S52 best mods

[Bimmer_man]

currently im going back and foreth between the S52 and the S54 i understand the S52 is worlds easyer to install and a lot more DIYs and such. But i cant help but want the S54. So what im wanting to know is can the S52 perform as good if not better than the S54.

If it can perform as well or better. What are some mods you can do to this beast? What im planning on doing is. Newer stronger rods, Forged Pistons ( may bore a little ), ARP rod bolts, and a little head work. If you have done this can you please tell me your results. I do not want to do boost at all so please do not suggest it. There is nothing wrong with boost i just dont want to do it.

[Van Westervelt]

s54 is just a built up version of the same family of motors with the addition of ITBs as the euro s50 had. The US s52 is just an m50 with a bigger bottom end and cams essentially.

You will need a heavily opened up head with cams, exhaust and itb's to be even slightly comparable.

[ak-]

.140, gt35, Miller or TRM, done.
Out perform the s54 at a fraction of the cost.

Edit: haha totally didn't read the last part of your paragraph.
Well, a healthy s52 with nothing but a good tune made 240/250 or so on the Mustang dyno with Millers tuning.

[Bimmer_man]

so from what i understand even with some what seems to be some pretty heavy mods the S54 is still the better engine to get cause with the S52 moded the S54 performs better. Just the S52 is the cheaper of the two engines and easyer to install. hhmmm this is going to be a touph call. More cash and time up front or less cash and tune it.

[FredK]

I think if you have the money for a S52 bottom end rebuild with aftermarket rods and pistons, you'll quickly move into S54 longblock territory.

My suggestion is if you want to chase power on an S52, that it will come mostly from fitting aggressive cams such as the VAC/Schrick 276/270 cams, new lifters, springs, retainers, and a tune.

[Bimmer_man]

hmmm i think ill just have to do some cost comparisons between the two. Stock i knwo the S52 is cheaper but with mods. I just dont know i wish i could ride in a S52 and a S54 and feel the comparisons. If anyone has one int eh Auburn Ca area and are willing to allow me to ride with you some in your S52/S54 build it would be more helpful than any amount of reading i can do.

[AnimalE30]

Take replacement part costs into account as well. Water pump for S54: $300. Water pump for S52: $45. The price differences go on through out the motor.

If you want S54 power, throw some sunbelts at it. That being said, you can't beat the sound of an S54.

[Bimmer_man]

yeah i will consider the maintenance costs as well.

[mulletman]

It would likely be cheaper and yield more power to skip the engine build, and just run a used supercharger kit or turbo on an S50/52.

N/A power is really expensive for the gains you actually get.

*this advice is from a person who has done neither, but just from looking at some numbers...

[87e30]

How fast of a car do you want?

An s52 with just obd1 intake manifold, larger MAF, and bimmerworld intake boot and tune will easily be a very quick car. Much quicker than my stock s50 with horrible exhaust fitted I'd imagine.

My s50 car was a lot of fun...

Cost vs. Fun I'm just not sure the s54 is worth it unless the money really doesn't have any better places to go to. In that case the s54 is, of course, the cooler/better/faster motor.

[Fernflex]

I sold my s54 because everthing was to damn expensive, installed a modified s52currently putting 253whp @91oct and missing a couple of whp. My car weights 2600 with me inside and Im very fast.

Example won agains Audi s5, race a e90 m3 and a c63 amg and we are very simillar up to the end of 4th gear and my tires are almost in the wires so my traction is very bad.

Probably a stock s54 is a bit faster but also a lot heavier in the
e30

[FredK]

hmmm i think ill just have to do some cost comparisons between the two. Stock i knwo the S52 is cheaper but with mods. I just dont know i wish i could ride in a S52 and a S54 and feel the comparisons. If anyone has one int eh Auburn Ca area and are willing to allow me to ride with you some in your S52/S54 build it would be more helpful than any amount of reading i can do.

I briefly drove CMT's Schwarz E30 around the block. It has an BMWCCA IP (~270whp) S52 with a lightweight flywheel and a 3.25 diff ratio.

I have an S54 with a 3.23 diff.

It's been a long time between test drives--easily 2 years. But from what I remember, the IP S52 delivers the power as you'd expect an engine with a hot cam would. Very linear, and a screamer up top. The S54 has a slug of torque available to you much sooner, and it does not drop at the upper end.

If your question is, can a built S52 hang with a stock S54? It's close, but the S54 has the upper hand with more torque available sooner, and extra revs up top. If you get software for an S54, there is no contest. There is no way you can get 330 whp out of an S52.

[Bimmer_man]

It would likely be cheaper and yield more power to skip the engine build, and just run a used supercharger kit or turbo on an S50/52.

N/A power is really expensive for the gains you actually get.

*this advice is from a person who has done neither, but just from looking at some numbers...

sorry but if you read what i posted i dont want boost but thank you for you input.

[Bimmer_man]

How fast of a car do you want?

An s52 with just obd1 intake manifold, larger MAF, and bimmerworld intake boot and tune will easily be a very quick car. Much quicker than my stock s50 with horrible exhaust fitted I'd imagine.

My s50 car was a lot of fun...

Cost vs. Fun I'm just not sure the s54 is worth it unless the money really doesn't have any better places to go to. In that case the s54 is, of course, the cooler/better/faster motor.

what im looking at at cost of the swap and mods to the S52 compared to a stock S54. If in the long run the one engine is cheaper then id get that one.

[Bimmer_man]

I briefly drove CMT's Schwarz E30 around the block. It has an BMWCCA IP (~270whp) S52 with a lightweight flywheel and a 3.25 diff ratio.

I have an S54 with a 3.23 diff.

It's been a long time between test drives--easily 2 years. But from what I remember, the IP S52 delivers the power as you'd expect an engine with a hot cam would. Very linear, and a screamer up top. The S54 has a slug of torque available to you much sooner, and it does not drop at the upper end.

If your question is, can a built S52 hang with a stock S54? It's close, but the S54 has the upper hand with more torque available sooner, and extra revs up top. If you get software for an S54, there is no contest. There is no way you can get 330 whp out of an S52.

thank you for the comparison. Im not asking if the S52 can keep up with the S54. However i am asking i should have been more clear. As a whole what one handles better and more fun. I imagine the S54 would be a more fun for obvious reasons but i have 0 personal experience in comparing the two in the car.