Well, I have talked about it, but it looks like it is finally going to happen!! I just purchased an S54 with a 6 Speed Manual transmission attached out of a 2004 model M3 with (supposedly) 1300 miles on it. You may have seen it on E-Bay - long story, but the high bidder flaked and I got it for a steal!

My mind is racing (punny) with the other small gotcha parts I need to find/buy to get this to work. New Exhaust, Supersprint or Euro header, New 5 inch clutch, AEM Engine Management, dyno time, dyno time, dyno time, etc.

Evosport, my sponsor is looking forward to dropping this motor into my widebody E36 and getting it running on AEM. I believe it will be the first (non-motec $$$$$$$) dual vanos, throttle by wire application running in Club Racing. And I also believe it will be the first S54 into an E36 Chassis swap.

I am looking forward to about 100hp more also!!

Just thought I would show my excitement here!! I'll keep you all posted.

I think there there has already been S54 in E36's, but not that I have heard about in club racing, should be interesting.

With the exhuast and engine manegement (and intake changes since you wont need the maf) 450hp should be a pretty reliable setup with a little race work on it.

Yeah, Vic Sias has an S54 in his E36 M3, but your car sounds like it'll be a hoot!

My buddy Vic Sias has already done it. His car rips.

YES, using TECIII with no dual vanos control. Still his car looks good.

I also mentioned - in "club racing" but I wasn't very specific in my post above. Should have made it more clear about club racing and the S54 into an E36 - oh well too excited.

Two words Jon... You suck.... j/k man. Good luck with the project and hope you get everything you need. I know Chuck Stickley also has gotten an S54 for his car and will be prepping it once he has some time. Should be interesting. Keep us posted as Im curious to see how everything works out..

Two words Jon... You suck.... j/k man. Good luck with the project and hope you get everything you need. I know Chuck Stickley also has gotten an S54 for his car and will be prepping it once he has some time. Should be interesting. Keep us posted as Im curious to see how everything works out..


Thanks!!! Looking forward to making an East Coast Swing when the motor is in and dialed! Try my hand out on the right coast!

I e-mailed Chuck and he mentioned that he had built about 8 or 10 S54s for various pro teams - from what I gather, he likes the motor.

I have heard that they generate a ton of heat. I am hoping to overcome that with massive oil cooling! But Chuck suggested Dry Sumping the motor. We'll see.

I'll keep you all informed!

Sincerley,

Yea, hes been doing a lot of Grand Am motors and they have been coming out great. All of them have been dry sumped and seem to be dead reliable. Only time will tell I suppose. I look foward to you coming to the East coast. Im gonna have to try and keep up with my stock euro 3.2 motor :(

Yea, hes been doing a lot of Grand Am motors and they have been coming out great. All of them have been dry sumped and seem to be dead reliable. Only time will tell I suppose. I look foward to you coming to the East coast. Im gonna have to try and keep up with my stock euro 3.2 motor :(

The amazing thing is the power with the Grand Am Spec motors. Since they can only use stock bottom end parts, everybody does a +1 overbore, .5 increase in compression, and coatings on their pistons with new rod bearings. All on stock, factory components. No trick rods/liteweight pistons. And the head on an S54 already flows great. New cams, and a decent header and you are golden for over 400hp at the crank. Some claim 440hp at the crank.

So here I sit, believing 400hp reliable HP is achievable on a motor that should last well over a season in club racing. We plan to tear the motor down at the 6 month mark to test our theory, but I bet we will find we are correct.

Yea, Chuck has been raving about the power their making. I wonder if the euro 3.2 can reach the 390hp mark reliably with some cams, headwork, KK exhaust and an AEM standalone system...:) Do you know of the AEM unit will work with the Euro 3.2 Jon? Its looking like a very nice option instead of the pricey Motec route.. Let me know. Thanks
Jared

Yea, Chuck has been raving about the power their making. I wonder if the euro 3.2 can reach the 390hp mark reliably with some cams, headwork, KK exhaust and an AEM standalone system...:) Do you know of the AEM unit will work with the Euro 3.2 Jon? Its looking like a very nice option instead of the pricey Motec route.. Let me know. Thanks
Jared


I am sure the AEM can do anything MOTEC can do. For about 50% to 75% the price. Will just take some time.

Sounds good. I'll have to call Brad shortly and discuss if the AEM unit is compatible with the euro 3.2 If your gonna use the Euro headers for the S54, I'd call Pacific BMW as they have the best prices around and there right on the west coast :)

The Euro Headers are ALMOST as good as the Super Sprints. Do you know how much the Euro's cost? I know the SS price and it hurts a bit.

I would have liked to see the AEM traction/launch control tie into speed sensors, it just does it by rpm/time comparisons and rate of acceleration from what I have read briefly, it does not react to actual conditions, just rates of rpm increases...it could still be interesting to have testing for though.

This might be the start of MANY S54 CM powered cars ;)

As for headers...if you are putting this much into it, get a set of headers made. Call burns for a collector, and you are set. Find out what powerband you are tuning for )I assume 4500-8500 on the s54 race motor, find out where the intake resonance point is (with the carbon motorsport box) and determine if you want stronger broad power or peak power to determine your type of header (legnth, 6-4-1, 6-2-1, etc).

As for headers...if you are putting this much into it, get a set of headers made.

Yes, but if I make that assumption with every decision, then I will have the worlds first $1m club race car. Got to stop the madness somewhere, and the SuperSprints flow pretty damn well!!

