S54 advice and considerations

[Dean]

What kind of cut rate ecu has a horsepower limit on its mapping ability? What a silly statement...

Fair comment, bad grammer my part. There is ALOT of conversion kits I've found that only have one locked ECU map when you buy it.

I'm still looking at so many swap conversion kits its confusing which is better or worse...also another consideration I've over looked is that my car is RHD.

[nando]

The ECU and loom I'm looking at is this one...and you can remap as you see fit. Its not set to one single map like some.

http://www.twinkam.co.uk/shop/article_SC210/SC-Typhoon-BMW-S54-Engine-Management-Kit.html?shop_param=cid%3D7%26aid%3DSC210%26

It can be mapped to over 350+bhp! The race engine I'm looking at is running this ECU but it has the Vanos gone, so that should be interesting to see what difference that makes.

I've looked at the bimmerworld conversion kit, but $3k+, is it really worth it.

Has anybody any experience with it? Or running it successfully in their car?

What kind of cut rate ecu has a horsepower limit on its mapping ability? What a silly statement...

[Dean]

The ECU and loom I'm looking at is this one...and you can remap as you see fit. Its not set to one single map like some.

http://www.twinkam.co.uk/shop/article_SC210/SC-Typhoon-BMW-S54-Engine-Management-Kit.html?shop_param=cid%3D7%26aid%3DSC210%26

It can be mapped to over 350+bhp! The race engine I'm looking at is running this ECU but it has the Vanos gone, so that should be interesting to see what difference that makes.

I've looked at the bimmerworld conversion kit, but $3k+, is it really worth it.

Has anybody any experience with it? Or running it successfully in their car?

[Bimmerman325i]

Waitwaitwait, DTA can only run one map and cannot use an HFM?

[nando]

Agreed, S54 cost is racing cost - not s50/52/50 euro street car building cost.



Yup. If installing S54, the car should have decent equipment in driveline/footwork setting alone to handle the S54. I sure hope nobody just installs one in place of a M42 into a stock otherwise chassis




I wish I had had 2-3 maps and HFM ability with the DTA, would have been easier to map with HFM than true electronic carby alpha-N style
I'm guesstimating rebuilding s54 should cost 1500-2000 in rebuild misc items, not including the weird and obscure (and expensive $,$$$) tools.

MS can do that..

[TinyT]

Iv been busy with E30 subframes and S54 pans! This is definitely a fun swap and I have the mounting of it all handled.



Pan gets notched and a sump added to get the capacity back.

[Wanganstyle]

An S54 in any E30 is at least 2 but more like 3x the cost of any S50.

Yes mine is a race car.

Agreed, S54 cost is racing cost - not s50/52/50 euro street car building cost.

Oh, and the "the car costs $3k" doesn't hold water when you are talking about swapping in an S54.

Yup. If installing S54, the car should have decent equipment in driveline/footwork setting alone to handle the S54. I sure hope nobody just installs one in place of a M42 into a stock otherwise chassis

Why not? The price of the motors has come way down. I could pick up three right now for $3-4k. People were paying that for S5X's not long ago.

You must be primarily racing to need 4 maps? I could see the reasoning there for such a spendy ecu, but for us mortals with mere street cars..

I wish I had had 2-3 maps and HFM ability with the DTA, would have been easier to map with HFM than true electronic carby alpha-N style
I'm guesstimating rebuilding s54 should cost 1500-2000 in rebuild misc items, not including the weird and obscure (and expensive $,$$$) tools.

[Dean]

An E36 S54 conversion recently sold for 14.000 GBP ($20k) when the average tidy E36 M3 3.2 Euro version sells for 3000 GBP here in the UK! So an E30 with the S54 would command similar money!

A quick update on my S54 plans, I'm going to a track day with the S54 and checking it out, IF it ticks boxes, I will be finding every penny fallen behind my sofa!

[nando]

Right now, sure, but not forever.

[gobuffs]

An S54 in any E30 is at least 2 but more like 3x the cost of any S50.

Yes mine is a race car.

[nando]

Why not? The price of the motors has come way down. I could pick up three right now for $3-4k. People were paying that for S5X's not long ago.

You must be primarily racing to need 4 maps? I could see the reasoning there for such a spendy ecu, but for us mortals with mere street cars..

[gobuffs]

My decision against the DTA was it wasn't quite ready for primetime when I needed an ECU. So the decision was Vipec vs Pectel vs stock. Stock ruled out due to not giving me any control- if I needed to change something the ECU had to be shipped out. The Pectel was about $1500 more (and yes it is high end) but included being able to run 4 maps, easily integrate traction control/ABS, definitely handles the Vanos, knock control. The KMS unit from VAC was never a consideration- I have never heard anybody running that on an S54. Same for Megsquirt.

Bottom line is it came down to who I was buying it from moreso than the actual hardware. I could have gone Vipec, but not having more than 2 maps ruled that out. The stock solution (for what I wanted) was going to be more than the Pectel (now I don't think that is the case as the stock solution is cheaper but would still be expensive due to more tuning time needed).

Oh, and the "the car costs $3k" doesn't hold water when you are talking about swapping in an S54.

[nando]

But what does a pectel cost? $5k or more? Thats rediculous for a car that costs $3k average.

[Bimmerman325i]

That plot is ridiculous, it's awesome to see just how the vanos affects things.

The more you guys talk about other ECU solutions makes me reconfirm my Pectel decision was the right one. The only thing I need to add that wasn't included that isn't necessary is traction control via E46 M3 Mk60 Teves ABS system for traction control.

Out of curiosity, what makes you say that? What about the Pectel vs a DTA or Vipec or etc unit do you like?

[gobuffs]

The more you guys talk about other ECU solutions makes me reconfirm my Pectel decision was the right one. The only thing I need to add that wasn't included that isn't necessary is traction control via E46 M3 Mk60 Teves ABS system for traction control.