N/A power

[m3f_Virtuoso]

I was just curious what the most power people have been able to extract from the engine without forced induction

[m3f_jayjaya29]

I put down 250whp with a full bolt on (minus cams) high mileage S50.

[m3f_pbonsalb]

With mild cams like Schrick 264/256, expect maybe 260-265. With more radical cams, 275-280. High compression, built engine, ati damper, dyno tuned, even more. Read the dyno sticky thread in bimmerforums e36 or e36m3 section for results. Pm or email or call markert motorsports, aa, epic, trm, technica, vac to see what builds they have been involved in.


Big NA power is not cheap and trades low end for top end. Many street cars that started out this way went supercharger or turbo. I personally like turbo for the S52.


A domestic V8 swap or another bmw swap is worth considering.


Your budget will determine your options. Do you have $2k or $4k or $8k or $12k? What is the use of the car?


I have had all the NA mods like various full exhausts and schrick cams, 3 centrifugal superchargers, 3 turbos, and am currently having a fully worked head built to put on my fully built bottom end S52. Head alone is $3500 with valves, springs, valve job and porting. Still street car turbo so I am using Schrick 264/256 that cost only $1100 vs $1500 for more radical cams. I am expecting a great top end -- like near 700 rwhp and a great bottom end -- like 500 lbs rwtq at 3500 rpm.

[m3f_Virtuoso]

Budgets sits at around 75k at the moment

[m3f_M_Parallel]

Budgets sits at around 75k at the moment

Lol, buy another car then.

[m3f_cowboyM3]

I put down 250whp on a S50 with dinan true CAI, 3.5 HFM maf, dinan tune, schrick 264's, 3 angle valve job after dropped valve


if you have 75k and want n/a power go c6 z06 and build the ls7

[m3f_pbonsalb]

Budgets sits at around 75k at the moment

You have enough money to have lots of options. I would decide on your usage of the car and power goals. Then, since you dont seem to know much about these cars or these motors, find a shop that does and that is interested in your project and that you feel comfortable working with. I named a few I would consider if I used shops. Good luck and keep us posted. We do not get to see many "money is not a limiting factor" builds in the various E36 forums.

[m3f_Virtuoso]

I'm going to stick with the e36 cause I love it. Ill never buy a c7 cause i think its ugly, its sounds ugly, chevy is a manufacturer that disgusts me, and I despise ls engines. I know they're great, but I hate the way they look and that there's a billion is swaps. And again the sound. I just despise it. Hate v8s, is there anyone on here that's made a ludicrous na e36 I could talk to?

[m3f_cblock]

Lol, buy another car then.

haha

[m3f_SG_M3]

If you want NA power, do an S54 swap. Don't even bother trying to extract power from the s52. You can make 330-340 rwhp, easily, out of an S54.


I made 270 rwhp in an S52, making 300 rwhp is possible and still have a streetable engine.

[m3f_MaynardZed]

If you want NA power, do an S54 swap. Don't even bother trying to extract power from the s52. You can make 330-340 rwhp, easily, out of an S54.



I made 270 rwhp in an S52, making 300 rwhp is possible and still have a streetable engine.

X 2! The S54 is a great NA motor for this platform and more similar to the Euro motor the US cars missed out on than the US S52.



I've known a few people that have built an S52 for racing and they still don't put down as much hp as a stock S54 with bolt ons and tune and they spent way more than doing a swap would of cost.



I also know a racer that built a NA S54 for his E36 race car and spent over $40K on just the engine. Probably the most amazing sounding BMW I've every heard and put down about 450 hp at the tire.

[m3f_TheJDub-E36]

I'm full bolt ons with cams and my last dyno was 258...


I've done some tweaking with the tune since then and it feels quite a bit stronger in the top end but you really sacrifice the mid range torque.


I absolutely love my car from 4600k up and it screams!! but it's not that fun going to the grocery store.

[m3f_pbonsalb]

I'm going to stick with the e36 cause I love it. Ill never buy a c7 cause i think its ugly, its sounds ugly, chevy is a manufacturer that disgusts me, and I despise ls engines. I know they're great, but I hate the way they look and that there's a billion is swaps. And again the sound. I just despise it. Hate v8s, is there anyone on here that's made a ludicrous na e36 I could talk to?

I have been on the various forums over 10 years and cant recall much in terms of crazy swaps. There is an engine swap forum at bimmerforums you could search through. It is mostly domestic V8. In Bimmer magazine, Roundel, and European Car there have been a few over the years but I dont recall the details.



Since you have a huge budget, the S85 would be great. I would not mind having one of those in my E90M3. The S65 is a great engine and a little smaller. You could build one into a 4.2 or 4.4 or even 4.6 stroker.



The domestic V8 and S54 are the most popular swaps. The S54 is a great engine and would be my first choice if I was interested an NA swapped E36. But easy and relatively affordable are considerations for me. My goal is to have a great car to drive, not to have something rare or unique.

[m3f_BlackHawkRacing]

I have been on the various forums over 10 years and cant recall much in terms of crazy swaps. There is an engine swap forum at bimmerforums you could search through. It is mostly domestic V8. In Bimmer magazine, Roundel, and European Car there have been a few over the years but I dont recall the details.



Since you have a huge budget, the S85 would be great. I would not mind having one of those in my E90M3. The S65 is a great engine and a little smaller. You could build one into a 4.2 or 4.4 or even 4.6 stroker.



The domestic V8 and S54 are the most popular swaps. The S54 is a great engine and would be my first choice if I was interested an NA swapped E36. But easy and relatively affordable are considerations for me. My goal is to have a great car to drive, not to have something rare or unique.

came to post this. Seconded! s65 is my dream swap

[m3f_Bimmerman325i]

An S54 swap is mechanically simple-- change fuel pump and that's about it. Electrically its a bit involved, but you can buy an adapter harness so that it's plug and play. No custom mechanical fabrication is needed. Pretty well known swap, pretty well supported, and the motor responds well to mods. Ebay headers, intake, pullies, and tune can net 300 whp+ for not all that much money on top of the motor swap.



Building an S50/52 makes sense if you have a street car or are worried about emissions, or have a specific race class to fit in. If none of those things....S54 all the way.



For an S54 swap and mods for 330-340whp, budget $12k and don't be surprised if $15k+ evaporates depending on what all is needed, how many new parts you buy, and what brand part you buy. If you want 360+ whp, add another $3-4k. The S54 is king of NA power, but it is far from good $/hp. It's good $/hp for 300whp ($7-10k swap cost) in comparison to an S52. Poor $/hp for the crazy levels($LOL).



For modding an S50/2 to 250-260whp, budget $4-5k and you'll be pretty much set. Headers/exhaust is $2-2.5k, cams/intake/injectors/tune is $2500, done.



(I've done both)