5.3 LM7 powered '97 BMW M3 sedan!

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Not sure how fitting this porject is here, but being powered an 5.3 LM7, maybe some relevance?

Any how, current project is '97 BMW M3 sedan, receiving an '01 LM7 and T-56.

Started an LSx powered Nissan 300-ZX project a while back, detailed here;

LSx powered late model Nissan 300-ZX, aka Z-32 - LS1TECH

...moth balled that project, sold the car, kept the LM7 and T-56 with plans to use the powertrain in another car more worthy of the conversion. Stumbled across a 190,000 mile ’97 BMW M3 sedan, 5 speed car, Black on Black. Car runs GREAT, no smoke, doesn’t miss beat, runs every bit its mid 14 second ¼ mile. Everything works, couldn’t more happy. The paint isn’t perfect, but being as this is daily driver, part time auto-crosser, I prefer a few blemishes vs a show car. Previous owner installed a Brembo Big Brake kit and Bilstein struts.
I think the S52 engine and 5 speed already have a home, probably installed in a 260-Z, and then possibly boosted!

Any how, I’ve had the car for approx 3-4 weeks now, LOVE the car. It is so much more capable in the corners and down the straights than my 300-ZX could ever think of being! LSx power will only enhance that! Weighed it with ¾ tank of fuel, no driver or passengers, a bit portly for and E-36 at 3340 lbs. Front 1620, rear 1720! I didn’t believe the rear weight bias myself so I rechecked it and YEUP! Front to rear weight distribution, 48.5% front, 51.5% rear, AND it seats 4 comfortably, 5 if the rear passengers don’t mind being a little cozy.


These pics were taken by my best friend the day I Picked up the car. The pics really hide the paint flaws very well.

Picking up the car at the Previous Owners house;


Sitting in MY driveway!;


EMMM PAW-WAW… soon to be LSx paw-waw...

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Installed an Alpine head unit and some speakers as soon as I picked up the car, nothing special, just need tunes that sounded little better than OE. Replaced the front corner lights with smoked and have HID Euro Ellipsoids on the way, (should be here Tuesday or Wednesday, pics to follow). Today made a couple other interior changes as well. Mostly getting tired of my iPhone charge cord always being tangled up around the shifter. I keep my iPhone in the cubby behind the shifter next to the parking brake, sometimes under the parking brake handle itself. I don’t like it in the sunglasses cubby ahead of the shifter as it is bit small and the cord was still obnoxious and in the way there as well. Being that is the only use I have for the 12v power port, (Valentine 1 is to be hardwired just as I had it in my 280-Z, Q-45 and 300-ZX) the most logical location to me is just under the arm rest next to the cubby where I keep the iPhone. After disassembling the arm rest and center console, I committed myself modifying the arm rest structure to get the power port in that location, (owning a specialty 240-260-280-Z car shop helps). In the end, I am VERY pleased with out come.

Now with the power port relocated, that left this awkward hole just ahead of the shifter. A few days ago I mentioned to my good friend that I was thinking about installing my S-2000 “Engine Start” button in that location that I had in my 240-Z race car! He just laughed and walked away… I’m convinced we all have some “ricer” in us, mine turned up as this start button, (i.e. the current starting system functions fine, but still have the desire to change it to something different, even though “different” does not enhance the functionality, only the visual presentation.. ) So I installed it as well. I connected the illumination portion to the old cig light lighting wires. Just need to connect the button to the starter wire and it’ll be functional.

Tried to get some pics of the illumination, pics didn’t come out so good, but you’ll get the idea. The OBC lighting is the normal dark orange, but for some reason shows up pink in the pics?!?!

First pic is the original power port with the charge cord tangled around shifter…



This picture is of the new power port location;



The Honda S-2000 start button, (looks OE);


Illumintaed;


Overall interior shot, iPhone is charging under the arm rest, out of sight, no obnoxious cords in the way. ;-)

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Just a small update, nothing big, yet…

The project is moving forward, sold the M3 power train to a local HBZ member that will be installing it in an S-30 chassis. (He drove the M3 a few times and feels that the BMW M3 power train would be SAH-WEET in a Z car…) ;-)

My approach to the LSx powered E36 is one of simple functionality while retaining the quality BMW ride and driving experience, i.e. no harsh vibrations, loud exhaust etc. A no nonsense LSx conversion. Nothing radical, not blingy, just a simple, “affordable” LSx powered E-36 daily driver that gets comparable MPG as the original power-plant, when not mashing the loud pedal.

