M50 NV head to M52 block issues!

[Uber E30]

But yet, the OP has a vanos exhaust cam in a NV head and he is losing compression with what you say is fine.

[mentaleeill]

the exhaust cam is fine. he needs to run all matching parts.
the m52/s52 cams require matching lifters, trays and caps. if you are gonna run m52/s52 cams the trays, caps, and lifters must be used. if you are running m50/s50 cams, then you need the trays, caps, and lifters to match those cams.

also, was a cam alignment tool used for assembly? i bet the timing could be off, or ive seen plenty of people snap the cams installing them. is yours still 1 piece?

[Uber E30]

run m52/s52 cams the trays, caps, and lifters must be used. if you are running m50/s50 cams, then you need the trays, caps, and lifters to match those cams.

This is the thing you are missing and why i even commented, m52, s50, and s52 all use the same trays!

[Manuts]

the exhaust cam is fine. he needs to run all matching parts.
the m52/s52 cams require matching lifters, trays and caps. if you are gonna run m52/s52 cams the trays, caps, and lifters must be used. if you are running m50/s50 cams, then you need the trays, caps, and lifters to match those cams.

also, was a cam alignment tool used for assembly? i bet the timing could be off, or ive seen plenty of people snap the cams installing them. is yours still 1 piece?

Yeah the cams are still in 1 piece. I got hold of some m52 trays and lifters and i compared the lifter to the m50 lifters and they are different. The m52 lifter is shorter and narrower then the m50 and the tip of a m52 valve spring is is also narrower compared to the m50 spring. The m52 lifter does not seem to hit the NV valve spring correctly as it is narrower, so i dont think the m52 lifters and trays are compatible with an m50 head. I will get a hold of some m50 vanos cmas and try them out.

[mentaleeill]

This is the thing you are missing and why i even commented, m52, s50, and s52 all use the same trays!

well s50 cams bolted right into my vanos m50 head, but would not work in my buddy's m52 unless the m50 trays were installed as well.

[Uber E30]

real oem lists them as the same PN as shown in my previous pics and i had s50 and s52 cams side by side. They were the same measurements with my digital caliper, infact the only difference i could find was the shape of the core on the inside.

[Uber E30]

Yeah the cams are still in 1 piece. I got hold of some m52 trays and lifters and i compared the lifter to the m50 lifters and they are different. The m52 lifter is shorter and narrower then the m50 and the tip of a m52 valve spring is is also narrower compared to the m50 spring. The m52 lifter does not seem to hit the NV valve spring correctly as it is narrower, so i dont think the m52 lifters and trays are compatible with an m50 head. I will get a hold of some m50 vanos cmas and try them out.

And this is exactly what i said... Just buy this and call it a day

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1342765

[Manuts]

Well i already have NV trays and lifters, i should be able to put the vanos cams on it with no problems hopefully

[SamE30e]

So like I said, since S50 exhaust cam is more agressive and is the same as nv cam you can swap the trays and lifters then put a s50 exhaust cam in the nv head, intake side, and then move the intake to the exhaust side.

[Manuts]

So like I said, since S50 exhaust cam is more agressive and is the same as nv cam you can swap the trays and lifters then put a s50 exhaust cam in the nv head, intake side, and then move the intake to the exhaust side.

well i dont have a S50 cam so that's out the window...lol also this is a vanos engine so i cannot put the intake cam in the exhaust side as the sprockets wont mount

[So Live]

difference i could find was the shape of the core on the inside.

So theyre not 100% the same?!

Or are they?

Im confused...

You say PNs match but the inside isnt the same?

[Uber E30]

The trays are the same PN. The s50 and s52 cams have different PN's but measure the same with calipers. The only difference i could find is the hole in the middle is square on one and round on the other.