E46 M3 swap into e39 wagon

[Luder94]

Question to ask long time enthusiasts: Has anyone done a full e46 S54 driveline swap into an e39 (motor, 6spd, diff)? I've searched, but am not coming up with anything on this forum or others.

There's a local 150k mile e46 M3 that was recently rear ended and totaled. I'm considering making an offer to buy it out for a potential s54/6spd swap into my wagon; has this been done before, is it worth it? I would assume this swap would allow me to keep respectable MPG versus an S62 swap as well as give the car a bump in performance over the m54 in the car now.

Any thoughts to this swap?
Any links to others' projects that have done this swap in the past?

Thanks.

[ColtonBH]

I'm pretty​ sure it's been done, can't think of who off the top of my head. The thing holding people back is electronics would be nearly impossible to work, especially if you ever want to pass an emissions test. S62 into a v8 wagon would be easier, cheaper, and more power

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[jp5Touring]

No one in the States have done it yet.

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...wap-in-any-E39

[auaq]

No one in the States have done it yet.

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...wap-in-any-E39

Beat me to it.

[auaq]

I'm pretty​ sure it's been done, can't think of who off the top of my head. The thing holding people back is electronics would be nearly impossible to work, especially if you ever want to pass an emissions test. S62 into a v8 wagon would be easier, cheaper, and more power

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

It's been done at least in Europe once and here's a video of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFpxEeHwy9Y

[joekitch]

you'd be much better off doing an s54 swap into an e46 touring, from what i understand it isn't actually that difficult compared to some other driveline swaps among e46s and e39s

[Luder94]

The totaled car sold for more than I was going to pay for it....seller was asking $5k for the wreck, I was willing to buy for $3k; figuring that I'd be spending about another $5k trying to do the swap; which may not be all that great of an idea to begin with. I bought my touring for it to be a practical DD with plans for it to NOT become a project car like every other car I own and have owned. I need to control myself and keep the 3.0L m54 in the car the way it is...6 spd swap, light tuning, keep the car maintained, and be happy.

Although, there is something to be said about building a truly unique car like LS1 touring that turned me on to the e39 touring. Hmmm....S54, 6 spd swap, m5 interior, orient blue 532iT; who couldn't love that?

[auaq]

Frankly speaking, there are far too many LS swapped E39's out there and they aren't unique build to me anymore. Sure, in terms of outright power and broad band of torque, it's a great platform for a bigger and a heavier E39. However, I think S54 swap into an E39 would be really cool. Best thing about this is that it's all BMW parts in a BMW car. A lot of BMW stuff can be retrofitted here and you don't have to deal with wiring and coding issues too. Plus, you could pass state inspections with flying colors.

[geargrinder]

A number have talked about doing it. Being that the DME is essentially the same as the M5, and, the platform is completely documented / open, integration shouldnt be too bad. Would be kinda letdown from an M5 though. Less torque for heavier car. Gotta wind it all the way out. Really hard to justify the work vs a good M5. Pale in comparison to an LS car.

The best idea that might justify it would be to turbo the S54. Then you might have something.

- - - Updated - - -

Frankly speaking, there are far too many LS swapped E39's out there

Ha. I think you exaggerate or more likely have been over exposed to something that's still a pretty rare beast.

[blackknight530i]

A number have talked about doing it. Being that the DME is essentially the same as the M5, and, the platform is completely documented / open, integration shouldnt be too bad. Would be kinda letdown from an M5 though. Less torque for heavier car. Gotta wind it all the way out. Really hard to justify the work vs a good M5. Pale in comparison to an LS car.

The best idea that might justify it would be to turbo the S54. Then you might have something.

