This is an often asked question. To VANOS or not? Great taste, less filling. To each their own. I know I posted this before when this question came up, its a tech letter and reply taken from the European Car mag website.
M3 Cams in 325is
I have a 1992 325is with the non-VANOS engine. I've asked some people this question and everyone seems to give me a different answer. I want to put in M3 cams but because my car is non-VANOS I don't think it will work. Some people said. "yes," some said. "no," and some said. "only if the cams are from a 1995 M3." Turner Motorsport sells a M3 cam set for 1993-95 325is. Is the lack of VANOS going to prevent me from upgrading my engine with M3 parts? If I can't put these cams in what could I use from an M3 to give me some more horsepower?
Dave
via the Internet
We consulted BMW engine builder and parts swap specialist Pete McHenry of Precision Performance in Winston-Salem, N. Ca. His reply: "You can install an intake cam from a 1992 M50 on the exhaust side. Check the beginning of valve lift of the stock cam, then set the timing so that the swapped cam has the same starting point. This will give you a 240-degree cam with 9.7 lift vs. 9.0. Buy a Schrick non-VANOS 252 for the intake and you'll have the same timing as an M3."
In other words, forget about M3 parts, Dave--you don't have an M3. But what you do have is a very cool high-revving engine that will never need a replacement VANOS unit. In addition to McHenry's sage advice, you should consider a performance exhaust system and a performance computer chip, although neither is necessary to make the cam job work. There are lots of go-fast parts available for this engine. Just check out the ads in european car and start visiting Web sites.
In addition to the mentioned cam upgrade, I suppose you could bore out the cylinders, do some porting and valve work. Granted its not going to be as flexible in terms of a VANOS motor, but you would have something with that lumpy muscle car idle (cool to some......posers hate it) and no VANOS issues to worry about (i.e. one less thing to break).
Jon
M3 Cams in 325is
I have a 1992 325is with the non-VANOS engine. I've asked some people this question and everyone seems to give me a different answer. I want to put in M3 cams but because my car is non-VANOS I don't think it will work. Some people said. "yes," some said. "no," and some said. "only if the cams are from a 1995 M3." Turner Motorsport sells a M3 cam set for 1993-95 325is. Is the lack of VANOS going to prevent me from upgrading my engine with M3 parts? If I can't put these cams in what could I use from an M3 to give me some more horsepower?
Dave
via the Internet
We consulted BMW engine builder and parts swap specialist Pete McHenry of Precision Performance in Winston-Salem, N. Ca. His reply: "You can install an intake cam from a 1992 M50 on the exhaust side. Check the beginning of valve lift of the stock cam, then set the timing so that the swapped cam has the same starting point. This will give you a 240-degree cam with 9.7 lift vs. 9.0. Buy a Schrick non-VANOS 252 for the intake and you'll have the same timing as an M3."
In other words, forget about M3 parts, Dave--you don't have an M3. But what you do have is a very cool high-revving engine that will never need a replacement VANOS unit. In addition to McHenry's sage advice, you should consider a performance exhaust system and a performance computer chip, although neither is necessary to make the cam job work. There are lots of go-fast parts available for this engine. Just check out the ads in european car and start visiting Web sites.
In addition to the mentioned cam upgrade, I suppose you could bore out the cylinders, do some porting and valve work. Granted its not going to be as flexible in terms of a VANOS motor, but you would have something with that lumpy muscle car idle (cool to some......posers hate it) and no VANOS issues to worry about (i.e. one less thing to break).
Jon
Comment