Engine swap help?

cutlass4lfe · 10-21-2002, 09:55 PM

Hey i'm new here......my buddy has an '81 320ci.......i was telling him that he should look into getting an engine swap......but i'm very novice when it comes to this kind of info...does anyone have any info or advice they could give me on where to look for possible engine choices for my friend? Also does anyone know how much this would cost him? Thanks in advance for your help.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Wow, that's a broad question. What is he looking for? To replace a tired old motor, or to get more HP out of his ride?

-Wayne

cutlass4lfe · 10-21-2002, 10:08 PM

Both in a sense.....his engine has around 250,000 miles on it....so ya he wants a new engine...but he also wants a little more power....maybe around 160 hp.....something not too extravagant or expensive....but with a decent amount of "go".....????

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Hmm, I'm not an expert on these early cars by any means. However, I do know that used engines are really cheap for these cars. I'm not sure how easy it would be to put in an E30 series engine - perhaps someone else knows?

Easiest is to replace with a rebuilt or lower-mileage engine from the same year. Also the cheapest option...

-Wayne

cutlass4lfe · 10-21-2002, 10:14 PM

I definitely see what you mean about how it would be the cheapest.....but how much would it be to throw in a totally new engine (not necessarily bmw) with around 170.....sorry if this isn't your expertise...but i'm sure u know a hell of a lot more than i do....

Jeff at WallWerks · 10-21-2002, 10:47 PM

Hi there:

Tell your friend to trade up to an e30. Unfortunately, the e21 (320i) is kind of the "forgotten" BMW. There just aren't a lot of
performance upgrades for this car.

While they were nice cars (in my opinion), they were a bit heavier and softer than the 2002 that they replaced.

THere are a lot more options going back to a 2002 or up to a 325.

Putting a six in that car can be done, but it is really expensive and you have to fabricate everything. To get any kind of hp with the four, you have to go to a carbureted motor with a cam, etc.

By that time you could have a nice e30.

good luck

jeff

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

That's a good point. For the cost of a new or upgraded engine, you can probably pick up a good used E30 325is. Jared just picked up his for about $3K...

-Wayne

Jared at Pelican Parts · 01:04 PM

Speaking from experience, there's really not much your friend is going to be able to do with the 320. As mentioned above, performance parts really arent available for them. The earlier 320 models (1977-79) can be hopped up using most of the 2002 mods like Dual Webers and hot cams, however the later cars had a different engine that was carried over to the E30 318.

If he is looking for increased performance there a couple different things you can do to bump up the power. First, get rid of the air cleaner assembly and run a cone filter directly onto the air distributor. I saw my mileage go up by doing this as well. (not enough to actually make a difference, however) Second, advance the timing, and run high octane, (you'll feel the difference) Third, Using a pressure gauge, increase fuel pressure by about 3 psi.

You will also want to reset the mixture on the car using a CO meter and reset the idle, chances are, the car will idle higher than before.

I have also read about some mods where the intake air baffle was bored out to help with air restriction.

Keep in mind that these are all simply suggestions based on my own personal experience and if you are in doubt about what you are doing, dont do it!