Turboing will give you a complete experience, plus if you expect it to be comparable to today’s modern cars, you are in for disappointment, an aftermarket turbo kit will be a far cry from what an OEM do in terms of overall drivability, etc.
with either approach you are skewing your car a lot to one end of the performance echelon.
plus I don’t think you can make the S54 to be reliable at 9.5k rpm. And if possible, you are in for a hell of a lot of tuning and development, but if you have the resources, the idea is epic!
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S54 Build Decisions: Turbo vs. High-Revving NA – Seeking Experienced Opinions
Attn: Gearhead brothers,
I’ve got an extra S54 engine on hand, and I’m at a bit of a crossroads in terms of what to do with it. My end goal is to create something that’s fun for spirited street driving but also capable on track, with a target of around 420ish wheel horsepower. Now, the question is: do I go turbo or stick with a naturally aspirated, high-revving build? I’m leaning towards the latter, but I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially from those who’ve done either or both builds. I pulled this engine out of a running car, with unknown milage. Although running when pulled, given the nature, I plan to do a full break down, rebuild regardless of the route I take.
Turbocharging the S54
The turbo route seems like an easy way to hit my power target with a broader torque band, but I’m wondering how much that could affect the driving experience. I know turbocharging offers plenty of low-end punch and certainly increases power, but does it alter the natural feel of the car, especially on track? I’m all for a bit of grunt, but I also want to make sure I’m not losing the sharp, connected feeling that makes the E46 M3 so much fun to drive. I’ve had my fair share of turbocharged builds, and I do enjoy the added power, but I’m curious about how it affects the balance and trackability of a car that’s pretty much been known for its naturally aspirated, high-revving nature.
High-Revving Naturally Aspirated Build (9,500 RPM+/-)
On the flip side, I’ve been thinking about sticking with a naturally aspirated setup and pushing the rev limit to something around 9,500 RPM. There’s just something inherently satisfying about a high-revving s54 engine—especially the way it behaves at the top of the rev range, she just keeps pulling. But I’m not blind to the fact that this kind of build might sacrifice some low-end torque, which is a bit of a trade-off. For those who’ve gone down the high-revving NA route with an S54, how does the engine behave once you push the redline higher? Does it stay usable and fun on the street, or does it lean more towards a track-only setup? I’ve seen some solid NA builds, but I’d love to get real-world input on how these setups hold up on both street and track.
My current set up in the car now is putting down 310whp, with a Carbon box, euro headers, and a tune. Besides letting my girl rip and pull strong to 8,250 RPM, the way that engine screams with a box at WOT just hits different - a hard set up and experience to beat and that's what has me leaning towards the high-rev NA route.
Both builds have their merits, but I’m really trying to figure out which one will balance the high-revving NA experience I’m after, while still being fun, reliable, and track-ready. If you’ve had experience with either of these builds—or better yet, both—I’d love to hear your thoughts on how each affects overall drivability, especially when trying to keep the car well-rounded for different driving situations.
Looking forward to hearing your experiences and any advice you’ve got!
Best,
-Jeremy.
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