BMW e46 engine question?

[gpeluso]

Built a 323i e46 last year for NASA PT...... the build has run into many issues and I and currently solving one of them by adding a standalone ecu. I am curious about making the car crossover to SCCA and maybe STU. I am wondering with the addition of the E36 3.2 M3 (which i don't understand due to under 3 liter idea) what weight would i run if I added a:
323i e46 motor (2.5l)?
325i e46 motor (2.5l)?
328i e46 motor (2.8l)?
330 e46 motor (3.0l)?

or do i give up on these bmw motors and just put an e36 motor m50 or m52? Maybe the standalone will change things but it seems that BMW made these motors at a lower standard and do not seem to race well. I have heard of people putting different rod bears because of the weak e46 stuff. I really screwed this up and should have went down the e36 road. I have way to much $$$ in this project and my ITS rx7 is more fun to drive right now. Hopefully this will change.

I currently have in my possession a e46 323 and e46 328 motor...just seeing what makes the most sense or seeing if i need to buy or build another.

Thanks
Greg

[Greg Amy]

STU engine displacement limit is being raised to 3.2L for 2012, weights will be a linear increase on existing table. - GA

[Z3_GoCar]

As I understand it, the double vanos motors require a pretty sophisticated ecu to correctly control. Best bet may be the Bosch motorsports DME as used in GrandAM. As for weight, all 2.5's weigh the same doesn't matter generation or even who's (it could be a Nissan 2.5 liter four would weight the same.) That said, the intake manifold it the key choke point, I'd consider swapping for one of the higher performance one that came in the same chassis. More info can be found searching the Bimmer boards.

[Ron Earp]

STU engine displacement limit is being raised to 3.2L for 2012, weights will be a linear increase on existing table. - GA

Get it up to 3.8L and some other cars might come and play....I could have an STU engine and an ITS engine.....

[Greg Amy]

Get it up to 3.8L and some other cars might come and play....I could have an STU engine and an ITS engine.....

Ron, Table A, STU allowances, p 476 in Dec GCR. - GA

[gpeluso]

I must be an idiot because it looks to me the 330(3.0) bmw motor weights are HIGHER than 3.2l BMW M3??????

Greg

[Z3_GoCar]

I must be an idiot because it looks to me the 330(3.0) bmw motor weights are HIGHER than 3.2l BMW M3??????

Greg

That's under this years rules and only applies to the S-52 e-36 M3 motor with limited modifications. I haven't seen if that exception will still be in next years STCS.

[Ron Earp]

Ron, Table A, STU allowances, p 476 in Dec GCR. - GA

Fast Track?

I found this around p476 in the 2011 GCR:

G. Weight Requirements
1. Minimum weights for cars with piston engines will be determined
by 1.3 lbs/cc displacement for the installed engine (see following

That' would be a 4940 lb Mustang 3.8L!

Let me go check the Fast Track.

[Greg Amy]

Nope, not Fastrack, the actual STU regs' Table A. We allow the 3.8L Mustang and Camaro in, albeit with porky weight (compared to ITS) and lesser mods (pretty damn close to ITS).

Then again, per the STU regs, "Any GCR listed IT cars, 1985 and newer, under their current IT specifications may compete in STU. GCR listed IT cars of 2 liters and less engine displacement, 1985 and newer, may compete in STL under their current IT specifications."

Unless there's some other ST mods you want to do (cams, porting, wings, etc), it kinda doesn't make a lot of sense to toss in that extra ~700+ poundages.

- GA

[JS154]

Built a 323i e46 last year for NASA PT...... the build has run into many issues and I and currently solving one of them by adding a standalone ecu. I am curious about making the car crossover to SCCA and maybe STU. I am wondering with the addition of the E36 3.2 M3 (which i don't understand due to under 3 liter idea) what weight would i run if I added a:
323i e46 motor (2.5l)?
325i e46 motor (2.5l)?
328i e46 motor (2.8l)?
330 e46 motor (3.0l)?

or do i give up on these bmw motors and just put an e36 motor m50 or m52? Maybe the standalone will change things but it seems that BMW made these motors at a lower standard and do not seem to race well. I have heard of people putting different rod bears because of the weak e46 stuff. I really screwed this up and should have went down the e36 road. I have way to much $$$ in this project and my ITS rx7 is more fun to drive right now. Hopefully this will change.

I currently have in my possession a e46 323 and e46 328 motor...just seeing what makes the most sense or seeing if i need to buy or build another.

Thanks
Greg

The linear weight addition is going to be killer for the 3.2L engines. That's 3520#...even with ans S54 engine that's a lot of weight. I think the hot 6cyl bmw is the 2.5L ex-WC-TC build like Phil Parlato's. He's running electromotive IIRC.

[gpeluso]

do you know what kind of power WC 325 made? and what engine e36,e46,or e90?

greg