3.0 stroker help

[P_VIDDY]

looking to build a 3.0 stroker engine.

Her is what I have...

Full E46 330i (m54)
Full E36 328i (m52)
E34 single vanos complete engine (m50)
S52 exhaust manifold

Would the best build be m50 engine using m54 crank, rods, pistons and inlet cam. With m50 inlet manifold and s52 exhaust manifold?

Also has anybody had experience with porting? Would it be worth doing as using the s52 exhaust with larger ports?

[Motorhole]

Aluminium block will make for a lighter engine - approx 20kg iirc. Not an insignificant weight to have in the front of the car and therefore arguably makes for a better engine, if boost isn't a potential future development.

However, there's a risk of pulling head bolt threads in the block when torquing down the cylinder head. Obviously the choice then is either scrap the block or put steel inserts in. I used aluminium and didn't have an issue. Be anal cleaning/chasing the threads and making sure bolts & bolt heads are 'lightly' oiled - that's what BMW specify in their repair manual. If the engine hasn't been overheated, you shouldn't have a problem.

M50 is the default choice for boost. Pulling threads not an issue.

My move would be use the aluminium block and keep the M50 block in case the head bolt threads go tits up In the grand scheme of things, the cost of decking a honing a second block isn't that much.

Entire rotating assembly from M54B30 - so rods, pistons, crank. Inlet cam VANOS gear needs machining down to fit.

Can't answer regarding porting

[P_VIDDY]

I have had experiences in the past with the aluminium blocks pulling threads. I did find a solution with retapping block and using vw head bolts though (successfully worked on 5 or 6 engines)

However the m50 block might still be the way forward.

Would the ECU and loom have to match the engine... IE m50 or m52??

[DanThe]

M52 management is much better and easily fitted to an M50 block.
Port matching on the exhaust side would only give minimal gains I would expect, getting the air in is the hard part

[f0xy]

I've used the M50 block on both of my 3.0s, just as I didn't want to take everything out again if the head bolts pulled. On my first build they did, so that kind of put me off. M54 inlet cam does make some difference. Depends what you are using the car for... S52 manifolds are a good addition but more so for higher RPMs, same with US M3 cams, bring the engine alive even further but you then need to rev it higher etc.

I only needed to go to around 6400-6500rpm for peak power with the M54 inlet cam, S52 manifolds, etc. But with the US M3 cams it makes better numbers around 7000rpm.

[P_VIDDY]

Thanks

I am keeping a look out for some bargain cams along with unicorn teeth

I have seen somewhere about using m50 non vanos exhaust cam on intake side but need to do some more research on that.

[f0xy]

Yes, thats right, but a pain to time up unless you want to mess around with a dial gauge, as it does not fit with the 'standard' timing tools.

I luckily picked up a set of US M3 cams including matching trays from eBay over there, reputable seller, and got someone I know to bring them back for me. Dropped on very lucky though!

[tompol]

i have done some reading on the net. And i know not to believe anything what is said.
But this is what i learned. best opinion, i think, is to start with a m50b25 NV, the internals of a m54b30 also the injectors (or s50 injectors), intake cam of the m50b25 NV on the exhaust side(??) (the lobes of the m50b25 NV are the same as the m54b30) , buy new schrick intake cams, a e34 m50b25 oil pan, dipstick and oil pick up. The itb's of a e36 m3 would fit also, but don't know if that would fit on the ecu. and a free flow exhaust.

I don't know if this make any sense, or do i still have to do a lot more research? I hope to build a 3.0 stroker to.
And please correct me if i 'm wrong.