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

[JimLev]

I'll read it later....the '33 is calling me.
I've also got a printed article somewhere about all of the LS generations. Pretty sure the Gen 1 & 2 (at least some of them) used cast blocks.

[BMW540san]

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

+1. When I was selling my 540 6 speed I had 60 year old woman testing it and driving it. She was driving E30 manuals while some of the members here were filling their diapers.

[tptrsn]

Usually Jim -- if I understand all of this stuff correctly -- the generations 1 and 2 refer to the small block chevy families prior to the LS1 introduction. Gen 1 is the original small block chevy architecture, and Gen 2 is the LT1 family of small blocks from the 90s that had the optispark ignition and whatnot. The LS engine family started in '97 with the LS1 in the vette and Z28 (Gen 3) were aluminum block with cast iron liners and of course aluminum heads.

Later in gen 3 production when the trucks got them, they started out with cast iron blocks, and some of the 6.0s even had cast iron heads. Then Gen 4s came around in 2004 or 2005, depending on how you count it I guess, but they had even better rods and such. The Gen 4s can make CRAZY power on a stock lower end, like 1400-ish BHP. Even the gen 3s with cast iron blocks (truck motors) are beasts with a good tune in them.

[Bluegrass]

I am really looking forward to see some pics from the thick of it....

[computiNATEor]

I am really looking forward to see some pics from the thick of it....

+1 Me too!

[geargrinder]

LOL just catching up to this thread. Glad to see this finally happening someplace...

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.

And THAT is why this never happens... "Lots more work, uncharted territory, few tricky bits to be figured out.... all for less torque/power than an easy swap or factory-purchasable-setup..."

The hell with the purist thing......LS1, 2, or 3 for the win and cheap power.

LOL. Lookit who's Mr. LS-Swap now.

You LS guys get the fever and all of a sudden EVERYTHING has to get an LS, doesn't it !? (Ima lookinat you too Thaddoo )

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

Actually that'd be a no-go. The only 'auto' for a factory-ECU'd S54 would be an SMG, and that's not an 'auto for an auto driver' by any means.

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.

This is the 'fun' interesting part to me, not the 'nightmare'.

Without re-reading that thread, the idea I think is that you flash the DME with the earlier M3 code that expects the "MK20" DSC, which, while not exactly same as 5.7, at least uses the same kind of sensor inputs (the MK60 uses different upgraded sensors)? Would be fun to try to figure that out.

FWIW there's a minor typo in the factory DSC PDF docs floating around the web, according to it the M3 never got MK60, when very definitely it did (post-2001? not gonna lookit up)...

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.

Subframe reinforcement? Waste of time. I mean maybe that's a good way to deal w/ oil pan I dunno but the E39 chassis doesn't need 'subframe reinforcement' to handle some piddly S54 power (hey I love S54's as much as the next guy but... 300wheel on a good day with headers and a tune? ha ha isn't that cute, it thinks it's got 'power'.) Even w/ a blower on the S54 you're really only just getting up to factory M5 / blown 540 territory. And the chassis handles that level of power FINE.

OK OK - weld plates around the rear diff mounts if somebody gonna really track hoon it. If you want to you can add the M5 chassis reinforcement struts for the rear subframe, but even that's questionable whether it's gonna be noticeable at all for an S54 powered car. E39's are stiff and stout. Big turbo V8's and LS swaps, OK now we're talkin reinforcements...

[tptrsn]

Lol, man, this thread may NEVER get back on track! At least not until some actual swap content starts getting posted.

You LS guys get the fever and all of a sudden EVERYTHING has to get an LS, doesn't it !? (Ima lookinat you too Thaddoo )

I'm just going to say that I think I put up a good fight against being "normal." In the 33 years since I bought my first brand new car, I have yet to own a car with a Chevy V8 in it!

But I'm well on my way to finally caving in. After getting my hands in a couple of LS engines, I just can't believe how much sense they make... I feel like continuing to resist them is like cutting off my nose to spite my face. And my face can't handle that! Haha. Time to try out being sort of normal for once -- I'll still find plenty of ways to do it "wrong" though! And then we shall see how I feel about the whole thing after I actually have one running in one of my rides.

[Bluegrass]

Lol, man, this thread may NEVER get back on track! At least not until some actual swap content starts getting posted.

