Part 2 of building a BMW M54 for ChrisFix's e46
In this video I visit my friend Mike at his machine shop, Fountain Race Engines to show you guys what he's doing with the engine and cylinder head. Mike then joins me at my shop to blueprint the M54 and assemble the bottom end. I have lots of details in this video that I hope you'll enjoy. It's my goal to build the best possible m54 for the ChrisFix e46, even if he never needs it. Part 3 (the last part of this series) is being filmed now and will be posted as soon as possible. Thank you for being a part of this channel!
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0:00 Previous video hook reveal
1:04 Intro at machine shop
1:13 Honing the engine block
2:17 Crankshaft Balancing
3:17 Cylinder head resurface
3:50 Valve Guides
4:19 Valve Grinding
4:40 Back to Jamie's shop
4:48 Piston ring gap discussion
6:19 Cross hatch discussion
7:29 Piston to valve clearance after machining discussion
8:36 Measure and grind piston ring gap
10:29 Setting up dial bore gauge for measuring bearing clearances
15:09 Rod fastener theory
16:38 Rod fastener testing and measuring bearing clearances, ARP vs Factory
24:29 Installing piston rings
29:03 Installing rods to piston with the wrist pin
31:11 Measure main cap bearing clearance
33:11 Oil squirters
34:14 Oil flow through crankshaft
34:49 Crankshaft install
35:04 Center up the thrust bearing
37:07 Final torque of main caps
37:54 Installing pistons
38:53 Rod caps are torqued and fasteners checked
40:20 Wrap up
40:36 Build sheet specs... for those engineers watching ;)
40:49 End cards (Thanks for watching to the end!!)
Here's where you can find the parts used in this video:
- Forged Mahle Pistons: bit.ly/3PIFWQZ
- Main Bearings: bit.ly/3zlebIv
- Rod Bearings: bit.ly/3LXsmG9
- Valve guides: bit.ly/3M0vrFo
- Valve seals: bit.ly/3wWMaUu
- ARP Rod Bolts: bit.ly/3t4mMuV
- Engine Assembly Lube: amzn.to/3wTVjOU
Some of the tools in this video:
- Soft vise jaws with magnetic base: amzn.to/3Gs8Cct
- ARP Stretch Gauge: bit.ly/3MVT1Ve
- Dial Bore Gage with 2"-6" Measuring Range: amzn.to/3lS5cX3
- Micrometer Precision Machinist Tool Set: amzn.to/3t4nisR
- Bolt and Fastener Organizer Mat: amzn.to/3LVGUWI
- White Paint Pens: amzn.to/3wVj49u
** Disclaimer: Some links will contain affiliate links
** As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Jamie is the Owner of Elite Motor Works in Sarasota Florida, Check out his social media in the links below:
-- TikTok: / jamiesgarage
-- Jamie’s Garage Instagram: / jamiesgarageofficial
Check out Jamie’s Shop, Elite Motor Works
-- Elite Motor Works Website: www.elitemotorworks.net
-- Elite Motor Works Instagram: / elitemotorworksfl
-- Elite Motor Works Facebook: / benzandbmwrepair
-- Elite Motor Works KZhead Channel: / benzandbmwrepair
I’d like to thank Mike for taking time out of his very busy schedule to help me with this engine and explaining in detail the engine building process. I learned from this experience as I’m sure many of you have.
Yup! Very interesting. I work in electronics and we go 3 decimal places. All this precision was cool to see and how things work
Could it be that the torque spanner is out of spec
@jamie’s Garage hey what’s up bro . Where are you located ?? I’ve got an 07’ Bentley GT I want you to work on . Basically Need my engine and accessories from my wrecked GT swapped over to my donor . Edit: Elite motors in Florida . Just seen the description. I’m In California. Any solid recommendations?
i hope at the end we will see the estimate $$$
I think someones trying to scam me on your comments just letting u know 🤔
Oh man I’ve been dying to see this! So pumped!!!
