M54 in E21

[himizoli]

Hi

Here some picture about my e21 project.
the engine from Z4 3.0 liter. I just cant wait to finish.
Here some picture
pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/himizolika/detail?.dir=630c&.dnm=19be.jpg&.src=ph

Zolka

[lazyass349]

wow thats gonna be a fun car. How much work is it to stuff that thing in there? Just kinda curious though, why not an s50 or s52?

[kdanielson]

Most likely cost... "S" engines fetch more $$$.

How about a pic of the crossmember?

ken

[DJProfessor]

yes i too am curious how you mounted that sucker in there......as well as how the tranny attached....how did the shifter assembly line up?........a basic write up would be nice

i have thought about such a swap for another e21 on down the road......

oh and beautiful work by the way.......

[blitzed310]

Damn that came out of nowhere. Please do post more pictures, your going to get bombarded with a ton of questions.

How much longer till you get it on the road? Looking good their Zolka.

[jjgbmw323]

Hi

Here some picture about my e21 project.
the engine from Z4 3.0 liter. I just cant wait to finish.
Here some picture
pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/himizolika/detail?.dir=630c&.dnm=19be.jpg&.src=ph

Zolka

Cool Project


My Dad has a Z4 3.0 and had a Z3 with a large engine before the Z4.

I think the car should be fast...What are the HP/TQ ratings of the z4 3.0.
How much is it to get this engine - the z4and transplant it?
How hard is to fit the Z4 engine in the e21 and do you use the z4 tranny?

I have a 2.8 liter 1990 M20 with knife edged 524 td crank going into my 79 323i,
and also have sourced a 95 m3 crank so that I can someday bump up my stroker to 3.0 liters.

PS: They do make a supercharger for the Z4 which would be fun.

later,
J

[blitzed310]

Cool Project


I have a 2.8 liter 1990 M20 with knife edged 524 td crank going into my 79 323i,
and also have sourced a 95 m3 crank so that I can someday bump up my stroker to 3.0 liters.

Are you going to continue advertising this lie for another 10 years. No response needed kthnxgdby

[320ipyro]

very cool... lets see more pics.

[jjgbmw323]

Are you going to continue advertising this lie for another 10 years. No response needed kthnxgdby

Merry Christmas to you too CJ.

OT: And in response to your question, my project should be done and running soon.
Car is painted. Mirrors, Skirts, Bumpers and the car itself are all Ibscrott now...And it's in need of its interior.

The e36 crank M3 is going to be mothballed for the time being.
Its from a 95 M3. I got a good deal on it.

[dmanb55]

I can just feel the love come out during the holidays.......


BTW, once I see that swap go down, I'll be impressed. I would love to swap anything better in to my car, but finding any donor motor is seeming to be impossible in the middle of nowhere. I guess my car needs bodywork first...

[himizoli]

Hi

So I changed the oil sump for E34 24 valve sump. So it isnt a problem anymore because it has the lower "basket" in the front.
I have to weld a new oil sucking pipe.
The flywheel also changed because the original on Z4 is double weight, and it is too tick and I can not fit the e21 tranny.
The e21 flywheel just bolt up on M54 engine.
The tranny is a getrag e21 sport tranny. it is just bolt up, only problem
it is 10 degree rotated on the right.
anyway everything fit. The brake booster really close to the engine it about 3mm.
I am now istalling the cooling system it come from E36 328. I have to cut the front mask a little bit.

I am going down the garage after X-mas and make some more photos!

Have a nice Xmas
Br
Zolka

[blitzed310]

The e21 flywheel just bolt up on M54 engine.
The tranny is a getrag e21 sport tranny. it is just bolt up, only problem
it is 10 degree rotated on the right.
anyway everything fit. The brake booster really close to the engine it about 3mm.

Thats good to know. I take it your keeping the E21 rear end? Any upgrades to the brakes? By sport tranny do you speak of the 245/10 or the dogleg?

[DJProfessor]

that thru me for a loop.....using the stock trans on that motor, seems very brave to me. not to mention the stock e21 clutch set up......how did you bolt the motor down? what modifications did you have to do to make that work? i see you had to swap out the oil pan, but what subframe/motor mount arms/mounts did you go with?

[zak78]

Himizoli,
Do you have any more progress photos? We'd love to see ANY other pictures you have

[jrcook320]

i see you had to swap out the oil pan, but what subframe/motor mount arms/mounts did you go with?

I looks like the stock 323i subframe and stock M54 motor mounts

[jjgbmw323]

The stock e21 323i tranny - non dogleg will bolt up to the m50/m52 engine,
but it bolts up at an angle.

Remmber the hack and crack yellow car thread from a while ago:



He also runs the standard 323i subframe, and tranny on an m50 2.5 liter...

so I know the Z4 3.0 could work..I have yet to see the specs on the weight of this engine, and someone brave enough to pull this conversion off.
From the seat of my pants haven rode in both the MZ3 and my Dad's Z3 and now his Z4, I think the Z4 3.0 has around 220 or so HP,
and the 2000 Z3 M roadster of my freind MPL M-power's car feels more viseral and powerful.
Both cars are very nicely exceuted, but the M Z3 has wider fenders, and a very different feel from the 3.0 Z4.
BMW is adding a M Z4 roadster to its line up very soon.

