While I'm definitely not an engine builder let alone an expert on building N54s, I was under the impression there wasnt quite enough room for boring to be beneficial on the N54. If it was feasible and up to me I'd love to see a bore + stroked N54 with all the goodies running some big twins to see what kind of torque can be hit and for a lovely sound, but I don't know that that'll ever happen unfortunately.
Ha! That's awesome. While I hope it comes to fruition because I would love to see a 3.2L N54, I can see where you're coming from. Even if it doesnt make it to market, I hope you end up getting it done if you can - I would love to have more displacement but if anyone's motor is going to benefit from it the most it's your beautiful Mrs. Frankenstein. If you weren't so damn far away I'd love to swing by your shop just to know what else you're working on/planning on, especially things that you plan on bringing to market. But I suppose "patience is a virtue", right?Sean,
Funny you should mention stroking the N54, but this is something I've been working on (on-paper) for the past couple of weeks, a 3.2L N54. I very much doubt the cost/benefit ratio makes this worthwhile though. i.e. is a 6% increase in displacement worth 6-7k? Another thing which worries me is the loss of journal overlap (and thus torsional rigidity of the crank) with the additional stroke, hardly ideal when you want to rev to 8k... Plenty of other side-projects in my head, but all in due time
Exactly only way playi g with stroke worth it on this platform is if going past stock crack levels,which we are nowhere near afaik. N55 maybe diff story but shit what about destroking a n55 9k redline anybody
I agree with you on just about everything there - but I still like large displacement motors and having a 3.2L twin turbo torque monster would be phenomenal just from a "cool points" stand point basically. Like Omar said, driving a large displacement motor that can break the tires loose and drift or do donuts in any gear is just fucking fun to put it simply lol. I had an LS3 (.8L less displacement than an LS7, 6.2 vs the usual ~6L for an LS1 depending on source) in my Camaro with FBO and a higher final drive ratio, and the torque and instantaneous response from the pedal especially on a NA motor is quite simply addicting. My N54 is a better, faster, and more fun car all around but theres just something about the extra low end torque and growl of a bigger engine that makes me like them still, even if my N54 in it's current form could beat the vast majority of cars with a motor like that - same reason Hellcats are still cool despite the fact that I had a 3 car lead on one 3 times in a row from a dig.
Does the e90 stuff not work? I thought Steven Clark was doing that swap and going to offer a kit. Did he abandon that project?
In all fairness, my car felt faster on corner exit than the 700Z. Sure there is some turbo lag to deal with, where there is none in the Z, but the midrange torque makes up for it. A cammed LS7 usually opens up >4800 rpm, whereas on mine all hell breaks loose >3500. And when you consider that both setups make similar power and weigh more or less the same, and that it take a pretty "nasty" LS to get to high 6xx PS naturally aspirated, I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. The choppy idle and lumpy low-rpm behavior get old real quick on a DD, as does the abysmal fuel economy. Sure it sounds fantastic, but (I am told) so does my car... Engine swaps are non-trivial undertakings (if you want to end up with a "nice" car at least) and should only be attempted if the existing motor is a dog, which is definitely not the case here. In other words, I wouldn't swap out a sophisticated, lightweight, dual-VVT turbo I6 to put in a Naturally Aspirated V8 - sophisticated or otherwise. Now an LS9 or LT4/5 on the other hand...
PS - Bryan, only "stock" LS7s drop exhaust valves, not 12.7:1 compression race motors destined for competition use
260psi cranking compression anyone?
Glad to hear good feedback on them, and more importantly that you like them. Who's tuning/what boost are you at currently if I might ask?