Hey guys Chris fix here
Hey Chris hopefully you see this I found your channel 7 years and it started my love of cars you taught me so much and now I’m in the process of starting my own mobile repair shop! Thank you so much!
man you are in good hands have Jamie take care of your new engine. Wish I am close enough to bring my car to him for repair and maintenance instead of a local BMW dealership.
Can’t wait for the next video. Hopefully we’ll get it soon!
Looks like a serious build for sure!
This is gonna be the smoothest running m54 ever built holy shit.
It was hard to concentrate with all the twerking and lubing going on 😂😂! You guys killed it with the engine build and blueprinting everything, can't wait to hear it run!
Lots of twerking and lube it what makes this job fun! 😂
Been rebuilding engines for 20 years. This is a 10/10. Very detailed, very knowledgeable, i can't wait to see the top end. This is why I subscribed. Great work guys. Don't forget to drink lots of wouder too.
Thank you! 🍻
@@JamiesGarage1 didn't see plastigauge being used but I'm assuming that would just add another 30mins to the video lol.
@@bluej511 isn't a plasigauge the same as him using a feeler?, Since they measured it before and after and know it's in tolerance
@@djjoey0812 plastigauge measures the clearance between the bearing and the crank. I'm sure if you measure both and subtract you'd get the same but I always use it just to make sure the clearance is right with the rod tightened onto the crank.
Hey guys, this is Chris' second account. I've thought over it and I think 2000hp would be more appropriate. Please make the necessary changes Jamie 👍
Let’s just make it 3000
Funny to see the one part of the community doing junkyard builds, reusing bearings and bolts and eyeballing every torque and then the second part of the community that makes sure every torque, size and measurement is as precise as possible.
Delta stands for change rate which is why they call it the Delta meaning the change factor/amount. Great breakdown. For those casual engine and wrench fans, this was a great guide to how engine engineering specs effect engine performance and just how exact modern engines are.
I'm glad that someone came here and wrote down what a delta means from a mathematical perspective.
my left ear really enjoyed the voice overs
Oh my god, so it was the video I just had the same effect on 2 videos in a row
I dont think I've seen a more detailed and complete walk through on machining and assembling the bottom end of an engine. This was so interesting to watch!
Never been more excited to watch a 40 minute video
Deleting piston squirters is common on race engines because the oil on the piston is excess rotating mass that can't be accounted for while balancing.
I’m reading all these comments and learning so much. I love this channel and the community it draws. Thank you for the explanation!
What does this do for the lifespan of an engine. I'd imagine a race engine doesn't matter due to its routine servicing and maintenance but a weekend warrior on the occasional track day? Not worth it?
@@possle depends on your priorities. For a street car with occasional track use, you'd probably be better off with a milder build that retains the oil squirters. The main thing you achieve by deleting them is the ability to precisely balance your rotating assembly to allow for higher revving.
@@whyidontknow7113 dumb question, do all connecting rods have an oil gallery drilled in them? Ive always wondered how the wrist pin and oil control ring is lubricated
@@bwatt1383 that's a good question that I don't know the answer to.
The best bmw guy and the best youtube fix guide together
Man, this is so helpful. I am rebuilding the same engine at the same time. I couldn’t possibly think of someone better to do this than you and Chris.
I really enjoyed the video and the experiment with ARP vs factory fastners was great. My only complaint is the audio. You created a stereo edit, but have voices on only one side.
you're right, I realized that after filming. I'm using new microphones and I think I need to tweak the settings
@@JamiesGarage1 I actually didn't mind separate voices on each sides, for me it kinda helped with my "internal voice" and piecing the discussion together.. Im not a native english speaker however. Just for context; im listening through medium sized speakers (technics SB-CD120) with some background noise. Probably would been weird with isolated headphones tho.. Thank you for great content!
I never knew so much high tech stuff was used in machining engines.
And that's only the bottom end lol. There's even more for the top end. Engine building is like 90% measuring and 10% assembly lol.
