Starting off 2017 right with a big build, BMW E93 M3 Supercharger & Rod Bearing replacement! The E9X is BMW’s penultimate M3 and is the culmination of nearly 100 years of automotive technological advancement. A incredible high revving 4.0L V8 with individual throttle bodies, a fast acting dual clutch transmission, and some of the best chassis tuning of any OEM vehicle are some of the stand-out reasons why the E9X M3’s are so desirable. All of this being said, we all know the factory rod bearings are the weak link in the S65 4.0L V8 and can fail as early as 60,000 miles. This can leave one with a spun bearing and damaged crankshaft. A replacement motor can be tens of thousands of dollars.
The solution to the premature rod bearing failure is replacement with aftermarket bearings from VAC produced by Clevite; the world leader in high performance racing bearings used in series such as NASCAR and Top Fuel Drag Cars. These bearings are stronger and last considerably longer than the OEM rod bearings. They feature a friction resistant coating that resists thermal metal breakdown.
In combination with the rod bearings our customer wanted more power out of his M3. The easiest way to accomplish this is with the addition of a supercharger. There are two kits available on the market, ESS Tuning and VF Engineering. Both are great kits and our client decided on the VF Engineering Kit. This kit adds over 200HP to the M3 while retaining the smooth and linear power delivery that the S65 V8 is known for. Making a total of 620HP on Arizona’s 91 octane gas running 6.5PSI of boost this supercharger combined with the E93’s ability to put the top down makes this one of the ultimate Arizona street cars!
In the shop ready to get going on the rod bearings.
Oil pan and subframe removed to expose the factory rod bearings. Next comes removal.
Check out the carnage! The old rod bearings were pretty far gone and close to completely failing.
New VAC Coated Rod Bearings are installed and secured with ARP hardware.
Closeup of the ARP rod bearing bolts.
Once the VAC rod bearings were installed we started to tackle the VF Engineering Supercharger! The bracket and blower were assembled outside of the car and injectors are prepped for installation.
A straight forward installation, the supercharger is completed!
Perfection is a supercharged M3! Check out how clean this bay is!
Ready to get back on the road! If your M3 is anywhere above 60,000 miles then it may be time for new rod bearings! Contact us now for pricing and to schedule your installation.