This has been talked about quite a bit in the thread linked to above by jp5touring. We pretty much talked about all of the obstacles that would need to be overcome in doing the swap, but until someone here in the US has done it and compared it to a M5T, nobody really knows if it will be worth it or not to do it. I personally think it would be a fantastic car as I've done plenty of swaps, including a M5T and my own 530i->M5 swap and 525it->530it/6 and can tell you that the steering in my 530it/6 is the best, hands down. I've got my M5 steering as good as it can be and have driven others, but it just doesn't feel as good as the rack and pinion. A bit less horsepower than the S62 with more revs and R&P steering sounds like a good combo. I really want to help anyone that decides to go through with it in any e39. I talked to a guy at The Vintage last weekend who had an e30 with a S54 swap who wants to do an e39 S54 swap about doing it. I hope he does, because I really want to be a part of that project. There is a lot more to do custom than a S62 swap in a 540i/540it, but I still think it's worth doing.

To the OP, stay away from 150k mile engines for even $3k. You'll need to spend a lot more on the engine to get it ready for install (rod bearings, VANOS, oil pump disks, timing chain tensioner pieces, etc.). Lower mileage (~80k mile or so) engines come up on m3forum.net for around $3-3.5k often, so there's no reason to spend much more than that on a good S54. You'll want to read over the linked thread for more information on the wiring harness you want, what coolant pipes you'll need, how to modify the oil pan, etc.

[Luder94]

Blackknight, Thank you for the reply. I agree, high revving motor is nothing to be scared of...I definitely think it'd be a fun swap. I think I'm going to try and stick with the 3.0L in the car now and just stick with 6spd swap.

I've got my high revving 4 banger as well as a torquey 8 piston to have fun without the kids or the dog....at least that's what I'll keep telling myself until I find another wrecked 6spd M3 for less than $5k. If I find one soon, maybe I'll have you fly out to Chicago and help out with the swap if you think it's something that can be knocked out in a weekend.

[blackknight530i]

Blackknight, Thank you for the reply. I agree, high revving motor is nothing to be scared of...I definitely think it'd be a fun swap. I think I'm going to try and stick with the 3.0L in the car now and just stick with 6spd swap.

I've got my high revving 4 banger as well as a torquey 8 piston to have fun without the kids or the dog....at least that's what I'll keep telling myself until I find another wrecked 6spd M3 for less than $5k. If I find one soon, maybe I'll have you fly out to Chicago and help out with the swap if you think it's something that can be knocked out in a weekend.

Well, it definitely won't be a weekend job. The oil pan needs to be cut and welded to clear the subframe and the cooling system hoses need to be custom. Harness needs to be from a z3m with the s54. It's not a terrible amount of stuff, but it is unknown for the most part.

The m54b30 is an excellent motor, especially mated with the 6 speed.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[auaq]

A number have talked about doing it. Being that the DME is essentially the same as the M5, and, the platform is completely documented / open, integration shouldnt be too bad. Would be kinda letdown from an M5 though. Less torque for heavier car. Gotta wind it all the way out. Really hard to justify the work vs a good M5. Pale in comparison to an LS car.

The best idea that might justify it would be to turbo the S54. Then you might have something.

- - - Updated - - -



Ha. I think you exaggerate or more likely have been over exposed to something that's still a pretty rare beast.

Okay .....

[TerraPhantm]

A number have talked about doing it. Being that the DME is essentially the same as the M5, and, the platform is completely documented / open, integration shouldnt be too bad. Would be kinda letdown from an M5 though. Less torque for heavier car. Gotta wind it all the way out. Really hard to justify the work vs a good M5. Pale in comparison to an LS car.

The best idea that might justify it would be to turbo the S54. Then you might have something.

- - - Updated - - -



Ha. I think you exaggerate or more likely have been over exposed to something that's still a pretty rare beast.

I think a stroker S54 would be pretty sweet in an E39. Torque would be bumped up to roughly M62 levels, but it'd be held for so much longer. Would be sort of like a modern E34 M5.

Turbo would be cool too since the S54 makes insane numbers with FI (even relative to the S62)

[geargrinder]

Yeah. A Frank Smith blower S54 slapped into a 530 with a good suspension would be just a massive sleeper. Thatd be right up my alley.