[anassa]

Exciting!! Some drama!

Thank you for taking the time to type out that long response along with colors, bold emphasis etc. Seriously, not many people put that much effort into a post.

I took the time to read everything you wrote so I hope you can do the same for me! If not . . . well it happens, its the internet.

Originally Posted by Endat

First of all, I NEVER said I wanted to reach 45mph in 1st gear. What i said was, "My goal is to make it drive more like my Porsche, which doesn't need get out of 1st gear until about 45mph" which literally meant that I wanted the gearing to be similar or at least wider. Obviously nothing is going to come close to the efficiency of a car whose H6 is bolted almost directly to the drive wheels.

You are correct, you never said you wanted to reach 45MPH, but since the 45MPH in 1st gear is the measure you used for what you would prefer the car to be able to do. That is the information that we used to help with gear ratio. What I mentioned about rpm vs mph is actually taken from calculating ZF trans gearing, 225/45/17 tires and a 2.70 diff (Not a random "oh you need 7k rpm to reach that") I was literally just giving the numbers of what you can expect for 1st gear range with that diff.

Originally Posted by Endat

What you did, anassa, was take something specific out of context, twist it and run with it.

Ah the personal insults come out. Good word play though, I have thought of it myself that my screen name has "ass" in it - it is kinda funny.

Originally Posted by Endat

I would be happy if 1st gear lasted until 30mph,

There we go, some good information, 1st to 30MPH is roughly what your looking for? At RPM what are you comfortable driving the car up to? Like 30MPH at 4k rpm? 5? I'm honestly just curious as to what kind of diff mated with a ZF trans (stock 328/m3 trans) will give you the goal your looking for. Right now we are strictly speaking about gearing, not the engine that could drive the gearing.

Originally Posted by Endat

but your reaction is my fault since I didn't specifically say that. Even if I did, no amount of specificity will be enough for people like you because you ALWAYS have something to say and nothing to do aside from being a debate sparker and first-responder, so you sit there and dissect one sentence I say into several bulletpoints of worthless conjecture.

I'm a keyboard killer alright! Here to spark controversy and arguments - you can click on my screen name - go to statistics and see every since post I have posted here if you would like to see my keyboard killing skills!

Originally Posted by Endat

Good job, you're so wise and respectable . Go back to sitting in traffic and being careful about where you park, dick head.

Eh, personal insult again. Sitting in traffic does suck though, your right! If you come to LA and sit in traffic for a while you will see. My A/C doesn't even work. My paint isn't 100% so I don't have to worry too much about dings.

Originally Posted by Endat

As far as the LS1, it is a total crap platform IN MY OPINION which I am fully entitled to.

You can have your own opinion, but you can also be wrong. I know I am often wrong and can learn from that, it happens. For example: my opinion is that the earth is flat and I can have that opinion. But I would also be wrong. I admit that is a pretty bad example, just pointing out difference between claim of fact vs opinion.

Originally Posted by Endat

But in fact, it's inefficient in almost every practical way.

Really? I honestly don't know much about the LSX engines, just that they are a common platform that many people like for easy power/torque, accessibility and dare I say reliability.

Originally Posted by Endat

Oh, and sorry I got my numbers slightly off in order to make a point.. didn't realize this was the math club. It's more like 497lbs, 60hp per litre and 14mpg in its stock form. SO WRONG I WAS, but still sh!t numbers.

Having your numbers off makes a big deal because it also spreads misinformation as anyone who reads it will take your comment "as-is". With my mad google search skills - LS1 first came in the 1997 corvette for 345hp, at 5.556L (lets just say 5.7) 345hp/5.7 ~60.5 hp per liter (your right!) and the 1997 corvette was rated as 17 city / 25 highway MPG.

Now we are REALLY getting off topic. But as mentioned before the LS1 comment was PURELY due to TORQUE! NOT horsepower! Sorry I felt that needed emphasis. You really need torque to drive long gearing like your asking, not high hp per liter!! This distinction is very important!

