S54GASM: My e36 Build

[Bimmerteck]

Are you going to run it on E46 wiring loom and ecu, with the emissions pump and everything from the E46? 'Cos if you don't use the emissions pump, original wiring loom and ECU the vanos and other cam timing will not be as effective, so you will in fact end up with a less powerful and less revvy S54. There's a guy near me running an S54 without these, and he in his own opinion F'ed up. He also had to resort to removing the vanos which really killed the S54s buzz. Not trying to be negative or imply you guys don't already know this. But using S50 parts and dropping some functions will make it less than it could've been.

The car will not be in limp mode. (Like the guy near you is) We will be running the stock DME and the busses it requires are all there already, (I wired in the LKM, EWS III, and GM, as well as a few other goodies already ) Sounds like the guy near you should have hired a pro. The DME will be stock, but the coding of it will be altered to allow the engine to run without OBD II, and without traction control. Neither of which were ever offered in the US (but they were offered in other places )


Erik

[Schieldrop]

Good to know it's being done by someone with the right knowledge
Yeah, he really should, he has sent his car to munich motors in the UK now to get it done properly. His car is an E30 though. Thought the OBD II was standard everywhere for diagnosis purposes and what not. But then again BMW do sometimes mess up on the US models. Isn't it so that the E46 M3 in the US came with non drilled and slightly worse brakes than the euro version? And the fact that you didn't get the CSL is such a shame. One of the best drives of my life when I managed to borrow a CSL a couple of years ago.

[ECKS///M3]

Have you seen the Munich Motors build e30 M3 in PBMW? Thats done right.

On topic, how much power is the standard US e46 M3 engine putting out from the factory? I've never been beaten by an e46 M3 over here. It is a really responsive engine compared to mine though, just the extra e46 weight holds them back. Which means this e36 build will have the best of both worlds.

[Schieldrop]

Don't really read PBMW. Don't like the articles and such. If I buy a BMW mag it's BMWCar.
Munich Motors are legendary, some of the best know how in the world.

[Bimmerteck]

Good to know it's being done by someone with the right knowledge
Yeah, he really should, he has sent his car to munich motors in the UK now to get it done properly. His car is an E30 though. Thought the OBD II was standard everywhere for diagnosis purposes and what not. But then again BMW do sometimes mess up on the US models. Isn't it so that the E46 M3 in the US came with non drilled and slightly worse brakes than the euro version? And the fact that you didn't get the CSL is such a shame. One of the best drives of my life when I managed to borrow a CSL a couple of years ago.

Well The bus is there for OBD II comunication and will still for for diagnosis and programming, but in the US it comes with a pile of Emissions BS that the rest ot the world doesn't get. (thanks California ) Yes, you're correct we almost always end up with watered down sports cars compared to everywhere else.

[Schieldrop]

Kinda ironic that the land of the muscle car ended up being emission hell.
The E46 M3 was a step closer to euro than the whole E36 deal at least.
I think I read somewhere that in the US the E60 M5 is available with a manual?
And that if you opted for the manual the TC was not possible to switch of?
If so, that defeats the whole purpose of a manual if you ask me.

[ECKS///M3]

Believe me i very rarely buy any motoring mags but this is worth a read. This e30 even has a functional sport button from the e46 with fly by wire throttle. Its a serious build. It has also retained the original e30 dials. Very subtle. The big deal though is it also has an LPG conversion, filler is hidden behind the rear numberplate.

[Schieldrop]

Perhaps I'll have to pick it up tomorrow.
But in general the pics in PBMW and some of the cars are really cool.
The writing staff though, they should be sacked.

[ECKS///M3]

Agreed mate, the majority of writers in the UK 'scene' mags are shit. The e30 is one of the best cover cars i have seen though. It has a claimed 800mile touring range. I'd love to take an S54 e30 M3 like that across europe.

[Turbo2]

no update?

[Schieldrop]

Only mag I read every month is EVO.

[WhiteStripes]

OMG, I can't wait to see this thing done. Mike, your cars make me so jealous. Still can't believe you sold your 6, but if it helps get this thing on the road then it was worth it.

[Jedidiah]

Mike- I double-dog-dare you to bring this thing down for Stance of the Union.. ya, I just went there..

Ben

[M.Burroughs]

Mike- I double-dog-dare you to bring this thing down for Stance of the Union.. ya, I just went there..

Ben

I would do anything to make that happen.
Won't though, Unless by some miracle of god that we get the car finished by then... It should be finished, but probably wont be tuned, or even if it is, the motor will tear the subframe out from under the car if I flog on it before the reinforcements.

[Stephen]

I think it should remain hoodless and bumper less.