E36 M3 & E46 M3 = Same Engine?

E36 M3 & E46 M3 = Same Engine?

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Discussion

disco1

Original Poster:

1,963 posts

225 months

Wednesday 24th January 2007
quotequote all
Hi guys,
Just a quick question.

My mates younger brother has an E46 M3 and sister had an E36 Evo. The first thing that I noticed about the E46 is the savage free reving engine, my sisters one was more or a standard straight6 feel and needed winding up.

I thought they used the same engine?

Also, I loved the zaust rasp on the E46, Ferrari sound or what!!!

Can you get this sound on the E36 with the right pipes/zaust?

RichBurley

2,432 posts

260 months

Wednesday 24th January 2007
quotequote all
Nope, different engines. At least, the E36 has a 3201cc engine, the E46 has a 3243cc engine, so the capacity is different. Other compenents are different too, hence the E36 chucks out around 300bhp (officially, but falsely quoted as being 321bhp) and the E46 is rated at 343bhp...

disco1

Original Poster:

1,963 posts

225 months

Wednesday 24th January 2007
quotequote all
RichBurley said:
Nope, different engines. At least, the E36 has a 3201cc engine, the E46 has a 3243cc engine, so the capacity is different. Other compenents are different too, hence the E36 chucks out around 300bhp (officially, but falsely quoted as being 321bhp) and the E46 is rated at 343bhp...


Is it just the zaust that creates the mechanical rasp sound?

Zod

35,295 posts

265 months

Wednesday 24th January 2007
quotequote all
RichBurley said:
Nope, different engines. At least, the E36 has a 3201cc engine, the E46 has a 3243cc engine, so the capacity is different. Other compenents are different too, hence the E36 chucks out around 300bhp (officially, but falsely quoted as being 321bhp) and the E46 is rated at 343bhp...
The S54 engine in the E46 is an evolution of the S52 engine in the E36.

cj.ok

346 posts

217 months

Wednesday 24th January 2007
quotequote all
RichBurley said:
Nope, different engines. At least, the E36 has a 3201cc engine, the E46 has a 3243cc engine, so the capacity is different. Other compenents are different too, hence the E36 chucks out around 300bhp (officially, but falsely quoted as being 321bhp) and the E46 is rated at 343bhp...


Its also well known that the E46 models usually kick out around 315-325bhp out of the box and not the claimed 343bhp.

Zod

35,295 posts

265 months

Wednesday 24th January 2007
quotequote all
cj.ok said:
RichBurley said:
Nope, different engines. At least, the E36 has a 3201cc engine, the E46 has a 3243cc engine, so the capacity is different. Other compenents are different too, hence the E36 chucks out around 300bhp (officially, but falsely quoted as being 321bhp) and the E46 is rated at 343bhp...


Its also well known that the E46 models usually kick out around 315-325bhp out of the box and not the claimed 343bhp.

it is well known thatheehre is a difference for every car on the market between manufacturers' at the flywheel figures and dynos' at the wheels figures.

zaktoo

805 posts

214 months

Wednesday 24th January 2007
quotequote all
RichBurley said:
Nope, different engines. At least, the E36 has a 3201cc engine, the E46 has a 3243cc engine, so the capacity is different. Other compenents are different too, hence the E36 chucks out around 300bhp (officially, but falsely quoted as being 321bhp) and the E46 is rated at 343bhp...


According to official factory figures it's 321 PS (315 bhp). Why do you say it's false, just out of interest?

iguana

7,056 posts

267 months

Thursday 25th January 2007
quotequote all
Zod said:

it is well known thatheehre is a difference for every car on the market between manufacturers' at the flywheel figures and dynos' at the wheels figures.


Not really Zod, there are a few lie manufacturers- TVR for example, but majority of others are on the money- esp Porsches, with the notable exception of the 968 which suffers from a BMW/TVR esk failure to meet stock quoted figs.


Zod

35,295 posts

265 months

Thursday 25th January 2007
quotequote all
iguana said:
Zod said:

it is well known thatheehre is a difference for every car on the market between manufacturers' at the flywheel figures and dynos' at the wheels figures.


Not really Zod, there are a few lie manufacturers- TVR for example, but majority of others are on the money- esp Porsches, with the notable exception of the 968 which suffers from a BMW/TVR esk failure to meet stock quoted figs.



