Newbie M50TU turbo build

[Marcos Zortea]

hello guys, my name is Marcos and I live in Brazil, its been awhile that I dont post anything, lately i dont have much time because of work and study...
I have a 325i 1995 - 5speed since 2012, the car is just for weekends funs, and I use for my project car, some time ago I installed a standalone ecu, and have plans on boosting but I was forced to abandon the car for some reasons, but now I want to do the things right...

ofcourse I have alot of questions since here where I live we dont have much information about import cars, so I do all the work on my garage

my plans is to boost the car with stock bottom end, the head will receive a work because the engine is smoking alot even when its hot (i think is the valves seals)

i do a search on the forums and have realy good information, and realized that the engine has good potential even when stock

this is how the car looks now, the ecu is already installed, I installed new fuel lines for ethanol, new rail and fuel pressure regulator, I have the clutch too
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the fuel I will use is ethanol and engine managment is fueltech standalone (dont use maf anymore)

the manifold will be SPA and turbo MasterPower (dont know the model is best for 2.5), since I can buy both localy

I already start disasembly the engine but I lost the wrench to rotate the camshaft for remove the vanos, I just have the cam lock blocks, so I think will need to build one, any suggestions for this?

so my main question is, I need arp head studs and custom head gasket or I can use stock ones (reinz or elring) since I will use ethanol? its 400whp doable?

I have much more questions but for now is this, so I can buy the parts, and I apologize for my very bad english

[E30s50dude]

You'll need at 24mm wrench in order to rotate the cams. If 400hp you goal and you're using e85 you could go with either stock head gasket (elring I don't with victor rinez) or upgrade to cutring head gasket with a copper spacer with ARP head studs you should make that power vary easily and is certainly achievable with the right parts and it looks like you're making some solid progress, keep it up.

[milKt]

cutring head gasket with a copper spacer with ARP head studs you should make that power vary easily

+1

http://www.cesmotorsport.com/documents/94.html

[jakermac]

You'll need at 24mm wrench in order to rotate the cams.

Or a larger size crescent/adjustable wrench.

[milKt]

HOWEVER.... please use the hex area (MARKED INbRED) toward the center of the cams.
The wrench may need a narrow head, like someone we know.

Cameron H.jpg

[Marcos Zortea]

thanks for all input guys, I did not know about the hex area to rotate the cams! now I will be able to remove the vanos and head from the car, just need to wait the E12 socket come because mine is too fat and hit the cam trays! after I remove the head I will drop on the machine shop

about the cutring gasket and studs, is my first ideia, and I think is the right thing to do but the problem for me and all brazilians to buy from outside of country is the customs!

for an example an ARP stud kit will cost for me more than U$500 (with federal and state customs), but if I have no options I will buy the arp studs and try the stock elring gasket

again, thanks for all the advices and suggestions, you are great! good week to all

[someguy2800]

If you take the cams and trays out first you will have lots of room to remove the head bolts

- - - Updated - - -

Do you have a machine shop that can oring the head gasket surface of your block? If you o-ringed the block and use a stock head gasket and stock head bolts you should easily be able to reach your power goals with no issues. This might be more cost effective for you. You do not need to lower compression since you are going to run ethanol.

[Marcos Zortea]

good idea, I dont know if shops can do this, but maybe the guy who will do de head can make this work for me, the rings can go on the head instead? because if its possible to put rings on the head I dont need to remove te block from the car

edit: yes, I can remove the cams for have more room, but i'm afraid to broke a cam or something, can I just lose a half of a turn per bolt or there is some secret to remove the cams?

[someguy2800]

There will only be two cam lobes that have any pressure on them. Find the two lobes that are pushing down on the lifters and remove the nuts from the other 5 caps. Then you can remove the 4 remaining nuts 1/2 a turn at a time. You won't break anything.

There is a handheld tool for cutting the oring grooves in the block. It is possible to do it in the car but its much easier with the engine removed. Yes it is also possible to machine the grooves in the head.

The grooves should be in a figure 8 pattern like this or the gasket will not completely cover the rings.

[Marcos Zortea]

hello guys, made some progress last night, the head came off !
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[Marcos Zortea]

the head gasket on the engine is from victor reinz, dont know if is stock or not, the car have 95000 km
have one question, can I drill a hole on the valve cover and put a fitting for the breather? because my fuel rail is too big and block the stock location, on the side of valve cover

Attachment 666606Attachment 666607Attachment 666608Attachment 666609

the fitting I was thinking is like this, dont need weld
Attachment 666610

[pbonsalb]

People have done that. I would put it on the intake cam side and make sure you are using the splash shield over the cam. Find a spot under the valve cover where there is enough space to secure the breather and for it to be open enough to draw air (not pressed against the splash shield). And it has to come out the top of the cover in a convenient place to route a hose to a catch can. You may not have space to put a filter right into the breather, plus it will eventually get oil soaked so you might not want a mini filter there. The fitting needs to be compact enough not to hit the hood.

Let us know what you find, how you install it, and how it works.

[budgetbmw3]

Do you have a machine shop that can oring the head gasket surface of your block? If you o-ringed the block and use a stock head gasket and stock head bolts you should easily be able to reach your power goals with no issues. This might be more cost effective for you. You do not need to lower compression since you are going to run ethanol.

