S55 Engine - Modern Day 2JZ

[JNoSol]

The S55 engine is an engineering marvel. What some of you guys may not realized, the S55 block is closed deck (cylinder walls are integrated with the block). This means it can take a lot more beating compared to the N54 open deck design. One of the favorite tuner engines of all time would be Toyota's 2JZ. It also has a closed deck design, making it indestructible. People have put 2JZ in everything from E36/E46 M3s to Honda S2000. With the closed deck design, the S55 has a bright future and many records to break to surpassed the 2JZ.

The current record of the N54 power output is 861whp, stock internal. Josh from KC.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1104103

The S55 has potential of making more. The big limitation right now is the ECU/Fuel delivery. With the ECU hacked/Upgraded Fuel Delivery/Single Turbo, then 1,000HP+ isn't a pipe dream. (I'm sure companies like Pure Turbos are chasing after the 1,000HP number)

The new B58 engine (on all BMWs ending x40i) would be closed deck as well. Looking forward to seeing the future of BMW tuning.

In short, move out of the way 2JZ. The new age of high power I-6 Turbos is taking over.

Photos below: N54 block / S55 block / 2JZ block

[TurboSid]

I once tried to count how many of these threads were on the N54 boards.

[ASAP]

I will dangerously say that the S55 is far better... most people don't realize how bad a stock turbo 2jz motor is. The turbos are laggy and the ECU is basically a motorola calculator... at the same time it never got great fuel efficiency. It was an outstanding motor for the early 90's but until the aftermarket picked up some 10 years later and started making massive power, it really wasn't that great of a motor.

BTW stock internal N54's have hit 850 whp... ... on an open deck in a normal car that was accessible for under 40K.

[JNoSol]

Originally Posted by ASAP

I will dangerously say that the S55 is far better... most people don't realize how bad a stock turbo 2jz motor is. The turbos are laggy and the ECU is basically a motorola calculator... at the same time it never got great fuel efficiency. It was an outstanding motor for the early 90's but until the aftermarket picked up some 10 years later and started making massive power, it really wasn't that great of a motor.

BTW stock internal N54's have hit 850 whp... ... on an open deck in a normal car that was accessible for under 40K.

861whp to be exact, stated on my thread. The same guy is aiming for 900whp soon.

[JNoSol]

Originally Posted by TurboSid

I once tried to count how many of these threads were on the N54 boards.

Yes in deed. If all else is equal, the missing ingredient would be closed deck vs open deck. The N54 block is weak compared to the 2JZ.

[mike@x-ph.com]

It is way too early to tell

[Woodengun]

Any idea on how much the driveshaft, differential and axles can handle?

I'm also assuming these cars are all tuned for drag racing? Hard to control that much power in a F1 car that has 3 times as much grip as a street car on a track. I'd think power like that is useless for tracking an F8x.

[hellrotm]

Oh great now another 6+ years of "vs 2JZ" threads. They were bad enough on n54 sites.

[JNoSol]

Originally Posted by Woodengun

Any idea on how much the driveshaft, differential and axles can handle?

I'm also assuming these cars are all tuned for drag racing? Hard to control that much power in a F1 car that has 3 times as much grip as a street car on a track. I'd think power like that is useless for tracking an F8x.

M3/M4 has Carbon Fiber Drive Shaft. Test below of a sample drive shaft held to 4,700nm of force (about 4 times stronger than steel)
http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=921523

Weak point would be DCT/Clutch/Axle. After market axle has been released. After market clutch has been released. DCT not so much as it relies on ECU programming to make it grip tighter.

The M3/M4 shares the same diff as the M5/M6, so it should hold. No one has busted an M5/M6 diff yet with tunes.

[rr006rbc]

Well. Either way Toyota still wins. That 2JZ was invented like 20 years ago. BMW just came out with an inline 6 capable of making the same amount of horsepower w/ the stock block.

[JNoSol]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

Oh great now another 6+ years of "vs 2JZ" threads. They were bad enough on n54 sites.

And how many threads out there that says car X "...could be the next M3?" I would guess a lot more. I just watched an awful comparison of the new Focus ST vs E46 M3, the narrator says the Focus ST was better because it "feels" faster and has better steering.


It doesn't hurt to be enthusiastic. 1,000whp would not be practical for any usage other than bragging rights and quarter mile drag. I'm not into that, but it's nice to know the S55 has the potential of doing so.

The 2JZ has 20yrs of head start, performance parts are easy to find. The B58 is closed deck and would have more dollars (# of customers) chasing after performance parts compared to the limited M3/M4 market. It is exciting times for BMW.

[MavRick]

i think what makes the 2JZ indestructible is their iron block. isnt the S55 aluminum?

[JNoSol]

Originally Posted by MavRick

i think what makes the 2JZ indestructible is their iron block. isnt the S55 aluminum?

S55 is aluminum. However, BMW uses the new twin-wire arc spraying process to deposit molten iron onto the cylinder walls. It's iron tough w/o the iron block weight. The block itself is not the bottle neck, ECU/Fuel is.

