Intake Manifold Swap: The answers to your questions of late.

[Dj Syco]

Horung I still give you major props, someone in my area is selling an M54b30 with everything needed for 250, but I'm way to friggin scared to do it.

[Hornung418]

Horung I still give you major props, someone in my area is selling an M54b30 with everything needed for 250, but I'm way to friggin scared to do it.

Go for it . But his manifold is worth nowhere near that much!

[Dj Syco]

well it comes with all the adaptors...for the m50...

[Hornung418]

So you'd just have to remove all that and then bolt it on...

[Dj Syco]

don't forget, I'm like JUST now getting into mechanics and I'm pissing my pants already knowing I have to do VANOS within the month(found out what the knocking sound was)

[Hornung418]

Hehe I've no idea what I'm gonna do. But I've got wrenches, ratchets and Torx bits, so I'll figure it out
Tried yesterday to find a place where I can lift my car and work on it myself...no luck. 'Liability reasons'
Gotta buy some jack stands and a nice jack...maybe early Christmas gift

[Hornung418]

Alright!!
So I finally ventured into my manifold this afternoon. I cleaned my DISA valve. It's in good condition and takes a bit of force to open. It was covered in gunk...unsure if that's good or bad. Seals were intact and good to go. I attempted to get to my ICV, but I couldn't get my brake booster vac line of the upper intake boot...which has cracks at the base...and I couldn't get to the bass ackwards jubilee clip...go figure.
Good news is I don't have a rough idle for the time being, true test will come tomorrow morning when it's cold out.

VANOS is begging to have new seals, and my VCG has a nice leak over the Bank 2 exhaust heat shield.

Regarding the swap, I'm sending a check for $150 to stilljester for his M54b30 intake manifold tomorrow. Discovered that Joerg's throttle body adapter is the best bet, but since I've had the TMS Adapter plate for over 30 days I can't return it, and I've noticed that I have a total of 9 threaded holes instead of 8...if it's defective, they should accept a return anyway, right? Eh, if not, I guess I'm gonna have to cut into the TB assembly :/

Here's to a good week

[Hornung418]

TMS Throttle Body Adapter plate is in the mail back to Turner. I will receive some $70 in store credit. Which is okay I guess...probably put it to the Shark Injector.
Check is on it's way to Philly. Stilljester is in China for three weeks, but his girlfriend is kind enough to send it out for him
Court day is tomorrow at 1pm for a Moving Violation I received back in June...84mph in a 65mph zone if you must know. Should get some cash back on the check I sent back in September. So more money for booze
WVU plays USF tomorrow at 7pm! I'll be sure to keep you posted if anything shows up at my door step. Hope everyone has a good weekend, I know I will.

[NDubSki]

don't forget, I'm like JUST now getting into mechanics and I'm pissing my pants already knowing I have to do VANOS within the month(found out what the knocking sound was)

Come by MA, we can bust the VANOS out together, my car needs it too. I know some people over here who can help too.

[Iceman00]

TMS Throttle Body Adapter plate is in the mail back to Turner. I will receive some $70 in store credit. Which is okay I guess...probably put it to the Shark Injector.
Check is on it's way to Philly. Stilljester is in China for three weeks, but his girlfriend is kind enough to send it out for him
Court day is tomorrow at 1pm for a Moving Violation I received back in June...84mph in a 65mph zone if you must know. Should get some cash back on the check I sent back in September. So more money for booze
WVU plays USF tomorrow at 7pm! I'll be sure to keep you posted if anything shows up at my door step. Hope everyone has a good weekend, I know I will.

I'll be watching the game, and hope we soundly kick your ass. Go Bulls!

[Hornung418]

I'll be watching the game, and hope we soundly kick your ass. Go Bulls!

Hahahahahhaha You're kidding right? Didn't take you for a joke maker.

[clockworkpro]

i have to remind you guys i picked up one of these with injectors and fuel rail for $50 haha

[Hornung418]

Don't use the fuel rail. Just keep the stock 328 injectors. The ecu won't compensate for the increased pressure and you'll just be wasting gas.
Have you installed it yet?

[clockworkpro]

I had it all ready to go one time, and I didn't have the throttle body adapter. I will, but I just don't have anywhere to jack the car up and work on it. Or the time. But it seems pretty straight forward.

Yeah your right, I can't use the fuel rail, and for future reference its because the M54 has a fuel pressure regulator, and the M52 doesn't so i think thats why.

[Hornung418]

Yeah your right, I can't use the fuel rail, and for future reference its because the M54 has a fuel pressure regulator, and the M52 doesn't so i think thats why.

Good info to know CWP! Thanks for the input

So on this lovely Thursday, I emailed stilljester wondering if his GF had sent my package out. After raping my Human Geography exam, I came home elated to find this by my door

I see you've noticed my large package



That's an ass-load of peanuts!



