under the bonnet of the US spec M3s??

[Pancake]

Yep, that's exactly what happened. European engine 320 HP, where as US engine is an emission capped 240 HP. Different ECU and VANOS setups, IIRC.

[snowflake]

I like the pictures.

Appreciate the feedback guys.

Lots of good points brought up.

I really like the idea of having factory reliability stuff, ecu, relays, wiring harness, ect.

I will track this car, but more importantly i want to be able to able to drive to the cross country, without worrying about head gaskets blowing, or any other fun surprises that a track car might being pushed to the limit might have.

Hmmm, we'll see, s50 270hp NA with mods i don't know.

I need an answer to keep up with my brothers 993.

[jakeb]

if you are set on a s5x. I would say go with a s52 OBDI swap and some wimple bolt ons. You can get 270whp fairly easy and get 30mpg on the hwy with a very light foot.

Going back into the firewall would be nice for weight but not nice for fixing anything. I say...cut the core support out, drop it in and make some mounts. Shouldn't be to hard at all...in the scope of what you are doing that is.