Still I think the z4 3.0 would be a heck of a swap (you could just add that supercharger they make for it) and cant wait for all the details....

[jrcook320]

Still I think the z4 3.0 would be a heck of a swap (you could just add that supercharger they make for it) and cant wait for all the details....

I'm sure the supercharger kit only costs around $5000-$7000 or so, good deal. In the end it would still cost less to build an equivalent turbo m20.

[BIMMERBOYZ]

It will be one of the fastest E21 on this board. definatley faster than JJ's car.

[himizoli]

I upload some pictures to the same website
pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/himizolika/detail?.dir=/630c&.dnm=19be.jpg&.src=ph

Answer to the questions:
-The engine mounts arm is custom made, I upload some pictures.
- the engine mounts rubber is stock e21.
- the tranny is dogleg e21 it is also bolt up to the engine. only the angle is approx 10 degree to the right
- you have to change the flywheel and put stock e21 323 cluch kit. I think it will hold the power if not I will use some stronger one. The original Z4 cluch seem only 10mm bigger in diameter.
- the rear and going to be 323.
- the brake in the front Volvo calipers, Later I have to make it bigger I think
- the suspention is Bilsten I made it stiffer.
- I am going to Use e12 sport spring front and the back. It is just fit on the front and have to make a little mod on the back.

[himizoli]

The whole story about my e21.

I have a e12 525 but I swap a S38 M5 engine (315Hp) in it. After it got ready I didnt want to use this car is winter. So I look for a nice winter car, I end up to a e21. It is really lovely car so I drove it all last winter, but something I always missed the power. (after the E12 no issue for that)
So I was think what shoul I do. My first idea was swap a 3.0 liter M57 diesel engine in it. It has great power and amazing torque. Only problem those engine is still in childhood by using (they build from 1998) so they have lot of problems electrical and mechanical. So I decided to put a M50. I was started to look for a M50 or M52 engine. Couple weeks later my friend was telling me that ALPINA is selling M54 engine (overstock). I look for it but the price was high so I quit this idea, but I was ofen check the alpina website.
After last february the price went down so it makes me interested more, but still hesitating. After 1st of April the price end up little I coud not belive my eyes, I thought it is a joke. I called them and the say it is not a joke so I bought it imediatelly. I got also a stainless exhaust system for 99 Euro. The saleman was really nice. So we drove to Germany and picked up the engine (it is totaly complete it come with everything).
The salesman ask me
What car you put into the engine?
I told him E21 He was whatcing me a space alien

On the way home we was laughing about we have alltogether 546 Horsepower including the trailer. not bad for a e12

[himizoli]

For those who are not tried to read my long stuff

I forget to mention the engine is brand new

I think the biggest work is going to be the electrical system
It has electrical trottle pedal, EWS luckly uncoded, OBD system.
But I think I can manage it because I am writing my PHD similar stuff at the University

I am happy to answer any question

I was calculated about the acceleration
Z4 going to 0-100 kph (60mph) about 6 sec with 1530 kg weight
so
E21 is less then 1180 kg is will be ..... 5.5 sec?!

[jjgbmw323]

himizoli..seems fun and a good deal.
Yeah, it should be fast. Its around 220 HP...before Alpina moded it.
Any idea what the HP and TQ fiqures are on you engine?

Yes..our cars are light and it should go like a bat out of hell.
Himizoli I give you props for an awesome conversion.

I'm sure the supercharger kit only costs around $5000-$7000 or so, good deal. In the end it would still cost less to build an equivalent turbo m20.

I have seen kits that are used going for far less than this.
You just need to look around a bit.
Plus supercharging puts the car into a whole different leaque.
This can always be added down the line.

Turboing the M20 is expensive if you stroke it first and use a stand alone engine MGT system.
And I would not use Megasquirt on such a project.

It will be one of the fastest E21 on this board. definatley faster than JJ's car.

We will see. Jeff's car on tricord's board uses a similar build to what I would like to do one day,
and thats using the M3 rods and the M3 crank in his m20. 85.8mm stroke and 85mm bore, and he has
the zero to 60 and to 1/4 times. Jeff's car is very fun car. You can bore the M20 to *86MM but thats pushing it.

[blitzed310]

Wow man starting to be realy impressed with your build. Me being lazy, can you post the specs to the Alpina M54 motor? Do you plan on restoring the whole car, or is this just strickly a performance build? Good luck to you, seems like you got it fairly squared away.

[JAlfredPrufrock]

Wow man starting to be realy impressed with your build. Me being lazy, can you post the specs to the Alpina M54 motor? Do you plan on restoring the whole car, or is this just strickly a performance build? Good luck to you, seems like you got it fairly squared away.

I'm pretty sure he means he bought a stock M54 from Alpina because Alpina does a lot of swap cars and they're bound to have the old engines laying around.

[kdanielson]

Very nice job on the engine mounts! Keep up the good work, it will be a great car... I like the sound of your e12 conversion also.

ken