M54. Let the foolishness begin.

[e30polak]

So this is pretty cool...

http://performancetrends.com/download.htm#eapro

I had nothing to do at work yesterday so I downloaded the demo of Engine Analizer Pro. It's a full version of the software that expires after 10 days. It will model your engine accurately if you take the time to give it the right data.

I spent some time configuring it and with my cam specs the software calculated 235hp. Very close!

I played with changing cam duration, cam lift and saw how the power changed. Neet-O!

I played a lot with advancing the intake timing and was rewarded with a nice plot that shows a shift in power to lower rpm's. I gave it different amounts of intake advance, all the way up to 20 degrees, and plotted the perfect advance vs rpm graph.

I played with retarding the exhaust timing and COULDN"T GET MORE stinking POWER anywhere over the stock setting!

This is just a software simulation, but it completely matches what I saw on the dyno and I'm really starting to wonder what exhaust VANOS is good for. It doesn't seem to help with peak power, even though the motor feels livelier with some exhaust retard.

So, 20 degrees of variable intake VANOS=good. DISA, good. Aluminum, great.

Exhaust VANOS, not so much.

I think this motor will make 240 crank hp with the stock cams, 250 with ZHP cams and around 260 with Schrick. More with proper headers and a 3.5" MAF.

PEI330CI is making over 250 whp on his M54...

^ He also has a fully built motor.

Love what your doing. Keep us posted on the results! :D

[e30s52]

O I am excited :D

[hoveringuy]

I'm phsyched...

TRM multi-tune is on the way, my next dyno session should be really interesting.

The car is already running well, I'm excited to see what TRM can do over my generic Dinan S50 tune!

I also have the version 3.0 VANOS controller CAD files ready for Malaysia to fabricate my first dedicated circuit board. Final measurement is 2" x 3.4". The ultimate version will be around 2" x 2".

e30S52 has also graciously agreed to flog my car at the e30 picnic and give me some feedback.

[Court M3]

Just got to Bremerton. Can't wait to see this car.

[hoveringuy]

I thought exhaust vanos was good for emissions. Is that about it?

So it seems like this project could be alot simpler if you could just lock the exh vanos and run a stockish OBD1 setup.

cool!

It is good for emissions... they use it as a replacement for EGR valves because they can use for internal exhaust gas recirculation.

In may case, I'm not convinced so much that it helps peak power, but I do feel that it helps part-throttle driveability a lot. It reduces pumping losses or something like that.

I'll keep it retarded about 5 degrees at mid-rpms and have it off at higher rpms.

I'm still learning how to use it.

[2002maniac]

I thought exhaust vanos was good for emissions. Is that about it?

So it seems like this project could be alot simpler if you could just lock the exh vanos and run a stockish OBD1 setup.

cool!

[hoveringuy]

benchtop dyno

So this is pretty cool...

http://performancetrends.com/download.htm#eapro

I had nothing to do at work yesterday so I downloaded the demo of Engine Analizer Pro. It's a full version of the software that expires after 10 days. It will model your engine accurately if you take the time to give it the right data.

I spent some time configuring it and with my cam specs the software calculated 235hp. Very close!

I played with changing cam duration, cam lift and saw how the power changed. Neet-O!

I played a lot with advancing the intake timing and was rewarded with a nice plot that shows a shift in power to lower rpm's. I gave it different amounts of intake advance, all the way up to 20 degrees, and plotted the perfect advance vs rpm graph.

I played with retarding the exhaust timing and COULDN"T GET MORE stinking POWER anywhere over the stock setting!

This is just a software simulation, but it completely matches what I saw on the dyno and I'm really starting to wonder what exhaust VANOS is good for. It doesn't seem to help with peak power, even though the motor feels livelier with some exhaust retard.

So, 20 degrees of variable intake VANOS=good. DISA, good. Aluminum, great.

Exhaust VANOS, not so much.

I think this motor will make 240 crank hp with the stock cams, 250 with ZHP cams and around 260 with Schrick. More with proper headers and a 3.5" MAF.

PEI330CI is making over 250 whp on his M54...

[e30polak]

So, last time I went to the dyno had some some unanticipated results from retarding the exhaust cam that led me to wonder if my static cam timing was correct. That led me to an exhaustive search to find the data on what stock M54's are supposed to look like.

Unfortunately, the factory specifications weren't helping me because I measure the cams electronically and have no idea where my lobe centers are.

