S38 B38 in E28 eye candy (56k beware, 3 pictures)

[Black Steel]

"I also plan to run my car very hard. At this point though I am still working on the custom exhaust"

Trust your going equal length? This is something that I wanted to do but it impossible in a right hand drive car. My manifold is a custom made item with the biggest pipes possible. When I rapped the pipes it was touching the steering box Got round this by adding a thick washer to the top of the engine mount

You can actually use half of the original manifold & custom make the the other half!

You stated in a previous post that the M88 manifold only flows 300-320bhp. Your correct if the engine is standard. With a chip I have seen one example hitting 340bhp.

What are you doing about the middle & back box? I will be changing my straight through system for a new one with a specially patented muffler design. On an standard e34 b36 power was increased from 310 to 339bhp

My car is putting out standard 3.8 power at the moment & I am still using the standard cams!
With the exhaust it should be knocking on 100bhp per litre once the live map has been optimised
I'll stop waffling now!

Once again great post

[cgraff]

dunnojack, the reason we didn't want to use the E34 tank was 2 fold. First it is much larger and therefore harder to fit. The second is that we wanted to be able to run an E28 stock coolant pressure which the max comes with the E28 M5 and the cap is not the plastic cap of the later cars, it is a metal cap which will only work with the earlier containers.
Currently we are using the stock e28 aux fan and wiring. There is no melting of the fuse box at this point. We are looking into upgrading the fan to the E34 fan potentially and then changing the wiring at that time, but as for now the larger problem is determining how to prevent the AC fuse holder from melting. Chris and I are working on a really cool "BMW" solution for this problem. Chris can give more details on this when he is done at the end of the weekend.

Black Steel,
I also plan to run my car very hard. At this point though I am still working on the custom exhaust and have to get the 1200 break in miles on the motor before I can really start to push it. Once I get to that point if we run into a problem, like I mentioned above we will probably go to the E34 aux fan and do some upgrading to the wiring. But like it is has been said we are running an e28 535i manual trans radiator. We are using the e28 535/M5 fan clutch and black fan, e28 aux fan, and E36 coolant temp switch.

No more melting fuse boxes!

http://www.m535i.org/e28info/fusebox/IMG00058-fuse1.jpg

Note to the observant the fuse sizes on #13 and #14.

A relatively simple fix, that hopefully avoids the biggest issue of the E28 fusebox which is the melting of fuse block 13 and 14.

Note that while people complain of melting fuse block #17 (aux fan fuse), it's actually been the issue on 4 out of 4 E28s I know personally very well that it's fuse block 13 and 14 that tends to melt.

The fusebox fix, in fact, takes a page out the E24 book but running a dedicated circuit for the blower motors instead of piggy-backing on fuse 14.

And yes, the blower motors will blow an 8 amp fuse. Tried it.

More info here:
http://www.m535i.org/e28info/fusebox/
includes wiring diagram.


-Chris

[m535is]

As far as the exhaust goes the reason why the M88/3 headers will only flow 320bhp is because of the collectors. The primaries are actually the same size or slightly larger than that of the ones in the set of 3.8L headers I have. For this reason, I am going to use the M88/3 primaries all the way to the collectors. Then I am going to cut the collectors off and put custom ones on that will increase the outlet size to 2.5". This will then run back to an X pipe and then to a large free flow cat. The cats are basically see through but are an off the shelf stainless ecentric cat. We will use 4 of them cut and welded together to act more as noise cancellation than true catalysation. There is an off the shelf Magnaflow resonator that will fit in the back of the car and then it will run back to a custom made muffler can. The can is basically a copy of the UUC E28 M5 muffler with 2.5" pipes. So we are planning a 2 x 2.5" exhaust full way through. We currently have a "test" system on my dad's Euro M635csi. On that one we did not modify the headers, but we ran the 2 x 2" pipes back to the X pipe and then upsized to 2 x 2.25" and then used the same cats and resonator, just with smaller pipes. It sounds awesome and has really freed up the motor. I am hoping to start on the exhaust before the end of the year.

[dunnojack]

As far as the exhaust goes the reason why the M88/3 headers will only flow 320bhp is because of the collectors. The primaries are actually the same size or slightly larger than that of the ones in the set of 3.8L headers I have. For this reason, I am going to use the M88/3 primaries all the way to the collectors. Then I am going to cut the collectors off and put custom ones on that will increase the outlet size to 2.5". This will then run back to an X pipe and then to a large free flow cat. The cats are basically see through but are an off the shelf stainless ecentric cat. We will use 4 of them cut and welded together to act more as noise cancellation than true catalysation. There is an off the shelf Magnaflow resonator that will fit in the back of the car and then it will run back to a custom made muffler can. The can is basically a copy of the UUC E28 M5 muffler with 2.5" pipes. So we are planning a 2 x 2.5" exhaust full way through. We currently have a "test" system on my dad's Euro M635csi. On that one we did not modify the headers, but we ran the 2 x 2" pipes back to the X pipe and then upsized to 2 x 2.25" and then used the same cats and resonator, just with smaller pipes. It sounds awesome and has really freed up the motor. I am hoping to start on the exhaust before the end of the year.

so you'll be tearing up a set of the euro headers or just the stock b35 headers to make the modification? I'm really tempted to do the swap, but i'm not sure what part of the manifold i have to modify. if you guys get this done sooner, is it possible for me to get the details? Since i have the M5 already, i figure a lot of the parts are already available. I'm looking forward to more power for the car.

