S50 Cams into NVM50?

[LuckyHenriksen]

I hate to ask questions like this on a forum because I am sure they have been asked countless times before but... forum searching and talking to other E30 enthusiasts has netted no results.

Question: Will S50 cams work in a NVM50 cyl. head? Would it require modifying the head? Is there any noticeable gain in power/torque?

I am going to be sending my cylinder head out for a cleaning/refresh before dropping the engine in, so I would like to know if I can add some hotter cams while it is torn down.

Thanks

[Wishno87]

IIRC you take the S50 exhaust cam and put it in the NV intake tray and put the NV intake cam on the exhaust tray. Since the S50 is VANOS it is not a direct swap like a M50TU.

[LuckyHenriksen]

Ok gotcha. Think there is any significant gain from swapping cams around? Thanks Josh

[Wanganstyle]

you can install both S50 or S52 vanos cams and the Vanos unit. Also the wiring harness+sensors are directly plug and play. Basically you can add vanos to your non-vanos engine, by adding all the vanos specific items (cams, vanos unit, sensors, harness, DME)

this is a great upgrade for a non-vanos, as it can directly plug and play all the vanos items, and gain a lump of torque with vanos (and top end hp if you are installing M engine cams)

Link:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1379263

[Wishno87]

I do like Mr.Wangan's idea better though :)

[Wanganstyle]

I do like Mr.Wangan's idea better though :)

TORXXXXX is friend :D

[LuckyHenriksen]

Gah so much to learn!

Another random late night question, can you cobble together a 3.0 engine using an M54 short block and M50NV head? Then add an S50 cam setup?

[Wishno87]

Gah so much to learn!

Another random late night question, can you cobble together a 3.0 engine using an M54 short block and M50NV head? Then add an S50 cam setup?

You cannot use the block but you can use the crank. I think you need to bore out the block to get 3.0 though. Im too tired to think straight right now but I think I remember someone saying it was the same as an S52 crank or something. (almost done with my literature paper but my brain is already asleep)

[LuckyHenriksen]

I hear ya, I am too tired to concentrate on all these engine codes haha.
Thanks for your input and patience Josh :)

[Wanganstyle]

Gah so much to learn!

Another random late night question, can you cobble together a 3.0 engine using an M54 short block and M50NV head? Then add an S50 cam setup?

use the entire M54b30 (3000cc rotating assembly). recycle the aluminum block. they love to pull headstud threads,

M54b30 bore = m50b25 bore. (84mm)

so if you have a m50b25 vanos Or non with good bores, potentially no boring required to get to 3000cc. 3200cc needs 86.4mm piston bore.

m54b30 stroke and crankshaft = S52b32

m54b30 has 135mm rods. many of these engines have 135mm rods. (s52, s50 us, m52b28)

M50nv head is direct fit to any m50/52 s50/52 block single vanos. from 2000cc-3400cc bottom ends from bmw/alpina. Not sure of others, I have not tried fitting a m50nv head on a s54b32 shortblock or a m20 shortblock lol.

[LuckyHenriksen]

Good to know, thanks. I need to decide if I am going to just stick with 2.5l or go bigger lol. I have several different engine options available to me, just need to figure out which will be the best bang for the buck

[Wanganstyle]

Whatever is running and compete is the best "deal". Some need a 0 mile refresh engine, some dont.

If engine in car is good or you have a trustworthy complete unit, then use it? 500-700cc is not THAT much considering the power spread are not much more than 26% difference in the range (190-240hp)

Turbocharging would be the best power for expense.


Properly Rebuilding any m50 family engine costs about as much as rebuilding a s54b32. Starting items is obviously a little harder to come by, but bmw new refresh items are high expense regardless of the chassis generation.

[LuckyHenriksen]

Right now I have a complete, nicely running (albeit high milage, 220k) M50 that is still sitting in the E34 I bought. My plan was to just pull it, clean it, send the head out to be refreshed, then swap it.
But of course I got to thinking "hmm while the head is at the machine shop it would be a great time to upgrade the cams" and then I started thinking about bumping displacement.
I have access to a complete M54B30 for cheap, now I kind of want to pick it up to use the rotating assembly in the M50 block. Would this make sense? Or would I just be wasting time

[Wishno87]

I like that idea. If you give it VANOS you pretty much have an S50. I have an S50 VC if you need one ;)

[Wanganstyle]

If it is running, just run it.

build another motor on stand while you sort out initial swap issues. you can always sell a running engine to some one who needs one.

this way you will have time to get a good vanos core motor to start with. if your desire is displacement, why not start with a 3200cc with the cams you want already installed?

if playing NA engine build/config game, the biggest is always the best.