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    #1

    s50 v. s52

    Ok i know this has been answered before and i have searched for about 30 minutes and i cant find the thred... so what specifically are the differences between th s50 and s52.... i know s50 is obd1, 3.0L, metal valve cover, oil cap in rear and the s52 is obd2 blah blah balh...

    so what are the differences other than that(the little things) and what exactily is interchangeable between the 2 motors ???

    also what is better for the e30 swap(both would be obd1) and for a future turbo later???

    thanks guys
    e30sport.net
    '86 325es - s54b32tu - 6-speed - Mtech 1
    '89 325is - m20b25 - 5-speed - Individual​
    '06 M3 Competition - 6-speed
    '19 Porsche GT3 RS - 7-speed PDK
    '94 Lancia Delta HF Integrale EvoII - Giallo Ginestra
    '97 Range Rover Vitesse
    Tags: None
    #2
    no replacement for displacement, especially in FI. I'd rather have a bigger motor and lower boost, would make for a better all around motor IMHO
    BEERTECH

    Comment

      #3
      The S52 with the OBD1 conversion will make more power stock and a lot more torque. The only concern is I have heard of longevity problems with some sort of bearing design from some of the people on the E36 forums.

      The intake runners and plenum are smaller which is why they had to raise the displacement. Just keep the headers. Those are considered superior to the manifolds.

      The only real downside is the cost. The S52 is a bit more and the ODB conversion is a bit on top of that for the intake parts and engine controller/harness. SOmeone also has to install a sensor into the block. Not excatly prohibitive work though.
      Im now E30less.
      sigpic

      Comment

        #4
        Originally posted by Rob
        no replacement for displacement, especially in FI. I'd rather have a bigger motor and lower boost, would make for a better all around motor IMHO
        true true... you need as much low end torque as possable but would a 3.2L stroked s50 outperform an OBD1 swapped s52 or are they so similar that it makes no difference???

        i just what really throws me for a loop is why BMW made an entirely new class of m/s52 instead of just calling it another m50.... why is it different???
        e30sport.net
        '86 325es - s54b32tu - 6-speed - Mtech 1
        '89 325is - m20b25 - 5-speed - Individual​
        '06 M3 Competition - 6-speed
        '19 Porsche GT3 RS - 7-speed PDK
        '94 Lancia Delta HF Integrale EvoII - Giallo Ginestra
        '97 Range Rover Vitesse

        Comment

          #5
          Because the engine controllers are different. The 52 has OBD2 which meets new emmisions standards.

          A stroke S50 would be the same as a OBD1 S52 but its cheaper just to put the intake, wiring, and controller from an S50 onto an S52 than to rebuild the internals of an S50.

          Everything outside of the engine goes both ways,
          Im now E30less.
          sigpic

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by Ryan Stewart
            Because the engine controllers are different. The 52 has OBD2 which meets new emmisions standards.

            A stroke S50 would be the same as a OBD1 S52 but its cheaper just to put the intake, wiring, and controller from an S50 onto an S52 than to rebuild the internals of an S50.

            Everything outside of the engine goes both ways,
            i see i see... so pretty much neither engine is at all better just depands how much money i wont to spend to get it to the other specs...

            i guess doing an s50 now and then building the engine for boost later while swapping cranks (89.6mm, 91mm or mabey even 95.8mm) would be the cheepest in the long run...
            e30sport.net
            '86 325es - s54b32tu - 6-speed - Mtech 1
            '89 325is - m20b25 - 5-speed - Individual​
            '06 M3 Competition - 6-speed
            '19 Porsche GT3 RS - 7-speed PDK
            '94 Lancia Delta HF Integrale EvoII - Giallo Ginestra
            '97 Range Rover Vitesse

            Comment

              #7
              if you have the money now get the S52. Then drop the cash for the OBD1. Youd gain 25hp just from that. And except for the refrence sensor its all stuff you can do in the garage easy.
              Im now E30less.
              sigpic

