S54 swap?

[FredK]

Well, maybe in 2009 I'll try something like this, when you can buy an S54 on a street corner for around $4500. :mrgreen:

[static]

Fred, here is a little inspiration for you



edit: some more spy photos here

http://www.azevedomotorsports.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=8158&g2_page=1

[tubby17s]

Why not run Haltech?

[FredK]

thanks for joining r3vlimited, kristov! :)

[kristov]

details or pictures?

I will post pics and info once it's done.

[PiercedE30]

I'm at the end of this swap and it has taken twice the time and money that I thought I needed. I think that is the main reasons why so many give up halfway through...

details or pictures?

[kristov]

I'm at the end of this swap and it has taken twice the time and money that I thought I needed. I think that is the main reasons why so many give up halfway through...

[equate975]

exactly that is what i think about .. if you swap the whole engine with the electrics and everything related to it , it will be good for daily drive , also with the same specs and so on , i mean see what the donors car diff ratio/lock was , build in a same one .. see what brake rotors measurements/brake calipers were in , try to build them in too or build something similar , .. etc ..
then you will end up with a good dailydriver .. (if you find a Z3M donor car , tae all the mechanism and electrics , everything what you can get ..
i always read , the whole rear axle suits in the E30 plug n play , drive steering column fits with little work , and is directer , you can even make the 5 lug conversion with the front axles ..
related to electronics , take everything what is attatched to the wiring harness , including speedometer and everything ;)
easier .. buy the whole car , buy a E30 2 door for cheap money . and start rebuilding the E30. fit the "whole" wiring harness from the Z3M , and then you dont need to play with the engine wiring harness and so on ;)

Your saying use everything from the s54? Car harness and all?

That would be really expensive, more or less what MITE46 did.

[trinity]

exactly that is what i think about .. if you swap the whole engine with the electrics and everything related to it , it will be good for daily drive , also with the same specs and so on , i mean see what the donors car diff ratio/lock was , build in a same one .. see what brake rotors measurements/brake calipers were in , try to build them in too or build something similar , .. etc ..
then you will end up with a good dailydriver .. (if you find a Z3M donor car , tae all the mechanism and electrics , everything what you can get ..
i always read , the whole rear axle suits in the E30 plug n play , drive steering column fits with little work , and is directer , you can even make the 5 lug conversion with the front axles ..
related to electronics , take everything what is attatched to the wiring harness , including speedometer and everything ;)
easier .. buy the whole car , buy a E30 2 door for cheap money . and start rebuilding the E30. fit the "whole" wiring harness from the Z3M , and then you dont need to play with the engine wiring harness and so on ;)

[FredK]

Yep, that was what I referenced--the MITE46 swap earlier in this thread. That doesn't seem a half bad way to go, after thinking about aftermarket EMS for a little while. With a stock ECU, you have the benefit of the fuel and ignition maps exhaustively tested for everyday, reliable driving.

I've decided against doing the swap this winter, mostly due to time and budget constraints.

Maybe if someone local wrecks an S54 Z3M and sells it cheap, I'd pick it up just to hang onto it, but otherwise, I'm just gonna lay low and read ETMs until the cows come home.

[trinity]

here is a S54 swap here on the E46 forum.. dated back to mid '06

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=359200

[FredK]

I dunno about you, but that dyno graph looks pretty strong from 3250 (probably where they went WOT) to 8500 RPM, and the particular example has locked cams. I may not be able to duplicate the power output figures, but the overall shape of the curve would remain very similar on a stock engine.

It would be ideal to get an EMS that can control VANOS. There are three that I know of so far: Pectel, Motec, and EFI Technology. What it boils down to is

a) how good the support is (factory, tuners in my area or at least on my coast)
b) how easy it is to get the car safely running
c) cost

[BeirBrennerE30]

I contemplated not posting at all, since so many of you are experienced swappers already and must know what you're doing. However, I just can't resist asking:

Why go to the trouble of an S54 swap without taking whatever steps necessary to keep the dual VANOS? Otherwise, you'll end up with an engine that's only strong in a narrow rev band (and decidedly weak off-idle).

I agree with you... IMHO if you are going to spend the money on a swap liek this get all the features you want to work.

[m3_eater]

I contemplated not posting at all, since so many of you are experienced swappers already and must know what you're doing. However, I just can't resist asking:

Why go to the trouble of an S54 swap without taking whatever steps necessary to keep the dual VANOS? Otherwise, you'll end up with an engine that's only strong in a narrow rev band (and decidedly weak off-idle).

[Mike B.]

Thanks for contacting your dyno guy! Is he at Speed Lab? Because it seems they have a EFI Technology solution for continuously variable VANOS and drive by wire.

The only constraint I have is, rather than a US DoD budget for EMS, I have one suitable for a fledgling former Soviet satellite nation.

Yep, Bob Payton as Speed Lab is my tuner. Very knowledgable, tons of experience, and a great guy to boot.