S54 advice and considerations

[e30polak]

That ZF and 3.46 are going to be a blast in the city! Going to get old on the freeway though



*edit*just dropped the digits into the gearing calculator. That's not too bad actually!

The 3.46 + ZF combo on my s52 car were a bit much for the freeway, but absolutely monstrous on the streets and in the canyons! With the s54 I'll have another 1,000 rpms in each gear with an 8200 rev limit, and it will make power all the way to redline!

Needless to say, my s54 M3 will be MUCH more fun then my s52 car ever was!

wanna sell the 3.23?

Maybe, but I'd be swapping the LSD unit with my 3.46, since the Mcoupe came with a better LSD. The 3.23 only hass 11k miles on it! :woowoo:

The diff cover also wouldn't be included. Going to sell that and get a dual mount Rogue Engineering E36 M# finned diff cover! :pimp:

[Wanganstyle]

3.38+ 18's and zf+ 8400 is a 115mph third gear, 140 or so shift into 5th.

2 gearshift 0-70 pulls is pretty awesome.

3.23 w 17's will be pretty much same

3.15 is oem s54 e36/7 z3m final drive setting +zf 1:1 5th


Laguna and buttonwillow like punishing drivers for too short gearing setting, shifting too much sucks, I'd rather just rock out the throttle on long gears and carry speed, accel marginally less

Buttonwillow back side ccw#13 corner 5/6/7 and Laguna pre 7a are places u really don't want to be stuck shifting right before braking zone and then immediately downshift back to where u started in the braking zone.

Pointless wasted effort. E30/36's are light enough to let the s54 carry longer gearing w torque

6mt is really for mechanical gearing leverage to push a fat e46m around :p

S52 usa E36m in stock weight/power needs to gear up to about 3.73 to pull up hills like Laguna; but with 5 gears and only 6400rpm redline in gears 3/4/5.....it's super lame sauce.

Even chipped to 7-7.2k won't cut it.

Need: s54 POWAR!!! more RPMS!!

[nando]

I'm going with my 3.46 + ZF320. with an 8200 rev limit and 255/40/17 tires, I will hit 71 in 2nd gear!!!

I have a 3.23 from an Mcoupe as well, but after talking to RyanG, a few others and seeing the gearing calculator, I don't need THAT long of gears. My M3 is for fun, not gas mileage! :p

wanna sell the 3.23?

[accident]

Polak my car needs an LSD. Just sayin' ;p

[giantkeeper]

I'm going with my 3.46 + ZF320. with an 8200 rev limit and 255/40/17 tires, I will hit 71 in 2nd gear!!!

I have a 3.23 from an Mcoupe as well, but after talking to RyanG, a few others and seeing the gearing calculator, I don't need THAT long of gears. My M3 is for fun, not gas mileage! :p

That ZF and 3.46 are going to be a blast in the city! Going to get old on the freeway though :)

*edit*just dropped the digits into the gearing calculator. That's not too bad actually!

[e30polak]

anything-M automatic = :(

a 3.23 and the ZF will be just *slightly* taller than my current G260 & 4.10, which is fine by me. If I'm stuck with a 3.38, it will be similar, but slightly higher on the freeway. Trying to bring down those freeway rev's a bit though..

I'm going with my 3.46 + ZF320. with an 8200 rev limit and 255/40/17 tires, I will hit 71 in 2nd gear!!!

I have a 3.23 from an Mcoupe as well, but after talking to RyanG, a few others and seeing the gearing calculator, I don't need THAT long of gears. My M3 is for fun, not gas mileage! :p

[nando]

anything-M automatic = :(

a 3.23 and the ZF will be just *slightly* taller than my current G260 & 4.10, which is fine by me. If I'm stuck with a 3.38, it will be similar, but slightly higher on the freeway. Trying to bring down those freeway rev's a bit though..

[Dean]

3.15 is ratio to the E36 325i, but did a quick check your right. It was because the rev limited to 7600RPM. It does have a 6 speed as I remember on my friends one a while back.

There is another diff offered in the the Z3M which was the 3.46 used in the Z3M autos. There is a few options out there!

[nando]

The E46 M3 racer I drove the other day had the 5 speed ZF running with a 3.91 ratio LSD! The gearbox was suited to this set up and it hit 120mph quicker than a GT3 RS 911. The problem will be that a 3.91 rear diff on the street will be a tad too high. I'm looking at using my ZF with the 3.23 LSD. I will report as and when I do the swap how it feels. What is the Z3M S54 rear diff ratio? I think they have the rear axle that will fit straight into the E30 so combined with the S54 that'll be a S54 E30M LoL!

3.15 I think. doesn't it have the 6 speed too? E46 is 3.62

[nando]

3.15 or 3.23 is pretty well matched to our local tracks, especially with the S54's flatter and wider powerband.

Other option is 3.73/3.91 or greater diff and only use 3-5 instead of 2-4...reason being 3-5 are closer matched ratios.

Personally I'm planning on leaving my 3.15 in the car, 110mph in 3rd would be awesome.

yeah, i guess, unless you want to drive it on the street.

I'm trying to do a 3.23.. we'll see if it works out. might be stuck with 3.38.

[Dean]

The E46 M3 racer I drove the other day had the 5 speed ZF running with a 3.91 ratio LSD! The gearbox was suited to this set up and it hit 120mph quicker than a GT3 RS 911. The problem will be that a 3.91 rear diff on the street will be a tad too high. I'm looking at using my ZF with the 3.23 LSD. I will report as and when I do the swap how it feels. What is the Z3M S54 rear diff ratio? I think they have the rear axle that will fit straight into the E30 so combined with the S54 that'll be a S54 E30M LoL!

[Bimmerman325i]

what ratios are people typically using with the ZF? 3.25? shorter?

3.15 or 3.23 is pretty well matched to our local tracks, especially with the S54's flatter and wider powerband.

Other option is 3.73/3.91 or greater diff and only use 3-5 instead of 2-4...reason being 3-5 are closer matched ratios.

Personally I'm planning on leaving my 3.15 in the car, 110mph in 3rd would be awesome.

[nando]

what ratios are people typically using with the ZF? 3.25? shorter?

[Wanganstyle]

By all accounts, the 5spd ZF is far stronger and sturdier than the 6spd Getrag. The 6spd has issues with weak synchros; the first five gears are the same between the transmissions.

Many E46 M3 racers are switching to the 5spd ZF from the 6spd because of durability concerns.....plus the 5spd is much lighter and cheaper.

the 5 seems to do really well. weight difference is ~ 20 lbs or so between the 2 (from my own dead lifting "feel")

6mt likes to eat syncro 2/3, and Getrag does NOT sell replacement parts.

5mt zf you can rebuild, ZF supports it.


the 5mt ZF SG320 transmission actually weights a few pounds LESS than the 188mm Medium case E30 diff. lol

on track I dont see the need for an overdrive gear, unless you are just STUPID power........ a 2.35-2.65-2.79 final drive could be mated to the ZF non overdrive box to spool turbines with as well, Big power turbo cars like LOOOONG gearing :)

[Bimmerman325i]

What do you guys think about 5 speed ZF vs 6 speed e46m3 Getrag?

Performance, reliability, durability, feel?

There are also some 6 speed ZF trans that would work such as the E86 one which was attached to an s54 stock. This one is also smaller than the e46m3 trans.

By all accounts, the 5spd ZF is far stronger and sturdier than the 6spd Getrag. The 6spd has issues with weak synchros; the first five gears are the same between the transmissions.

Many E46 M3 racers are switching to the 5spd ZF from the 6spd because of durability concerns.....plus the 5spd is much lighter and cheaper.