Tested S52 vs M50 manifold and TMS stage 2 & 3 packages

[couchflyer]

I just ran across this article. I know this is for the E36 M3, however it should work for the S52 M Roadsters and Coupes. The only thing I see that would not work is the CAI box from AFE. I do have the M50 manifold waiting to be installed on my M Roadster this spring, Now I may have to do injectors and the throttle body. I will admit that the test car is pretty strong for a 200,000 mile car. I really like this article.

[Jamesons Viggen]

I was happy with my M50 swap when I was NA. The increase in top end made it feel like more of an M motor, shrinks a bit of the gap between the S52 and S54 in terms of power delivery.

[dcrothers]

Great article!!!
It's a good argument for those who really want to stay NA in their search for MORE POWER.
I have to say though, that with the low cost of used SuperCharger kits right now it's hard not to go that route instead.

I hate California CARB laws. I'm thinking i should get a pre 1976 2002ti car to avoid CARB requirements.

Admins... Could this article be " stickied " Lot's of folks ask the questions it answers.

[rf900rkw]

Finally a direct manifold to manifold dyno. And if my mental math isn't off too much, it would appear to be a 15% power loss through the midrange to eek out a 5% gain right at redline. Area under the curve suffers.

But the article falls short on it's stated goal. IF they were really out to test M50 vs M52, they should have bolted the stock manifold back on with the cam and tune and such. The way the test is done, all they have proven is the OTHER stuff gained more power than the M50 lost.

[Jamesons Viggen]

Finally a direct manifold to manifold dyno. And if my mental math isn't off too much, it would appear to be a 15% power loss through the midrange to eek out a 5% gain right at redline. Area under the curve suffers.

But the article falls short on it's stated goal. IF they were really out to test M50 vs M52, they should have bolted the stock manifold back on with the cam and tune and such. The way the test is done, all they have proven is the OTHER stuff gained more power than the M50 lost.

Also, it had always been stated that the M50 losses are accounted for when the tuning is done.

So I would have liked to see just the dyno of the before and after the M50 swap and again with just a tune.

[Z3speed4me]

I loved my M50, it did wake up a lot on the top end; saw 233whp 220wtq if I recall on a mustang with no tune.

Definitely a worth while change especially if you can swap it in yourself.

[PbFut]

Why different injectors? Did the smaller ones not meet the cycle demand. Seems questionable to me. For a relatively small increase in power, seems fishy that the current injector would not be able to manage the requested extra milliseconds on the cycle. More hype to sell additional parts that will not do anything except make the kit appear more extensive and marketable?

[rf900rkw]

Also, it had always been stated that the M50 losses are accounted for when the tuning is done.

So I would have liked to see just the dyno of the before and after the M50 swap and again with just a tune.

Yes, it's a common statement, but I can't follow the logic in it. There is nothing in the tune that is going to make up for the loss of VE and the increased exhaust contamination of the what charge does get trapped. Sure, you can jack up the ignition timing to cover for the lower effective charge pressure, but nothing in the tune is going to get the lost air into the cylinder.

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Why different injectors? Did the smaller ones not meet the cycle demand. Seems questionable to me. For a relatively small increase in power, seems fishy that the current injector would not be able to manage the requested extra milliseconds on the cycle. More hype to sell additional parts that will not do anything except make the kit appear more extensive and marketable?

Dude!!! MORE air means you gots to have MORE fuel!!!

[couchflyer]

Also, it had always been stated that the M50 losses are accounted for when the tuning is done.

So I would have liked to see just the dyno of the before and after the M50 swap and again with just a tune.

That would have been nice to see.

[BenFenner]

Why different injectors?

We are in the middle of that question and many more in the E36 M3 section's version of this thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...p-3)-on-E36-M3
(The thread was started by the author of the article.)

Admins... Could this article be " stickied " Lot's of folks ask the questions it answers.

It already made it to The Manifesto minutes after it was posted. The resulting thread created by the author in the E36 M3 section was also linked in The Manifesto soon after. I actually think we could do with LESS stickies around here, not more. =/