Fastech Motorsports E39 525i Wagon S54 Swap Hellacious Grocery Gettin Power Wagon !!!

[zack.fastech]

Fastech on 370z.jpg

Fastech Motorsports of Chattanooga, TN, had a customer come in not to long ago. Customer stated that his wife's E39 525i wagon couldn't pull out into traffic leaving publix. She didn't have enough power to haul the kids and groceries.. We here at Fastech are problem solvers. We do this by swapping in a S54 engine and 6-speed trans from an E46 M3 we have laying around.

IMG_1579.jpgPat's Wagon 3.jpg

It has been brought to our attention that there has never been a documented case of this swap occurring. We understand the problems at hand and those that very well may arise; including the wiring, coding, and programming nightmare. However, we have the confidence, attitude, and precision necessary to complete this build.
This is the layout to ensure the customer's wife has enough power and performance to complete all her shopping and school run needs:

• Swap and install S54 w/ 6s Trans

• AFE stage2 intake
• Custom in-house fabricated exhaust
• Complete tune and remap for an estimated 400hp at the flywheel
• Custom Built-and-balanced driveshaft
• E39 M5 LSD differential for increased burnout potential

Once the build is complete there are some other things to address:

• This car will be able to pass all local emissions and and registration standards.
• All vehicle functions will be properly working: electrics, button function, gauge cluster, etc.
• It will retain its daily drive-ability and reliability.

We have a healthy budget and 5 weeks to complete and deliver the car. Keep checking back here for constant updates. We will include video, pictures, written problem-solving solutions, etc.

If anybody has any questions or is interested in a custom swap of their own, call Fastech Motorsports at 706-891-9778, M-F 8am-5pm EST.

[Plattus1000]

Ya might drop on over to the touring group. Lots of s62 swapped wagons now. One 4.6is swapped one and a few LS swapped tourings.

If you run into troubles, you'll find all the answers there.

Good luck!

[dannyzabolotny]

Is there a reason you chose to go with the S54 + 6-speed combo? Just because it's never been done? Otherwise I'd say to just go the S62 + 6-speed route, since that's well-documented and pretty straightforward.

[computiNATEor]

Is there a reason you chose to go with the S54 + 6-speed combo? Just because it's never been done? Otherwise I'd say to just go the S62 + 6-speed route, since that's well-documented and pretty straightforward.

Reason is because the drivetrain is coming...

[...]from an E46 M3 we have laying around.

I'm interested to watch this take place! Good luck and happy wrenching!

[zack.fastech]

You're right! there has been many S62/6s swaps. LS swaps are a dime a dozen. We, and the customer, wanted to do something that hasn't been done, yet stays purist BMW.

[JimLev]

Pretty sure I've seen a few post here or over on Bfest where an M3 engine has been installed in a 528.
The hell with the purist thing......LS1, 2, or 3 for the win and cheap power.

[zack.fastech]

Pretty sure I've seen a few post here or over on Bfest where an M3 engine has been installed in a 528.
The hell with the purist thing......LS1, 2, or 3 for the win and cheap power.

You are correct in a sense. They have all been S52 swaps. Never S54.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

I’ve been thinking S54 into my wagon for some time, last night, found a 30,000 mile LS1 out of a Vette, what were those? 400hp? $3500

[JaxPlanet]

Are you concerned about the S54's low torque to BHP ratio? That's why my indy nixed this swap for my e39 touring.

[computiNATEor]

Are you concerned about the S54's low torque to BHP ratio? That's why my indy nixed this swap for my e39 touring.

The S54 still makes more torque than an M54B30, and it makes it across the entire rev range without a funky mid-RPM bump caused by a DISA valve.

[JimLev]

I’ve been thinking S54 into my wagon for some time, last night, found a 30,000 mile LS1 out of a Vette, what were those? 400hp? $3500

Those were 5.7L with cast iron blocks and aluminum heads. Around 400HP or more depending on the year and intake manifold. Torque up the wazoo from just off idle to redline.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Those were 5.7L with cast iron blocks and aluminum heads. Around 400HP or more depending on the year and intake manifold. Torque up the wazoo from just off idle to redline.

Yep, iron block, a bit heavy. Not a bad deal though. Wish I had the extra bucks, would be cool t be totally different, go 347 stroker, Ford Coyote.

