Carbahn 4.6L Stroker build/long term review

[e90sanmarino]

Greetings,

My name is Duc, and I currently reside in Vietnam. I have been an enthusiast of ///M cars for an long time. My introduction to the M cars began with the E39 M5, which I acquired with the assistance of Law during our college years. Since then, my admiration for M cars has remained and I have harbored a desire to create the ultimate iteration of what I consider OEM+.

Fast forward to approximately a year ago, I came across my dream car and determined it to be the optimal platform for my envisioned build: a manual sleek-top E90 M3.

Allow me to provide a brief overview of my car's history. I am the third owner of the sole E90 M3 in Vietnam. Despite its subpar condition at the time of purchase, my profound attachment to the ///M brand led me to acquire it, embarking on a minor restoration journey.

However, the engine's performance and sound never met expectations. Upon consulting with BPMSport and undergoing a stage 2 tune, it was revealed that the previous owner had money-shifted, resulting in max RPM of 11,000. Subsequent analysis suggested potential bearing damage, likely due to this occurrence. Although efforts were made to rectify the issue, including a consultation with deansbimmer regarding intermittent vibration faults, satisfactory resolution proved elusive. Notably, significant metallic debris discovered during a routine oil change prompted the decision to pursue a complete motor swap.

While conventional wisdom might have dictated a stock rebuild approach, the limited expertise and resources available locally prompted me to opt for a brand-new engine instead.

I reached out to several reputable entities such as Carbahn, MRF, and Team Schirmer for quotations. Ultimately, I selected Carbahn due to their unique offering of warranty coverage for their stroker build and without requiring shipping the original core.

For tuning, I have chosen to collaborate with BPM due to their exceptional service and tuning philosophy, favoring a conservative approach given the quality of available fuel in my region.

I share this post with the intent to document my experience with a stroker build, with hopes of providing valuable insights for fellow enthusiasts. I commit to updating this thread throughout the various stages of the stroker kit ownership, inspired by the informative contributions of individuals such as SYT_Shadow.

If you have any questions just let me know

Attached are some images showcasing the stroker and associated components in preparation for the engine swap:

[amrazM]

Amazing, you will be immensely satisfied with bpm tuning this beast. I cannot wait to read about how it works out for you.

[Helmsman]

Thanks OP, what an exciting poost! Yeah, looking forward to follow this very special project!

[tony093]

You can’t go wrong with BPM.
I’ve been running his stage 2 tune for about 10 years now with 0 issue.

[tdott]

Awesome, goodluck with the build!

[M3SQRD]

Excellent choice! Carbhan/Steve Dinan are one of the best at building stroker s65s. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to following your build of the sole e90 M3 in Vietnam!

[Redd]

Oh wow! I know how expensive it is to own and maintain cars in Vietnam so definitely kudos to you for undertaking this project. I'm excited to see the final results!

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by amrazM

Amazing, you will be immensely satisfied with bpm tuning this beast. I cannot wait to read about how it works out for you.

Mike has been great. Despite not having had the opportunity to meet him in person, he has been consistenly helpful in addressing my inquiries remotely.

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Thanks OP, what an exciting poost! Yeah, looking forward to follow this very special project!

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by tony093

You can’t go wrong with BPM.
I’ve been running his stage 2 tune for about 10 years now with 0 issue.

That is reassuring to hear

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by tdott

Awesome, goodluck with the build!

Thank you

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

Excellent choice! Carbhan/Steve Dinan are one of the best at building stroker s65s. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to following your build of the sole e90 M3 in Vietnam!

Carbahn/Dinan is highly reputable, with extensive experience in stroker builds. It is regrettable that their communication does not align with their esteemed reputation.

[DrFerry]

Sub'd. Congrats on the 4.6L Carbahn Stroker. Can't wait for the Dyno charts. Take your time breaking the engine in and good luck with the installation process. Hopefully the clutch can handle the extra torque.

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by Redd

Oh wow! I know how expensive it is to own and maintain cars in Vietnam so definitely kudos to you for undertaking this project. I'm excited to see the final results!

Thanks man! Indeed, I had to source all maintenance and replacement parts from the US or EU due to the scarcity of E9X M3 in the entire country (9 total). Nonetheless, its worth it

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by DrFerry

Sub'd. Congrats on the 4.6L Carbahn Stroker. Can't wait for the Dyno charts. Take your time breaking the engine in and good luck with the installation process. Hopefully the clutch can handle the extra torque.

Thank you, my friend. Dyno charts are part of the plan, but I anticipate modest figures due to the limitations of available fuel in my region. Fortunately, I've already equipped a stage 2 clutch, which should sufficiently manage the anticipated torque levels.

[e90sanmarino]

The old engine has been successfully removed, marking the beginning of the process to swap or replace parts from the previous engine. I aim to conduct thorough preventative maintenance, paying particular attention to hard-to-reach areas such as the rear of the engine. This will undoubtedly demand a considerable amount of time

[wyatth]

Very nice!! Can't wait to see how your build goes!

[omgzirra_exe]

fellow pho lover and stroker salut.

also be forewarned, they do offer a warranty! but they wont honor if you tune the car.. my friends F10 M5 had a Carbahn stroker and he suffered an internal engine failure and they hesitated due to the car having been tuned.. despite the motor prepped to handle 700+ whp..

after their own inspection they deemed it their fault. just a small little story and some feed back.

chúc may mắn trong việc xây dựng!

[DanMpower]

Good luck from a fellow Vietnamese brother.

[GORDON.M3]

Duc! Congrats also on pulling the trigger for the Stroker kit!!! Can't wait to see the finished product!

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by wyatth

Very nice!! Can't wait to see how your build goes!

[e90sanmarino]

Originally Posted by omgzirra_exe

fellow pho lover and stroker salut.

also be forewarned, they do offer a warranty! but they wont honor if you tune the car.. my friends F10 M5 had a Carbahn stroker and he suffered an internal engine failure and they hesitated due to the car having been tuned.. despite the motor prepped to handle 700+ whp..

after their own inspection they deemed it their fault. just a small little story and some feed back.

chúc may mắn trong việc xây dựng!

Thank you for providing valuable insights. I will take that under consideration. I hope I'll never have to use their warranty service.

Cảm ơn anh nhiều!