N52 Swap

[nando]

yeah, sure - good idea. We need more N52/N54 threads. :)

[HCMW Adam]

Although the arc asylum subframe uses a bent tube to move the center section forward a bit, it still requires the oil sump on any s54, m54, or n52 to be modified. Any more forward and the steering rack is in the way. Now if you put the center tube in front of the rack, it might be enough room to not have to modify the sump. Would be close.

This is what I was thinking. With the sump to the rear I don’t think there is anything else in the way. Extending some steering rack mounts over the rack would make installation from the bottom easier too.


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[e30fix]

Dam iv been wanting to swap my e30 for a while now since its been sitting for about a year. This seems like the best bang for the buck considering the engines are fairly inexpensive! Hopefully someone can figure out how to modify the e30 front subframes to make this work.

[jeenyus]

yeah, it clears the ix subframe by a country frickn' mile. I think there's even plenty of room to finally do the E46 xi rack.

A RWD ix is blasphemous, I know - but I just don't have the time/energy/resources to dick around with the oil pan, and I could finish the engine with what I need to spend on rebuilding my CV shafts. I would probably make it AWD again later, but it's not like I drive it in the snow anymore anyway.

I've thought about this a lot. Although it may be blasphemy, so is removing the m20 to a lot of people. A RWD 325ix would be awesome and you could modify it later like you're saying. I feel like after all your effort put into the n52 swap you deserve to spin your tires, at least for now.

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[hoveringuy]

I'm still dying for a few dyno runs on this motor....

[slammin.e28]

I'm curious about the wiring. I have a N52 sitting at work I wanna slam into either my e28 or the Disco 2. Tried dicking around with the wiring diagrams on TIS but I'm a dummy with this one. Help?

[nando]

Wiring is pretty similar to an S54 swap (see attached for pinouts).

The WDS has everything else required. I don't think the TIS will help you?

[slammin.e28]

Wiring is pretty similar to an S54 swap (see attached for pinouts).

The WDS has everything else required. I don't think the TIS will help you?

Yeah I meant WDS, lol.

Cool thanks!
I'll hit you up when it's ECU time.

[hubcapboy]

Hi everyone,

I have a little bit of a situation. I bought (in a rush because it was so easy) an engine and 6-speed from a 2006 330i. I’d driven hoveringuy’s m54 swap (hey bud) and was very excited to get my own underway. I was thinking pretty hard about how to fix the e34 sump sag with arcasylum being unavailable, but I figured worst case it was an inch less ground clearance with a lower skidplan than the one I have under my m20.

The truck arrived tonight just after dark, and as the door swung up I saw an aluminum valve cover. Then an intake that wasn’t familiar. Then a barcode sticker that said “e90.”

I’ve accidentally purchased an n52.

There’s two reasons this isn’t bad news. First, I was excited about this engine before I dismissed it as too bleeding-edge for a swap. Second... and I can’t believe this, but maybe it’s more common than I thought, the pan on the engine in my driveway is steel... which makes modifying it a whole lot easier.

I need a few “it’s gonna be ok’s” and recommendations to talk me out of putting this engine back on the truck and waiting for something easier.

Thanks everyone,

New Guy

[hubcapboy]

Hiya CWLO,

It sounds like your engine position is based on the Z4 arms cut and re-welded an inch forward. Did you end up going back to re-fab these? What motor mounts are you using, and what are your thoughts on clearances in general? If you weren't working around the arc asylum subframe would you have positioned anything differently? You mentioned that ideally you would have wanted 2" further forward.

[hoveringuy]

Gareth had a really interesting idea the other day, one that I can't find any obvious reasons to dismiss.

There's no E34 front-sump pan for the N52, but wouldn't fabricating a pan with a front sump be a lot easier than fabricating a new subframe and then making adjustments to the stock pan and pickup to fit that?

Seems like it wouldn't be horribly difficult to design and build a front sump pan with a pickup that would hang straight down from the oil pump. The pan could be shallower than the E34 by 2", but have wings left and right for capacity. The only thing I hated about the E34 pan was the clearance.

The E34 pan made the M50 plug and play. We need the same for the N52...

[jeenyus]

Dry sump would require a pump though, right? That seems like it would be a lot of effort.

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[hoveringuy]

Yeah, dry sump is a whole different animal.

[jeenyus]

I'd love one cause it's the best, but yeah a lot of work. I think arc asylum has one.

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[nando]

Gareth had a really interesting idea the other day, one that I can't find any obvious reasons to dismiss.

There's no E34 front-sump pan for the N52, but wouldn't fabricating a pan with a front sump be a lot easier than fabricating a new subframe and then making adjustments to the stock pan and pickup to fit that?

Seems like it wouldn't be horribly difficult to design and build a front sump pan with a pickup that would hang straight down from the oil pump. The pan could be shallower than the E34 by 2", but have wings left and right for capacity. The only thing I hated about the E34 pan was the clearance.

The E34 pan made the M50 plug and play. We need the same for the N52...

you could I suppose. You'd still have to fabricate the pan and pickup. Maybe it wouldn't be so difficult with a steel pan to "reverse it" as it were.

I keep thinking about how the N52 RWD pan and the ix subframe mate up perfectly, and how I could build it without AWD while not hacking up my car..