M3 3.0 cams in M50 - HELP !!!

[Alameer]

Good day fellow Bimmerians :)

I've read in a few places that you can install 3.0L M3 cams in a M50B25 engine in order to gain a few more HP.

Question is: do the cams really fit? do i need other parts other than the cams to fit them in the B25 engine? what are the expected gains i'm looking at? my car has a high compression engine, a superchips performance chip, alpina headers. head has been ported and polished.

any help with this is very much appreciated and needed as I would like to gather as much information as possible before I buy them.

one last thing... how can I really know that they are M3 cams ?

[restricted]

Yes the cams will drop in nothing else needed other than cam locking block teinsioner load tool tdc rod and vanos/camgear turning tool as for power the gains will be greatest if you get a new chip that is for the
S50 cams i would also recomend vanos reseal at same time and a set of pink top injectors from 96+ m52 or s52

[Alameer]

Thanks for the reply and sorry for the late thanks.

I've heard that what I should be looking for is the US 3.0L M3 and not the UK one... is that true? why is that and how can I tell one from another, and how can I tell that a specific camshaft is for M3 and not another engine?

[flyfishvt]

There was a thread here a couple weeks ago that had links to a website that showed exactly what the difference is between the M50/M52 cams and the M3 cams.

The biggest difference was the M3 cam lobes come to a sharper point than the others. This is what allows the valves to stay open longer. The other big difference was the way the holes in the cam blocks were drilled. The holes in the cam blocks on the end of an M50/52 cam are both drilled off to one side. The hole in an M3 cam block are more centered/symetrical.

Just make sure you have a Vanos engine if you are putting vanos cams in.

[Alameer]

interesting... I should be looking for that thread then.
more info is very much appreciated :)

[Alameer]

bump

[apple master]

4-500 dollar for 20 hp...

[Alameer]

details? :D

[flyfishvt]

What he is saying is that by the time you buy the cams and the chip you need to make them work properly you will have spent a lot of money to get about 20hp more than you have now. He is making it sound like a lot of money for a tiny gain in power.

Personally I think you can do it for a lot less than $400-500 but 20hp more is at least a 10% increase. That's a pretty big jump for doing just a single mod. Nothing else short of a turbo or super charger will give you anything close to that. And 20hp is something you will really be able to feel when you put your pedal to the floor.

[Alameer]

oh I see. well I hope to come across some M3 cams, they're not available anymore :(

[apple master]

I just dont think its worth it to make a slow car faster. It's still gonna be slow.

[Alameer]

Can't afford a fast car, so the only option I got is to make my "slow car" less slow :)

[philip77o]

I just dont think its worth it to make a slow car faster. It's still gonna be slow.

What a shitty opinion...

[jeffepoch]

What a shitty opinion...

+1

almost every single car out there started as a "slow car"
you start doing what you can to gain more power to get it to the point youre happy driving it, and feel you get the most out of it for what you do. it is a matter of personal opinion and it is also just a matter of pride, i know i'm pleased as hell with myself after every time i add something new to my car, weather it's a performance mod or a set of fog lights. I dont live in a foggy area, but i spent hard earned money on fog lights.

[LockDots]

I just dont think its worth it to make a slow car faster. It's still gonna be slow.

I don't think it's worth it for you to post, it'll still be worthless:rolleyes

[kiwi325i]

+1!:lol

[strad]

I just dont think its worth it to make a slow car faster. It's still gonna be slow.

These cars were not built for the strip. They were built to go around corners. And they do that quite well if maintained properly.

M3 cams are definitely going to help. Better yet, find an S50b32 :) That'll cost a lot more than M3 cams though lol.

[Alameer]

get me some cams :D

[locks325is]

Short of FI, cams are the BEST power mod you can perform on these cars! And that little 20hp makes a difference! The cams wake up the engine! The power of the e36 is fine for me, I live in a crowded city & there are not too many places I can do 100+! 0-60 is meaningless to me also with stop lights at every corner! The e36 with cams has enough juice to keep up with & sometimes beat newer cars I encounter here in the city. Now if I lived someplace where I could open up a car ....... I WOULDN'T BUY A E36!

The mods that have made the BIGGEST improvement on my e36 were:

Suspension: These cars handle good out of the box but upgrade the suspension & WOW!
Cams: Feels normal under 3500-4000 rpm's after that ..... the car pulls HARD!!!
Chip: Helped with the power below 4000 rpm's, runs sooo much smoother & extended each gear!

I haven't done the injectors, exhaust & a PROPER tune yet and I feel the difference in the car! I know there is more power to be had from the cams!