I am sitting on a 2001 5.3 out of my wifes '01 Suburban. At 160,xxx this 5.3 it ate the cam. Bought her a used 5.3 engine and swapped it in her Burb, she his tickled pink. So am I as I now have a "starter motor" for my E36. Removed the heads and removed the bungled camshaft and lifters, (detailed write up regarding the camshaft elsewhere on this forum). Purchased a 2001 Vette LS1 camshaft, new roller lifters, several other parts and goodies including oil pans, exhaust manifolds for mock ups, etc. Picked up a WS6 T-56 and LS6 clutch/flywheel package that is currently sitting under the bench right now awaiting installation! Long term plan is to stuff a pert-neer stock 6.0 under the hood,

I do have some help with this particular project, updates with details and pics will be sparse during the beginning, though when the “helper” is satisfied and deems all systems are go, there will be plenty of details, pics, etc. From my conversations with my helper, Once we start posting the specifics with details, etc, anyone else interested in doing this conversion with this approach will be very interested in…

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No turning back now, game on!

A couple hours, (and same amount of beers later), including watching the latest Ken Block video tearing it up at an Airport, here we are!

All goes well tomorrow, the 3.2L BMW M-3 S52 engine and trans will be out of the car and weighed on my crane scale.

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The last few days progress has been snails pace at best, with company, and family to-do’s, etc, though the M3 Engine and trans is finally out!

Ron and I immediately removed the A/C compressor bracket, hooked up the scale , zeroed the scale with the lifting chain and weighed the engine trans combo. Engine with the Alternator, intake mani, exhaust mani’s, starter, trans w/flywheel-clutch, oil and coolant, both radiator hoses, 512.2 lbs! Removed the trans, clutch and starter, engine alone weighs 406.4 lbs! Lightweight for a twin cam engine with a cast oil pan! In weighing an LM7 long block at 490 lbs, T-56 is 125-130 lbs, I fully expect the car to gain 150 lbs, give or take 50 lbs… The increase in torque will be worth the penalty.

More pics…

BMW built the hood hinge to hyperextend to pert-neer vertical, i.e. “service” position, no need to remove the hood!


Engine and trans free from the car;





Ron found a tag indicating this engine is not the original engine for this car. Might explain why the back side of the valves are “spotless!”


Now the head scratching and reorganization of the engine bay to accept the LSx begins;


Tools, Fluke DMM, Jack pad, Bentley service manual, LSx swap book, and my 3-ring log book;


My log book where I am keeping a detailed account of the progress made, notes and tips from others that have graciously shared their knowledge/experience, etc;

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The S52 M3 engine is currently being installed in a friends Datsun 260-Z! He is even talking about possibly boosting it in the future?!

For those interested, here is the build thread of the M3 powered Datsun Z car, pics, and even weighed the complete S52 power-train...

rt260, M Powered - HybridZ

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July 18th update!


Finally got around to spending a little time on the car.
Grabbed another stack of my handy dandy manilla wire tags and proceeded to finish tagging each and every engine related connector, hose, plug, wire, etc for the BMW engines new owner while removing the engine harness from the car itself. The original M3 engine is currently being installed in a Datsun 260-Z! I don’t know which is cooler, a Datsun Z car with an M3 engine, (possibly boosted!) or an M3 with an LSx? Race is on! Who'll be up and running first, the M powered Z, or LS powered M?
For those interested, Ron started a build thread for the M3 powered Z car… Beauty of that conversion is it is taking place in my shop next to my M3, so I get to drive the Z car once its up and running!

rt260, M Powered - HybridZ


Back on topic, LSx powered M car..

After removing the engine harness, cleaning up a few other straggler wires, I removed the X-member, rack-&-pinion, then 3 cans of GUNK brand Foamy-Engine-Degreaser later, the engine bay, X-member, rack, etc is ... well... at least not grimy any more! Loosely bolted in the X-member and rack, ready for initial mock up of the Lsx. Tossed around the idea of painting the engine bay a smoke gray as I have done in a few other V-8 conversions, (V-8 powered Datsun Z cars), the thought of completely gutting the engine bay including disconnecting the A/C system was not too appealing, and being as this is a daily driver and the car has 192,xxx miles on it, decided against that and to press on with the conversion. OE black is just fine!

Next on the agenda is trace out the umbilical wires between the engine and car. Need to know which ones I will use with the LSx so the BMW electrics will be happy and also for the S-52’s new owner being as he has the other end of that 3 plug umbilical and I’m sure the Factory BMW ECM will want a few bits of that information to keep from running in "limp home" mode. I heard a rumor that BMW made the car electrical wiring a bit more invasive/integrated in with the EFI wiring… Soon to find out by how much…


The S52 engine harness… It’s not really as menacing as it looks…


Engine-to-car Umbilical;


Engine bay, de-grimed;

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Update with teaser shots…


Bolted the T-56 up to the Vette LS1 mock up block, (T-56 is out of an ’01 WS6, I have been calling it an ’02, sorry), fitted my 5.3 heads and Vette LS1 intake with truck TB, then stabbed the whole she-bang into the M3! WOO HOO!!!!
LSx and T-56 fits WAY nicer, cleaner, better in the BMW than it does the Nissan Z-32 chassis, (Z-32, aka ‘90-‘96 300-ZX)!

