Changing M50 for M52 or even M54?

[andyborris]

Hi,

Got a M50 in my E30 already, wondering how hard it would be to upgrade to a M52 or even a M54?

Are the mounts in the same place, will the ZF gearbox I have work with them? Any other "gotchas" I should look out for?

Thanks

Andy (The M50 is great and very recommended, I'm just being greedy )

[stuartgallafant]

M54 would be absolute grief...

for a start, you need the complete engine wiring harness from the M54, as everything on it is fly-by-wire, meaning you'd also have to have the pedal 'assembly'

secondly, i dont even know if it would properly, due to information being relayed to and from many different controls at about 3million times a second, so if the data line is disturbed, you're engine wont work as you want it to

[andyborris]

As soon as I read "fly by wire", I ran screaming from the computer
!

Having had a look at the differences between a M50 & M52, I think it won't be much of a gain for the expense, esp. as the M50 I've got seems to be very strong. Save that till I need a new engine!

Thanks

[Jhonno]

M54 + OMEX/Emerald management..

[m-dtech]

M54 + OMEX/Emerald management..

thats ok, but does the m54 not have VANOS ??

[Jhonno]

yup and both can cope with it now apparently

[appletree]

I spoke to dave walker end of last month and he said currently they could not offer anything for VANOS sytems but there was something in development

[stuartgallafant]

yup and both can cope with it now apparently

i would LOVE to see an aftermarket engine management system that can control VANOS. No-one on here could create a map to set-up single VANOS let-alone dual-VANOS...

no offence, but there is about 3 people on the entire zone that understand properly how VANOS works... its not a walk in the park

the M54 alone is a VERY advanced and clever engine, and personally, i think stepping away from the DME is a bad idea

[Jhonno]

There is already one out there, but it was mega £Â£Ã‚£Ã‚£

OMEX now say they can, and Emerald are developing something.. If BMW can do it, why not an ECU specialist?

[ian332isport]

I discussed this with the Omex guys at the Autosport show. Their 700 series ECU has the capability of running dual Vanos. He did however say that they have not actually tried it on a BMW yet.

Ian.

[DanThe]

You guys should give Jayson a ring at chipped uk, he fitted an E46 M3 lump to his cabriolet,,,,,,,,,,,,


So he says

[stuartgallafant]

He did however say that they have not actually tried it on a BMW yet.

sounds promising...

OMEX now say they can, and Emerald are developing something...

have you seen these systems working?

If BMW can do it, why not an ECU specialist?

because a group of BMW ultra-brains designed and built the engine, designed and built the VANOS system and then told a group of BOSCH ultra-brains how it worked and what they wanted it to do

im not saying it cant be done. anything is impossible. but if you dont understand how VANOS works, how on earth are you gonna write a timing map for it?

is there anyone reading this thread, that honestly knows, properly, how VANOS works?

even Ant says that getting some of his MS maps took him 60+hours of data-logging and editing...

[Morat]

Go on then stu, spill the beans on VANOS

[stuartgallafant]

Go on then stu, spill the beans on VANOS

how much time do you think i have?

last week, it took 13 of us approx. 2-3 days to learn about VANOS and even now, we still have questions!! that is how in depth it is!!

valvetronic... coupled with VANOS...

i know how it works, and could explain it, but i'd need a few hours, and some props!!