S52B32 begining of a turbo build

[13lives]

As the title states, I am in the begining prep stages of a build at this point. I have begun accumulating and sorcing parts. So far here's the plan:

-S52B32 engine
-ZF 5 speed with 2.93lsd
-PTE 6262 JB with billet wheel
-Custom Top mount manifold 5/8" flanges with schedule 10 stainless steel runners/down pipe also being fabbed at same time (being built by Straightline Performance)
-ID1000 injectors
-Walbro 450 pump
-RallyRoad pump hanger
-RallyRoad fuel rail -8an feed/-6return
-Tial Q 50mm BOV
-Precision WG
-CES cutring head gasket
-ARP2000 head studs
-AEM wideband
-Prosport Boost PSI, Oil PSI and Oil Temp guages
-Fuel Pressure reg and boost controller have yet to be decided on yet.

Some of the things that I have been reading that I wasn't aware were problems with our motors. One being the ring landings not being reliable under boost and then more recently about the engine harmonics of the rotating assembly. I read all 53pages of E36haters (Frank) build and I don't want to take that same route. Not that he was wrong but I am not going into this on a money crunching bugdet but I don't want to refinance my house to build my car. I want to do it right and reliably get to around 450-500rwhp.

I am open to any and all advice as long as it is productive. I will update as I move along and plan on building this over a short period of time. I am a 15yr technician, I am mechanically sound but I have never boosted an engine like this. I have boosted my brother's IS300 with him. He was putting down 452rwhp @14psi with similar setup but smaller injectors and fuel pump, he is running ProEFI which we installed. I know my stuff but I don't know everything and will accept productive advice from the veterans who have been down this road. Thanks in advance for any help. Looking forward to putting another Boosted E36 on the road.

[Apex24]

Sounds awesome man! Top mount

[MyzM3]

It's seems we're both at the same stages of our build ie planning.
With that said, are u not concerned with reliability by using oem rods?
Iv researched that second to the head gasket failing on a stock motor, is the rods....& anything above 450 is risky.
Im not saying it will blow up on day 1....but if you search online you find a lot of posts around not exceeding 450 on stock internals & thicker head gasket.

On that note, what thickness head gasket are you going with & what is your target Comp Ratio?

[13lives]

Looking to be around 8.5:1 right now and still debating e85. I have not ruled anything out as a concern. The rods were less of a concern of mine at the moment because while I have seen some issues with the rods and head gaskets it all seems to be more about prep than anything. I was more concerns with ring lands and the engine harmonic issues and such

Head gasket thickness I'm probably going to go .140

[13lives]

After some research possibly thinking about adding JE pistons and eagle h-beam rods for a 9.0:1 compression ratio... I have decided yet if it is really necessary though. An in depth engine build could put this process at an extremely slower pace

[MyzM3]

Again, that's where I am as well.
I've made peace with the fact that the build will take time but I believe in doing things just once.
Im toying with the idea of TRM Pistons since they make an 85mm piston with 8.5CR.
Even though I currently have a S52 with low mileage in my car, I'm using an M52 as a base, to ensure a bit more reliability out of my block once it's boosted.
For rods, I've been researching Molnar rods.
The pricing is quite impressive.
This brings me to the reason for asking you about gasket thickness.
Im wondering if I can achieve the 9.0 or even 9.5CR by toying with gasket thickness.
If I cant, I may consider custom Pistons @85mm/9.5CR

[pbonsalb]

No one can give you any guarantees on how long your 15 year old stock pistons and rods will last when handling 2-2.5 times stock power. A lot depends on the tune and that you really do keep the power at 450-500 rwhp. If you can spend the $1200 on aftermarket rods and pistons, your chances improve, but as you noted, the cost and complexity of the build increases.

[13lives]

If I did the rods and pistons I wouldn't play with head gasket thickness. In all honesty I would love to do a high comp turbo setup on e85 but then I essentially turn it into a ticking time bomb. I though about swapping blocks because I still have my M50 that came out of the car

[hsvturbo]

What would make you say a high compression e85 boosted motor would be a ticking time bomb?

[PowerKraut]

I would srsly go with a stock internal m50 if your heading for 450-500rwhp and got an M50 lying around anyways.
Many parts seem to be overkill for that power goals if you ask me.

-PTE 6262 JB with billet wheel
-ID1000 injectors
-RallyRoad fuel rail -8an feed/-6return
-Fuel Pressure reg

I'd just go that way and call it a day:

-Stock Internal M50 with MLS to lower CR for gas, or O-rings and stock HG on E85 - held down by ARPs
-S256SX
-Siemens Deka 630 if running gas, 850s for Ethanol
-Stock fuel rail
-Stock FPR



Its like pbonsalb already said: pushing twice or triple the power out of an engine is like russian roulette. No need to risk the S52 for 450whp

[13lives]

What would make you say a high compression e85 boosted motor would be a ticking time bomb?

Just based on the reading I have dont and people calling the S52 essentially a weak platform for boost

I would srsly go with a stock internal m50 if your heading for 450-500rwhp and got an M50 lying around anyways.
Many parts seem to be overkill for that power goals if you ask me.