If only the cams inside were as good as the packaging
But then again...I didn't pay for them so whose to complain?



Somewhere in this box is a Manifold...I just know it!!



Dismantling atm, brb. So many peanuts in the runners lol!

330 camshafts


EDIT: Actually I'm not sure what these are...the box says M52TU 248*/256*(intake/exhaust)...but I doubt that's what I have. stilljester said that he had 330 camshafts as well...but that was at an added cost. Did his GF make a mistake? Stay tuned while Mr. Horney get's to the bottom of things. hehe

[Hornung418]

Halloween bump!

Having issues getting the 330 fuel rail/injectors off. Looking at various DIYs. I will try to get it off tomorrow afternoon.

Where is the best place to buy hoses from? These hoses are really stiff and/or broken.

For those who replaced the CVV: How did you get the hose on the top left off of the valve?

[Iceman00]

330 camshafts aren't worth the effort.

[Hornung418]

330 camshafts aren't worth the effort.

Care to elaborate?
I'm really confused with the whole camshaft profile on an e46 because it has double VANOS...so it's really moot point from here on in...and the whole timing process...and I'm just a college kid deal...so yeah. I was just wondering if it was anywhere near the HP gains I've read about.

Joerg is running 252* cams and is making some incredible numbers...
Speaking of whom...I'm about to order his TBA this coming Wednesday
Thanks Joerg!!

[Iceman00]

Factory

M52TU 228 inlet With 9.0mm lift 244 exhaust With 9.0mm lift all engines
M54 228 inlet With 9.0mm lift 244 exhaust With 9.0mm lift up to B25
M54 240 inlet With 9.7mm lift 244 exhaust With 9.0mm lift for the B30 Engine
M54 Performance Package (ZHP) ???

Shrick

248/248 : 10.0mm/10.0mm (Schrick NA)
264/248 : 10.5mm/10.0mm (Schrick NA)
248/256 : 10.0mm/10.4mm (Technik FI)
260/268 : 10.9mm/11.0mm (Technik FI)

[Hornung418]

Nice assist Iceman!

Any benefit if I had them reground to Schrick profiles?
And would even swapping in the intake cam from a 330 add any power on the OEM DME?

More importantly, would I need to replace the valve springs to account for the increased lift, or do they naturally adapt to the change?

[joerg28]

Hi,

a friend has done an Engine swap from M54B22 to M52B28Tu, he usses the M54B30 manifold and the M54B30 Cams. With the M54B30 Software in the ECU he got 220Hp.

Everybody here in Germany who has done the Manifold swap has used the original fuel injectors. If you use the injectors from the M54B30 you must have a custom tune.

It is very easy to overhaul the vanos, everybody could do this, you must not adjust the timing.

But if you change the camshafts, you must adjust the new cams. For this you must have the BMW special tool. You can not adjust the cams whithout it.

Because of this i would mention to regrind your M54B30 cams to a more aggresive Schrick profile, to gain the maximum power for the money.

Regards Joerg

If you swap the M54B30 cams into the M52TuB28 you can use the stock valve springs.

Even with the Schrick cam you can use your stock springs.

And because of the expensive installation i have swapped in Schrick profile.

[Hornung418]

Great stuff, Joerg!

I'm going to use the stock 328i yellow injectors.

When you say

It is very easy to overhaul the vanos, everybody could do this, you must not adjust the timing.

are you talking about replacing the VANOS seals or something entirely different?

So if I do swap the stock cams out for the reground cams, would the ECU need to be tuned or will it adapt to the change via VANOS?

And finally, what can you tell me about the change in valve lift? How will that affect the valve train? Will the BMW tool take care of any issues?

[Iceman00]

The ecu can, and will adapt for the modifications, but why leave it there? I've pointed out before that there is plenty of power to be unlocked with an ECU tune on these cars, I've personally made 14whp with an intake and shark. Try that on the stock ECU.

[Hornung418]

The ecu can, and will adapt for the modifications, but why leave it there? I've pointed out before that there is plenty of power to be unlocked with an ECU tune on these cars, I've personally made 14whp with an intake and shark. Try that on the stock ECU.

But isn't the Shark/AA tune spec'd to the stock cams? I'm getting a tune before the end of the year...but I just need to know what will work with the 252/252.

[joerg28]

It is easy to replace the vanos and the Beisan kit instaaltion is easy, too. You did not touch cam timing.

For the manifold and the cams it is better for the performance to get a custom tune, for your personal project.

But i have the stock ecu with M54B30 Manifold and 252° regrind Cams. The valve Lift of my cams is 1mm more than stock.

For the cam timing tool you need the original BMW TIS manual.