wasn't most of the difference between the us and euro spec in power was due to the catalytic converter design?
BMW M3 oil
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Originally Posted By: 38sho
wasn't most of the difference between the us and euro spec in power was due to the catalytic converter design?
No!
There's approx a 100hp difference in power, higher rev limit, dual VANOS vs. single VANOS, and more. The S50 (non-US) is a true M-heritage engine. The S50US and S52 are tweaked M50/M52 units.
The reason the S50 couldn't be used in NA may very well be partially emissions related, but I remember reading that it was actually a maintenance issue. BMW felt that various features put on M cars everywhere else in the world wouldn't be accepted by North Americans due to higher maintenance requirements. No one here wants to "pay to play" with high performance designs and they were afraid that the vehicles simply wouldn't sell or would be involved in failures/collisions due to disregard of maintenance. This included things like brakes with floating rotors (expensive and require "frequent" replacement by comparison). North American cars were outfitted with standard brake rotors while euros got floating rotors. I believe this was an E34 and E39 M5 issue, but it's been a number of years...
I'm sure someone who actually presently owns one of these will know the story better than I. These are my recollections when shopping for M cars around 10 years ago.
wasn't most of the difference between the us and euro spec in power was due to the catalytic converter design?
No!
There's approx a 100hp difference in power, higher rev limit, dual VANOS vs. single VANOS, and more. The S50 (non-US) is a true M-heritage engine. The S50US and S52 are tweaked M50/M52 units.
The reason the S50 couldn't be used in NA may very well be partially emissions related, but I remember reading that it was actually a maintenance issue. BMW felt that various features put on M cars everywhere else in the world wouldn't be accepted by North Americans due to higher maintenance requirements. No one here wants to "pay to play" with high performance designs and they were afraid that the vehicles simply wouldn't sell or would be involved in failures/collisions due to disregard of maintenance. This included things like brakes with floating rotors (expensive and require "frequent" replacement by comparison). North American cars were outfitted with standard brake rotors while euros got floating rotors. I believe this was an E34 and E39 M5 issue, but it's been a number of years...
I'm sure someone who actually presently owns one of these will know the story better than I. These are my recollections when shopping for M cars around 10 years ago.
The US M3 got a bored/stroked/modded M50 engine because BMW NA had decided that importing the E36 M3 with the true ///M engine would be so expensive that the car would not sell in sufficient numbers to justify federalizing the real S50. In fact BMW NA originally announced that they had no plans to import the E36 M3, but a letter-writing campaign organized by Bob Roemer at the BMW CCA magazine Roundel helped convince the suits that some iteration of the E36 M3 should be sold here. Using the beefed up 325i motor saved BMW NA @$14,000 per car and the result was a car that could stick with the Euro E36 M3 until 70-80 mph.
Note that the Euro engine also boasted mechanical lifters as well as individual throttle bodies for each cylinder. Emissions weren't that much of a factor as by 1995 Euro cars had to meet standards that were roughly equivalent to US regs.
Note that the Euro engine also boasted mechanical lifters as well as individual throttle bodies for each cylinder. Emissions weren't that much of a factor as by 1995 Euro cars had to meet standards that were roughly equivalent to US regs.
All of the misinformation in this thread shows why BMW made the right decision in keeping the S50 engine out of North America.
The OP's BMW has an S52 engine that calls for an oil that meets either BMW LL98 or LL01.
Many customers take follow the oil life monitor and then take their BMW into Jiffy lube for a 5W30 dino oil change at 14,000 km OCI's and wonder why they have sludge problems.
Although the S50 has significantly higher hp than the S52 the torque ratings aren't much different and driving feel under 4,000 rpm is very similar. The difference comes at higher rpm.
What are the differences between the S50 and S52 engines?
The North American-spec powerplant, known as the S52, is based closely on the regular production M52 six-cylinder engine. Like that motor, it has a cast iron block, aluminum cylinder head and four valves per cylinder, with two-stage VANOS variable valve timing on the intake strokes. Unique to the S52, however, is a larger bore of 86.4mm and a longer stroke of 89.6mm for a total displacement of 3,152cc. The engine is rated at 240 hp (SAE) at 6,000rpm and 236 lb/ft of torque at 3,800 rpm.
In addition to the larger displacement, the S52 utilizes the following special M components (compared to the M52):
-Ported and polished cylinder head
-Retuned VANOS variable valve timing for greater high-rpm power
-Heavy-duty valve springs
-More finely balanced camshafts
-Valve lifters, springs and spring seats with reduced mass
-Free-flowing intake and exhaust systems
The European-spec powerplant, known as the S50 B32, is a much more exotic unit. Like the S52, it also contains an iron block and aluminum cylinder head with four valves per cylinder. However, with a bore of 86.4mm and a stroke of 91mm, it has a total displacement of 3,201cc. The S50 B32 incorporates the following special features to allow it to produce an impressive 321 hp (DIN) at 7,400rpm and 258 lb/ft of torque at 3,250 rpm:
-Individual throttle plates for each cylinder
-Increased compression ratio to 11.3:1
-Advanced BMW/Siemens MSS50 engine management system able to compute 20 million instructions per second
-Double VANOS continuously variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust strokes
-Lightweight pistons
-Dual-mass flywheel
-Graphite-coated conrods
-Larger inlet valves
-Second oil pump
What are the differences between the S50 and S54 engines?