I measured two M54's directly with my circuit and found that the intake cams were 13 degrees off from where mine was.

The smoking gun??

I thought so, but I pulled my motor apart and re-timed my cams to a gnat's ass and only changed (advanced) my intake cam by 3 crank degrees. I was still 10 degrees off. Or was I?

I finally measured another M54 today and learned that the ECU was commanding 10 degrees of advance at idle, which is not a documented feature. So, my motor is timed perfectly and was only off by a few degrees all along.

I'll be ready to go back to the dyno in a few weeks, I've recently upgraded to an M3 muffler from regular e36 muffler and am waiting for a TRM tune to round things out. I'm still expecting 210-215 wheel HP out of this motor without getting into cams or long-tube headers.

The M3 muffler is nice! Sounds great and it seems to pull better. Not surprising, since the e36 muffler was only engineered for 2.5 litres.

Meanwhile, the car is a blast as a DD and the standalone VANOS circuit works so well that I forget that I have it.

Glad to hear! Your work on this swap is truly inspiring! :D

[hoveringuy]

Cam timing.. DONE!

So, last time I went to the dyno had some some unanticipated results from retarding the exhaust cam that led me to wonder if my static cam timing was correct. That led me to an exhaustive search to find the data on what stock M54's are supposed to look like.

Unfortunately, the factory specifications weren't helping me because I measure the cams electronically and have no idea where my lobe centers are.

I measured two M54's directly with my circuit and found that the intake cams were 13 degrees off from where mine was.

The smoking gun??

I thought so, but I pulled my motor apart and re-timed my cams to a gnat's ass and only changed (advanced) my intake cam by 3 crank degrees. I was still 10 degrees off. Or was I?

I finally measured another M54 today and learned that the ECU was commanding 10 degrees of advance at idle, which is not a documented feature. So, my motor is timed perfectly and was only off by a few degrees all along.

I'll be ready to go back to the dyno in a few weeks, I've recently upgraded to an M3 muffler from regular e36 muffler and am waiting for a TRM tune to round things out. I'm still expecting 210-215 wheel HP out of this motor without getting into cams or long-tube headers.

The M3 muffler is nice! Sounds great and it seems to pull better. Not surprising, since the e36 muffler was only engineered for 2.5 litres.

Meanwhile, the car is a blast as a DD and the standalone VANOS circuit works so well that I forget that I have it.

[pporcaro]

so i just found this thread today, and....













sweet chocolate christ is this awesome

[PiercedE30]

Yea, I think they released it on the 1st of the month. I know there was a post over on BF.c (FI section) about the release last week.
Best thing about it - ~$350 bucks for the chip and USB cable. This is pretty much going to be the Hondata for the BMW world. It pretty much means that the SharkEDIT software that was delayed and pushed back and never brought to fruition is now never going to happen.

[hoveringuy]

Have you thought about getting the W.A.R. chip and tuning the car yourself?

I did see the pre-release specs on the W.A.R. chip and it looks really cool. Has it been released? I need to get all the basic mechanical groundwork done before I can chip tune. If the intake is advanced 14 degrees no amount of chip tuning would fix that.

It actually runs really, really well right now with a stock Dinan S50 chip. I'm a little disappointed because I'm sure I'll lose some of my kick-ass low-rpm torque by correcting the intake, but if I can get it to scream more at the top end and bring the exhaust VANOS into play it'll be worth it. At that point it will be ready for chip tuning!

[PiercedE30]

Have you thought about getting the W.A.R. chip and tuning the car yourself?

[Farbin Kaiber]

Something good is gonna happen...

[hoveringuy]

I finally managed to connect my controller to an unmolested stock M54 to take some readings. It's the only way to get apples-to-apples data to compare with mine.

I found that my intake cam is retarded 14 crank degrees compared to stock and my exhaust advanced 2 crank degrees. So, while my exhaust is really close my intake is in a permanent state of retardation

14 degrees is quite a bit. It 'splains why it was reacting so strongly to intake advance and why it has liked so much of it. Probably means it was losing power at higher rpms because I'm programming out the intake advance. I need 14 degrees just to be where I'm supposed to be.

This also means I have found the magic conversion factor between my measurements and BMW's... 130 degrees for the intake and 140 degrees for the exhaust.

edited: I've had it backwardss.... my intake is retarded, not advanced. The sample motor was at 249 crank degrees, I'm at 263. That means I'm 14 degrees retarded on the intake. It means I'm retarded. I was tired.