SO VERY VERY TRU....All hail to the LS swap gods.
The LS swap , BIG HP and Torq for less money...slap one in anything and instantly a hairy beast!
"CHERAL Motors" on youtube posted that LSx 427 swapped E39 Touring .....I'd say that specimen wins all the LS swap awards in my book....dam that wagon is a hairy beast of utter AWESOMENESS! (And I thought an LS looked at home in my Suburban) ok moving on.......

This (All BMW) swap however seems to have other goals/motives intended..(not just power) and sounds very very interesting cool and fresh to me!

I also appreciate that the car is not an average e39 touring ...its the right color combo, the right sport interior, a facelift.....choice canvas for this unusual swap IMO.



Did I mention I really wanna see some progrress pics????

[JimLev]

Lol, man, this thread may NEVER get back on track! At least not until some actual swap content starts getting posted.

But I'm well on my way to finally caving in. After getting my hands in a couple of LS engines, I just can't believe how much sense they make....

You beat me to the rebuttal Thad. (and your correct about all of the LS being aluminum, except the LS we got out of a GTO and put into an E38 had a cast block....I can't explain it??)
I've owned a number of Chevys with 283's, 327's and 400's in them.
Never had to change valve cover gaskets every 2-3 years like we do on our bimmers.
My LS3 VC gaskets are $20 and a 10 min job to change.
Don't get me wrong, the 540 4 cam engine is impressive but it's realibility can easily be questioned.

Where's Leo, we need him to add his 2 cents too.

[Schitzo]

• E39 M5 LSD differential for increased burnout potential

3.15 ratio is too tall for this combination. Even the E46 M3 came with a much shorter ratio (3.62) from the factory.

[blackknight530i]

3.15 ratio is too tall for this combination. Even the E46 M3 came with a much shorter ratio (3.62) from the factory.

3.15 feels great in my 530i wagon with 6-speed swapped. I would think it would feel even better with some more power from a S54.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

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

I missed this post, I didn’t realize they were aluminum.

[zack.fastech]

3.15 ratio will be just fine. Like I've said before the subframe reinforcement is for the future. There is no telling what this customer will have us do next.

[zack.fastech]

Update:
Exhaust parts arrived - Y pipe coming off the headers to a 3" pipe all the way down.
Engine Prep - good old fashion broken bolt and paint holding us up. Still coming along just fine.
Working with the customer on some wheel and tire choices
We are replacing the airbags on the rear end with coils and new shocks.
M5 LSD cleaned and prepped
IMG_1616.jpgIMG_1619.jpgIMG_1617.jpgIMG_1620.jpgIMG_1622.jpg

[JimLev]

Your pics are all sideways on my computer.

[geargrinder]

3.15 ratio is too tall for this combination. Even the E46 M3 came with a much shorter ratio (3.62) from the factory.

I'd tend to backup the Schitzoid here.

MANY believe the S54 M3 is dramatically improved with a 4.15 in it. I can only imagine that that'd be even moreso for hauling an E39T around.

We are replacing the airbags on the rear end with coils and new shocks.

Most likely a misguided waste of your customers money, but that's the default/kneejerk/E39T-n00b-layman's take ("the airbags must be expensive to fix and soft and generally suck, so take them out!") so you're not alone there.

Not only is the stock airbag system surprisingly excellent, but my belief is the slightly oddball laydown rear touring suspension setup was engineered/optimized for the airbag suspension, and that it doesn't work that great with coil springs. I also believe that's why there's a comparative dearth of spring kits for the Touring, and why companies like Fortune pulled their products - because it was hard to get the level of performance vs compliance people expected for a similar setup on a sedan.

And yea... every E39 Touring n00b rolls in goin' "HEY JUST BOUGHT AN E39 TOURING PSYCHED GONNA YANK OUT THEM AIRBAGS CUZ WE ALL KNOW THEY MUST SUCK AMIRITE YEAH!" so, yeah, you're in good company.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

I just swapped a new set of rear factory Touring springs for a brand new full set of the Eibach Pro kit, debating wether to get a set of Koni Sports, or just go with the almost new Sport Sachs dampers I already have on the car. We’ll see how it handles when I get the stuff mounted and the car aligned.I have been really happy with the standard spring and shock setup that came from the factory, so..... I’ll just go with the flow. I do load the wagon up with a ton of crap, never had the wish for airbags run thru my mind, never bottomed out either.

[Mannyf540]

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.

Oh yeah!! Stroked 347, or even a 350 to what is it.....383. Deck the block or heads for some more compression, with 3 angle valve job and some porting !! Open up those valve seats !!

[tptrsn]

Manny, I think a 347 stroker is usually a short (8.2"?) deck Ford small block. Looks like you're thinking Gen 1 Chevy still.

[sooch]

I'd tend to backup the Schitzoid here.

MANY believe the S54 M3 is dramatically improved with a 4.15 in it. I can only imagine that that'd be even moreso for hauling an E39T around.

The 4.10 gear set was the best and most notable mod I've done to my e46 M3. The s54 lacks torque, but you 'gain' something like 18% back by virtue of ratios - magical to be honest. The S54 in sport mode already has a snappy throttle, add in the shorter gears and it's a hoot.

The only hesitation I would have would be that the gearing is a bit short for long trips on the highway.... It's ~3500 in 6th for 80mph on the freeway - this actually does a great job monitoring my speed since I do value fuel economy to an extent.

[geargrinder]

The 4.10 gear set was the best and most notable mod I've done to my e46 M3. The s54 lacks torque, but you 'gain' something like 18% back by virtue of ratios - magical to be honest. The S54 in sport mode already has a snappy throttle, add in the shorter gears and it's a hoot.

When I had my diff resealed end of last season they were trying like crazy to get me to do the diff upgrade. Was just too much $$$ at a time when car-fun-cash is not at an alltime high.

The only hesitation I would have would be that the gearing is a bit tall for long trips on the highway....

Minor correction I think you mean "too short" (high number = short gearing).

But yeah. That too. I have a regular 1hr commute between houses and depending on route I take its 60-80% highway and I do it all the time. I wouldn't want too many extra revs. I guess the 3.91 is the middle ground.

[sooch]

When I had my diff resealed end of last season they were trying like crazy to get me to do the diff upgrade. Was just too much $$$ at a time when car-fun-cash is not at an alltime high.



Minor correction I think you mean "too short" (high number = short gearing).

But yeah. That too. I have a regular 1hr commute between houses and depending on route I take its 60-80% highway and I do it all the time. I wouldn't want too many extra revs. I guess the 3.91 is the middle ground.

My diff was toast, bearing gone and I didn't really want to spend ~2k to rebuild and NOT upgrade. Found a rebuilt diff for $1500 with 4.10s in it from someone on the forum and went for it... I got lucky and the diff is in solid shape, plus the 4.10s.

Yes I meant 4.10s were too short, went back and edited. I heard mixed reviews on the 3.91 that is was 'so close' to 3.62, but IDK probably just forum hearsay -you know how they get wound up over there lol

[auaq]

Subscribed.

Finally somebody is doing this swap.

Regarding the subframe reinforcements, I would advise you to reinforce the front diff mount and also the rear sway bar mounts too like this:





Front diff mount. (Don't mind the welds!)

[geargrinder]

My diff was toast, bearing gone and I didn't really want to spend ~2k to rebuild and NOT upgrade. Found a rebuilt diff for $1500 with 4.10s in it from someone on the forum and went for it... I got lucky and the diff is in solid shape, plus the 4.10s.

Yes I meant 4.10s were too short, went back and edited. I heard mixed reviews on the 3.91 that is was 'so close' to 3.62, but IDK probably just forum hearsay -you know how they get wound up over there lol

LOL Indeed... that's exactly right. You hear the rants about "too close to the 3.62 it doesn't make a performance difference" AND you hear the opposite "so close to the 4.1 it doesn't make a mileage difference" too, which are basically diametrically opposed propositions! There's forum opinions for ya!

But look at the numbers and 3.91 - 4.1, uh, THAT'S whats real close... Its like 8% difference from 3.62->3.91 and then 5% difference from 3.91->4.1...

Numerically, actually the 3.91 is almost EXACTLY 2/3 of the way towards the 4.1... Which seems like its EXACTLY where you'd like to be for "I want most of the benefit but maybe not spin quite so many RPM on the highway".... Probably would have been what I went for if I'd done it...

[tptrsn]

What overdrive ratio is in that trans?