The common two clearance issues stood out immediately,

1) ABS unit.
2) Steering shaft.

ABS unit is a relocation project. More labor in actually doing it than there will be in head scratching figuring out what is the easiest most logical location.

What makes the steering shaft such a hassle is that it is in the way of the primary exhaust runner of the number 7 exhaust port. My helper on this project, (currently undercover in stealth mode), has mentioned a couple ideas that could help clearance wise. I will be evaluating when I can revisit this project.

For now, I have to pull away from this project till late next week. Our annual family/friends camp-in/cruise-in/Fly-in is this weekend, I have a HUGE list of to-do’s to get the property ready.

I’ll leave you with these shots for now. Keep in mind, I merely stabbed the LSx in the car, I did NOT position it in any particular location, did not center it, did not adjust its height, nuttin. Literally just set it in the car and took pics. I’m sure its final mounted position will be shifted fore/aft, left/right, up/down from this initial mock up.


C-5 LS1 mock up block and intake, truck TB, WS-6 T-56! Aka the mocker!


Stabbed in the car!






Hood clearance;




Lowest realistic engine position;


Shifter!



Trans tunnel shots;






The infamous steering shaft;

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This update is not real big, just taking care of a few incidentals, getting ready for mounts. ;-)

After taking a peek around the trans while stuffed in the car, made note of all the little bosses and protrusions that pose clearance issues or could pose clearance issues.

Removed the engine and trans from the car, carved off those nubs, bosses, protrusions, blended them in.

Removed the CAGS, (Skip Shift solenoid) from the trans, tapped as deep as my ½” x14 NPT tap would go, then with a metric 13mm plug from a Datsun Z car cylinder head, (thread pitch is perfect match, just slightly smaller diameter), plugged the CAGS hole.

The reverse switch could be a clearance issue depending on how far offset the engine is set. +1" to the passenger side, leave approx. 1" between the switch and the tunnel! I may relocate it to the reverse lock out location, will have to play with that a-bit first. Read on…

Removed the reverse lock out solenoid only to find it had been gutted by a previous owner! My guess is they either thought it was the CAGS solenoid or was having troubles with it. At any rate, I either need to get another reverse lock out actuator or using the reverse light switch, add some spring tension to it, fab/machine a mount for it to to fit in the T-56 Reverse lock out pocket. The added spring tension the reverse switch would add should reduce the tendency to hit Reverse when aggressively grabbing 5th. That' the theory any how... Like the ZF BMW 5 speed, to engage reverse require a LOT of effort to overcome the added spring tension, (keeps from inadvertently grabbing reverse), using that same concept for the T-56. If I am able to make that happen, I wont need skip shift actuator and that will allow the trans to sit closer to the passenger side of the car without interfering with the trans tunnel.


Today spent a couple hours porting my 5.3 cylinder heads, 706 castings. Being as this is my interim LSx and just a 5.3, I didn’t go crazy just a little valve unshrouding, removed the roof of the exhaust port making them “D” ports, and blended the seats into the ports for a smoother transition in that region, (removed the sharp edge/ridge). In the next couple days, time permitting, I will cut the valve seats with 4 or 5 angles, surface the heads and assemble them. Valves have already been faced, added a 30 degree back cut to the exhaust, (intakes already have a 30 degree back-cut from GM).

Once the heads are done, will install them back on the short block along with the 2000 Vette cam, (dur @ .050” 198/209 Vlv Lft.500”/.500”, 115.5 deg LSA) LS6 yellow springs, LS6 take out roller lifters, all new gaskets, ported oil pump, new water pump etc. Engine will be ready for mounts in approx 3-4 weeks.

Pics of this weeks progress.

Some of the bosses removed;



CAGS plug;






Head porting;

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Had big plans today to get the heads finished, assembled and possibly installed on the short block! Between running my wife’s daily driver into town for new tires and changing the oil in it, then goofing off online, ordering a pilot bearing, etc, I didn’t quite meet my goal though did get a little done. All the treaded holes are now chamfered and chased the threads, removed the broken exhaust bolt and heli-coiled that hole. Tomorrow, I hope to get the machine work done, (cut the seats, deck the heads), as well as final cleaning and assembly.

For those interested, here are all the thread sizes for the various threaded holes in the LSx cylinder heads.

Spark plug 14x1.25mm
Coolant temp port 12x1.5mm
Ancillary/accy holes 10x1.5mm
Exhaust manifold 8x1.25
Rocker arm mounting bosses 8x1.25mm
Intake manifold 6x1.0mm
Valve cover hold down 6x1.0mm
Steam tube hold down 6x1.0mm

Till the next update…