Balance is everything...... (archive)

I was at a track event this fall and there was a E36 M3 turbo there. He was in my run group and he was very fast untill we hit the corners. I was all over him in the corners with my lightly modified(chip, EVO intake, suspension, brakes) 2.3l S14 equipped E30 M3. When you put the 3.0 or 3.2 M motor in the car you are absolutely effecting balance. Yes, it is quicker, but our cars were designed with balance in mind from the beginning-that's one of the reasons that the battery is in the trunk. I had an M6 before the E30 M3 and I loved the way the car went. It also had light modifications and was very quick. On the track it was a handful. The E30 M3 will run rings around it. Alot less weight and better BALANCE. All BMW's are designed with balance in mind because it is much easier to control something that is predictable. It is your car and I love to see the different variations that people come up with for power in these cars, but don't sell balance short, it works.
Scott
thats a good Idea, some people think if you talk about the s14 is a crime or you dont fit in
this board, they dont know about BMWs.
you can install the 318i engine with supercharger
from downing atlanta ($3200) and it will give you
a good fast car and easy to maintain, or get a
turbo from low cost co. such as Musselman (from
Korman) and you will get a good fast car, the S14
engine is good but cost alot to maintain, fro
example price ignision wire, cap and rotor, then
compare to the other Bmws, you know what I mean.
or the best go with 3.0 or 3.2 M3 engine, and dont
listen to anybody say it will effect the balance
of the car, I did it and I wish that I did it along time a go since the 95 when the E36 M3 came
out, they are so good, smooth power and low on
maintenance.
My question is this. **What are the similarities and differences between the M3's S14 engine and the 318is M42 engine(apart from displacment)?** They look very much alike from under the vavle cover!! I was thinking that with the high cost assosiated with the E30 M3 S14 engine could one simply swap the S14 for a M42. With the cost difference, one could easily develop a nice intercooled turbo setup giving the M42 in the same power (or more) than the S14. This would retain the weight ballance of the 4 cylinder E30 M3. One could drive the hell out of it and if it breaks, simply find another M42 engine.

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