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    N52 Swap Discussion

    There’s no subforum for this engine, although one or two enterprising board posters have made substantial progress on it. Rather than clog up their build threads with our guesswork that often doesn’t apply to their builds I thought I’d start up over here.

    #2
    I think it's time for an N52 sub-forum.

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      #3




      I picked up a very serviceable jig today to mock up engine arms and a trans crossmember, then we’ll start talking oil pans!


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        #4
        Originally posted by hoveringuy View Post
        I think it's time for an N52 sub-forum.
        Yes! I can only assume the engine will be more popular now that there are swap tune options. Its different enough from the M5x series that information is not transferable.

        When you are doing some mockup can you set a steering rack next to the pan to see if there will be interference with the input shaft. The BMP swap subframes modify the pans for LHD on the M5x engines so curious if that will be needed too.

        That or just take some pictures of the area and we can guesstimate.
        -Nick

        M42 on VEMS

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          #5
          I have the steel N52 pan, and I don’t know how similar it is to the shape of the aluminum pan.

          My plan is to pull the steel pan and get the engine positioned without the pan mounted. There’ll be plenty of pictures, but it might be a while.

          I’m going in with the expectation that I won’t have to modify the subframe, rack, or swaybar position. The new steel pan will just be built to clear them with the sump in the front.

          Unless someone has a good reason to do otherwise, I’m planning on using e46 hydraulic motor mounts.


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            #6
            You do mean business! Well, I'll be glad to offer any help. Lots of details once you get into it, and I can shorten your learning curve, and hopefully save some $$. I think I ended up buying 4 engine harnesses when all is said and done, two oil pickups, throttle housing, oil pump, etc...

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              #7
              I'm into this for sure

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                #8
                Today's post-it scribbles are trying to put together a fuel system. Kassel has an adapter to use regular hose into the S54 FPR, but I think the N52 FPR isn't on the rail, it's in the tank... and there's no fuel return line... maybe because there's no useful vacuum reference? The 318 N52 swap describes using the S54 FPR and presumably running it on a return, but doesn't go into where it gets vacuum from. I think the only thing connected to intake vacuum on the N52 is the CCV (for obvious emissions reasons).

                This is all me rambling... both systems run at a nominal 5 bar. The S54 runs at 5 bar from intake reference pressure. The N52 is (I think?) electrically regulating fuel pressure using the fuel pump module, but I don't know what the MSV70 is using as reference pressure for that regulation.

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                  #9


                  From this... I don’t understand how the EKP can be interfacing with an aftermarket pump like the walbro 255 unless it’s in the emergency operation where it runs full speed. If that’s the case I’m not sure why the EKP module would even be needed unless the DME will refuse to operate without it being present?

                  If we aren’t using the e90 fuel pump or regulator and we’re adding a return line by using the S54 regulator I’m having difficulty understanding why we need the fuel pump controller.


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                    #10
                    E70 x5's with the n52k use a relay for the fuel pump instead of an ekps controller. Not sure if there are any mapping differences in the dme.

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                      #11
                      It looks like the e70 uses an msv80, so it won’t be the same... but I can’t find anything identified as a fuel pressure regulator identified on realoem, and there’s no return line.

                      I’m starting to think that an exact fuel pressure isn’t important to this engine. It might just deliver 5 bar relative to atmosphere (which would be “something over 5 bar” relative to intake). I don’t think it’s measuring intake air mass conventionally, so it’s possible it just makes a rough guess on the fuel and waits for the O2 sensors to report back? That would explain why the s54 regulator works (possibly without the vacuum line connected?!), but the pump could just be on the normal relay and run full-speed with a return line. Maybe I’m way off?






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                        #12
                        I believe the e70 uses a pump with the filter & regulator built into the assembly. I don't think I have ever seen a n52 without a mass air flow meter, but even ms43 ran fine with the mass air disconnected.

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                          #13
                          I'm running e30 fuel pump, ekp module, and s54 fuel regulator with return line. I have a vacuum line going from the n54 throttle actuator to the fpr. I'm not sure if there is any measurable vacuum there....I'll have to check sometime, but it runs fine under all situations.


                          I think you want to stay with the ekp, as it will shut the pump off if the engine stops.



                          Chris

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                            #14
                            my swap tunes are based on the Z4 program (it works better for swaps for a few reasons) - IIRC you need the Z4 EKP, or reprogram it with Z4 software (if they're the same hardware, I'm not sure).

                            There were issues with the E90 based tunes and the main relay not working properly, although I think the E90 EKP worked fine.

                            Also the Z4 tunes are CAN11h based (like the E46) so those CAN boards will work with it. The E90 uses BN2000 which is completely different. Hell you could even hook it up to an E46 M3 cluster and have it run the dynamic redline..

                            For MSV80, it's possible to set it to CAN11h as well, although I haven't done so yet.
                            Build thread

                            Bimmerlabs

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                              #15
                              Got it. That makes more sense now. Kassel had me muddled with the two firmware versions but it sounds like either can be flashed to the MSV70. I’ll track down a Z4 EKP at some point.

                              This arrived today for pan and arm mockup:





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