I'd just go that way and call it a day:

-Stock Internal M50 with MLS to lower CR for gas, or O-rings and stock HG on E85 - held down by ARPs
-S256SX
-Siemens Deka 630 if running gas, 850s for Ethanol
-Stock fuel rail
-Stock FPR



Its like pbonsalb already said: pushing twice or triple the power out of an engine is like russian roulette. No need to risk the S52 for 450whp

I do have the M50 just laying around. The parts on my list were simply because when we were building my brothers car, we thought 500 was gonna be enough, he started with walbro 255, rc550s, stock fuel system and by the end, he was maxed out on power due to lack of fuel. Add to that now his car is built to handle and provide 800+rwhp and he doesn't have to buy any parts, just re-tune. My philosophy has always been, better to have it and not need it than need it and not haveit

[PowerKraut]

If your in need of 300 hp headroom, then just get the parts you mentioned in the first post and take the S52 cause of better airflow and more displacement.

[daandaman]

Came here very enthousiastic but much dissapoint; misread S50B32

[13lives]

Came here very enthousiastic but much dissapoint; misread S50B32

Sorry for the disappointment I guess the ultimate question here is, can 500rwhp be achieved on an s52 safely with a good tune? If yes, can it be done on low mileage stock internals. I am very capable of building the motor if necessary but didn't really want to if I didn't have to.

[Butters Stoch]

Sorry for the disappointment I guess the ultimate question here is, can 500rwhp be achieved on an s52 safely with a good tune? If yes, can it be done on low mileage stock internals. I am very capable of building the motor if necessary but didn't really want to if I didn't have to.

500 can be achieved with a 2.5 and stock internals.

[13lives]

500 can be achieved with a 2.5 and stock internals.

So does that mean that it is possible on a 3.2 and stock internals? Oooorr...is that still the suggestion that I should consider using the M50 that I have sitting around? keep in mind I have no idea of the condition of the internals of the M50, car ran for about 5 miles before it died and I had to have it towed the rest of the way to be prepped for the s52/ZF 5 speed swap from M50/getrag auto.

[Butters Stoch]

So does that mean that it is possible on a 3.2 and stock internals? Oooorr...is that still the suggestion that I should consider using the M50 that I have sitting around? keep in mind I have no idea of the condition of the internals of the M50, car ran for about 5 miles before it died and I had to have it towed the rest of the way to be prepped for the s52/ZF 5 speed swap from M50/getrag auto.

If a 2.5 can make 500 on factory internals. Than a 3.2 would be able to as well. Much easier too.

[pbonsalb]

Personally, I like displacement. If I had a good condition stock S52, I would run it with a CES copper spacer and cutring headgasket and ARP studs to a max of 500 rwhp and 450 lbs rwtq with a good tune and expect it to last a while.

[PowerKraut]

If a 2.5 can make 500 on factory internals. Than a 3.2 would be able to as well. Much easier too.

Not sure how US internals look, but Euro internals of S-engines are weaker (lighter and thiner, due to higher reving engines) than the M50s

[13lives]

Okay so with that settled, I am going to compression test here in the next week or so and then proceed with any necessary repairs, send the head out and have it cleaned and refreshed and contiue with the build as planned out above.

Any suggestions for boost controller and FPR?

[daandaman]

Idc what you do; just picture document it

[Butters Stoch]

Any suggestions for boost controller and FPR?

Turbosmart eboost 2 controller
Aeromotive 13109 FPR

[pbonsalb]

Okay so with that settled, I am going to compression test here in the next week or so and then proceed with any necessary repairs, send the head out and have it cleaned and refreshed and contiue with the build as planned out above.

Any suggestions for boost controller and FPR?

I never had any trouble with the stock regulator, a Walbro 255LPH HP pump, a Kenne Bell Boost a Pump, and a good tune, making 550 rwhp. I recently changed to an Aeromotive 13109 only because I plan to go for 650 rwhp soon.

I like the eboost2 and have been using one for 4 years. There is another boost controller that is also popular here, I think the AMS 500, but I don't know anything about it.

[13lives]

Idc what you do; just picture document it

I will document everything for sure, I have a "photographed" book that I did on the initial ressurection of the car so far, so this build will definitely be documented

Turbosmart eboost 2 controller
Aeromotive 13109 FPR

IDK anything about the eboost but I will look into it and the aeromotive seems to be a popular option as well as the BMP but again I don't know about that either

I never had any trouble with the stock regulator, a Walbro 255LPH HP pump, a Kenne Bell Boost a Pump, and a good tune, making 550 rwhp. I recently changed to an Aeromotive 13109 only because I plan to go for 650 rwhp soon.

I like the eboost2 and have been using one for 4 years. There is another boost controller that is also popular here, I think the AMS 500, but I don't know anything about it.

good to know there are reliable parts out there

[E36 HateR]

ringlands have no issue when the tune is done

as ive said before only reason my car blew up the first time was because i was beating on it untuned