Which prop to use for fitting S50B32 into E34 with M50

[Spice Boy]

Good morning (well it is here anyway lol)

Will I be able to use my current prop shaft with an S50B32, I currently have an M50B25...

I hope my plans arent revealed too much with that question lmao!!

[Spice Boy]

Oh, and Im still not awake yet... is the M3 Evo (3.2) the S50B32 or S52? There seems to be some confusion about this depending on what site you go to

[BMWDriver]

After consulting the articles below, I find the S52B32US was the only 3.2L inline 6 (of the two) made for the North American market. The S50B32 seems to only have been made for Europe and other markets.

BMW's marketing strategies seem to try to adapt to the enormous American market, and confuse us a bit.

S50B32 :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M50#S50B32

S52B32:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M52#S52B32

So it's my guess that since the S50B32 is an evolution of the S50B30, that this is the M3 Evo. The S52B32 picks up where the S50B32 left off, being designed as a 3.2L engine from the getgo.

[Sam-Son]

if you have the euro 3.2L its designated as the S50B32. the S52 is basically a bored out M50 and it looks pretty identical to an M50. and the S52 is a U.S. designation only cus we're the only ones that got that engine, in the U.S the S52 only refers to the 3.2L engine. and the S50 is the 3.0L version. not sure if that makes sense.

lemme simplify it. in the U.S its pointless to say S52B32 because the S52 didnt come in any other displacement besides 3.2L the same goes for the S50 its only a 3.0L engine in the states we did not receive the S50B30 or S50B32
those are know as the euro motors they have ITB's and dual vanos and look a whole lot different from the US engines. as I mentioned earlier the US M3 engines look like M50's

[Spice Boy]

Fab, so its the S50B32 Im after then

So in answer to my question... better to stick with the current 'box I have or try and fit the 6-speed?

[Sam-Son]

im not 100% sure because ive never seen a euro S50 before but based on the fact that all gearboxes for the M5x and S5x engines have the same bellhousings they all mate right up. meaning you should be able to use your ZF with the S50B32. i would double check though as im not 100% sure as here in the states a euro S50 is a rare thing let alone one being swapped into an E34. that said if it were me. Id go the extra distance and swap in a 6spd. i always long for another gear. also might i just pre-emptively congratulate you on having quite possibly the hottest E34 out there. a narrow grille E34 with an S50B32. post up copious amounts of pics when its done.:drool:

[BMWDriver]

It looks like the S52 is rather based on the M52, which does resemble the M50 as well. At least that is what I find when I check out Realoem's images of the S52 and M52, M50 and S50B30/32 (Euro of course). Both engines were introduced in 1996 after all.

However, how accurate that is, is beyond me, because they use the exact same pic for M52 and S52.

As I read the article on the M3 E36, there seems to have been great pressures to reduce the costs of the M3 E36 to make it viable on the American market, which is probably why it was not introduced before 1995 in the U.S., and why a new design had to be made for the engine to reduce costs, hence the single-VANOS et al. Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs... these you don't find in Europe in the 90's.

There were however 45 Euro spec models that made it to Canada in 1994 due to a special commercial agreement, which all got sold within 3 days.

Well, that was a fun read for me. I had no idea how complicated this was.

[Sam-Son]

well the S52 is based off the M52 which is just an over bored M50. and they all look identical all the same. they can use the same intake manifolds and the same valve covers. the only one that looks different is the euro S50 because it has dual vanos. and ITB's and different headers.