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Thread: E36 V6 Swap

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Delft
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    E36 316i Compact

    Thumbs up E36 V6 Swap

    Hi everyone.

    I've been driving my E36 316i Compact for a while now, and it has been great fun.

    First I decided that I wanted to go more sideways so I installed a LSD. Afterwards, it was a lot of fun but underpowered. So I swapped a M50B20 in it that I could get for cheap. I drove this around a bit and even though it was a lot of fun, I've gotten to the point again that I want more power.

    I was initially thinking of an M52B28 engine. Then I considered building a 3.0 stroker, and even after that, a buddy of mine said, V12 swap it. Use an M70B50 and put that in it.

    I agree that a V12 in a E36 is the ultimate "because fuck you thats why" move you could make, but the weight distribution would be terrible, next to the poor fuel economy ofcourse.

    So I was thinking, why not V6 swap it? My theory is that you could place the engine behind the front axle and thus get a better balance. Does anyone have any experience with V6 swapping an E36? And which engines would you guys recomend?

    I'm definitly open to suggestions!
    Last edited by MauiM3Mania; 02-23-2020 at 02:06 PM. Reason: profanity

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Des Moines, IA
    Posts
    1,051
    My Cars
    '97 M3/4/5.0
    Mustang 3.7 V6. 310hp, $300 all day. 6 speed manuals are also $300. Forged crank, stock bottom end is good to 600+hp if you want. Use the stock Mustang ECU or toss on a Megasquirt 3/MS3X to run the Ti-VCT. Probably the cheapest way to get into 300hp and a 6 speed.

    If you went LS, getting a busted T56 would run you $1000 minimum, or probably $1700 for a good used one.

    A Nissan VQ would probably run you $700-800 and the CD009 transmissions are going up in price as they're becoming a popular swap option and adapter plates are being made to hook them up to everything.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    NW suburban Chicago
    Posts
    16,300
    My Cars
    hiss by my window
    Quote Originally Posted by GEnx90 View Post
    Hi everyone.

    I've been driving my E36 316i Compact for a while now, and it has been great fun.

    First I decided that I wanted to go more sideways so I installed a LSD. Afterwards, it was a lot of fun but underpowered. So I swapped a M50B20 in it that I could get for cheap. I drove this around a bit and even though it was a lot of fun, I've gotten to the point again that I want more power.

    I was initially thinking of an M52B28 engine. Then I considered building a 3.0 stroker, and even after that, a buddy of mine said, V12 swap it. Use an M70B50 and put that in it.

    I agree that a V12 in a E36 is the ultimate "because fuck you thats why" move you could make, but the weight distribution would be terrible, next to the poor fuel economy ofcourse.


    So I was thinking, why not V6 swap it? My theory is that you could place the engine behind the front axle and thus get a better balance. Does anyone have any experience with V6 swapping an E36? And which engines would you guys recomend?

    I'm definitly open to suggestions!
    Isn't gas guzzling part of the standard FU, look at me car?

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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