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L92 into BMW E46 questions

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Old 11-11-2011, 09:00 PM
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Question L92 into BMW E46 questions

I have a few questions about swapping a L92 and keep the VVT into a BMW E46 chassis?
I know that there are very few e46 swaps out there. I do know that the few that are. People are using the Holley Retro-fit oil pan with good success.
Can you swap out the stock L92 truck oil pan for the Holley LS Retro-fit? Will it work with the high output oil pump used for the VVT? I know that the truck intake manifold would have to be swapped out for a LS3 or L76 manifold to clear the hood of a E46. From what I have found this isn't as easy as just unbolting the stock and throwing on the LS3 or L76 intake mani. Also I can not find any good info if you can swap the front accessories to a GTO or f-body setup. I know people are ditching the VVT setup which would basically make it a LS3. I think the VVT would be a good thing to keep. Giving a much broader power band.
Old 11-12-2011, 10:03 AM
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How do you plan to tackle the Can-Bus electronics? That is the unsolved hurdle with an e46.
Old 11-12-2011, 10:31 AM
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I plan on tackling it by removing it. Run aftermarket gauges, no traction control. Only thing that might be a challenge would be keeping the air-con without the Can-Bus. The way I may get around that is using the dial controlled air-con controls and not the automatic. I'm still at the point where I am trying to decide what motor I want to go with. The easiest would be a 04 GTO LS1 T-56 dropout. But the L92 intrigues me.
Old 11-12-2011, 04:43 PM
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Does your L92 have AFM/DoD also? If so, are you removing that? A stock or stock+ oil pump can take care of just the VVT, it's the AFM that taxes the flow. I'm doing a L92 into a C4 vette and have some similar concerns as yours. https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...e-ls-swap.html The L99 2010+ Camaro helps somewhat as a donor for the swap, but depending where your limitations are for accessories in the E46, you may have to be creative. I'm running an LS3 intake and waterpump from the camaro, oil pan and spaced out Alt./PS accessory bracket from a C6 vette. The A/C bracket will probably come from Kwik.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/12352257-post7.html

Last edited by 85MikeTPI; 11-12-2011 at 04:56 PM.
Old 11-14-2011, 08:05 AM
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I haven't picked up a L92 yet. That is another thing I am trying to figure out. There is mixed info on which L92 comes with AFM/DoD. I would like to find a motor that JUST has VVT and NOT AFM/DoD. I have read that the early caddys have JUST VVT. I didn't know that the VVT did not affect the oil pump pressure. I will subscribe to your thread hope to learn more.
Old 11-14-2011, 11:36 AM
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I have a 2007 Escalade EXT L92. It had both VVT and AFM installed in it.. I read that some early units didn't have AFM enabled in the ECM but the motors still had the hardware like mine did. (You can tell it has AFM by the valley cover having a "maze" pattern instead of the flat non-AFM versions) On my L92, the cam bearings were extremely bottom worn, which I blame on the extra spring pressure the AFM lifters use. I'm having all the bearings replaced, have pulled out the AFM lifters, and having the AFM oil bosses tapped/plugged. I plan on using a ported oil pump, but not a high-volume pump.
Old 01-14-2012, 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by gnx7
How do you plan to tackle the Can-Bus electronics? That is the unsolved hurdle with an e46.
Unresolved by who?

seems to work on my lsx e46.....

Old 01-29-2012, 01:24 AM
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Originally Posted by bikealarmblair
Unresolved by who?

seems to work on my lsx e46.....

Buddy, where have you been, I am about to do a RHD e46 02 Convertible with a LS7 and tremec 5 speed, I have a M3 LSD to fit as well. I saw your car on another site, can you advise if the engine mounts, g/box mount, exhaust headers and steering shaft mods are available from Craig Taylor and can you advise as to the can bus issues. Are you able to do a wiring diagram and recalibrate a ECU if one was supplied. I have a coupe I would also like to do, and I know a few others who will pay for services. Please let me know ASAP. Darryl Oh, by the way, I love your car.
Old 01-29-2012, 07:31 AM
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That would be a great swap. The E46 IMO has the perfect proportions and balance. It should have had a V8 to begin with.
Old 07-01-2012, 08:20 PM
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I'm getting ready to do a LS in an E46. Does anyone have details on how to deal with the can-bus issues?
Old 07-02-2012, 01:59 AM
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While I haven't done this personally on an E46 I know that on some other swaps that need the dash to work they keep the stock ECU in place and wire the stock engine sensors to it so it "thinks" the original engine is still in place and makes all the gauges and other systems happy. You still run the LS motor with the LS ECU, the stock ECU is only there to make the gauges happy.
Old 07-02-2012, 02:00 PM
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Let's break this down. A guy says he solved the CAN-BUS issue. So search his (minimal) posts and see if he posted about it before in a build thread or something.

Wow, look what I found:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...-357ci-v8.html



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