Help the newbie! S54 swap?

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 8:40 pm

Hi all,

Shame the search doesn't seem to work well with the forum, as there's a ton of info in these pages!

Here's the deal - i'm after a track-orientated car that's also reliable

I was thinking about sticking an S54 engine into an E30 and got a quote of c. £5k (not inc. engine)

For the same money or less, for similar power (~350bhp) and without compromising reliability, is there a better, easier swap to do?

I love the E30s, so I'd like to make some kind of swap happen!

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 8:42 pm

Get your reading goggles on:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=359200

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 8:54 pm

Who's quoted you that to drop it in?!

That appears too cheap to me.. The S54 is A LOT of electrical ball ache, or a very expensive standalone to get running with VANOS in an e30

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 8:58 pm

For £5k I would say you could have a rebuilt M20 lump with a nice turbo conversion and easily 350bhp and the potential to go for much more

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:00 pm

maxfield - that's the link that gave me hope in the first place

I couldn't find anything on here about the S54 and wondered if there's a reason - i.e. you can get more power, cheaper, through other methods?

jhonno - bmsport gave me a rough quote for fitting, fabrication, exhaust manifold and propshaft, stand-alone management

I saw they had done it with an E36 and it looked pretty awesome

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:04 pm

What standalone?! There are very few that can run S50 VANOS, nevermind S54 Twin VANOS..

My S50 exhaust manifold was 1k alone.. Prop is bolt on, no mods needed.

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:06 pm

for a little over £5500 , supplied and fitted,you can have legendary cosworth power at basic power levels but big future power upgrade scope and a simple lump of an engine .

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:17 pm

BMSport as in Bexley motorwerks?

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:24 pm

yup, bexley

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:24 pm

Why the name change?

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:58 pm

name change? if you mean referring to as bmsport, just because i had their site open at the time and used the url by mistake

so anyway, the S54 seems to be a good swap then, or the option is to go for other blocks and FI ?

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:02 pm

If that's a real price surely that's excellent, seeing as DIY S50 swaps seem to clock in at £5k+. Turbo M50 would be cool though.

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:07 pm

FYI, the search function on here works perfectly! Just take the trouble to read how to use it!

Post Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:10 pm

i dont know how to use it properly either. i can type in a thread title that i know plus the author and forum and itll still bring up pages and pages of unrelated stuff with the one im looking for in amongst them?

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 1:22 am

This guy is saying for an S54 it will cost £5k plus the cost of the engine so factor in another £2-3k for this and thats an £8k budget compared to the S50, M20 turbo and YB Cosworth conversions some of you have suggested.

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 9:17 am

Brianmoooore wrote:FYI, the search function on here works perfectly! Just take the trouble to read how to use it!

try searching for "S54 swap" AND engine AND costs

search by thread

then try and find me a thread with "S54 swap" actually in it... tres difficile

I appreciate the input thus far, although the issue round the price would be something I'd have to follow up. It is a *rough* estimate, it's not a formal quotation or anything

I'm currently looking at a variety of options, but this one comes in pretty favourably... i like the E46 M3s and they're pretty reliable so this may be just what I'm looking for

I'll come back with more details if I go ahead with it

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:10 am

Ive just found 5 threads with S54 conversion mentioned in about 3 minutes, dont see what the problem is

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... de=results

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ht=s54+e30

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ht=s54+e30

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ht=s54+e30

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ht=s54+e30

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 3:47 pm

S50B30 or B32 is ALL the power you'd need in an E30

S54 would be nice but the wiring nightmares are the tip of the iceburg

I'm all for the 1 off conversion, but anything short of a limitless budget would lead me to follow the proven route.

Last S50B30 swop I performed was 7K job jobbed, inc the engine / box and a custom manifold.

the price included a new clutch, new big end bolts and shells and a replacement oil pump.

cheap or what

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 3:50 pm

isnt £5000 an awful lot if you have to supply the parts yourself on top?

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:01 pm

considering the sheer labour involved( approx 40 hours ), let alone the electrical sheenanigans, £5K is cheap IMHO for the S54 swop

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:02 pm

£5000 for a weeks work is good if your on the receiving end for sure

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:51 pm

knowlege is power!
if you know how to do an S54 install and can do it in a week then you're worth the £5k.
Imagine the price of hiring a QC for a week!

otoh, why bother? A turbo M20 has to be more fun

Post Sat Dec 20, 2008 9:16 pm

For 7k-8kswapped, M50 turbo for sure...

hell anything turbo over just an S54 swap for tad over 300hp.
M30 turbo
M20 turbo
M50 turbo
m52 turbo

you only have to look into the forced induction section of the Bimmerforums to see what is going on with them.
horsepower is becoming cheaper so you have to shop around ALOT better now,
If you really think a S54 is what you NEED then your obviously going to boost it.

Post Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:06 pm

As much as FI is tempting for cheap horsepower, but what's about all the mapping and driveability issues? Fuel consumption........ouch.
I am going to fit an S50B32 with stock engine management and no hardware changes. Driveability, reliability and decent fuel consumption (so I hope

) I do not think that I need more bhp than the S50 will deliver in a stripped out E30.

Post Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:08 pm

UweM3 wrote: I do not think that I need more bhp than the S50 will deliver in a stripped out E30.

people always think that at the start but once that power bug has bitten.....

Post Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:31 pm

fuzzy wrote:
UweM3 wrote: I do not think that I need more bhp than the S50 will deliver in a stripped out E30.
people always think that at the start but once that power bug has bitten.....

I know, I know......

I was quite happy with the 240bhp I had before. Got me round the ring not too bad. It's just the straights where I get frustrated. All the more modern stuff (and the turbo cars) are a PIA cos they just pull a little bit away and one can't get past before the next bend. At least the power increase I have now will last me for the next season (because my wallet is EMPTY)

BTW, hobbituk I have sent you a PM a few days back. Received it?