Which V8 for a Z3 engine swap?

Which V8 for a Z3 engine swap?

Author
Discussion

wca

Original Poster:

307 posts

165 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Hi All,

I have fiddled with my Z3 (pic below) and fancy dropping a V8 in for a bit more grunt. I want the torque and easy driving rather than a race or track car with screaming revs. It is a 1999 2.8 at the moment but I thought that 350-400bhp V8 would make it more enjoyable.



I was looking at some American lumps but was worried they would be seriously heavy and screw the handling. Googling suggests the M5 V8 won't fit. Any ideas for engines that are small, light, V8 and would fit?

Might have access to a cheap Lexus V8 which I could drop a turbo on it but I through myself at the mercy of your greater wisdom.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
M5 would seem the most obvious choice!

mackie1

8,153 posts

232 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
I guess the obvious choice is an LS series engine. Light and compact.

philmots

4,630 posts

259 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
There was a fella on here who dropped a 5.7 something or other into his E46.. Similar.

wca

Original Poster:

307 posts

165 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
MonkeyMatt - M5 V8 won't fit apparently

LS3 will and is currently top of the is

Might have access to a 4200 Maser unit which is tempting but I dont have the dimensions yet

Gixer

4,463 posts

247 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
LS7. Small light compact.

DaveH23

3,230 posts

169 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
philmots said:
There was a fella on here who dropped a 5.7 something or other into his E46.. Similar.
This chap:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

jontymo

810 posts

149 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
From a few years ago at the pod




iguana

7,025 posts

259 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
I had a BMW 540i v8 in an e36 & it was a cracker of an engine, de catted & remapped it had oddles of midrange but did still love to rush to the redline, they are available for utter peanuts & are a light engine.

Matt UK

17,650 posts

199 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
I know you said V8, but have you thought about the e34 M5 straight-six?

Would the M3 V8 fit?

V88Dicky

7,302 posts

182 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
An LS engine.

Compact, lightweight, reliable and highly tuneable. smile

SonicHedgeHog

2,534 posts

181 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
How much of this kind of conversion is down to time and patience and how much is down to having a load of skill and expensive tools. I'd love to do something like this, but wouldn't really know where to start.

ging84

8,832 posts

145 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
are you sure you can't fit a v12?
you can get them from S600 or 750 donor cars

Pickled

2,051 posts

142 months

Wednesday 23rd July 2014
quotequote all
Can see why an e39 M5 lump wouldn't fit, they've squeezed a V12 into a 3 series compact, it can't be physically much bigger than the 4.4 V8, that have been dropped into lots of 3 series variants

S52 much be the easiest conversion surely, they did that from the factory

vx220

2,689 posts

233 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
wca said:
Hi All,





.
More pics?

IMO, looking like that, the six cylinders sound would be better than a V8...

...although a V12 as suggested would be good!!!

Maybe stick with the six and try some exhaust/induction mods and try for a '50s Jag/Aston-ish sound

ManOpener

12,467 posts

168 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Audi ABZ is very compact. Will do nearly 400bhp with breathing mods, exhaust, cams and a decent map.
If you can put one in the back of a Mk1 MR2, you can put one in the front of a Z3.

skyrover

12,668 posts

203 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
wca said:
Hi All,

I was looking at some American lumps but was worried they would be seriously heavy and screw the handling. Googling suggests the M5 V8 won't fit. Any ideas for engines that are small, light, V8 and would fit?
The american engines such as the LS series are actually smaller and lighter than any mass produced V8's from Europe or Japan

tintopracer

139 posts

166 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
Didn't AC Schnitzer fit the V12 from a 750 into an e36 compact? I thought that the Z3 was based on the same floorpan so that would seem an interesting choice. Either that or a 4.0 v8 with a turbo as Alpina did.

iloveboost

1,531 posts

161 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
jontymo said:
From a few years ago at the pod



Wow I've never seen a Z3 with an LS engine swap thanks for posting that.
Have you thought about a 2JZ-GTE? biggrin
I guess you'd really like a V8 otherwise you'd just buy an M Roadster.
I know if you're not bothered about weight and just want a V8 with 300+hp at the lowest possible cost there's a version of the LS motor that's an iron block but otherwise really similar. It's called the LQ4 or LQ9. They cost peanuts compared to the LS motors.

ManOpener

12,467 posts

168 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
skyrover said:
wca said:
Hi All,

I was looking at some American lumps but was worried they would be seriously heavy and screw the handling. Googling suggests the M5 V8 won't fit. Any ideas for engines that are small, light, V8 and would fit?
The american engines such as the LS series are actually smaller and lighter than any mass produced V8's from Europe or Japan
The lightest quad-cam stuff, like the Audi ABZ and similar V8s, are about the same as an ally LS series. Round 180kg dry for each.
Of course, the LS is much easier to get massive power out of.