To Schrick or not to Schrick

[genesis]

Have a bad exhaust camshaft and followers that need to be replaced- is is worth the extra cost to upgrade to Schrick cams on a stock S54? Don't plan on doing anything other than maybe sec. 2 and 3 on the exhaust...is there anything to be gained power wise with just cams and tune? Also, would I be able to drive the car with Schricks and stock map until I can get it tuned?

[DoubleSidedTape]

I did Schrick 288/280 and new followers after having one of my intake followers get a flat spot. My engine is otherwise stock except for Megan headers, but I have supersprint headers and section 1/2 on the way. My car drives great as is but I’m sure it will be better the more other mods I do. I don’t have any dyno plots of this engine before I did the cams to compare with unfortunately. I would get a base map but otherwise you can definitely drive it without dyno tuning.

[Tbonem3]

I wouldn't bother despite the head work you need anyway. If you're not going to go with the 2.5" headers/midpipes (or at least catless headers) AND the CSL airbox, I wouldn't bother with cams. That's not to say there wouldn't be gains, but they'd be very costly, and nothing more than what you could get with $400 megan catless headers and a good tune, not to mention eventuri/airbox.

[maw1124]

I did Schrick 288/280 and new followers after having one of my intake followers get a flat spot. My engine is otherwise stock except for Megan headers, but I have supersprint headers and section 1/2 on the way. My car drives great as is but I’m sure it will be better the more other mods I do. I don’t have any dyno plots of this engine before I did the cams to compare with unfortunately. I would get a base map but otherwise you can definitely drive it without dyno tuning.

Your car "drives great" but can you feel, hear, appreciate any difference from the cams and if so, was it worth the cost of the cams?

So do people think you really need intake changes to benefit from the extra lift and duration of cams? Can you get to the same place (no lean condition) with cooler plugs or uprated injectors? Sure a tune fixes both, but I'm trying to decipher it in my mind.

While I'm in there I'd be hard pressed not to toss that part at it, even if it costs me some additional work to make sure it doesn't run lean (set aside intake mods for sound).

maw

[genesis]

I wouldn't bother despite the head work you need anyway. If you're not going to go with the 2.5" headers/midpipes (or at least catless headers) AND the CSL airbox, I wouldn't bother with cams. That's not to say there wouldn't be gains, but they'd be very costly, and nothing more than what you could get with $400 megan catless headers and a good tune, not to mention eventuri/airbox.

Normally wouldn't consider it, but given I have to spend around $2K in parts for OE cam and followers, just curious about whether it's worth the extra $1300 or so plus additional labor for the Schrick setup "while I'm in there"

[DoubleSidedTape]

Your car "drives great" but can you feel, hear, appreciate any difference from the cams and if so, was it worth the cost of the cams?

So do people think you really need intake changes to benefit from the extra lift and duration of cams? Can you get to the same place (no lean condition) with cooler plugs or uprated injectors? Sure a tune fixes both, but I'm trying to decipher it in my mind.

While I'm in there I'd be hard pressed not to toss that part at it, even if it costs me some additional work to make sure it doesn't run lean (set aside intake mods for sound).

maw

I don't have a great comparison for you. This m3 makes 30 hp more than my previous m3, but that's on different dynos (same type at least), in different cities, with different tuners. Peak torque is at a lower rpm in my new m3 with the cams, and peak power is at a higher rpm, but they are both close. I am making more hp on this m3 with cams even though the torque peak is a few lb ft lower as well.

I definitely agree that the more parts that improve airflow the better the cams will be, so I'm definitely curious to find out how much going to the stepped headers and 2.5" exhaust will improve my numbers. I was in a similar situation as the OP where I was going to have to spend a bunch of money in any case, and do the same amount of work to fix the one flat follower, that I figured "while I'm in there" to go all the way and get the cams that I'd want to install eventually. I know I'm one of the few people that has done the upgrade in this order, and eventually I will also have a Karb airbox.

[maw1124]

I don't have a great comparison for you. This m3 makes 30 hp more than my previous m3, but that's on different dynos (same type at least), in different cities, with different tuners. Peak torque is at a lower rpm in my new m3 with the cams, and peak power is at a higher rpm, but they are both close. I am making more hp on this m3 with cams even though the torque peak is a few lb ft lower as well.

I definitely agree that the more parts that improve airflow the better the cams will be, so I'm definitely curious to find out how much going to the stepped headers and 2.5" exhaust will improve my numbers. I was in a similar situation as the OP where I was going to have to spend a bunch of money in any case, and do the same amount of work to fix the one flat follower, that I figured "while I'm in there" to go all the way and get the cams that I'd want to install eventually. I know I'm one of the few people that has done the upgrade in this order, and eventually I will also have a Karb airbox.

Thanks. Peak torque lower in the band I would expect, but lower peak torque I would not. I suspect that's what fuel delivery and more air would fix, but that's why I asked. Thanks for answering. My gut suspicion is that newer cars with the higher memory DME would adjust to cams just fine -- CF airbag, K&N, open intake, whatever -- as long as the injectors could keep up. But so far I haven't had the opportunity / need / desire to spend the money to confirm that suspicion. But if I'm in there anyway...

maw

[EthanolTurbo]

Normally wouldn't consider it, but given I have to spend around $2K in parts for OE cam and followers, just curious about whether it's worth the extra $1300 or so plus additional labor for the Schrick setup "while I'm in there"

Yes, just do it. One of my followers/cams has a flat spot and is ticking, which is why I'm doing it. There's no point in buying OEM cams at this point.

You can get the followers OEM E90 320is DLC coated followers for $1400, and the Schricks cams for $1650. Might as well fix the issue and upgrade for a noticeable overall powerband boost. A motor like this loves cams.

[digger]

It’s Insanity to spend that amount of coin on stock parts.

[bigjae46]

I’d just get a used OE cam, polish it and move on.

But Schrick cams are cool!

[Slideways]

Having a follower go flat is the perfect excuse to install a set of Schrick cams and DLC followers, especially if you plan on keeping the car. The other, somewhat risky budget option (only for a DIYer to save on labor if the fix does not last) is to find a set of low mileage stock cams and replace only the followers that are both flat and are going flat. For a high mileage engine that could go another 50k miles before a full rebuild, option 2 could work.

Does anyone know if polishing and WPC treating (or any treatment for the matter) a set of used cams and followers would be beneficial on an engine rebuild?

[x Spades x]

Having a follower go flat is the perfect excuse to install a set of Schrick cams and DLC followers, especially if you plan on keeping the car. The other, somewhat risky budget option (only for a DIYer to save on labor if the fix does not last) is to find a set of low mileage stock cams and replace only the followers that are both flat and are going flat. For a high mileage engine that could go another 50k miles before a full rebuild, option 2 could work.

Does anyone know if polishing and WPC treating (or any treatment for the matter) a set of used cams and followers would be beneficial on an engine rebuild?

I wouldn't risk it. I would just suck it up and get new followers. Its such a moving part with rpms, that if something is a little off, it can get ugly quick.

[George Hill]

Are you doing the work or paying for the labor?

If you are doing the work then I would go for used stock parts as bigjae46 stated above.

If you are paying for the labor then I'd go the schrick route with plans to add supporting mods down the road.

[genesis]

I would be paying someone to do the work, which leads me to my next question-what should I expect to pay in labor to install the nee cams and followers?

[George Hill]

Warranty book time to replace the rocker arms is 17hrs, most shops will use a 1.5-2x multiplier of that number. BMW also calls for pulling the head to do that job, but it can be done in the car IIRC.