help regarding engine/swapping

[bkvj]

hey dudes,

i just registered, and i have a few questions about BMW engines etc.

at the moment, i have a hugely slow BMW 520i E34...automatic. well, its slow compared to my 2001 yamaha banshee, which im selling sadly.

anyways:

im looking to make this car to be a good sleeper.

i was thinking of swapping the engine for a M60 B40 (i think thats the right code for the 4 litre).

question one:

is it a straight swap? if not, what sort of parts do i need to complete this swap?

question two: this one has been bugging me for a while now; how strong is the engine? what are its limits on a stock bottom end?

i want to run around 400 whp in the end, my thoughts of the spec are lower down.

i also want it manual, as automatic is just not for me and far to boring. which gearbox?

question three: how does this gearbox hold? to what sort of power?


my thoughts of a 400 horsepower engine:

2x T28 turbo's
444cc injectors?????
255 L/H fuel pump
custom 3" turbo back exhaust, ending just behind the front fenders
FMIC (possibly a 200zx TT item, they flow good for 400BHP, and have a 'V' sorta piping stuff)
uprated clutch

offcourse all things done to connect turbo's etc, ignition system etc.

what sort of PSI is recommended?
and what ECU shall i use?

if another engine is recommended for my spec please say so! all is going to get of scrapyard though....to keep the cost down!

thanks very much,

bas

[repenttokyo]

i would think it would be just as cheap to install an LS1 as it would an M60, and you would have a better starting point and a much cheaper to mod engine....


That being said - you are going to spend a ton of money here.

[Kalevera]

Sell this car.

Buy something that's more in line with what you want.

To take ANY variant of an automatic 520 to a manual V8 is going to require the equivalent of a parts car, which will probably cost more up front than any 520 is worth.

[DanDombrowski]

Call this man, he can help you:

Wile E. Coyote
555-.....

[pundit]

Ditto.
Get rid of the 520 and buy something else.
ie. a 540 etc.
You would have to swap out almost every component in the 520.
Engine, trans, final drive, wiring looms suspension brakes.... the works.
That would cost far more in money and time than buying something more suitable in the first place.
I rather pull out my own teeth!

[BillionPa]

well, M20/M50 size and ease of working on compared to the V8 is a huge plus, you will have a VERY hard time getting any kind of turbo on the M60, there just isnt enough room!

for the same money as an M60 swap, you can megasquirt with twin turbos, and put in some higher performance engine internals. it would be nice if you could find a 2.5L M20 engine from a junkyard or something, send it to metric mechanic, have them build it into 3L rally spec version. even though its only about 220HP, it revs REALLY high and pull hard all the way.

of course you do have a lot of options, and you need to decide if you want cheap, best bang for the buck reliable, or over the top insane.

there are many different engine swap choices, like S50s, S38s, M30s, M20s..... M60s if you really wanna go there, and if you can find an easy fit at the junkyard for cheap thats in good condition, use it.

you will definately need to change out the transmission, as you will rip it apart in seconds with a powerful engine. see if you can get the engine/trans/diff/axels/exhaust/wiring/mounting from a 535 manual.

[bkvj]

ok. thanks for the replies guys!

the thing is i can get parts fairly cheap and do most if not all the work myself.

i also live in the UK so it makes some differnce with prices etc.

if the LS1 was an option here i would have done that buy those engines are really expensive here.

i might just keep this as a daily ride though, and start something else as a project (poss. chevy camaro IROC or nissan silvia....i love japanese cars but the sound of american muscle is awesome!)