Realistically how unreliable is a supercharger. Need real input.

[Rekrul]

Debating on doing a low boost setup on a 60k mile 09 m3. Car is meticulously taken care of, always warmed up before going above 3k, barely consumes any oil(1/2 qt beween changes). Maintenance always done on time.

I'd like some straight hard facts/input. Preferably from other FI m3 owners and preferably those with higher miles. I don't want to be dealing with a blown up motor.

Thank you all.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by Rekrul

Debating on doing a low boost setup on a 60k mile 09 m3. Car is meticulously taken care of, always warmed up before going above 3k, barely consumes any oil(1/2 qt beween changes). Maintenance always done on time.

I'd like some straight hard facts/input. Preferably from other FI m3 owners and preferably those with higher miles. I don't want to be dealing with a blown up motor.

Thank you all.

You should be perfectly fine, even with a VT2 (intercooled) kit. We tracked our last 2 M3s heavily and engines were perfectly fine during sessions and even when it came to sell.

[Petros]

read about rod bearing wear issues.

[BrewRifle]

Originally Posted by Petros

read about rod bearing wear issues.

That is a widespread issue, not just a forced induction issue. Let's not exacerbate it.

[Petros]

True. But supercharging does significantly increase wear and the risk of failure. The op should at least do regular oil analysis.

[JEllis]

Originally Posted by Petros

True. But supercharging does significantly increase wear and the risk of failure. The op should at least do regular oil analysis.

Proof? The rod bearing issue effects all M3s.

Another happy ESS customer here. Just keep in mind the extra maintenance required, SC oil, spark plugs, belts ect....

Jason

[Ezio]

It seems like the only thing that kills these engines is the rod bearings.

change them, and your good!

[CNDM3]

The whole point of a SC is the simplicity over a turbo setup. I have an 08 55k Miles with VF540 for the last year and a bit. Just did oil analysis and it was perfect. I would say the negatives of a SC are not many. With AC on in hot weather it can be a tad tougher to start of the line in a manual. I also find the car get hot on the track when flogging it. Do not expect to much power gain down low. very linear power like stock with a bunch of power added up top. Unfortunately the M3 could use more low end power around town.

[h4nh]

It's hard to drive a stock m3 after driving a supercharged one.

[SflBimmer8484]

We have had many Customers with this same concern and the only thing that comes to mind on the s65 is the bearing issue. If you are unaware of your bearing condition or have not been doing an oil analysis such as black stone you may want to consider throwing in some Wpc Bearings at the same time as your supercharger install. Peace of mind and a supercharged engine is a hell of a ride. Best of luck

PS: Keep in mind we have seen bearing issues on stock and modded cars alike. As of yet we have not seen any correlation with premature bearing wear and superchargers. * I highly recommend lowering your oil service intervals *

[Groundpilot]

Originally Posted by CNDM3

The whole point of a SC is the simplicity over a turbo setup. I have an 08 55k Miles with VF540 for the last year and a bit. Just did oil analysis and it was perfect. I would say the negatives of a SC are not many. With AC on in hot weather it can be a tad tougher to start of the line in a manual. I also find the car get hot on the track when flogging it. Do not expect to much power gain down low. very linear power like stock with a bunch of power added up top. Unfortunately the M3 could use more low end power around town.

Agree with everything you said. Low end torque is better than stock, but still not as good as a turbo engine. I actually prefer using my 135i with n55 engine(tuned), as a daily driver. But SC is a different enimal. Linear power till 4500rpm and then it explodes and goes nuts.

[Rekrul]

I'm not to keen on poopping open a motor for no reason. Perhaps I'll do oil analysis.

[Malek@MRF]

Rod bearing issues and engine failures are prevalent in many stock E9x M3's. Many engines have popped with very low mileage and zero modifications.

As others stated, most SC kits have done well with time. The most common issues I have seen with SC kits have been a result of mediocre workmanship.

[tinman831]

Originally Posted by Andrew@ActiveAutowerke

We have had many Customers with this same concern and the only thing that comes to mind on the s65 is the bearing issue. If you are unaware of your bearing condition or have not been doing an oil analysis such as black stone you may want to consider throwing in some Wpc Bearings at the same time as your supercharger install. Peace of mind and a supercharged engine is a hell of a ride. Best of luck

PS: Keep in mind we have seen bearing issues on stock and modded cars alike. As of yet we have not seen any correlation with premature bearing wear and superchargers. * I highly recommend lowering your oil service intervals *

Would it be safe to say that a supercharger puts more strain on engine components in general (rod bearings included )?

[Petros]

Originally Posted by tinman831

Would it be safe to say that a supercharger puts more strain on engine components in general (rod bearings included )?

Agreed. Seems like the vendors just wanna sell supercharger kits. The supercharger is not the main cause of the bearing issue. But it definitely is an exacerbating factor. The S65 engine already has a tendency for high bearing wear. No doubt the added stress of a supercharger can increase that rate of wear.

[tinman831]

Originally Posted by Petros

Agreed. Seems like the vendors just wanna sell supercharger kits. The supercharger is not the main cause of the bearing issue. But it definitely is an exacerbating factor. The S65 engine already has a tendency for high bearing wear. No doubt the added stress of a supercharger can increase that rate of wear.

Above, AA recommended doing your bearings for piece of mind when installing a blower. I believe ESS offers the same thing when purchasing their kit. There's no conclusive evidence known to be the cause for the bearing wear. Just a lot of speculation at this point. We may never know the real reason but I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

[MFKN3]

I think manufacturer is important because all kits have different pulley designs. I think some place a higher radial load on the crank and bearings.

[SenorFunkyPants]

Its simple physics isn't it?
You get more power from a bigger bang...a bigger bang equals more load on the piston which transfers to more load on the oil film between the upper rod bearing and the crank (as well as more load on the rest of the engine).
It would be unrealistic to expect to get more power from an engine without increasing its wear rate. FI cars will fail at a higher rate than stock cars, that's the price you pay, but a good installation used with mechanical sympathy should ameliorate the risk....there are plenty owners who have put good mileages on their cars without problem.

[to///m]

Is the oil analysis really something that can be used to tell if you have accelerated bearing wear?

I thought I read somewhere that the composition of the bearing changed like mid production...

[CBS]

OP, I have had my SC for 3 years, have done many track days (25+). Current mileage is 28K of which 22K is with a SC. I change the engine oil and SC fluid every 3,000 miles. Blackstone evaluates both and currently no issues.

Knock on wood, I have had no problems. Reliable and unbelievably enjoyable! I would do it again.

Good luck in your decision.

Cheers,
Chris

[squartus]

I just had ESS 625 supercharger installed yesterday, of course I replaced my bearings with wpc and upgraded my rodbolts while I was at it...

Here's what my bearings looked like at 31,000 miles. 2010 manual trans.
If you are worried about supercharger causing wear... well you prob already have a lot of bearing wear and don't even know it. Spend the 900 bucks on labor and 500 on new upgraded bearings and save yourself some pain.






Car was never tracked, oil changed every 7500 miles. Other than the outrageous bearing wear for such a low milage car the shop said my engine was completely flawless.

[BobS]

You shouldn't worry. As others have said, change your oil every 3k once supercharged, continue with proper warm up before driving hard, and get a p3 gauge so you can monitor afr, boost, etc. You will love it. 50k miles here, 5k supercharged.