Aluminum block S54?

[nando]

it could be done if the block was designed from scratch. The N5X platform uses a bedplate design and a block that was designed to be aluminum/magnesium from scratch, so it's very strong and stiff, while also being light.

the M54's problem is it was originally an iron block design, that they just made out of aluminum. You lose a significant portion of the strength of the original design, thus the issues with harmonics.

but again, it's not economically viable - BMW could have the resources to build an aluminum block S54 capable of high revs, but they're focused on turbo engines with torque curves that run out of breath at 5500rpm so something like that will never happen.

[digger]

seems like such an effort for little gain, replicating it in alloy and making it thicker in parts may or may not work very well. there is a lot happening in a block and even OEM with budget of millions make poor decisions and get things wrong. it would not be hard to do but it would be hard to get it right and get it to work right. Many people do billet blocks but those are often without water jackets. I believe Dart do billet heads for pushrod engines now with water jacket via welding/fabricating