S52 best mods

[PeteD]

S54 is heavier and faster. You won't notice the handling on the street. I have a 3.0 non vanos m50 with cams, and it's plenty fast and plenty fun - I've been in Fred's car, it's faster and fun...but I can have lots of fun an in M20, so maybe you are talking to the wrong person.

What do you consider fun when driving a car? Judging by your posts and questions, I think you'd be happy with a non s54 motor.

[Bimmer_man]

S54 is heavier and faster. You won't notice the handling on the street. I have a 3.0 non vanos m50 with cams, and it's plenty fast and plenty fun - I've been in Fred's car, it's faster and fun...but I can have lots of fun an in M20, so maybe you are talking to the wrong person.

What do you consider fun when driving a car? Judging by your posts and questions, I think you'd be happy with a non s54 motor.

What i consider fun is jst having the power to surprise yourself in your car really. the only thing thats making me question the S54 is the cost and complexity of the build thats all. if the complexity was equal id just get the S54.

[digger]

you'll regret not getting an S54. The cylinder head is alot better, the valvetrain is superior, vanos is superior and the crankshaft can take revs. NA S52 in comparison meh.....all you'll end up doing to emulate the S54 is narrow the power band in the S52

[87e30]

The thing is an s52 car with just a few little mods to open up the top end would be very very fun. It's so much cheaper to get an s52 and throw it in stock that I would do that first. If that alone isn't enough decide how mods would feel to you. Drive an e46 m3 and you'll see that the s54 is a very quick revving awesome motor, but is it worth the thousands and thousands more in an e30? I really don't think so if you even have to ask about the cost.

I'm sure there is someone around you that will give you a ride (or maybe let you drive) an s5x car. I bet you'll have a very good time if you don't have any lofty power goals but just want a fun car.

[Bimmer_man]

The thing is an s52 car with just a few little mods to open up the top end would be very very fun. It's so much cheaper to get an s52 and throw it in stock that I would do that first. If that alone isn't enough decide how mods would feel to you. Drive an e46 m3 and you'll see that the s54 is a very quick revving awesome motor, but is it worth the thousands and thousands more in an e30? I really don't think so if you even have to ask about the cost.

I'm sure there is someone around you that will give you a ride (or maybe let you drive) an s5x car. I bet you'll have a very good time if you don't have any lofty power goals but just want a fun car.

im not exactly wanting a budget S5X build but the reason i expressed a financial concern is in my head if your going to do something like this do what you want and do it right once rather than get one and go hhmmmmm i want more and my current engine is tuned then get the other engine, so it depends on in the end what one is cheaper for the better gain.

[Bimmer_man]

you'll regret not getting an S54. The cylinder head is alot better, the valvetrain is superior, vanos is superior and the crankshaft can take revs. NA S52 in comparison meh.....all you'll end up doing to emulate the S54 is narrow the power band in the S52

thats what im thinking but i want to give the S52 a chance see what people have to say and try to sit in or even drive one like 87e30 said. That will be the winning factor i believe.

[unloadedak]

I'm in the same dilemma right now.. Rebuild my s52 that I had in it for 3 years or go s54.

I'm leaning towards s52. It wasn't too healthy at the end of its life (130 psi compression) and the car was still a blast. I think with a healthy, proper s52 it will be even better. I am completely gutting and fiberglassing the car so the weight reduction will make up for what it lacks from the s54 as well.

I'd say just stay s52 unless you really want to spend the extra $1k on tuning and $xk on maintenance parts...

[dude8383]

The question is, what were you driving before you had an E30? I know you said you want to surprise yourself but we don't really have a "baseline" here to work with.

The S54 will be more expensive to build and maintain.

[Wanganstyle]

S52 is not bad: been there a few times (modded s52 and stock s52)- still feel that it performs best bone stock.

Modifying for serious power requires cams; at that point a s54 looks very nice on paper
Out of the box a s52 is ~230rwhp-240rwhp is not un natural with normal bolt ons.

S54 is a different league of power- its consumption is also incredible. Mine was 290-305rwhp depending on settings (standalone with dual vanos full control).

8400rpm redline is possible and useful on standard s54 longmotor. S52 is 7200rpm or so on stock longmotor- some care for rpm's -some do not.

Nowadays the stock ecu has been hacked for cheap and the s54 swap doesn't cost more than 1.5x a s52 swap. Considering the effort in labor required might as well just go s54.

I just rebuilt a s52 and dd one so I'm not against s52 at all- just feel that its a better long term solution as its alot newer and has much more potential.





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[FredK]

I'm in the same dilemma right now.. Rebuild my s52 that I had in it for 3 years or go s54.

I'm leaning towards s52. It wasn't too healthy at the end of its life (130 psi compression) and the car was still a blast. I think with a healthy, proper s52 it will be even better. I am completely gutting and fiberglassing the car so the weight reduction will make up for what it lacks from the s54 as well.

I think if you already have an S52, that a refresh would be an excellent way to go.

Just a side note: S50/52 parts are definitely creeping up in price. For example, a set of OE spring plates, split collet retainers, and springs will easily run you $600. They used to be around $200. You can get a set of aftermarket Supertechs for that price. HVAs / lifters are now around $450 a set, when they used to be easily $350 a set.

That said, a fresh S52 will be quite potent.

[spiDmang]

im not exactly wanting a budget S5X build but the reason i expressed a financial concern is in my head if your going to do something like this do what you want and do it right once rather than get one and go hhmmmmm i want more and my current engine is tuned then get the other engine, so it depends on in the end what one is cheaper for the better gain.

This statement is pretty contradictory lol. if you arent concerned about your budget, my reasoning would be to go S54. From my understanding, you will be doing the same amount of work JUST to get the S54 into the car (mounts, oil pan swap, etc *not including wiring it in) compared to the S52.

All in all, if you want an NA motor that can yield monster results (330whp compared to 245whp some S52 guys see), the S54 will get you there.
just be prepared to pay out of the ass to maintain it...

[jink0619]

^ agree

I got my hands on an s54 but it needed rebuild, i am no engine surgeon so went with s52 and i love it. But i rather have the S54 if ur budget allows.

[evandael]

i think you'd be pleased with an S52 and cams.

VAC is selling their 264/256 set for around $1000.. they install with no need for fancy valve springs. those plus an OBD1 intake, decent exhaust and a tune should put you around 270 (higher end of realistic) horsepower, assuming the engine is healthy.

[FredK]

You won't get 270whp+ unless you get VAC's race cams or Sunbelt cams.

264/256 cams have been around for eons. The best that you could expect without a compression bump would be 245-250whp.

[nando]

most of the extra cost of an S54 swap will be the hardware (oil pan, subframe, oil cooler, etc). Getting hung up on wiring is a red herring. It's not that much more complicated to wire, it's just a different approach.

No way a turbo S52 is going to be cheaper in the long run. N/A, sure. but you're starting at 100hp less. No matter what, you won't be able to make up that difference easily.

the thing about the S54 is you can get 350hp out of it without even opening up the motor. Totally bone stock reliable OEM BMW. an S52 in the same league of power is going to have a short, narrow powerband and will not be as reliable as a stock motor.

Having had a modified motor for many years.. I'd go with the stock motor that makes the power out of the box every time. Modified motors are harder to live with; they don't idle nicely, they use more fuel, they're more cold blooded, etc. etc. It's so much nicer to put your key in the ignition and drive the thing rather than worrying about whether it will stall because it's cold and your lumpy cams don't like it very much.