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by Ryan Stewart
                if you have the money now get the S52. Then drop the cash for the OBD1. Youd gain 25hp just from that. And except for the refrence sensor its all stuff you can do in the garage easy.
                will the metal valve cover and vanos cover fit the s52??? probably not with the oil cap in difference places for some reason...
                e30sport.net
                '86 325es - s54b32tu - 6-speed - Mtech 1
                '89 325is - m20b25 - 5-speed - Individual​
                '06 M3 Competition - 6-speed
                '19 Porsche GT3 RS - 7-speed PDK
                '94 Lancia Delta HF Integrale EvoII - Giallo Ginestra
                '97 Range Rover Vitesse

                Comment

                  #9
                  Just do me a favor guys, when you put these engines in your cars... check those damn water pumps.....

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Actually mike I wanna throw in that mine was a MINT stainless steel one and the shop that I am having it worked on at has said that every S50/S52 they have opened up has had stainless steel ones in great condition.

                    Was that a recall issue maybe? Because my S50s oilpump cam gear was locktited on by the jolly green giant apparently. Fucker wont come off.

                    Do however get the alum thermostat housing. The plastic one had little hairline cracks all along the insde of it.
                    Im now E30less.
                    sigpic

                    Comment

                      #11
                      the valve covers are interchangable. I think I will switch to the S52 one later on just for more accesibility because right now it looks to be close to the front brace. YOu just need both the plastic cover and the metal valve cover.

                      The engines are basically the same. Thye are both larger displacament M50s The only difference is all the stuff that leads to the engine on the S52 is restrictive and the one thing that leads out isnt.
                      Im now E30less.
                      sigpic

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Working at a race shop in Florida built up 3.0 / 3.2 / Euro 3.2... under a lot of load, the water pumps were checked a lot. BMW did a great job of designing them but I am saying if you go FI, make sure you check the water pump ever now and then.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          this is all greta info.... i was aware of the water pump, oil pump, and thermoustat housing and i definately willl check out all those issues...

                          anything else i should look for when buying one of these engines???

                          and out or curiousity are the heads interchangeable??? i have heard rumors that they arent

                          thanx again guys
                          e30sport.net
                          '86 325es - s54b32tu - 6-speed - Mtech 1
                          '89 325is - m20b25 - 5-speed - Individual​
                          '06 M3 Competition - 6-speed
                          '19 Porsche GT3 RS - 7-speed PDK
                          '94 Lancia Delta HF Integrale EvoII - Giallo Ginestra
                          '97 Range Rover Vitesse

                          Comment

                            #14
                            If you get an S50 get one after 10/95. In 10/95 they changed the way they made the valve retainers. The old style *could* lead to catastrophic engine failure. I have heard from the M3 guys that the first two years of the 3.2 had some sort of odd premature bearing failure also. Maybe stick to a 98 if you go 3.2.

                            EWS is somwhat a NON-issue apparently. Everyone who makes a chip now makes a chip that disables EWS. Or else you need the module, key, and ring off the chassis the car came from. I just bought the turner chip without the EWS coding. According to turner I just do that, I dont need to short any wires.

                            No clue on the heads, you might want to go to an E36 board for info on building up an S50/S52. Those guys are going to have more experience with that than the few here who have done the swap.
                            Im now E30less.
                            sigpic

                            Comment

                              #15
                              if you want the extra displacement get the EURO s52, much much better head, as it is a real motorsport head, while the US s50 and s52 are just enlarged m50/52 heads.

                              Do not worry about EWS, get the EURO s52 and then you can run the pre-Jan 95 DME for any m50 or s50 US or EURO, this will not optimize for the 3.2 but you probabyl want a pro chip anyway.....

                              I think, don't quote me, that the EURO valve covers are the same for the s50 and s52 so you will not have to mess with that, if you do then you do.

                              Comment

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