Looking For A Shop For LS Swap (Southern California Preferred)

[WiredBMW]

My S65 (from my E93 M3) is hurt, and I need a replacement. There is no real inexpensive way to do that, and of course, any replacement engine needs the bearings done, to avoid problems in the future, which is another expense and worry, or a reman'd engine which is really expensive. So I have been toying with the idea of an LS Swap. I figure the cost is about the same between the two, but the LS has significantly more power potential very cheaply, and cheaply repaired. Can anyone recommend a shop, preferably in southern California. I understand it won't necessarily be quick, but I am not in a position to wait years for a swap to be completed.

[Matt330LS]

I can't help you with a shop recommendation as I'm not from California. However, I've done the LS swap on my car (E46) and would caution you about the term "cheaply." The term I would use if proceeding with an LS swap is "expectation management" particularly with an E9x which seems to be less common than an E46 swap, which seems to be less common than an E36 swap. There are a ton of considerations especially if you're trying to maintain daily driver status with the car. Add to that you're talking about having a shop do the work. If you can find a shop that charges about $70 an hour (not likely where you're at) and could do the entire swap in 100 hours you're still in for $7000 just in labor. Something to think about.

Now, I'm all for the idea and it would be pretty cool to see a stout LS in your car, but there is more than just finding the engine and dropping it in the car.

On the other hand, what is the damage to the S65 you currently have? Is it possible to fix what's damaged and potentially upgrade the broken parts? May be more expensive than buying the LS, but in the long term you may actually spend less money and have less aggravation (which is worth some $$ on its own)?

Also, found this list after a quick Google search. Not sure how current, but may help you some. https://engineswapdepot.com/?page_id=5992

Post up what you find though, I'm interested to hear what the projected cost is.

[WiredBMW]

I can't help you with a shop recommendation as I'm not from California. However, I've done the LS swap on my car (E46) and would caution you about the term "cheaply." The term I would use if proceeding with an LS swap is "expectation management" particularly with an E9x which seems to be less common than an E46 swap, which seems to be less common than an E36 swap. There are a ton of considerations especially if you're trying to maintain daily driver status with the car. Add to that you're talking about having a shop do the work. If you can find a shop that charges about $70 an hour (not likely where you're at) and could do the entire swap in 100 hours you're still in for $7000 just in labor. Something to think about.

Now, I'm all for the idea and it would be pretty cool to see a stout LS in your car, but there is more than just finding the engine and dropping it in the car.

On the other hand, what is the damage to the S65 you currently have? Is it possible to fix what's damaged and potentially upgrade the broken parts? May be more expensive than buying the LS, but in the long term you may actually spend less money and have less aggravation (which is worth some $$ on its own)?

Also, found this list after a quick Google search. Not sure how current, but may help you some. https://engineswapdepot.com/?page_id=5992

Post up what you find though, I'm interested to hear what the projected cost is.

Thanks for your post. I hear you, and that's why I am exploring the possibilities. At this point, I know that compression on Cyl 1 is down about half, and is leaking about 60%, with 2 percent on cyl 2. A used replacement S65 and installation is about 14-15,000.00, and I don't think that includes doing the bearings on the new, similar mileage engine. I was thinking I could get away with the swap for that or less, and be left with a better engine, more reliable, and with greater potential. And while I envision the major hurdle to be the DCT, I can always go manual though I would like to avoid it. Southern California traffic is a nightmare, so the DCT is optimal.

Its ambitious, but might be willing to try. I could always just go the S65 route, but seems awefully crazy to spend 10 grand on a used engine (just the engine--a reman/rebuild is about 17,000 just for the engine) when a crate LS making tons of power is less than 10, and bargain reman'd engine can be had for less than 5k. My plan at this point is a fairly similar spec LS3, with a plan to destroke it (perhaps before initial install)

Right now still in the research mode because the my engine still runs, but if it goes, things will have to happen quickly, and I'll probably just drop in a replacement S65 and take my chances, or sell the car.