Should I build a 2.8 NV or a 2.8 Vanos engine for my 525

[HE53]

I picked up a clean 60k mile M52 bottom end.

Do I reuse all my old parts off my NV motor, rebuild the head, and possibly use two intake cams, or swap cams around such as a shrick, or M3 exhaust etc....


or...


Do I buy a vanos head, rebuild it, buy a vanos harness, and DME, and a set of M3 cams?



Honest opinions... Keep into consideration how much of a cost difference the two are and if they are worth it...


After having the 540i6, the 2.5 NV with about 200k on it isn't cutting it as a DD... After talking with Brandon about his build a year or two ago when he did his (vanos) and seeing the fuel mileage and power he was making its making me think the extra change for all vanos stuff could be worth it... but wanting to see how you guys felt.

Any input is greatly appreciated....

[NikosX]

Id go with vanos. More power and better fuel economy. Either motor is going to feel anemic compared to the 540i though.

[ShapeShifter]

Vanos all the way.
I have an M52 sitting here with thoughts of swaping it into my wagon.
Thing is mine is slow, and will be slow even with an M52.
I'd hate to take out a perfectly good engine.

[HE53]

A well sorted M52 with cams will run all day with an S50/52... Which should make the 525 wake up quite a bit.

A local guy in KC showed up a ton of M3's with his M52 at a dyno day and his car/motor had more miles than most of them. He was putting down numbers a couple horse down from the s motors and even made more power and torque than a couple of them.

Im not looking for a speed racer, but with run of the mill econo boxes making 200++ horse you need a little power to fight through traffic where I frequent.

Im guessing it will cost me about 500-700 bucks to step up to vanos.. so it has to be worth it.

[LouieD]

I have the non-vanos M52 with the two intake cams (intake advanced 4°), 310z 5 speed and 3.23LSD. Still running stock DME though... It's a definite improvement over the m50 a/t in the heavy Touring but if you have the means to go vanos I'd do it. I'm thinking of adding the vanos for experience/comparisons sake and s50 cams with a chip to see how it runs, but will eventually go v8.
my .02

[clevertd]

vanos was created for a reason:dunno tuning is much more readily available for that DME and knowledge about it is everywhere.

[T444E]

Just go to a junkyard and raid a 93+ 525 for everything.