E39 M5 + Turbo S52 Build

[litemup]

Hey guys,
I finally got a little forward momentum with this project, and wanted to share with the community my current build. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but felt like I could at least start a thread now that it would be more than just a collection of parts pics, haha. This is a somewhat unusual engine choice for this car, but honestly I like attempting somewhat unconventional or unique projects.

A few of my other side projects. Mostly just fun toys I built with junk yard parts and pieces laying around the shop:

1979 Dodge Omni with a SRT-4 motor, turbo upgrade, megasquirt, etc.












1987 Suzuki Samurai with a DOHC Suzuki Swift GTI motor swap, plus boost:












I have a lot of love for the E39 M5. Over the years I've owned an E36 M3, a supercharged E39 M5, an e28 533i, a M52 E30 M3, a Turbo E36 sedan, an E46 M3, and now currently I am going all out with my second E39 M5. Honestly the M5 has been my overall favorite car, and the car I've owned longer than anything else.
This project came to be because I found myself enjoying and driving my turbo E36 far more than my clean, comfortable M5. The M52 motor + boost was putting such a smile on my face that I didn't mind the terrible interior, torn seats, no A/C, and clouds of blow-by fumes consuming the cabin. The M5 was simply getting completely neglected. So I said, you know, why not just combine the two?
Turbo M5x replacing an S62? I'm sure many would say wtf. But hear me out. I had already been down the road of pushing power out of the S62. I felt that my ESS setup on my '01 M5 was making great power, and was at the safe limit of the stock, unopened long block. The most that car ever made was 546whp/453ft-lbs @ 9 psi. I knew that building that motor for more power (pistons/rods/sleeves, etc.) would be big money, and I never considered going that far with it. After spending a lot of time on this forum, I felt like I got a good sense of the power capabilities of the M5x line. Along with great power potential, the motors seem to generally be a good design with a relatively economical cost. I knew early on as well that if I did swap in a M5x motor, I wouldn't be content with a stock bottom end motor. I wanted to significantly surpass (+100whp/tq) the power output that I was able to get out of the supercharged S62, so I could justify the endeavor. I know that a turbo inline 6 is a completely different animal than the perfectly linear and extremely responsive power of the boosted S62. But ill admit, I'm a horsetorque addict, just like most of you, and I felt the move to a turbocharged M5x just simply had more power potential/strength.

Goals for this build: I wanted a car that I could drive daily and beat on daily, so durability was crucial. I wanted a responsive, quick spooling setup with a broad power-band, with output in its efficiency range on pump gas, since this would be the way its ran 95% of the time. I wanted the setup to still have some further power potential on race gas and more boost. I wanted to retain A/C, and embrace factory DME tuning and the factory harness. I wanted to put an emphasis on torque output since this car is roughly 1000lbs heavier than my e36. And the biggest goal was to try to utilize the majority of near-new performance parts from my E36 and install them on this car, while having the sale of the M5 drivetrain offset the purchase of the new drivetrain. Basically I wanted to combine my fast shitty car, with my slow(er) nice car, and minimize the financial cost of doing so.

And so the fun begins...

The E36 was stripped of its turbo kit, engine and trans sold, and chassis sold to someone else.




My car prior to getting wrench raped:






Then it was time for the M5 drivetrain to change hands.







That generated funds for the new motor purchase. I decided to go with a S52 to maximize displacement, and therefore torque.

Few details:
S52, 8.5:1 compression
CP pistons
Eagle rods
Full Supertech valvetrain (+1mm intake, Inconel exhaust valves)
SS O-ringed block, with matching receiver groove in cylinder head
11mm ARP 2000's
ATI Damper

Motor just back from the machine shop; assembling the rest of the motor...









Details on the rest of the setup:

-6 speed Euro M3 Getrag 420G Transmission
-UUC Feramic Twin Disc Kit
-Precision 6266 CEA, billet wheel/ball-bearing, Anti-surge compressor housing, .82 A/R hotside, T3 and V-band outlet turbine housing
-T3 SPA manifold, ported wastegate outlet
-Tial 38mm wastegate
-24"x12"x3" intercooler
-Tial 50mm BOV
-Devils Own Water/Meth injection setup
-80 lb injectors
-Aeromotive 340 fuel pump
-Aeromotive FPR



















I decided against using the 528i subframe/steering/suspension because every single M5 suspension component in the car was less than 500 miles old from my recent replacement (all new control arms, coilovers, etc.). So I felt it was worth trying to retain as many M5 parts as possible. This led me to use the E34 oil pan on the S52 in order to clear the subframe. The other thing that was necessary was to fabricate new engine mounts. They aren't pretty, but they are super solid. I used 1/4" steel stock that I had laying around. The euro 6 spd trans bolted to my original M5 trans mount, and I was able to use my original M5 output flange on the trans so that the M5 driveshaft bolted right up as well.















And yes, I had to make me a very special, super-custom oil dipstick hole in my engine arm. Don't be jealous...






Once the engine was bolted in, I proceeded with the damper install.



"yeaaaaaa that should be tight enough..."








Having some uncomfortably close clearance issues with the steering linkage. Will let you guys know how that plays out...






Now I've just installed the A/C compressor and the first section of charge piping. Making my intake setup next!






More to come as progress continues. I am very motivated to get this thing together and get in on some summer time racing. Thanks for the interest guys...

[dohcdoh]

Wow! Subbed for updates. I dig it.

[m3mods]

Damn I had no idea you have been this busy.. Awesome build and love the boosted s52 in an e39 m5 idea!

[auaq]

Hmm .. Interesting idea.

[bawareca]

I've seen boosted S52 swapped in 850ci,but that....your car anyhow.Now,you WILL need 500 ft/lbs @4 k rpm

[mattym3]

This is looking fine. How did you install the damper? I was putting mine on today. Got it lined up with the key , slid on a bit and then it gets really tight. I don't have the damper install tool was going to use a longer bolt to press it on until the crank bolt will reach. I seen a bunch of tolerances on the instructions do any of those apply to this application? Are those tolerances the distance from the snub of the crank to the face of the damper hub? I'm lost.

[litemup]

Now,you WILL need 500 ft/lbs @4 k rpm

The plan is to make more than that. The supercharged S62 made 450ft/lbs and even then it moved the big girl along quote nicely. But all in all, not building a race car.

As for the damper install, I lined the damper up with the key, slid it on by hand as far as it would go. Then pushed the damper on by tightening the crank bolt in combination with a ~3/16" thick washer (significantly thinner than the factory collar washer). Once the crank bolt bottomed out, I backed it out, replaced the slim washer with the factory washer, and then tightened it back down completely until I was ready to torque to spec (300ft/lbs).

[mattym3]

Perfect. That 3/16" washer is key. Thanks

[black bnr32]

this...I like.

Do you know the intercooler/rad/condenser will fit, or are you flying blind?

[SM3]

Looking good cannot wait to see it making big power

[bry195]

pretty cool stuff. it will be interesting to see how you plumb around the AC pump. Is there a sway bar that runs through there?

[BMWManiac]

blasphemous and awesome at the same time!

[litemup]

this...I like.

Do you know the intercooler/rad/condenser will fit, or are you flying blind?

I was going to mimic the front mount setup from the omni.

pretty cool stuff. it will be interesting to see how you plumb around the AC pump. Is there a sway bar that runs through there?

The sway bar and the steering linkage passes under neath the back half of the motor.

[litemup]

I was going to mimic the front mount setup from the omni.

This was definitely a joke.

[bawareca]

Perhaps if you have used the aluminum subframe and steering parts from a 6 cylinder E39 you couldnt have the clearance issues and the engine could have bolted on the original mounts?

[litemup]

Perhaps if you have used the aluminum subframe and steering parts from a 6 cylinder E39 you couldnt have the clearance issues and the engine could have bolted on the original mounts?

If I used an entire 528i subframe, steering rack, and complete suspension then yes, I could've used factory mounts and a s52 oil pan. But like I stated, all my M5 parts were brand new, and I don't mind spending a few hours cutting/grinding/welding metal. The e34 oil pan was also something I already had on hand. The entire 528i front end would've probably resulted in some weight savings, but it was just money that I couldn't justify spending. The steering linkage clearance is tight, but I think it will be ok. That close fit only occurs during an almost full lock right turn. It has ample clearance during normal driving steering angles.

[iRodD]

No new crank bolt? $hame on you. Looks real real good

[pbonsalb]

Interesting project. Should be a nice driver. I had an E39 528i and every time I got into it after driving my E36 M3, I used to think that the E39 was a nicer driver -- more modern, more comfortable. It just did not have enough power. Yours will.

[litemup]

No new crank bolt? $hame on you. Looks real real good

You caught me. I just put some jizz on it and cranked it good 'n tight. It'll be finnnnneeeee.

[litemup]

Interesting project. Should be a nice driver. I had an E39 528i and every time I got into it after driving my E36 M3, I used to think that the E39 was a nicer driver -- more modern, more comfortable. It just did not have enough power. Yours will.

Yea this car is nicer inside than many of the other cars I've owned. It has the extended leather option (leather wrapped dash, door panels, everything), sport seats with ostrich texture inserts, I swapped in the '01+ steering wheel, and then carbon fiber wrapped the interior trim.

[BigM62]

I would have loved to have seen a twin or single tubo S62 or M62 with built internals in your M5.

[MSpeedAddict]

Hell yeah. Love being different. Subscribed.

[iRodD]

Is yours Carbon Black also?

[litemup]

I would have loved to have seen a twin or single tubo S62 or M62 with built internals in your M5.

Show me any you've ever seen making 700+ft/lbs and have done so for more than a year. Then show me how much that motor cost to build. Just haven't been convinced, and wasnt putting that much cash into a unproven platform. I love the S62, but I'd rather let the guys with deeper pockets prove where the fail points are once your doubling power output, rather than me finding out on my own. To me, the M5x is simply a more cost-efficient platform for power.

[litemup]

Is yours Carbon Black also?

Yes