I wonder if the euro 3.2 can reach the 390hp mark reliably with some cams, headwork, KK exhaust and an AEM standalone system...:)

How about 400hp with cams, light headwork, custom headers, and a TecIII... ;)

Noted, without VANOS, the low end torque sucks. But who needs low end torque on a race motor that only sees 5000 rpm in the pits? VANOS is just another thing to go break and another couple days on the dyno trying to figure out.

How about 400hp with cams, light headwork, custom headers, and a TecIII... ;)

Noted, without VANOS, the low end torque sucks. But who needs low end torque on a race motor that only sees 5000 rpm in the pits? VANOS is just another thing to go break and another couple days on the dyno trying to figure out.

Yeah, but AEM has proven they can already control single VANOS. I don't think double is too far away. And when your sponsor has a DYNO in the shop, what's a few more pulls to figure it out!

Besides, I have driven my current motor with and without vanos and I can tell you, I CAN tell a difference in MID RANGE torque without vanos working.

Peak HP is the same, but the area under the curve is less!

Should be fun!

A custom set of headers won't be for flow it will be for placement of power.

And as for the vanos...I would also say its a benefit for mid range power, how many times do get bogged down a couple too low mid corner and you wish you had a little more umph...it would probably come in handy.

Jon-

I see you've come out of hibernation ;) I wish I had your headaches.

The new deal sounds great. Looking forward to the results.

Jay

Yeah, but AEM has proven they can already control single VANOS. I don't think double is too far away. And when your sponsor has a DYNO in the shop, what's a few more pulls to figure it out!

Besides, I have driven my current motor with and without vanos and I can tell you, I CAN tell a difference in MID RANGE torque without vanos working.

Peak HP is the same, but the area under the curve is less!

Should be fun!


Single vanos, as in the US motors, is on-off. Simple to control. You could
order an rpm switch from Summit for $40 that can control it.

IIRC, Vic Sias was controling the intake cam on his S54 with the TEC3, but not
the exhaust cam. I think he had also mentioned solving the double vanos
control, but has since gone another direction. Hopefully he chimes in so I
don't give away all his secrets.....


.............

I would suggest looking at Euro 3.2L GrpA headers as a "clue" as to what your race headers should be like. I have a feeling that the SS headers might be too small for what you are trying to do. i.e. 400+hp.

I know the S54 is capable of 425hp, as that's what PTG claims for their setup, but if you look at their engine you'll notice they are using a larger air plenum than stock.

Well, if there are any M-Coupes or M-Roadsters from model year 2001 or 2002, in club racing, they would technically be E36s with S54s. You might want to see if you can use the throttle assembly from one of these cars to faciiliate you installation.

I would suggest looking at Euro 3.2L GrpA headers as a "clue" as to what your race headers should be like.

Will do!

Well, if there are any M-Coupes or M-Roadsters from model year 2001 or 2002, in club racing, they would technically be E36s with S54s. You might want to see if you can use the throttle assembly from one of these cars to faciiliate you installation.

True! I had forgotten about those. They didn't use throtle by wire, did they? Might be a good interim setup. There are some advantages to having throttle by wire, but I know it's also an obstacle.

Thanks for the reminders!!

Sincerley,

How about 400hp with cams, light headwork, custom headers, and a TecIII... ;)

Noted, without VANOS, the low end torque sucks. But who needs low end torque on a race motor that only sees 5000 rpm in the pits? VANOS is just another thing to go break and another couple days on the dyno trying to figure out.

Your motor has a stock bottom end or is the compression bumped up a little bit? If not, did you balance the bottom end and used forged rods (Pauter, Oliver) and ltw pistons like JE or Wiseco. Let me know Bryan. Im interested in hearing. Thanks

I would suggest looking at Euro 3.2L GrpA headers as a "clue" as to what your race headers should be like. I have a feeling that the SS headers might be too small for what you are trying to do. i.e. 400+hp.

I know the S54 is capable of 425hp, as that's what PTG claims for their setup, but if you look at their engine you'll notice they are using a larger air plenum than stock.



I bet they can make WAY more power than that :evil2

wow Jon :eek: ...seems like it's gonna be a heck of a project man...that car is gonna be insane :buttrock ...best of luck with it bud :) !!!

True! I had forgotten about those. They didn't use throtle by wire, did they? Might be a good interim setup. There are some advantages to having throttle by wire, but I know it's also an obstacle.



They do have throttle by wire - and I have the throttle lag to prove it :(

Conversion to cable is simple. Don't waste the effort on DBW..


<<<<<

DBW "lags" can be fixed with software.

I tend to believe a cable would also be simpler, but there are some things throttle by wire might be good for - think traction control in low traction environments.

Only time will tell if I have bitten off more than I can chew!

You did read what the AEm traction control is right...it does not read wheel speed/rates, its strictly an engine traction control unit.

You did read what the AEm traction control is right...it does not read wheel speed/rates, its strictly an engine traction control unit.

Yes I know what the current marketing literature for the AEM traction control says. I also know a little bit more.

I have not read the wiring diagram as far as what the inputs are capable of. I guess potentially you could do a two speed input to control rear wheel traction control with a module within the software with slippage control like tracklogic has.

Vic Sias's S54 E36 ....

Please keep us posted. I am very interested in seeing it working. I hope you don't find too my problems with the convers. I think it is sick! I would do the same if I had the money... Congrats!

Yes I know what the current marketing literature for the AEM traction control says. I also know a little bit more.