[m535is]

I am cutting up a set of Euro M88/3 headers. These can be had new from BMW for about $1000. I am then cutting the collectors off like I said so I am really not cutting them up. They still bolt up the head and clears the frame rail and firewall. The modification that I am doing is completely reversable with some welding but honestly this will only give you more power if your motor is being choked. I know that I need to have a minimum 2 x 2.5" for the 3.8L. Most of the info I have found says 2 x 2.25 all the way will work perfectly fine with the 3.6L. The only reason a 3.6L will need more is if you are doing lots of internal mods to it.

I am not sure what swap you are talking about and what modification you are talking about. To be completely honest I have a set of 3.8L headers that I am willing to sell if you are looking to go that route.
I probably won't have it done until some time mid next year at the rate it is moving now. But I am see no reason I can't provide the details when I am done as it will go in the write-up anyway.

[dunnojack]

I am cutting up a set of Euro M88/3 headers. These can be had new from BMW for about $1000. I am then cutting the collectors off like I said so I am really not cutting them up. They still bolt up the head and clears the frame rail and firewall. The modification that I am doing is completely reversable with some welding but honestly this will only give you more power if your motor is being choked. I know that I need to have a minimum 2 x 2.5" for the 3.8L. Most of the info I have found says 2 x 2.25 all the way will work perfectly fine with the 3.6L. The only reason a 3.6L will need more is if you are doing lots of internal mods to it.

I am not sure what swap you are talking about and what modification you are talking about. To be completely honest I have a set of 3.8L headers that I am willing to sell if you are looking to go that route.
I probably won't have it done until some time mid next year at the rate it is moving now. But I am see no reason I can't provide the details when I am done as it will go in the write-up anyway.

if the euro headers have enough breathing for the 3.6, i'm fine with running those. I'd rather not modify if i dont have to. the swap i'm looking to do (perhaps this weekend actually) will be a S38B36 into my M5. Trying to get everything together so it can be a VERY fast swap.

[cgraff]

I am cutting up a set of Euro M88/3 headers. These can be had new from BMW for about $1000. I am then cutting the collectors off like I said so I am really not cutting them up. They still bolt up the head and clears the frame rail and firewall. The modification that I am doing is completely reversable with some welding but honestly this will only give you more power if your motor is being choked. I know that I need to have a minimum 2 x 2.5" for the 3.8L. Most of the info I have found says 2 x 2.25 all the way will work perfectly fine with the 3.6L. The only reason a 3.6L will need more is if you are doing lots of internal mods to it.

I am not sure what swap you are talking about and what modification you are talking about. To be completely honest I have a set of 3.8L headers that I am willing to sell if you are looking to go that route.
I probably won't have it done until some time mid next year at the rate it is moving now. But I am see no reason I can't provide the details when I am done as it will go in the write-up anyway.

if the euro headers have enough breathing for the 3.6, i'm fine with running those. I'd rather not modify if i dont have to. the swap i'm looking to do (perhaps this weekend actually) will be a S38B36 into my M5. Trying to get everything together so it can be a VERY fast swap.

Then please note section 4.A.iii. in our writeup. If you plan on using the E34 coolant tubes, then you'll need to modify them to clear the radiator.

If you don't want to use the E34 coolant tubes, you'll need the E28 M5 coolant tubes and t-stat system, and the E28 M5 radiator with its hoses. Basically you're converting the motor over to the older E28 M5 coolant system.

-Chris

[dunnojack]

Then please note section 4.A.iii. in our writeup. If you plan on using the E34 coolant tubes, then you'll need to modify them to clear the radiator.

If you don't want to use the E34 coolant tubes, you'll need the E28 M5 coolant tubes and t-stat system, and the E28 M5 radiator with its hoses. Basically you're converting the motor over to the older E28 M5 coolant system.

-Chris

cool. good to know. got the donor car today, going to test the motor to make sure it's all healthy. I have the tranny too, since it's a g280 as well, do i need to worry about changing out shifters? i'll probably just reuse the e28 m5 cooling system. i saw a thing about the oil cooler, is that specific to the b38 or do i need to change out the housing or oil cooler/lines from the e34 with the b36? also, are the b35 euro headers enough flow for the b36? i saw why the headers would get in the way, and to modify that would require a really good exhaust guy... dont know any here in the bay area. cant wait to put this in!!!!!!

[cgraff]

Then please note section 4.A.iii. in our writeup. If you plan on using the E34 coolant tubes, then you'll need to modify them to clear the radiator.

If you don't want to use the E34 coolant tubes, you'll need the E28 M5 coolant tubes and t-stat system, and the E28 M5 radiator with its hoses. Basically you're converting the motor over to the older E28 M5 coolant system.

-Chris

cool. good to know. got the donor car today, going to test the motor to make sure it's all healthy. I have the tranny too, since it's a g280 as well, do i need to worry about changing out shifters? i'll probably just reuse the e28 m5 cooling system. i saw a thing about the oil cooler, is that specific to the b38 or do i need to change out the housing or oil cooler/lines from the e34 with the b36? also, are the b35 euro headers enough flow for the b36? i saw why the headers would get in the way, and to modify that would require a really good exhaust guy... dont know any here in the bay area. cant wait to put this in!!!!!!

Read the write up:

http://www.m535i.org/officers/ra/38.html
"I then pulled the [S38 B38] oil filter housing off. I knew that I wanted to use the M88/3 or S38 B35 oil filter housing so the E28 US M5 oil cooler [and lines] that I had in my car would bolt up."

You can see in the ETK that the lines are different and the way it bolts to the oil filter housing is different between the E28 and E34 fitments.

The G280 will fit, but you have to read up on the G265 vs G280 issues. There's a sticky on that in Mye28.

-Chris