e39 m5 engine in an e24?

[PRJKTGRMN]

so i have a very tempting offer that i'm thinking of jumping on, however i am a bit concerned about the headaches that may lie ahead with this type of a swap.

i've come across a 2000 M5 in a local salvage yard -- the car has light damage out the back but the yard is parting out the car. I can get the COMPLETE drivetrain - engine, tranny, all accessories plus the wiring harnesses and ecu for $1,000.

i'm awfuly tempted to jump on this because i know its a great deal -- but how much of a nightmare do you guys think it would be to do a conversion into my E24? i've seen it done before in a BMW magazine from a few months back but it wasn't all that informative on the install process or the problems/fabricating that had to be done.

what should i do?!

[Bentsdl]

Do you know for sure that there aren't any problems with the engine and tranny etc? Only 1000$ is very! cheap. Did you hear it run?

Good luck if you'r going to make this swap, a six with that engine would be really sweet!!
I think the biggest problems would be to make the driveshaft's the right size, I don't think you can use your old diff. Also the electronics might be really difficult, and you'll ofcours need a costum exhaust..

[sixseries]

u basically gotta pray that its in good shape or youre screwed. definitely try to hear it run before u purchase it

[imola e36]

would be a very fun swap. I'd only do it though if you planned on running it on a standalone and have the motor just run off it's own ecu, then you can basically rewire the rest of the car to your likes. I'd make it a full race car inside :evil2 It's not going to be cheap though. you got the motor cheap, but things will def add up in a swap like that. I'd be worried about motor mounts, oil pan, and electronic throttle. The rest is easy, with money of course lol. good luck and let me know if you don't want to do that swap or want the motor. Because I will gladly pick that up and put it to good use :D

[screwbiedoo15]

If everything checks out, I'd just go grab the engine and what not and just hold on to it. For $1000 that's a ridiculous deal and could always be sold for more if you decided it was too much work for you to be put into your e24.

[M633CSi]

Dude buy the engine first!

[ryl]

Get everything you can. There are bound to be enough good parts to recoup your $1000 if you aren't able to do the swap. That's a fabulous motor.

[Layne]

Definitely buy the motor because its a screaming good deal. Putting it into the 6er however is a lifelong commitment. If you aren't married, and are rich enough to not have a job you could probably pull it off. It's much easier to put it into a e34 530i/540i because it mechanically bolts in and then you can spend only half a lifetime sorting out the electronics.

[gkrea1]

Definitely buy the motor because its a screaming good deal. Putting it into the 6er however is a lifelong commitment. If you aren't married, and are rich enough to not have a job you could probably pull it off. It's much easier to put it into a e34 530i/540i because it mechanically bolts in and then you can spend only half a lifetime sorting out the electronics.

I agree with the spirit of this reply. It would be an enormous undertaking to pull this off. If the motor runs and the trans is good, by it for a grand then part it out or sell the whole darn thing for a tidy 500% profit. Now take this new found wealth and either buy stocks (good time to buy in a down market), or add power to your E24 via forced induction. A basic kit is about $5000, for $7000 you'll have a real beast. (Hold the stock for a couple years and you'll have that $7k.)

[Shipper]

Ebay had a damaged M5 2001 engine that sold for $1,480.00 or there about. Two cylinders were damaged and needed work. No other parts but the basic engine. If you don't buy it please pm me and I'll buy the lot. Would make a fantastic 400hp track day e24. Seriously, if you don't buy it pm me with the details as I've been looking for this for some time now!

Have a look at - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=&item=170267155923

[GWL]

There was an owner that had completed this swap at the SESF 2008 this year. I thought that I had a picture of the installation but I'll be darned if I can find it now.:) I cannot remember his name, but it was a very clean professional looking swap. Perhaps he or someone who knows him will advise.

[Analog]

Batshit insane fast?

[Layne]

There was an owner that had completed this swap at the SESF 2008 this year. I thought that I had a picture of the installation but I'll be darned if I can find it now.:) I cannot remember his name, but it was a very clean professional looking swap. Perhaps he or someone who knows him will advise.

You must be talking about the one with the 3.8 M5 engine. If there had been a S62 conversion there, I would have seen it!

[e24mpwr]

You must be talking about the one with the 3.8 M5 engine. If there had been a S62 conversion there, I would have seen it!

Yea - I think he's referring to Scott Jancura's car

[GWL]

There was an owner that had completed this swap at the SESF 2008 this year. I thought that I had a picture of the installation but I'll be darned if I can find it now.:) I cannot remember his name, but it was a very clean professional looking swap. Perhaps he or someone who knows him will advise.
Yep that's the one! But he did such a good job with the 3.8 the swap from the E39 should also work.