HP per liter is not really a common standard used when talking about HP with m52/s52 just because it was not made to be a high reving engine - which usually has good hp per liter, like the Honda B16b (1.6l with 185hp) B18c (1.8l 195hp) or F20C (2.0l 240hp) engines, those are brilliant little engines. But then they also have short gearing to make up for lack of torque, and all that shifting is exactly what your not looking for. The m44 stock 318ti engine feels "peppy" partly due to its shorter gearing.

Originally Posted by Endat

To be even more clear, I would NEVER put a Chevy LS engine IN ANYTHING because I hate it! Not because it's the only decent line of engines GM has ever made, no that's admirable since they're not a very good company and I've been rooting for them my whole life. Mostly it's because of fanboys like you who use their opinionated over-posting keyboards to spout all this drooling nonsense all over the internet about how it's the best engine in the world because it has only 1 camshaft, a monkey could make it run and every tom/dick and harry knows someone who got 2,000hp just by changing every internal component and the fuel off of which it runs. Yeah, such a great engine. Why didn't you put one in YOUR car instead of the M52 you talk so much sh!t about? It's not exactly expensive, rare or difficult to shove into any chassis.. I even saw it powering a blender once on Top Gear.

Hmm not much content here. I would love to have a LS1 in my 318ti, but I don't have the skills, money, time to make that happen, and also would have a hard time getting it smog legal as I am trying to do. Remember California sucks when it comes to smog! Besides having that much torque and power would require me to reinforce a lot of parts in the chassis that are made for the power, and I would have to run larger tires, larger brakes, etc, it never is just as simple as a engine swap. Balance is required between power/brakes/suspension/chassis etc. That would also just cost waaaayyy more then I can afford. It would be cool someday though.

Originally Posted by Endat

As for the M52 itself, weight is my primary concern and I have always been fully aware that it's 375lbs. A lot compared to the M42, M44 or even S62 V8. But still 125lb lighter than this chevy nonsense I'm being lectured about, and WITHOUT making my car sound like a pickup truck, which is what I associate with V8 sounds because every truck-driving moron down here in "da souf" makes their V8 sound "more badass" so they can go 45mph as loudly as possible. It's annoying as phuck.

One reason I went with m52 is also due to weight believe it or not.
If you can source a m52 from a z3 it has a aluminum block! I am hoping to eventually maybe go that route. But you will have to be careful about the aluminum block getting too hot, from other peoples experience they like to warp. Or you can use the M52tu/m54 from e46 which also has a aluminum block. It will definitely help with keeping the front from getting too heavy. Hmm sounds like a local issue about the whole truck thing.

Originally Posted by Endat

If I wanted a V8, I could easily do an S62 swap which would keep it BMW and be better in every way than using the engine from a junk yard Trans-Am, "Camero", Corvette, Firebird, etc.. but on a rusted 270k mile car? I don't think so.

I have also thought about keeping it light by supercharging an M42 or M44 engine. However, twin-screw setups (my preference) are not available for less than $6k, which is the cost of a decent 335i these days.. Defeating the purpose.

I could also buy a totaled 335i and do an N54 swap. But again, why?

Some interesting ideas, usually for me when I consider swaps/FI it comes down to if it can pass smog, I prefer being able to open my hood and not worry about getting in trouble. (Again, California!)

Originally Posted by Endat

My goal isn't "budget". I never said that word, so why did you put it in quotes? My goal is low-rpm cruising between states without a ton of fuel stops and without spending enough to defeat the purpose of having this car in the first place. I got it as a secondary car to have fun with and road trip in a carefree manner, that's all. And what's wrong with that? Nothing.

Budget seems to part of it, cost of swap/engine vs value of having it in a "$500 318ti" so yes, it seems like budget is a large consideration as you want it to make sense for your purpose. I think most everyone has that constraint, and rightly so. Engine + diff to reach your goal of low RPM cruising is goal, so I think the posts have actually been pretty relevant to your needs.