Need Advice - Direction for S54 swap

[CalE30]

Hey guys,

I am looking for where I should go next with this S54 swap. I need help deciding if I should send the engine to be completely rebuilt while its out of the car, or just do the refresh the common parts myself. Goals are stock S54 power, maybe some slight power adders in the future, but keeping it NA.

I am leaning towards just refreshing things myself due to costs, but I also don't want to have to pull this engine back out in the near future once the car is up and running. Engine has ~124k miles and leak down test seems to be good which is pushing me this direction.

Plan for at home refresh
If refreshing the engine myself my plan is to do the following. Please critique this list, recommend replacements, or add things if you see something missing.
-Crankcase Gaskets
-Valve adjustment (shims, gaskets, ect)
-WPC Rod Bearings from Turner with ARP connecting Rods
-Get Vanos rebuilt (leaning towards just sending it to Beisan over Dr Vanos)
-Clutch (Resurface dual mass or convert to single?)

One concern I have is that there is oil in the exhaust port for cylinder 5. I was thinking possible valve stem seal? Let me know your thoughts.


Sending the engine out for a rebuild
If anyone is suggesting going this route is there any recommended shops for these engines? Obviously Kassel and Lang popup. In Northern California for reference, but willing to pay shipping costs.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[TobyB]

I've just worked with M54s, so take this for what it's worth,

but if it was mine, I'd do the rod bearings and seals, and if
everything looked good when I was in there, I'd run it.
I'd check at least one main just for an idea of how they look.

But then, my goal for an S54E30 would mostly just be a play
car that didn't need to be particularly reliable.
(Mine's an interminable M54b30 swap)

I like doing things myself, and I don't mind using up the last
50- 75k on an already not- new engine.
And this way you can get the swap done, work the bugs out,
and if the engine turns out to be tired, then you can pull it and
have it $$$rebuilt$$$ if you don't like how it's doing.

t
runs a lot of older engines.