bmwe21.net forums

Thanks for the comments guys. Still have few small things left to do, building a m20b25, and doing some rear adj coilovers at the moment. This car takes me 400kms a week so im really hoping some some better economy with the motronic.

Nice ride mate,
Well done..
The color and the wheel looks great together. Nice Combi.

Well i almost finished building the m20b25, should be ready in about a month. However i hydrolocked the original motor, drove through a large mass of water and engine sucked up a heap of it and is now seized.

I pulled the engine out this weekend and started purchasing some bits for a m50 conversion
If i cant make the m50 work i will just stick to the m20b25. I dont think the m50 will give me much of a power gain, but it will be better on fuel, smoother, quieter (no m20 valve train noise)

Looking great! Remember to cut down the steering rack cover while the engine's out, it will make it a lot easier. Something like this below but less extreme, it needs this much removed if using the M50 with the sump parallel. If you're planning to use the 323i subframe, mounts, gearbox and rotate the engine like I have then you don't have to remove as much. Alternatively you can grind the webs on the M50 sump for clearance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v55/r ... 811047.jpg

Also remember there is little clearance for the air sensor in front of the throttle body. I'll be probably cutting the inner wing but your car is a lot nicer than mine!

really like your car - those alloys set it off nicely.

I want to know some more about your mk1 escort!!

wiz0r wrote: cut down the steering rack cover while the engine's out

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v55/r ... 811047.jpg

so we dont need the shock thing? ive been thinking about taking it out, but presumably it has some purpose?

340i wrote:

wiz0r wrote: cut down the steering rack cover while the engine's out

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v55/r ... 811047.jpg

so we dont need the shock thing? ive been thinking about taking it out, but presumably it has some purpose?

shock thing? you mean the steering damper? is there one of those? i cant remember

I've seen about half with dampers, half without. Maybe they've had them removed but I hadn't really considering fitting one. I don't think those covers mount the shock so you could probably run it anyway. There isn't much clearance needed but you could always shave the sump webbings instead.

Do all the m50 sumps have the webbing? Thought ive seen a front sump without it? My m50 arrives on monday so will see what it has.

Rob my plan so far is to use my e21 323i flywheel (6.5kg?), e30 325i starter, and 323i clutch kit with 38mm ID release bearing to suit my input shaft. Do you see any potential problems with this?

Ive purchased 328i exh manifolds and a few other bits, so hopefully i will be trial fitting the engine this week and checking my sump clearance!

nas80 wrote:really like your car - those alloys set it off nicely.

I want to know some more about your mk1 escort!!

I guess its a very standard swap in the uk, cossie turbo into escorts. Engine is a group a block, long studded for big boost (30psi!), WRC headgasket, cosworth forgies etc with autronic ecu. Hoping for close to 450hp
Front wings are f/glass rears are steel arches and 10.5 bbs rs wheels on the back. This car is well and truly on hold until the e21 is back on the road!

Pics are before engine was stripped for rebuild.

That's a wicked Escort mate. Very nice indeed. I've had a few quick Escorts over the years including a Warrior engined 2.2 but nothing as nice as the YB.

Cannot believe the price of RWD Escorts nowadays. 10 years ago I bought a nice 2 door, 1100 deluxe MK1 for £30! THIRTY QUID! Even a ropey shell is a grand minimum now. Personally, I think that's why prices of the RWD alternatives are creeping up and a lot of cars are going to Ireland now that there's a good exchange rate.

I'm positive it will only fit with a front sump, since any further back then main part of the sump won't clear the subframe/steering rack. If it hasn't got a front sump (E34) then it will be an E36.

I'm not an engine builder or really technically experienced so I can only comment on what I've done and seems to work!
- E21 323i flywheel
- E21 323i pilot bearing
- E21 323i clutch (Maybe should of gone for a higher spec but I'm sure it will be fine!)
- E21 323i gearbox
- E30 325i starter (Haven't fitted yet but its what the E30 boys use with M20 flys)

From end of the crank it can be 323i all the way since it seems the block is the same dimension as an M20.

Talking of 328i manifolds I'll be chopping up my front 328i manifold on Sunday. I'm going to cut it most of the way through the manifold with a hacksaw after cyl#3 then bend it up to clear the subframe/steering rack, then patch the new existing gap. This way I'm hoping to retain the 328i exhaust flanges, if they will clear the steering linkage. The back one doesn't need modifying!

i bought an ok mk1 rs2000 around 7years ago for £800 then drove it twice pinto didnt sound to heathly.. left it in the garage under a cover with the intention of transpalanting the saphaire cosworth's engine ( my then daily) into it.. never did.. sold the Rs2000 last year for £5700.. wish i kept till this year then sold .. there prices are through the roof!!!!

Oh, I meant to post up some pics of the steering rack/sump webbings

Although this is when I attempted to fit an M42 engine... M42 webbings


Cut down rack covers


Though I actually think the clearance is worse on an M42 rather than my M50 for some reason.

My mistake, for some reason i thought i had seen an e34 front sump without the webbing. Looking at that though i might take some off the webbing if need be, will place the engine in and see which hits first.

btw thanks for you help so far!