aluminum m52 head gasket and fastener options

[lifeiskaos]

in my near future is a 3liter aluminum m52 turbo build (s52 crank, 84mm bore). this engine will generally see ~7psi, but i want to be able to kick it up to a bar on weekends . the goal is a reliable, long lasting engine for my e30. my two options are custom pistons with stock headgasket (or stock size MLS?), or m54 pistons with a thick MLS headgasket (or custom shorter rods...). if you choose stock headgasket, would you want orings? also, which fasteners would you use? stock, ARP, etc? with ARP studs, i'd expect to use time-serts or equivalent.

my ideal setup, based on very little knowledge, would be custom pistons, stock headgasket, orings, and stock bolts.

my next choice would be m54 pistons with a thick headgasket and probably the older style arp studs with time serts.

i've also had this silly idea of using the s52 crank (i already have it), 130mm m20b27 rods (i have these too), stock m52 pistons, and stock HG and fasteners. this would by far be the cheapest solution, but the added cylinder wall wear due to a lower rod/stroke ratio worries me.. with stock headgasket it would give 8.9:1 compression ratio, which is perfect IMO

i suppose i could do m54 pistons with custom rods that are ~133mm with stock headgasket. obviously that'd be slightly better than using 130mm rods, but still not ideal. i'd have to do some calculations to figure out exactly what length i'd want... but this option would be cheaper than custom pistons and would give an opportunity for rods that would probably be lighter than the beefy ETA (130mm) rods




SO, what would you do? what would be a good balance of cheap/reliable? please indicate which headgasket and which fasteners you would use. if stock HG, would you use orings? please explain your reasoning thank you

[Shuasha]

in my near future is a 3liter aluminum m52 turbo build (s52 crank, 84mm bore). this engine will generally see ~7psi, but i want to be able to kick it up to a bar on weekends . the goal is a reliable, long lasting engine for my e30. my two options are custom pistons with stock headgasket (or stock size MLS?), or m54 pistons with a thick MLS headgasket (or custom shorter rods...). if you choose stock headgasket, would you want orings? also, which fasteners would you use? stock, ARP, etc? with ARP studs, i'd expect to use time-serts or equivalent.

my ideal setup, based on very little knowledge, would be custom pistons, stock headgasket, orings, and stock bolts.

my next choice would be m54 pistons with a thick headgasket and probably the older style arp studs with time serts.

i've also had this silly idea of using the s52 crank (i already have it), 130mm m20b27 rods (i have these too), stock m52 pistons, and stock HG and fasteners. this would by far be the cheapest solution, but the added cylinder wall wear due to a lower rod/stroke ratio worries me.. with stock headgasket it would give 8.9:1 compression ratio, which is perfect IMO

i suppose i could do m54 pistons with custom rods that are ~133mm with stock headgasket. obviously that'd be slightly better than using 130mm rods, but still not ideal. i'd have to do some calculations to figure out exactly what length i'd want... but this option would be cheaper than custom pistons and would give an opportunity for rods that would probably be lighter than the beefy ETA (130mm) rods




SO, what would you do? what would be a good balance of cheap/reliable? please indicate which headgasket and which fasteners you would use. if stock HG, would you use orings? please explain your reasoning thank you

Don't... just get a damn steel block. Why bother with trying to make something work that might fail when you can get a whole M52 short block for $500 or less?

[lifeiskaos]

Don't... just get a damn iron block. Why bother with trying to make something work that might fail when you can get a whole M52 short block for $500 or less?

because i like being unique and proving people wrong. when i blow up the aluminum block, i will cry and say you were right. until then, i'm only looking for people's opinions on what rotating parts, hg, and fasteners to use, not what block to use. i already have a very nice m52b28 engine i could use, but i want an aluminum one

[Shuasha]

because i like being unique and proving people wrong. when i blow up the aluminum block, i will cry and say you were right. until then, i'm only looking for people's opinions on what rotating parts, hg, and fasteners to use, not what block to use. i already have a very nice m52b28 engine i could use, but i want an aluminum one

In that case, best of luck to ya.

[lifeiskaos]

thanks!

[e39dream]

get an iron block. they are much stronger than the aluminum ones.

Even the iron blocks have their limitations though.

[lifeiskaos]

get an iron block. they are much stronger than the aluminum ones.

Even the iron blocks have their limitations though.

guys i'm not trying to build an 800hp engine here, or even a 500hp engine. i am doing some massive headwork (exhaust and intake porting for s54 ITB's, custom cams). with a good flowing head, and a 3L engine, i wont need very much boost to make some power. this build is more about being unique and keeping a good weight distribution in my e30. PLEASE let's stick to the questions i asked in the OP...

[bmwperson]

that's a connecting rod limitation not the block

[HiTheNameIsBj]

So if your putting s54 itbs on, what are ya doing with the stokers. If selling pm me with a price.

[lifeiskaos]

stockers? intake manifold and TB are already sold, sorry

[m52]

i have pretty much the same setup. its a m52b25 with a 2.8 stroker in it and ITB's off a 3.0 M3.... i have custom pistons (8.5:1 comp ratio), the block's been o-ringed, and running 12psi of boost for 270rwkw.... when i was running the motor in it was at 7psi, which was fun, but the daily setup is 12psi, and later in the year will be going to 18psi

[lifeiskaos]

i have pretty much the same setup. its a m52b25 with a 2.8 stroker in it and ITB's off a 3.0 M3.... i have custom pistons (8.5:1 comp ratio), the block's been o-ringed, and running 12psi of boost for 270rwkw.... when i was running the motor in it was at 7psi, which was fun, but the daily setup is 12psi, and later in the year will be going to 18psi

awesome! and all the haters say aluminum block cant handle boost... so i assume you're using a stock head gasket. are you using arp studs or stock hardware?

edit: wait... your engine is aluminum right? is it an m52tu?

[m52]

not using stock HG, no, but am using stock studs

PS - i've had my block sleeved as well

[lifeiskaos]

i appreciate the few of you who are voting, but i'm very interested in whether you would use arp studs, stock studs, mls gasket, stock gasket, etc

[weaksauce]

i am trying to do the same thing right now. I have a M52tu that i want to put into my E30....with a turbo.

[lifeiskaos]

what are you using for tuning? dual vanos seems like a huge pain...

[m52]

i am using a motec m800, and the vanos is still active.

[lifeiskaos]

i have arbitrarily decided on stock headgasket, orings, and stock studs.

so that rules out a thick MLS headgasket (option 2)

[E36Perth]

So after 11 or so years, how did that hold up?