[JimLev]

I helped a friend put a GTO LS1 into an E38.
Lots of custom required, engine mounts, exhaust, wiring, driveshaft, etc.

[edjack]

Wait a minute! Maybe the wife wants an auto trans. Duh!

[zack.fastech]

Wait a minute! Maybe the wife wants an auto trans. Duh!

the wife don't want no auto. she wants a 6

[edjack]

VERY unusual!

[justinca540i]

Most wife's are like why do u need that

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

You guys act as if every woman out there is a ditz. There are some really cool hardcore car dudettes too, you know.

[zack.fastech]

You guys act as if every woman out there is a ditz. There are some really cool hardcore car dudettes too, you know.

truth

[blackknight530i]

OP, check out our thread here: http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...wap-in-any-E39, where we discussed at length what would be needed to do this swap. I've been itching to do the swap for a long time now and still might do it in my M54b30 swapped/M3 6-speed swapped wagon as I've already done all the prep work (540i output flange on 420g transmission to mate with M5 or 540i driveshaft/diff, 540i 3.15 open diff and 102mm axles, e60 shifter, etc.). I just need to get the funds together to buy the S54 and do the typical preventative maintenance on it while the engine is out.

Anyways, if you do figure out what parts work for the cooling system and intake ducting, please let us know. You'll also need to modify the oil pan if keeping the dual oil pickup, or modify the oil pickup to be single if using the M54 oil pan.

Wiring and coding will be simple and definitely not a nightmare. EWS delete is pretty much all you need to do. TerraPhantm mentioned changing the DSC type to the Bosch 5.7 instead of the Siemens Mk60, but that the MSS54 should have both options in the DME tune, so switching should be easy. Pretty much all wiring for the DME is the same, except there are a few extra pins for the sport button to add. You'll also need to swap to the M3 fuel pump and regulator (can just swap the regulator itself onto the M54 filter/reg by removing the clip and pulling out the 3.5bar reg and putting the 5 bar in. If you'd rather have the schraeder valve under the car, use the M3/M5 filter and regulator housing. You'll want to probably use the black M3/M5 fuel pump module, but you could use the green relay that is already there if you program the DME as a euro tune. Either one will work without programming the DME, but you'll likely get codes if you don't match the programming to the relay type.

I'm excited to see how this turns out. Like I said, I'm still interested in doing this and wish I had the funds to take it on right now. Guess I'll just have to be happy with my M5 converted 530i .

[zack.fastech]

Wow that's a lot of information. Definitely useful! We plan on modifying the subframe to circumvent the oil pan issues. We already planned on massive subframe reinforcement, front and rear, anyways. The customer wants to prep as much as possible for future power adders while we have everything torn apart.

[BMW540san]

That sounds very cool build and I wish you luck!
I'm surprised nobody asked and not to sound too skeptical, but how exactly you intend to get 60 HP + out of S54 while staying NA? As we all know, that is high strung engine to begin with.
Correct if I'm wrong, but without going internal (increased compression, cams etc...) which is high $$$, I can't see 400 HP out 333 HP to begin with without big $$$ mentioned.

[tptrsn]

Yep, iron block, a bit heavy. Not a bad deal though. Wish I had the extra bucks, would be cool t be totally different, go 347 stroker, Ford Coyote.

LS1s are aluminum block, fellers. Add a cam, and you have ridiculous power for low money.

[JimLev]

LS1s are aluminum block, fellers. Add a cam, and you have ridiculous power for low money.

Agree on the cam and low money.

Depends on the generation and what it was in.
There are 5 generations of LS engines, the Gen 1 & 2 (run of the mill LS) were cast w/Al heads. The performance versions Gen 1 & 2 were all Al with liners.

Feel free to correct me if you think this is wrong as I don't know everything about everything.....but I'm trying. LOL

[tptrsn]

My understanding is that the LS1 is a very specific version of the LS engine family (the first one I think), and they are all aluminum block with cast iron liners. The cast iron blocks came out later as LM7s, LQ4s, etc. (I think!)

EDIT: Here's a pretty good looking article that I need to finish reading later. Completely off topic from this thread, but what the heck. Lol

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/chevy-ls1-engine-basics/