N52 Swap Discussion

[hubcapboy]

OK. I'll fully stop worrying about it.

This is the answer to the dash charge light:

https://www.americanautowire.com/sho...em-test-module



There's no reason to try and figure out when or if the alternator's charging if it's being managed and potentially being turned on and off by the DME... the dash light would only indicate that system's operation and not a fault. Repurposing the charge light to notify you when battery voltage drops below 11 volts is WAY more useful.

[Caperix]

Not all n52 cars had the ibs. Low option 1 & 3 series have a standard negative battery cable. Nando, you have done the most dme interpreting, have you found if the cars without ibs have any different charge data in the dme? There could always be the option of swapping to an older voltage regulator with the 3 pin connector this is common in e46 as ms45 dme use bsd as well but the older ms43 dme did not.

[nando]

There's a lot of differences. the IBS is complicated enough that I don't fully understand it. I don't think the Z4, for example, uses the IBS. You can enable the IBS using the Z4 calibration, of course, and copy all the settings over. But that doesn't seem like a lot of fun. :p

[hubcapboy]

Ugh I love everyone.

Realizing that not every car with an n52 has IBS is a huge jump I wouldn’t have made by myself. I wouldn’t have thought to check.

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e85-z4-3.0si-roa/wiring-functional-info/power-train/voltage-current-control/voltage-current-generation/bit-serial-data-interface/XcGCxRr

This describes the functions of the alternator BSD on a z4. It’s the same list as on a car with IBS. The DME is connected to battery power... there’s no reason to believe it isn’t aware of battery voltage without the IBS module.

If a code is stored that the IBS is missing, some of these features might be disabled... but the Z4 flash won’t ever throw that code.

on top of all this, any advanced charging management the IBS helps with is probably super specific to the factory AGM battery.

[nando]

There's profiles for multiple batteries - not just the AGM. Most cars don't even have them, they have normal lead acid.

[hubcapboy]

Seems like I should be able to insert an animated gif...



nope. that didn't work. what about this

Nope. that didn't work either.

hopeless. I guess external hosting?



yea well, who knows how long that image will last but everyone talk it up so people miss out in the future.

This was some late-night sketching after several hours of poorly mocked up plywood. The engine (all the bmw engines) are tilted back towards the rear of the car. having the steering rack and subframe in the way of sloping the pan down from the rear creates a challenge. I'm pretty sure this accomplishes it while still clearing everything, but I'll start cutting these pieces to check. Oil level is the red line, and capacity at that line is 7L. The depth of the wing is just about right to mount the e30 oil level switch from above, and the bottom of the sump should be just about flush with the bottom of the subframe (my skidplate dips down about 3/4" from there, so should clear this).

Adding capacity on the low side (starboard) isn't realistic because you still need entry and tool clearance for the pan bolts, so you're only left with a little 2" high wing... and the capacity is already fine.

significant slope towards the sump doesn't seem to be a priority on any of the factory m20 pans... it's a little alarming to see how little is needed, although there are some ridges to encourage the flow back to the center on the m20 pan:


This might just be to reduce sloshing as the oil runs along the pan? Super easy to add once I know my clearance from the n52 windage tray.

[hoveringuy]

I don't know how important the actual capacity is. I was concerned about it when Tyler built my pan because he removed about 3" of it. I'm down to about 5 QTS to fill, but I add a 6th to over-fill by a quart.

I track my car pretty hard. I haven't had oil pressure issues except for hard braking on a on a steep downhill section followed by a sharp right where I'll get occasional flickering oil pressure in the turn. Makes sense, I have a rear sump and the oil is being pinned to the front.

I've been concerned enough that I run Blackstone oil reports at each change. My latest one just came back and after 6 track sessions where I flogged it hard, the report was the cleanest I've ever had- 8ppm Al, 11ppm iron and 1ppm lead.

The front sump solves the braking problem, the wider sump would be more susceptible to cornering. I like it!

[nando]

I think one of the ideas of having 2 extra quarts is you don't really need an oil cooler.

[hubcapboy]

This is rough... I was trying to stop my kids from fighting over the hose while I was fitting this together and actually ended up gluing it to the TOP side of the flange the first time, so my front corner bolt clearance chamfers are backwards. BUT. This turns out to have 3.5” from the bottom of the oil pan to the bottom of the oil pump, which is plenty of room for a pickup and baffle. I doubt I’ll have time to get this into the car today, so I thought I’d post the photos on the engine when I was checking for clearance on the windage tray and you can see the shape of the pan a little better. I did hold the rear section up against the block before it was glued to the flange and it looked like there was tons of room above the steering rack and subframe.

[hubcapboy]

Based on everything I’ve seen and read and some thinking, I think the best place for the pickup (and baffle tank) is centered in the full width of the pan, which puts it just before the break to where the bottom slopes. I figured the sloped wing would help a little bit to encourage circulation and reduce sludge where it doesn’t have oil constantly dumping down from above and mixing.

[Bored]

That's a TON of progress. Still super interested in having an N52 swapped E30 so... impatiently watching. Anything we, the unwashed/unskilled masses, can do to make this happen?

[hubcapboy]

Lol honestly just keep replying so I have something to go off.

[Victell]

I read every notification I get for this thread. Keep up the good work you guys, I'd love to have this engine in my 318is one day.

[Bored]

Is there a preferred harness for these motors? Based on availability or ease of routing or length of cables?

With the DME being flashed, does that remove EWS/CAS stuff to the point where I could use the key from my e30? I really dig not needing bundles of keys/dongles to use one car.

[nando]

I don't think it matters too much what harness you use - the E90 and Z4 I think both have the DME on the passenger side, and these cars are ginormous so I think it should reach the glovebox just fine.. the preference for the DME is MSV70 though, just because I have 99% of it mapped and disassembled, and there are slight harness differences between them but it wouldn't be impossible to modify as needed.

you don't need a CAS or EWS, that's all removed. you use your E30 key like any other swap.