[Meat Evo]

I just dont think its worth it to make a slow car faster. It's still gonna be slow.

seriously?

A stock Subaru STi or mitsubishi EVO is a pretty slow car. It may be faster then a stock M, or e36, but its a slow car.

I have a 500hp evo x in my garage being parted out and I'm building my very first e36. I getting ready to be excited about 200whp again... LOL. 200whp on a NA car will be great for the street. and that is going to be my fully loaded 328i. its gonna be slow, but fun! and.... id spend $500 on cams for 20 HP. thats a pretty big gain. shoot, people spend more then 500 bucks on an exhaust and might see 2-5 hp?

Everyone has an opinion, and yours are worthless on a tuning forum.

[garf]

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Camshaft-Removal/E36-camshaft-removal.htm

[apple master]

Short of FI, cams are the BEST power mod you can perform on these cars! And that little 20hp makes a difference! The cams wake up the engine! The power of the e36 is fine for me, I live in a crowded city & there are not too many places I can do 100+! 0-60 is meaningless to me also with stop lights at every corner! The e36 with cams has enough juice to keep up with & sometimes beat newer cars I encounter here in the city. Now if I lived someplace where I could open up a car ....... I WOULDN'T BUY A E36!

The mods that have made the BIGGEST improvement on my e36 were:

Suspension: These cars handle good out of the box but upgrade the suspension & WOW!
Cams: Feels normal under 3500-4000 rpm's after that ..... the car pulls HARD!!!
Chip: Helped with the power below 4000 rpm's, runs sooo much smoother & extended each gear!

I haven't done the injectors, exhaust & a PROPER tune yet and I feel the difference in the car! I know there is more power to be had from the cams!

Cams are most effective after 3500-4500 rpm which I assume is the range your at when you're not in the city. So I still don't see the point in it. It seems like a lot of you are butt-hurt about my opinion. After all that money spent to make it as fast as a m3, you could have already bought an m3. Ask those who have experienced this already.

[locks325is]

Cams are most effective after 3500-4500 rpm which I assume is the range your at when you're not in the city. So I still don't see the point in it. It seems like a lot of you are butt-hurt about my opinion. After all that money spent to make it as fast as a m3, you could have already bought an m3. Ask those who have experienced this already.

Who cares what YOU think! You sound like you must not know how to drive a stick & how to keep a car in a rpm range! If I wanted a M3, I would buy one. It not like it's a rare expensive super FAST car! I've gone through the 325 or M3 debate! I found a GREAT running 325is so I went that way! I'm grown I don't care if I beat you from 0-60, could care less if my 1/4 mile times are slower than yours! You sound like an idiot!

I'm LOVING the cams .... worth every penny! I mod for the enjoyment, I'm not in to have the fastest car!

Shut the ... up! Talking outta the side of your neck!

[apple master]

You must not know how to drive a stick & how to keep a car in a rpm range!
Probably not.

[locks325is]

Probably not.

So you don't know how to drive a stick! Have you ever even driven a e36 with cams ...... NO I bet! So WHY open your mouth?!

[apple master]

So you don't know how to drive a stick! Have you ever even driven a e36 with cams ...... NO I bet! So WHY open your mouth?!
I drive stick shift, but since I am the only one who I know who drives stick I have nothing to compare it to. The only time I go to the higher rpm is when I feel like mashing on the car. And no I have never been in a car with cams. Have you driven a m3 and compared it? If you have, I am gonna assume that you will say yours is just as good if not better. Which I highly doubt it is.

[LockDots]

Can you guys stop? This is just like when mom and dad fight at the dinner table. It's making me sad in pants.

[locks325is]

I drive stick shift, but since I am the only one who I know who drives stick I have nothing to compare it to. The only time I go to the higher rpm is when I feel like mashing on the car. And no I have never been in a car with cams. Have you driven a m3 and compared it? If you have, I am gonna assume that you will say yours is just as good if not better. Which I highly doubt it is.

Yes ..... I have driven a M3! To compare the two, I would say the power band in the M is wider with more power down low!! Once the 325 gets on cam the feeling is the same as the M3!!

If I wanted to race a m3 I would keep my car above 3500 rpm's at the start to give myself a fighter chance! Of course the M has more power than me but it's not always about peak power but WHEN do you make peak power & what's your gearing! What I'm saying is that I wouldn't test a M from a stop... I would lose every time! But 3rd gear above 3500 rpm's ... I may get lucky! I've been driving stick for 26 years! More than the years you most likely have been on earth!