MIKe30's 11:1 cammed OBD2 s52 build

[MIKe30]

Starting this thread partly to keep myself in check, for some help, and to track some progress in the near future. Next couple weeks should prove to be interesting.

Some of you may remember an old thread with lots of motor drama. Hopefully this one is free of any huge headaches! As the build stands right now, I have my motor back from VAC motorsports as of last week monday. Bottom end was completely rebuilt, using 87mm 11:1 compression CP pistons. Top end got a stage 2 job from VAC motorsports in Philly, with brand new OEM lifters, nice 6-angle intake, 5-angle exhaust valve job, Sunbelt street cams, rebuilt/modified VAC vanos unit, race timing chain, rebuilt/modified VAC oil pump with welded nut. Also got a new VAC e34 oil pan baffle that they just came out with and hooked me up on since I had a good wait on there end from some things that popped up. We'll see how that holds up, hopefully in the near future.;) Thats all that comes to mind right now, think that sums it up.

Car it is going in is the '90 Alpine/Cardinal 325is in my sig. Currently in the middle of a 5-lug e30m3 swap. Waiting on my lazy ass to purchase parts for caliper rebuild/paint.


Still need motor arms/mounts, g260 tranny mounts, g260 clutch/pp (running 12lb flywheel), tranny seals, new m42 radiator, headers/midpipe/stromung, and to order rest of my kit from bimmerworld (AA tuning, 24# injectors, intake, fan delete). Shopping is a bitch! Oh, also need a good windshield wiper motor in case my baby gets caught in the rain :(


Goal is 3 weeks.


First question of the thread, from my reading over the last year - and this info is always changing for obd2 it seems - I should delete my rear o2 sensors, secondary air pump, and ews through my tune. Is that correct?

I also have to look into wiring asap.

Hoping with your help and the help of some local buddies we can finally get my stupid car back on the road. I miss driving her!

[mongule]

If you have all the necessary parts for EWS you can keep it . But considering your going to get a tune anyways, might as well get all those things deleted.

Keeps the swap simpler and removes a bunch of crap from the engine bay.

Its up to you, I chose to get rid of it cause I didnt have the EWS stuff form the donor car. The other stuff just seemed like a good idea at the time, and considering your build i figure you would want to get rid of the unessasary crap too.

[mbonder]

Should be sick!!

[MIKe30]

If you have all the necessary parts for EWS you can keep it . But considering your going to get a tune anyways, might as well get all those things deleted.

Keeps the swap simpler and removes a bunch of crap from the engine bay.

Its up to you, I chose to get rid of it cause I didnt have the EWS stuff form the donor car. The other stuff just seemed like a good idea at the time, and considering your build i figure you would want to get rid of the unessasary crap too.

I do have all the EWS stuff, but I think i'm going to delete it anyway. I can forsee it just becoming a headache. So I should be okay deleting thsoe 4 items? Anything else I should look into before ordering the baseline tune?


and thanks Matt. I sure hope so. I have some boys with e46m3's and a caddie cts to beat :p gotta get it done before they put blowers on!!

[dude8383]

this is turning out to be quite the build mike! let me know how you like that stromung when you eventually throw it on :)

[e30polak]

Sounds like it will be a lot of fun!

I wouldn't get too hopeful with the numbers though, but you've done plenty of research. The 11:1 compression wont give you too much, neither will the valve job. However, the motor should behave much better, with a very linear power band. Since you're doing all this work I'd say cough up a couple hundred extra for a custom dyno tune. The AA tune wont do the motor justice, plus their tunes aren't all that great. My $.02.

[etxxz]

if you're gonna send your ecu to say...bimmerworld... you might as well get the ews deleted with the rear O2 and get your tune.. at the end of the day it costs the same as getting a spare key from bmw; which becomes really hard when you don't actually have the paperwork of the car from where you obtained your engine. i only have 1 key so i'm screwed if i loose it.

subscribed!!

[rThor432]

I'd say cough up a couple hundred extra for a custom dyno tune. The AA tune wont do the motor justice, plus their tunes aren't all that great. My $.02.

The dyno tune would be a nice touch for a motor build like this. I've also heard that AA's tunes are only so-so.

FWIW a friend of mine has a motor (S52) that was built by VAC and did ~280whp on the dyno. Wasnt terribly pricey and definitely got my attention.

It's good to hear that they have the baffled E34 oil pans done! Excellent news.

[e30polak]

The dyno tune would be a nice touch for a motor build like this. I've also heard that AA's tunes are only so-so.

FWIW a friend of mine has a motor (S52) that was built by VAC and did ~280whp on the dyno. Wasnt terribly pricey and definitely got my attention.

Those are pretty impressive numbers. I'm guessing at least Schrick race cams and their Stage 3 Head. Probably suffers low end with those numbers.

[sharky]

Sounds awesome, a little thread jack, I am doing a S52 swap and have all the EWS stuff but would like to delete the rear O2's, EGR valve and secondary air pump as well as the EWS just for sake of ease and less things to break. Are there any things that I need to get welded or plugged up when I remove the secondary air system? Who has some really good tunes for these?

[rThor432]

Those are pretty impressive numbers. I'm guessing at least Schrick race cams and their Stage 3 Head. Probably suffers low end with those numbers.

I'm tempted to say that it is just their Stage 3 head (with hot cams, of course) with a stock rebuilt/lightened bottom end. Not 100% sure though. May suffer a bit down low. He's running a 3.73 with the ZF 1:1 box, so he's got plenty of gear to help with the slight loss of bottom end torque. Strict DE car, but it's an insanely nice car. He's on this board a good bit and hopefully one day he'll post up pictures of the damn thing..

[z31maniac]

Those are pretty impressive numbers. I'm guessing at least Schrick race cams and their Stage 3 Head. Probably suffers low end with those numbers.

Metrix Motorsports claims to build a 300+whp S52.

I want that + 6 spd.

[MIKe30]

AA tune is a custom dyno tune. They will send me a baseline tune, I go get it dyno'd, send them the graphs - and then they fine tune it. 2nd flash is free, anything after I have to pay for. CMT on bf.c said his was spot on after the re-flash, his dyno's appeared to support that too.

Not to jinx it but I'm expecting/hoping 290whp. We'll see. Hoping to to order some bits tonight so i can get started on the weekend.


So I'm definately going to delete the secondary air pump, rear o2 sensors, and ews. What's this EGR valve sharky is talking about?

[e30polak]

AA tune is a custom dyno tune. They will send me a baseline tune, I go get it dyno'd, send them the graphs - and then they fine tune it. 2nd flash is free, anything after I have to pay for. CMT on bf.c said his was spot on after the re-flash, his dyno's appeared to support that too.

Not to jinx it but I'm expecting/hoping 290whp. We'll see. Hoping to to order some bits tonight so i can get started on the weekend.


So I'm definately going to delete the secondary air pump, rear o2 sensors, and ews. What's this EGR valve sharky is talking about?

That's optimistic, but not impossible with your set-up. It'll really be up to what AA can do with the tune. What trans and gear ratio will you be running?

[mbonder]

First post seems to infer a 260 for the trans, don't think he mentioned what rear end though