» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 05-02-2024 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 405,290 Views | | | | | | 09-01-2012, 12:23 AM | #61 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gulfport, Florida Posts: 3,208 | Quote: Originally Posted by hornet53 I have done some more cam timing work on these engines and you are not going to gain 13bhp by adjusting the cam timing, unless, the engine was not setup properly in the first place. Moving the cam timing will only move the power / torque curve up and down the RPM range. BMW would not waste 13bhp like that. If you have had a head skim or other work that moves the valve timing, then you must reset your cams. There is no information on the Compact Cup forum about this as it is a new series and racers wouldn't give this information up to their competitors anyway. | You must be working on the M44 motor. They had a ruff idle so to solve the problem they changed the cam timing which detuned the car for a smooth idle. This is a 4-cylinder and people who drive I-4's expect a smooth idle they don't car about preformance. Please speak up if I'm wrong. Also we are working with dual cams so the cam tune could be done to create more power without changing the torque curve. You will have a ruffer idle due to additional overlap on the cam timing profile. If you don't work specifically with M44 motors they please refrain from stating what worked on another motor you might have worked on. If you are the M44 master then share your results please so I can be proven wrong. I do admit I'm not always right and I'm willing to learn something new each day. My information came from a BMW mechanic and I just don't think the web page with the specs is active anymore. I have all the tools to do this right and will lend them to site supporters free you pay shipping both ways. I just need the specs and a stock motor so I can make a instructional video to go with the kit. John Smith | | | 09-01-2012, 12:25 AM | #62 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gulfport, Florida Posts: 3,208 | Quote: Originally Posted by derek502 I have a quick question, I just removed the head on a M44 Z3 because the head gasket was blown. I removed the cam sprocket from the camshafts. I marked the cams/sprockets but how critical is it to have the cams perfect on the sprockets? I do not have the cam lock down tool. | If it is a head off a different car then you need a cam lock tool or a modified dial indicator to measure valve off seat to set them right. Best of luck, John S | | | 09-03-2012, 03:08 AM | #63 | Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: US-Alabama Posts: 72 | i was able to borrow the cam tool.the intake cam was dead on and the exhauste cam was very close. thanks for the reply. | | | 09-03-2012, 07:16 AM | #64 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | Quote: Originally Posted by derek502 I have a quick question, I just removed the head on a M44 Z3 because the head gasket was blown. I removed the cam sprocket from the camshafts. I marked the cams/sprockets but how critical is it to have the cams perfect on the sprockets? I do not have the cam lock down tool. | You need them on pretty accurately. A small offset will either add power or tank it... Crap shoot. I'd get it together then find a motor guy to help degree the cams back in. The adjustment on teh M42 is about 1 tooth... Dave __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black Last edited by pdxmotorhead; 09-03-2012 at 07:18 AM. | | | 09-03-2012, 01:13 PM | #65 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gulfport, Florida Posts: 3,208 | Quote: Originally Posted by pdxmotorhead You need them on pretty accurately. A small offset will either add power or tank it... Crap shoot. I'd get it together then find a motor guy to help degree the cams back in. The adjustment on teh M42 is about 1 tooth... Dave | He borrowed a cam locking tool and finished the job. My understanding is there is 6 degrees of cam adjustment per cam. 3 degrees either way from center of the sprocket. Just what I've been told I have never used a degree wheel on my car so I'm not 100% on the 6 degrees just a very reliable source told me that. I set my cams by valve off seat measurements with a dial indicator. Easier then setting up a degree wheel and much more accurate since it will give accurate cam timing with a streched chain and worn parts. The cam locking tool does not account for those worn items. This is how Metric does there cams and taught me how to do it. John Smith | | | 09-03-2012, 07:13 PM | #66 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | 6 sounds very close, I wish I'd measured the slot more