What are the hp limits of an Oring block and stock gasket? I know people used to talk about this setup having issues a few years ago and most people opted to do cut ring gaskets. Was it just bad oring installs before?

[someguy2800]

What are the hp limits of an Oring block and stock gasket? I know people used to talk about this setup having issues a few years ago and most people opted to do cut ring gaskets. Was it just bad oring installs before?

With good studs 1000+ whp. I've made over 800 whp on a stock gasket with no orings and 11mm studs and a surfaced block and head. I never blew a head gasket with a stock gasket either with or without orings, but I did always get some crankcase pressure in the coolant with stock gaskets that would push some water in my overflow tank. Ever since switching to the cutring gaskets I don't get any more pressure in the coolant and I think it is a safer setup overall for really high hp.

[budgetbmw3]

With good studs 1000+ whp. I've made over 800 whp on a stock gasket with no orings and 11mm studs and a surfaced block and head. I never blew a head gasket with a stock gasket either with or without orings, but I did always get some crankcase pressure in the coolant with stock gaskets that would push some water in my overflow tank. Ever since switching to the cutring gaskets I don't get any more pressure in the coolant and I think it is a safer setup overall for really high hp.

Thanks for posting that information.

OP looking forward to the build, I've been collecting parts to build an m54 for a while now and am only a few more house renovation projects away before I can finally start putting it all together.

[pbonsalb]

Big power M54 build may be more challenging than the M52 build due to the aluminum block. PEI330ci has some insight into building an M54.

[budgetbmw3]

Big power M54 build may be more challenging than the M52 build due to the aluminum block. PEI330ci has some insight into building an M54.

I’ve read a fair amount of PEI’s posts over the years, he has done amazing things for the platform and I think all of us e46 guys are lucky he stuck with the m54.
My build won’t be a big hp build as I tend to favor playing in turns versus drag racing, but since the car is my daily it is going to be slightly overbuilt to hopefully make it more reliable.

[Marcos Zortea]

Edit:
I got the studs guys, so need to decide on what gasket use. stock victor reinz or MLS? have a company that makes mls gaskets for m50 engines on my country, just need to decide on what use. the cost is the same

[Marcos Zortea]

hello guys, how are you?
I received the studs today and the head is almost finished...
WhatsApp Image 2020-03-03 at 21.32.11.jpeg

what about the block preparation, what do you recomend me? the pistons have alot of carbon

WhatsApp Image 2020-03-03 at 22.29.26_Easy-Resize.com (1).jpg
(dont know how to put pictures with more quality)

another thing is about the vanos, the piston have alot of radial play, and when the engine was running it have alot of noise, should I buy the vanos repair kits?

I still have a doubt on the head gasket... stock vs mls

thanks alot and have a good week!

[E30s50dude]

what about the block preparation, what do you recomend me? the pistons have alot of carbon

WhatsApp Image 2020-03-03 at 22.29.26_Easy-Resize.com (1).jpg

I would take some 3M scotch brite pads and clean the mating surface of the block and pistons by hand then take a lint free rag with a little brake cleaner and wipe is down after to pick up any material left behind. If ur not going cut ring i'd would run the stock head gasket. Unless you have the block cleaned and preped vary vell then you can run a thicker MLS maybe 140? depending on how much material was taken of the head.
r.
Might as well do the VANOS while everything is apart.

[Marcos Zortea]

Ok, will pickup some scotch brite pads and do the job

I have some updates, the head came from the machine shop and received some parts..

WhatsApp Image 2020-03-08 at 22.15.32.jpeg WhatsApp Image 2020-03-18 at 13.06.26.jpeg

now the question is about the turbo, I will use SPA manifold (is cheap around here), not sure if T3 or T4? and the turbo will be master power, source localy, I dont know if you know about the brand, but they have a catalog to help a choice
if someone can help, goal is 400whp.
I will drop the link for catalog here:

I was thinking about the R596 model..

http://masterpower.com.br/cat/catalo...asterpower.pdf

[Marcos Zortea]

hello guys, how are you?
its been awhile I didnt post nothing, have some health problems and needed some vacation hehe

back in business! the car is running, decided to go top mount, 3' inch exhaust, a friend help to do the welds hehe
drove the car on the weekend and have no leaks at all, I think its all good, exept the lifter noise, I reused the old ones, I dont know why but before I disasembly the engine it didnt do any noise..

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I changed the wheels too!
the BBS is good but I cant use wider tires because of the wrong offset, so I take this ones from a 318 sport I think, its 17x8 and 17x8.5, the tires are 225/45 and 245/40
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got some problems on the first ride too, the center support bearing of the driveshaft failed and the guibo is gone too
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[Marcos Zortea]

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already changed the broke parts, and I figured the guibos are diferent on some E36 models, the 328i is larger, I think is because of the transmission is diferent?
and another question, I have a getrag gearbox, how weak are this things? mine is making a weird noise, I thought is a oil problem but is all ok...

[Marcos Zortea]

I found a video on the first day

[h82crash]

Nice work. Congratulations.