The S54 powerplant of the later M roadsters is technically an evolution of the iron-block S50 B32 unit that is found in later Eruopean-spec E36 M3s, as well as all European-spec M roadsters and M coupes built through June of 2000. The two motors develop similar peak power ratings: 321 hp (DIN) at 7,400 rpm and 258 lb/ft of torque at 3,250 rpm for the S50 versus 325 hp (DIN) at 7,400 rpm and 261 lb/ft of torque at 4,900 rpm for the S54. However, they share few major components and differ in the following areas:
-Increased cylinder bore to 87mm (from 86.4mm) for a new total displacement of 3,246cc (from 3,201cc)
-Modified camshafts
-High pressure Double VANOS continuously variable valve timing system with faster operation at high rpm
-Increased compression to 11.5:1 (from 11.3:1)
-More advanced BMW/Siemens MSS 54 engine management control
-Finger-type rocker arms for reduced reciprocating mass and friction
-One-piece aluminum head casting for lighter weight
-Scavenging oil pump to maintain pressure during heavy cornering
The S50 B32 engine can be identified by the "BMW M Power" inscription on its cam cover, while the S54 motor contains only the "M" badge.
The OP's BMW has an S52 engine that calls for an oil that meets either BMW LL98 or LL01.
Many customers take follow the oil life monitor and then take their BMW into Jiffy lube for a 5W30 dino oil change at 14,000 km OCI's and wonder why they have sludge problems.
Although the S50 has significantly higher hp than the S52 the torque ratings aren't much different and driving feel under 4,000 rpm is very similar. The difference comes at higher rpm.
What are the differences between the S50 and S52 engines?
The North American-spec powerplant, known as the S52, is based closely on the regular production M52 six-cylinder engine. Like that motor, it has a cast iron block, aluminum cylinder head and four valves per cylinder, with two-stage VANOS variable valve timing on the intake strokes. Unique to the S52, however, is a larger bore of 86.4mm and a longer stroke of 89.6mm for a total displacement of 3,152cc. The engine is rated at 240 hp (SAE) at 6,000rpm and 236 lb/ft of torque at 3,800 rpm.
In addition to the larger displacement, the S52 utilizes the following special M components (compared to the M52):
-Ported and polished cylinder head
-Retuned VANOS variable valve timing for greater high-rpm power
-Heavy-duty valve springs
-More finely balanced camshafts
-Valve lifters, springs and spring seats with reduced mass
-Free-flowing intake and exhaust systems
The European-spec powerplant, known as the S50 B32, is a much more exotic unit. Like the S52, it also contains an iron block and aluminum cylinder head with four valves per cylinder. However, with a bore of 86.4mm and a stroke of 91mm, it has a total displacement of 3,201cc. The S50 B32 incorporates the following special features to allow it to produce an impressive 321 hp (DIN) at 7,400rpm and 258 lb/ft of torque at 3,250 rpm:
-Individual throttle plates for each cylinder
-Increased compression ratio to 11.3:1
-Advanced BMW/Siemens MSS50 engine management system able to compute 20 million instructions per second
-Double VANOS continuously variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust strokes
-Lightweight pistons
-Dual-mass flywheel
-Graphite-coated conrods
-Larger inlet valves
-Second oil pump
What are the differences between the S50 and S54 engines?
The S54 powerplant of the later M roadsters is technically an evolution of the iron-block S50 B32 unit that is found in later Eruopean-spec E36 M3s, as well as all European-spec M roadsters and M coupes built through June of 2000. The two motors develop similar peak power ratings: 321 hp (DIN) at 7,400 rpm and 258 lb/ft of torque at 3,250 rpm for the S50 versus 325 hp (DIN) at 7,400 rpm and 261 lb/ft of torque at 4,900 rpm for the S54. However, they share few major components and differ in the following areas:
-Increased cylinder bore to 87mm (from 86.4mm) for a new total displacement of 3,246cc (from 3,201cc)
-Modified camshafts
-High pressure Double VANOS continuously variable valve timing system with faster operation at high rpm
-Increased compression to 11.5:1 (from 11.3:1)
-More advanced BMW/Siemens MSS 54 engine management control
-Finger-type rocker arms for reduced reciprocating mass and friction
-One-piece aluminum head casting for lighter weight
-Scavenging oil pump to maintain pressure during heavy cornering
The S50 B32 engine can be identified by the "BMW M Power" inscription on its cam cover, while the S54 motor contains only the "M" badge.
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