[detroit635csi]

GWL has a point... but it will be interesting to see this e39 motor in an e24..

id say buy the engine tranny ect for sure... even if i wasnt doing the swap id buy the motor... if you stumble on an e34 down the road or beat up e39 you could do the swap or if you decide all of this is too much of an undertaking you could part out the motor and sell the wireing and tranny separately and possibly profit...

clifs: buy motor+install in e24=profit$$

[e24mpwr]

GWL has a point... but it will be interesting to see this e39 motor in an e24..

id say buy the engine tranny ect for sure... even if i wasnt doing the swap id buy the motor... if you stumble on an e34 down the road or beat up e39 you could do the swap or if you decide all of this is too much of an undertaking you could part out the motor and sell the wireing and tranny separately and possibly profit...

clifs: buy motor+install in e24=profit$$

Andrew - I've got to differ:

buy motor+install in e24=+++rep+moneyvortex

Scott's swap was done by Brett Anderson/Koala Motorsports (I believe), and it was huge money. If I recall right, it even required custom motor mounts, etc.

That said, I'd love to see the E39 M5 (S62) motor in an E24 - bet it would be fun...

[alpinacsi]

I agree! If you intend to profit from this package then you need to buy it and sell it quickly without doing anything to it.

[6erWEBB]

Wait now that i think of it wasnt this already done?yes! found it the car is featured in BMW CAR magazine nov. 07 issue also look on www.bremgo.de (http://www.bremgo.de)

[smaglik]

wow. that is sweet.

[Shipper]

As I said earlier, if an e39 M5 motor with two blown pistons without ancillaries can sell for $1.4k on ebay then this should go for $2.5k on ebay. Sounds like a great deal and it's beyond me why this has not already been snapped up.

Buy it! Quick!!

[6erWEBB]

sooooo......wherrrrrrrreeeee is this motor located?

[PRJKTGRMN]

so since this thread has gotten SO much attention (and rightfully so...) i figured i should update everyone.

i should make it noted that my friend is the person that brought this M5 to my attention at one of our local salvage yards here in Des Moines. so i talked myself into it that i need to get a hold of this drivetrain, its just too good to pass up.

so we go out there to take a closer look since i hadn't seen the car in person yet and was in for a bit of a shock.

walking up to the car i immediatly notice from a distance that its not an E39, but rather a E34 -- so in my mind i'm still thinking OK, S38 inline 6 isn't bad either, and an easier swap at that.

finally up to the car, and i just had a laugh. not only did they not realize that this car was a 1994 and not a 2000 or newer they thought that they had, but rather a base 525i completely littered with M badges galore. M5 out the back, M on the front grille, M stickers (off the m-parallel wheels) on all of the door handles, airbags and seat backs, on the fender, and the list goes on.

"this isn't an M5"

salvage guy: "yeah but look at the M badges everywhere!"

:confused

"uhh.....no. for one the seats are wrong, M5s were never offered with an auto, nor with those wheels, nor with that front end, and certainly not with that engine"

well the man was still adamant on $1,000 for the drivetrain, but i told him thats the same engine that i already have in my 6 and i have no need for another. then he tried to pawn off the "original" HID headlights. again i had to educate him by letting him know that it wasn't HID, rather a standard halogen bulb in a projector housing.

needless to say i shot him down in flames and i think he feels ripped off thinking he acquired an M5 to part out -- as well he should have! :nono

[jbd5015]

bummer dude, at least it was worth a good laugh though?

-Jeff

[PRJKTGRMN]

bummer dude, at least it was worth a good laugh though?

-Jeff

watching his excitement and dignity go down in flames was totally worth it :D

[Layne]

HA! I wonder what he'd pay for the "Ferrari Edition" yellow Saturn that drives around here?

The 525i is either a M20 or M50 ('94 I think is M50) so no, it's not the same as what you have in your 6. It's less.

[dm635]

so since this thread has gotten SO much attention (and rightfully so...) i figured i should update everyone.

i should make it noted that my friend is the person that brought this M5 to my attention at one of our local salvage yards here in Des Moines. so i talked myself into it that i need to get a hold of this drivetrain, its just too good to pass up.

so we go out there to take a closer look since i hadn't seen the car in person yet and was in for a bit of a shock.

walking up to the car i immediatly notice from a distance that its not an E39, but rather a E34 -- so in my mind i'm still thinking OK, S38 inline 6 isn't bad either, and an easier swap at that.

finally up to the car, and i just had a laugh. not only did they not realize that this car was a 1994 and not a 2000 or newer they thought that they had, but rather a base 525i completely littered with M badges galore. M5 out the back, M on the front grille, M stickers (off the m-parallel wheels) on all of the door handles, airbags and seat backs, on the fender, and the list goes on.