@@bluej511 this is 100% true. Lmao I spend more time with a bore gauge and mics in my hands than a wrench.
You showed us full process of rebuilding an engine, for free. Very entertaining and informative, thanks
I started thinking I missed this episode 🤜🤛
👊
I'll never get tired of watching masters at work, this was an amazing video. Watching you guys balance the crank reminded me of a video barum did with a Renault 5 engine where they shaved the fins down to reduce weight, got thinking if it's doable on the m54 🤔 Absolutely loved the experiment with the ARP compared to oem bolts, I'm guessing the extra torque over manufacturers recommendations goes to show the quality of the product 🤯
Watching the Porsche behind u get repaired was awesome 😎🔥
dude I don't even do anything cars. I've done my oil, tires, brakes, starter and alternator before. But this has been the most gripping series about this friggen lemon car.
it’s been a while a wait for this
Mike is a great dude! Helped a lot of people out with their builds over the years.
Great job! The depth with the machine shop was awesome. I wish I could have watched my guy do the machine work. Building an engine is so fun and fun to watch!
So much information. I've learned so much that goes into a performance engine.
You always know who to call if you need OEM parts! Cheers from your friend at the local dealer 😂
This was pretty cool. I loved the explanation and watching professional/experts making sense of everything. Great teachers.
I don't even own a car but I love this kind of content. Keep it up, it was really nice to have this 2nd part coming along.
I have eagerly anticipated this video and it exceeded expectations. It is very delighting and educating and I would recommend to all persons interested in engine rebuilding. Thanks Jaime! Thanks Mike! 👍x1000!
i have seen many engine builds. but this one is incredibily detailed and the precision is top notch.
Awesome stuff. The attention to detail is nauseating, just like Chris' in his videos! I can see why you guys know each other and work together! I also really learned a lot about rebuilds in this video. Thanks so much!
This one of the best engine’s built video I’ve ever seen on you tube, thank you guys so much for this amount of information you provide.
Love your attention to detail and quality workmanship.
This freaking AWESOME! Gotta make it out to the next meet!
As an E46 and M54 fan, this was awesome!
My left ear loved this video
Very very quality video. Thanks for this!
This was extremely informative! Thanks for a great video and quality content!
Absolutely love this video! Thank you for your awesome content
This is the most interesting video I've ever seen in my life. As a bmw enthusiast and an upcoming engineer this was so informative🙌
Looking Forward to Part 3
neat stuff, very informative. I’m building a 3.0 liter m50 stroker soon and i’m sure I will end up coming back to this video more than once for reference lol
This is an outstanding and informative video. Thank you for making it!
Thank you for watching it!
Very informative and top quality job . Thank you
race is about to be fire🔥
Now folks know why you need to be left alone to concentrate on what you're doing. I'd be interested to know what the piston rings are made of, as back in the day they were cast iron and the slightest twist when installing them would snap them clean off 😳. Great quality work Jamie, a pleasure to see.
you did it great Jamie
My left ear enjoyed this...
Great job guys. Very interesting!!
this is so awesome! thanks for making this informative video!
This is the job I like the most working on any vehicle. It is so satisfying to know everything is clean, within spec and fresh. Still nervewrecking at first start though...
I love watching these kinds of videos
Moje marzenie to mieć taki warsztat i być tak dobrym w tym co robię jak wy chłopaki😁 Świetna robota Pozdrawiam
Love it. Keep it up!
My left ear learned a lot today.
Thanks for the Video!
Awesome content! I hope some day i will use all this info for one of my own engine builds.
Awesome video, Jamie! Super informative.
Thanks Dude! 👊
Nice to see a bit of Jim's automotive machining footage here. Great channel that I recently found and I've been binging them.
They’re great guys!
Great video! Appreciate the help and advice about my M54
I’m just waiting for this guys sub amount to go sky rocketing now
Finally, what we have all been waiting for But it's great, it was worth the wait
Awesome series, if I ever have work done on my BMW Z3 Roadster 2.5 liter I will definitely check with you!