Very unfair on BMW. M5s and M6s tend to exceed the stated output .

Broccers

3,236 posts

260 months

Thursday 25th January 2007
quotequote all
Zod said:
The S54 engine in the E46 is an evolution of the S52 engine in the E36.



You mean S50 - the S52 was a lower powered engine in the states.

Dave Dax Builder

662 posts

266 months

Thursday 25th January 2007
quotequote all
Disco1.
Please refrain from using the "Z" word on here or we will send some unsavoury gents around to insert your Burberry cap where the sun don't shine.
;o)

Pistolvip

144 posts

237 months

Thursday 25th January 2007
quotequote all
Dave Dax Builder said:
Disco1.
Please refrain from using the "Z" word on here or we will send some unsavoury gents around to insert your Burberry cap where the sun don't shine.
;o)


too right!

Pistolvip

144 posts

237 months

Thursday 25th January 2007
quotequote all
zaktoo said:
RichBurley said:
Nope, different engines. At least, the E36 has a 3201cc engine, the E46 has a 3243cc engine, so the capacity is different. Other compenents are different too, hence the E36 chucks out around 300bhp (officially, but falsely quoted as being 321bhp) and the E46 is rated at 343bhp...


According to official factory figures it's 321 PS (315 bhp). Why do you say it's false, just out of interest?


Its proven that the E36 M3 EVO engine does not make the claimed 321bhp. Mine went on the dyno couple of weeks ago and put out just under 300bhp. When BMW tested this engine and it made 321bhp, it was tested tested in Germany using 100 octane fuel and no catalytic converter was on the car.

vixpy1

42,676 posts

271 months

Friday 26th January 2007
quotequote all
BMW M cars are the worst german cars for making the claimed figs, however, all the normal models i've ever tested have made book or more. They seem to be getting better though, because a Z4M coupe i did a few weeks ago made bang on the money..

Yet to do a New M5, looking for volenteers hehe

disco1

Original Poster:

1,963 posts

225 months

Saturday 27th January 2007
quotequote all
What about the E46 M3 engine noise then? Why is it so different the the E36?

The first thing that hit me in the E46 M3 was the ferrari'esque engine/zaust rasp. Very nice indeed.

bindit

2,320 posts

272 months

Thursday 1st February 2007
quotequote all
vixpy1 said:
BMW M cars are the worst german cars for making the claimed figs, however, all the normal models i've ever tested have made book or more. They seem to be getting better though, because a Z4M coupe i did a few weeks ago made bang on the money..

Yet to do a New M5, looking for volenteers hehe


Would you have an average for the e46 M3? Assuming you've done more than 1 of course

vixpy1

42,676 posts

271 months

Thursday 1st February 2007
quotequote all
320 to 330bhp..

richburley

2,432 posts

260 months

Thursday 1st February 2007
quotequote all
disco1 said:
What about the E46 M3 engine noise then? Why is it so different the the E36?

The first thing that hit me in the E46 M3 was the ferrari'esque engine/zaust rasp. Very nice indeed.



Funny that; my undertsanding is that the E36 M3 Evo is supposedly Ferrari 360-esque, and it sounded pretty good to me...

snooglefinder

65 posts

232 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
Let me just get my anorack -

The two engines only share 5 identical components and the S54 is thoroughly revised, individual butterfy throttles on each cyclinder with their own composite air intakes, increased bore etc etc.......

zaktoo

805 posts

214 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
Pistolvip said:
zaktoo said:
RichBurley said:
Nope, different engines. At least, the E36 has a 3201cc engine, the E46 has a 3243cc engine, so the capacity is different. Other compenents are different too, hence the E36 chucks out around 300bhp (officially, but falsely quoted as being 321bhp) and the E46 is rated at 343bhp...


According to official factory figures it's 321 PS (315 bhp). Why do you say it's false, just out of interest?


Its proven that the E36 M3 EVO engine does not make the claimed 321bhp. Mine went on the dyno couple of weeks ago and put out just under 300bhp. When BMW tested this engine and it made 321bhp, it was tested tested in Germany using 100 octane fuel and no catalytic converter was on the car.


Actually the difference is yours is measured at the wheels, manufacturers *always* take it at the crank.

Ciao

Zak