"this isn't an M5"

salvage guy: "yeah but look at the M badges everywhere!"

:confused

"uhh.....no. for one the seats are wrong, M5s were never offered with an auto, nor with those wheels, nor with that front end, and certainly not with that engine"

well the man was still adamant on $1,000 for the drivetrain, but i told him thats the same engine that i already have in my 6 and i have no need for another. then he tried to pawn off the "original" HID headlights. again i had to educate him by letting him know that it wasn't HID, rather a standard halogen bulb in a projector housing.

needless to say i shot him down in flames and i think he feels ripped off thinking he acquired an M5 to part out -- as well he should have! :nono



My 1st 6 was decorated in the same manner. M emblems, roundels stuck all over the place(inside & out), and M POWER in large block lettering on front & rear windshields. Normally I wouldn't have given a car like this a second look. But the price was right & I finally got into a 6. Knew I'd have one someday and stumbled upon this one by accident. Daughter & I were shopping for her replacement car & I ended up with my own.

Good for you setting the guy straight.

[e24mpwr]

*sigh*

I hate sad endings...

[Shipper]

Sad indeed! I'd love to have heard how an E39 M5 swap went. That is virtually the halo swap for an e24 since non of us can really afford $16k for a V10.

That wrecker must be kicking himself for buying a wreck that's hard to give away. Still, there must be at least $20 of badges on that thing! lol

[Alpine6And7]

:rofl sorry to here that. This same thing happend to my a little while back. I woas told i could have my friends dad's e30 "M3" but it turns out it was a 325e with M3 badging:rofl

[Boostedcorrados]

Man that sucks...I have been trying to do some digging on a V8 bmw powerplant for my dads car. I was thinking about just doing the e39 540 with 6speed in to the car with a VF blower. We will see tho. My car has to sell first.

[Seeker]

wouldnt it be a bit of a job to squeeze in a V8 in place of the M30?


I've often thought that a 6 with a M50 in it would probably be almost identical in power to a M30.. considering the M50 puts out 189hp stock, but the torque output would probably be a bit less than a M30.
It's a lighter engine I'd imagine and get better MPG.. plus it's got DOHC with Vanos, coil overs... etc. all just technically more advanced systems in general.

[Bentsdl]

Would probably be easier to put in a old v8 without all the advanced electronics from a newer small engine. Size is not that big of a problem, they've put a v12 from a 850 in a 6er..

[Alpine6And7]

I'm doing an M52 or S52 swap.... but It is gonna take a while to collect parts...

[Sixdown]

http://www.bremgo-shop.de/_plentyMarkets/E24-M635i-400PS-mit-M5-E39/p-174-0/?plentyID=c3ff68e1cd06e9a48db73d16eb8227fc14122007 061654

I stumbled upon this website a couple of weeks ago...

[Shipper]

Would probably be easier to put in a old v8 without all the advanced electronics from a newer small engine. Size is not that big of a problem, they've put a v12 from a 850 in a 6er..All true and I've seen the 650 vids. Looks like great fun. The e24 block was as long as they get and a 90's V12 isn't much longer. You can actually bore out the e24 633/635 block to 4 litres, mayhaps a little more. In M6 format and at 4000cc you can get some 400RWHP or around 440 to 500hp. Would give a current M5 a run for it's money.

[alpinacsi]

Not sure about that 4.0L. By boring AND stroking you can safely get 3.9L but the 4.0 is very risky due to issues with crank reliability. Some people have tried it in the past with stroker cranks but most of them have given it up due to cost and high failure rate of the cranks.

[Layne]

You can do it with a billet crank, it'll just cost you a buttload and rev like a tractor engine (slowly).

[Shipper]

Red Shark Racing have prepared their M6 to 3997cc. Here's the link below. Mind you it more than likely cost a bomb and not being an engine builder I'd agree that anything over 3.9L is testing the limits of this block.

http://www.brannfors.com/redsharkracing/

[e24mpwr]

Red Shark Racing have prepared their M6 to 3997cc. Here's the link below. Mind you it more than likely cost a bomb and not being an engine builder I'd agree that anything over 3.9L is testing the limits of this block.

http://www.brannfors.com/redsharkracing/

He's got a Fahey-built motor, and Frank understands the M88/S38 as well or better than anyone in the world.

(My motor is from there, too, though it doesn't breathe as much fire...)