FYI: Tuned Honda K20 4cyl aluminum block now makes over 1,100whp. The block just had to be sleeved.

[Bowser330]

Fueling was an issue on these DI engines but ever since they came up with port injection supplementation it doesn't seem to be holding them back any, like you said they are pushing 900whp on n54.

I am very interested to see how the s55 responds to the cool boost of a fast spooling single turbo.

I'm more concerned with how much R&D will be done on DCT side, making it capable of dealing with 1000hp.

[JNoSol]

Originally Posted by Bowser330

Fueling was an issue on these DI engines but ever since they came up with port injection supplementation it doesn't seem to be holding them back any, like you said they are pushing 900whp on n54.

I am very interested to see how the s55 responds to the cool boost of a fast spooling single turbo.

I'm more concerned with how much R&D will be done on DCT side, making it capable of dealing with 1000hp.

This. Those who have DCT are out of luck until the ECU is fully unlocked and the clamping force can be increased. Even with after market DCT disks, it still won't hold past 600lbs of tq.

I understand the M3/M4 shares the same DCT as the M5/M6, just limited in clamping force.

[MisterEm]

The future is bright with this beast. Imagine the single turbo setups we will see in years/decades to come!

Originally Posted by rr006rbc

BMW just came out with an inline 6 capable of making the same amount of horsepower w/ the stock block.

Alert!

Disagree. Unless you're forgetting about the S38 and S54?

The Norwegians have been breaking 4 digit horsepower (and 9's in the 1320') with stock S54 blocks and full double vanos for almost a decade - on dynapack dynos, nonetheless.

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...s)-1167WHP-E21

And S38's for even longer:

But still... BMW just became capable of creating an Inline 6 block capable of 2JZ power when the S55 was invented.

[Kevin M]

If we're talking about just making power, its WAY to early to say the S55 is the modern day 2JZ. Perhaps its the modern day 2JZ from an architecture standpoint.

The 2JZ-GTE has had enormous aftermarket and drag racing development that the S55 won't likely see (my opinion based on following BMW aftermarket for 20 years and reading about countless Supras making staggering HP).

2JZ motors have made well over 2000hp crank HP and powered cars to mid 6 second 1/4 miles at almost 240mph. Quote me as saying the S55 will never achieve close to this.

[Bluesummer]

Please don't over glorify the F8x.

[manticor]

Originally Posted by Kevin M

If we're talking about just making power, its WAY to early to say the S55 is the modern day 2JZ. Perhaps its the modern day 2JZ from an architecture standpoint.

The 2JZ-GTE has had enormous aftermarket and drag racing development that the S55 won't likely see (my opinion based on following BMW aftermarket for 20 years and reading about countless Supras making staggering HP).

2JZ motors have made well over 2000hp crank HP and powered cars to mid 6 second 1/4 miles at almost 240mph. Quote me as saying the S55 will never achieve close to this.

exactly...

[JNoSol]

MisterEm 1,000HP E30 would be a ball to drive. The S54 is closed deck / iron block. They're very strong. HPF along with the vids you sent have made them daily driven 1,000whp. There are after market ECU available for the S54, making it very easy to upgrade compared to the S55.

Per others stated, it will be hard to touch 2Jz as so many are using the 2Jz for drag = lots of high power parts available. Vendors for BMW engineered their parts for endurance track reliability and use-able power. The market for drag BMWs are pretty slim, but I have been enjoying JB4 + Partners shattering records with stock N54 block.

[The Flying Scotsman]

Originally Posted by JNoSol

This. Those who have DCT are out of luck until the ECU is fully unlocked and the clamping force can be increased. Even with after market DCT disks, it still won't hold past 600lbs of tq.

I understand the M3/M4 shares the same DCT as the M5/M6, just limited in clamping force.

I am currently testing a transmission tune for the DCT in my M4. It is supposed to adjust clamping force, slip, torque limits, shift speeds, etc.

I will be writing a full review on Monday sometime after I have had some time to drive my car with it.

Unfortunately, this is all the info that I have right now, but I can say that I am very impressed with it.

[JNoSol]

Originally Posted by Railgun

There are companies that are already upgrading the clutch pack to hold more power so from that perspective, I think it's a non-issue for now.

For example, while no one has hit this...a claim for 900ft/lbs should address the issue.

http://www.sspperformance.com/bmw-dc...h-package.html

These are stronger and grippier friction plate, however it won't hold even close to 900ft/lbs w/o a transmission tune for the M3/M4. These figures may be for the M5/M6 which shares the same DCT baskets, but the computer is programmed to clamp tighter compared to the S55. A manual race clutch replacement comes with a spring loaded pressure plate and grippier clutch to match. A DCT's pressure plate is computer controlled. Without a transmission tune, this upgrade would be a waste of money.

If you think about it, there's no S55 making 900ft-lb right now. How are they testing it in the real world?

The good news is, tuners are working on it. Shouldn't be long before a transmission tune is released.