Really detailed works.. Respectt
Hands down the best informative video iv ever seen, great job 👌
An M50 cast iron engine block would be a great starting point for a racing engine. (If you find them lol). Anyways, is nice to see the complete process of a combustion engine rebuild. Good job! Now Chris needs some: silicon cooling hoses, an aluminum: radiator, water pump, thermostat housing and an electric fan and... Maybe a supercharger and he's good to go.
My left ear enjoyed most of the video
Mannnn Was waiting for this!!!!! Finally!!!! What an amazing build!!!!
Loved the nerd stuff with the engine and I'm not even a engine nerd per say!
Great video 👍
thanks for the great video
Great video. I would love to see a full M54 race engine build. Never really see that. Vac motorsports stroker kit and all
“Coming up”!!! Haha jk. Great vid, thanks for sharing
So informative! Love it Edit: Mike knows wtf he is doin
My left ear loves this
Woohoo I’ve been hanging out for this
Enjoyed it
I just learned a lot! Thanks
my left ear really enjoyed this vidoe
Fun fact about some Subaru engine build shops: They have the torque plates bored so that they can also be used for installing pistons. Helps save a bit of time. They also have a torque plate for the heads when valves are ground for a perfect seal as well!
Those oil squirters are known to fail on the M54, especially at high RPMs. The nozzles snap off and clatter around the bottom end. There don't appear to be any aftermarket solutions, but it is a good idea to install new ones in case the old ones have been weakened over time.
I had 5 of 6 come off - #6 cylinder was the only one that stayed on and we didn't replace that since that would mean tranny drop and crank out. in my research the smaller M54 engines (b25) had the most - if not all of the problems- - and only after sustained 5-6K+ rpms (first showed up in the Turner cars I think (or Bimmerworld). My car is a 2001 330i sport with a crap ton of miles but I know they have been fairly easy miles - lots of highway (I am the 3rd owner) First owner seemed to be a sales person and the next owner was fairly sedate with it. While I do put my foot in it from time to time, I do not drive it like I stole it and do not keep sustained 5K+ RPMs much less 6K... I was certainly surprised they fell off and ont he E46Fanatics forum there was a guy in Sweden who was making a one piece squirter - not sure if it has the valve in it.
now that’s good machining gig
This is really interesting M54 getting Performance Build this is so rare M54 the best engine from BMW Really reliable engine
Great video!
Great video I learned things 😀😀
Oh yeah! 41 minutes babyyy
fantastic job, hervorragende Arbeit....
I don't know if its just me but this video comes out inconsistent with the balance of Left and Right audio channels. On some chapters the sound comes out leveled, but on other it comes out only from either L or R. Love the content! 💪💪
15:49 Exactly. Manufacturers have to consider the entire cost of the run and so make concessions for that. But the fact is engineered directly into their, well, engineering.
I've always preferred using a ring spreader. I do not know if there is a downside to using them, but I feel like they are better at not scraping the pistons. Like, you squeeze from one hand and just lower the ring into the groove it goes. Love your rotation technique still.
Great video, my left ear thanks you also.
finally. long awaited
Accuracy at its best
my left ear enjoyed the video
Good luck 👍chirs bmw
Best bmw content creator by far
hello fellow lord!
Tied between this and M539 restoration
Coming from the ChrisFix channel I now know soapy water as soapy wooder
You and Chrisfix's Videos really do help me. Since I'm going to 9th Grade next year and going to Hodgson Vo. Tech High School. I want to do the Auto Tech class. I've been dreaming on working on car's engines, and any type of motor or engine. I hope the Engine you're doing for Chrisfix doesn't blow 15 laps in to the race. Hope you guys are doing well. Love yo video's Everyone should SUBSCRIBE*
damn this is the 2nd time watching it still thought my headphones was broken
Awesome video! Just wanted to mention that at 24:29 the audio started coming out of only the left ear on my headphones.