S54 CSL Engine Transplant

[glendog74]

I love the Primate's posts

[Rutkowski]

Originally Posted by nigelonich

Looking for some technical help guys if you have it.

Planing a Winter (or several months after that) project and 'in principle' its a E46 CSL engine into an E30 M3. After surfing a bit I think a manual e46 box would be the best idea as the flappy paddles look hard to integrate so that leaves the engine. I want to keep it as 'BMW' as possible.

What parts would be esential to remove from the donor as im not sure what items too make sure and get from a CSL and what items i can pick up from a stock E46m3. The obvious are engine with anciliaries, loom, ecu, intake and exhaust manifolds but does the airbox need a specific ecu and is the CSL loom a must to rob off a donor?

Even if someone found a 'good' link to help me it would be appriciated. There are plenty people talking about s54 trasplants but not so many about the transplant of the CSL variant.

I had an E30 M3 a few years back and i liked everything about the car apart from feeling it was a bit slow all the time so I fancied seeing if we could do something about that.

Nigel

Engine + anncilaries, Carbon fibre CSL airbox, wiring loom, ignition + key, ECU.

The latter is essential if you want the added security of keeping the engine immobiliser...

IMHO - get a good S54, install Schricks 288 / 280 + good remap, 2005 + M3 manifolds or Supersprint ones if budget allows and you're ready to go.

I tried the CSL route and it is very expensive with little benefit over a stock M3. Where CSL shines is not the power advantage but handling. Now that's where that magic is at. A balanced weight reduction combined with quality suspension and brakes.

If you're interested, pm me as i am parting out my M3.

By the way - the SMG isn't that hard to integrate... about as hard as doing an engine transplant.

[plug]

A 3.2 straight 6 in an E30, will it fit? They sure are a long engine.
Off topic a bit but how are them engines in terms of reliability, the S54's?

[shimmy]

Originally Posted by plug

A 3.2 straight 6 in an E30, will it fit? They sure are a long engine.
Off topic a bit but how are them engines in terms of reliability, the S54's?

Faultless.

[DuncanR]

Originally Posted by shimmy

Faultless.

+ 1 here !

[northernjim]

Originally Posted by DuncanR

+ 1 here !

[E30M3SE]

Originally Posted by nigelonich

Looking for some technical help guys if you have it.

Planing a Winter (or several months after that) project and 'in principle' its a E46 CSL engine into an E30 M3. After surfing a bit I think a manual e46 box would be the best idea as the flappy paddles look hard to integrate so that leaves the engine. I want to keep it as 'BMW' as possible.

What parts would be esential to remove from the donor as im not sure what items too make sure and get from a CSL and what items i can pick up from a stock E46m3. The obvious are engine with anciliaries, loom, ecu, intake and exhaust manifolds but does the airbox need a specific ecu and is the CSL loom a must to rob off a donor?

Even if someone found a 'good' link to help me it would be appriciated. There are plenty people talking about s54 trasplants but not so many about the transplant of the CSL variant.

I had an E30 M3 a few years back and i liked everything about the car apart from feeling it was a bit slow all the time so I fancied seeing if we could do something about that.

Nigel

IMO, you are better off 'playing with' the S14 already in a E30M3 rather than stuffing a S54 in the nose, it will never handle and behave like an E30 should with the extra weight mounted further forward, great for a straight line monster.

[_Nathan_]

If you go S53 then avoid the OEM ECU, you'll need loads of sensors, throttle pedal, dash, etc etc.

Stick it on MoTeC and it'll be far simpler, and make more power.

[pinkpanther008]

The s54 will fit as its been done (plenty links on net: http://bmwe30cars.blogspot.com/2009/12/bmw-e30-s54.html) but squeezing the CSL airbox alongside in that wee 80's engine bay will be a challenge too far me thunks?

If you do build it please post up progress as i expect everybody on here would be enthused by a build like this.