closely when I had the cover off my M42. But the tooth to tooth spacing was about even with the length of the adjustment slot. I degree cams similar way, use the valve not the cam lobe. 2 pin dial indicators one for the piston one for the valve. Haven't done the M42, usually working on a Cosworth Twin cam engine in a midget. We have a hand cut front pulley that matches the crank to the cam belt pulley (Corrected for about 1.5 degrees error in the keyway). One of the downsides of a belt driven cam set is the belt stretch at 11000 rpm's... Dave __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | 09-24-2012, 12:01 PM | #67 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gulfport, Florida Posts: 3,208 | When I did my head gasket I changed the cam degree a little taking out more overlap (Only needed on a FI car or car that wants more low end torque). The results on the butt dyno are more low end torque and much more torque when the turbo hits. How much I don't know but I would think maybe 5hp | | | 03-11-2013, 06:05 PM | #68 | Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: philadelphia Posts: 23 | ok, so I removed the head this weekend. ('97 M44) Head going to shop this week to be serviced. Car going to speed shop to have head installed as I do not have the tools to do it. I know this shop has done head gasket replacements on bmw, so that i'm comfortable with. i'm not sure if they have ever done this. what do i tell them i want done? *this both my first BMW (first non american, period) and first time using FI rather than raw horse power. | | | 07-10-2014, 10:16 PM | #69 | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: UK Posts: 5 | Hello again. I have been away from this page as I didn't want to give out any current engine tweaks while I was racing. I'm not racing any more and the regulations have changed. So here goes. My M44 which was fairly standard was running 161bhp. This was with a rebuilt, fully blueprinted bottom end. The cam timing I was using was 106/106 deg and that worked very well. My friend who is a well known engine tuner was running 105/107 deg. If you would like info on compression ratios and head skimming for this engine you will need to PM me. Thanks | | | 07-28-2014, 09:25 PM | #70 | Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: new zealand Posts: 5 | i found them!!! i hope? http://www.catcams.com/engines/camshaft-setup.aspx jam bmw in the left and click on m44, it has heaps, i dont know much but is this what your looking for???? | | | 07-29-2014, 01:41 AM | #71 | Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: new zealand Posts: 5 | has numbers like this(tbh ima noob just trying to help) 255°/248° - 217°/209° - 10.50mm/10.00mm - 1.45mm/0.45mm | | | 03-28-2017, 11:10 PM | #72 | Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Slidell, Louisiana USA Posts: 89 | As much as I hate to bring a thread back from the dead... Has anyone ever made progress with this idea? Scott | | | 04-03-2017, 07:29 PM | #73 | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 | Once you find a "sweet spot" you can have a cam holding fixture with skewed slot on one side to hold the cam at the correct angle before tightening the sprocket... | | | 05-02-2017, 05:29 PM | #74 | Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Slidell, Louisiana USA Posts: 89 | Makes sense. I was wondering, though, if anyone has tried this and found where that "sweet spot" might be. I'll be doing a valve cover gasket soon and might tweak a little to see what happens. I'm surprised this thread died, this mod is about as low-buck as it gets. Scott | | | 05-02-2017, 05:41 PM | #75 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Henrico, VA USA Posts: 231 | Camshaft Degreeing for performance Quote: Originally Posted by bluoval6 Makes sense. I was wondering, though, if anyone has tried this and found where that "sweet spot" might be. I'll be doing a valve cover gasket soon and might tweak a little to see what happens. I'm surprised this thread died, this mod is about as low-buck as it gets. Scott | Seems a lot of newer owners just jump from the M42/44 to slapping a 6-cylinder in these cars. Sadly in my opinion they lose their wonderful balance with the added weight all going forward with those 2 cylinders. I am selling my DASC right now but had planned to adjust the cams as part of tuning for more efficient power. For supercharged power you want as minimal overlap as possible so that the blower doesn't blow fuel/air through and out the exhaust. For scavenging and better power naturally aspirated you want to optimize it. Last edited by maverick; 05-02-2017 at 06:19 PM. | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |