Eavan's Sleeper N54 E30: An Engine Swap Bringing Twin Turbo's to a BMW Classic

Today, Eavan shares his N54 swapped E30. Eavan combines the genesis of the 3-series with the modern tuning scene of the twin turbo N54. An engine remembered as one of the strongest and most tuner friendly motors BMW ever made, Eavan brought boost to a BMW classic. With a number of mods, Eavan is pushing comfortably over 400hp to this small chassis, with almost nothing on the outside to give it away.
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[@BuiltForRedline]

Check out more of his build here: instagram.com/n54e30?igshid=crmmkd0g39nv

[@JAG507ful]

cual es el costo aproximado de inversión para ese swap??

[@soleseaker1989]

Pitbull’s cousin is a dope guy and sick car builder.

[@alexgonzalez7395]

😂

[@wrxnfx127]

I’m dead 🤣💀

[@BEAMERNOOB]

Mr worldwide

[@BuiltForRedline]

The man speaks facts!

[@Brok3n_54]

that license plate is amazing, awesome build

[@eddieellison7679]

Hahhhaha same thing I was thinking.

[@rmsnooky]

I got a good laugh but also a big ass smile from that plate 😅

[@nickm2397]

as soon as i saw the license plate i looked for this comment

[@a1a272]

This guy really n54 the world

[@autabiautostyling183]

that license plate is perfect haha, coming from a 335, and now on an E30, this is super cool to see

[@BuiltForRedline]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@deadlocked08]

This is absolute goals. Great work man. Hope in the future theres more N54 E30's out there and that theres plug and play options for it. CT /// N5X ya hurd.

[@BuiltForRedline]

I think with recent developments in the N54 scene, we're really close to seeing standalone plug and play kits for the N54

[@adambarrett5696]

I'm just about to have one built by bmp conversions here in uk. Just waiting on build slot in workshop

[@chechen_power1jz]

@@BuiltForRedline man what year is your e30 ? MashaAllah so beautiful

[@tiptipsy7917]

Jrjrrk

[@Curtis1984]

Thankfully they put them in many different cars..about 7 years production I think.

[@hugolafhugolaf]

I like how the exterior doesn't look like a showcar, nor like a beater. It's just a weathered, slightly worn E30.

[@BuiltForRedline]

Clean and classic is what I like to say!

[@s.lacasse8337]

Complicated swap here!! Nice job.

[@BuiltForRedline]

Indeed! But its come together really clean

[@Akira-xi6mh]

thats one bad ass E30 Bro!!

[@BuiltForRedline]

Definitely! I feel lucky I got to hear it rip in person!

[@lazarosminas5000]

Best number plate I've seen.

[@mof3246]

P30FF code haunted me during my 335i days lol love the plates

[@BuiltForRedline]

The N54 and N55 were both no stranger to that code 🤣

[@Wheelsanstuff]

In a 318 none the less, sleeper 👑

[@BuiltForRedline]

I’m telling you, the man is mad in the most fantastic way!

[@aliberia]

Awesome job !! Applause in standing ovation! 👏👏👏

[@SuperJoeTendo]

This car is sick my dream is to make a n54 or b58 e36

[@Coltondk]

awesome car, and perfect plate for it

[@BuiltForRedline]

Right at home for a BMW that’s for sure!

[@lucrativestance]

Awesome build

[@sedeuces]

This is my dream car exactly im working towards this hopefully ill make it someday

[@BuiltForRedline]

go for it man! Not too bad of a swap and the information is becoming more readily available every day!

[@kylekennedy420]

Car looks waaay fresher 7 months later. Great job a

[@mikeshiftseveryday]

absolutely beautiful

[@BuiltForRedline]

Totally agree!

[@mohammedalshaikhli3891]

Respect for the hard work..

[@slideordie2408]

sadly I just wrecked my 135i, but now that I have the full donor car I'm going to go for hopefully the first 240sx and n54 setup, wrenches are already turning, fingers crossed.

[@BuiltForRedline]

Sounds dope, good luck!

[@cory1748]

This is wickeddd well done bro id love to build one 🤙🏼

[@BuiltForRedline]

It was such an insane build. Even in low rpms you could tell it wanted to break those tires loose!

[@cory1748]

I can imagine bro ive got an n54 hybrid turbo fbo but it's an e93 but to have that setup in an e30 would be unreal great video an a real inspiration 💪🏼💪🏼

[@knightrida6829]

Well done

[@titan7275]

E30ff my fav

[@adambarrett5696]

Haha best comment I seen. True n54 fan lol

[@infrequentflyer4271]

Dude looks like Mr Worldwide

[@chrissymostuy]

Most of these shots are in my area. I gotta meet this guy because I want to N52 swap my E30! That damn oil pan though

[@BuiltForRedline]

Novato cars and coffee! You might catch him!

[@eavenmarcum1759]

I think people are working on an oil pan solution. The n52 had a stamped steel pan at one point. That would probably be easier to modify.

[@Niko0o993]

I love the stock look

[@BuiltForRedline]

Agreed. Clean and classic

[@studentsE30]

Well I'm going to finish my e30 n54 one day eventually. 😀✌️

[@BuiltForRedline]

You can do it! A worthwhile swap :)

[@FueledbyPatron]

Awesome build! Love the car and everything about it. Where could I follow the build?

[@BuiltForRedline]

N54e30 on Instagram!

[@friguy4444]

Ha ha!! I LOVE his front plate!! E30ff it's both a homage and a joke on N54 engine lights!!

[@JMD535]

I had to click on this one! Nice work.... Now lets see a B58 version! ;-)

[@BuiltForRedline]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed

[@BlagoP]

Garageaholic on KZbin swapped an N54 in July of 2020 and wrote up the process.

[@BuiltForRedline]

Indeed! A good friend of Eavan’s :)

[@wesleebacker6909]

License plate is solid

[@chgotbanned]

Wild

[@BuiltForRedline]

It's an entire other thing hearing an N54 when you're in an E30, hearing wheel spin at 3k rpm

[@youngpeter3588]

damn this youtube channel is sick! The way he talked just so real car lover. Need more subs for this channel! good good video hehe

[@BuiltForRedline]

Thanks so much! More content coming soon. Lots of stuff in the works (;

[@Andrew4181975]

Very Nice, is the N54 the engine used in the 1M ? I think only a BMW engine should be in a BMW, not sure what all the fuss is about LS swaps,sure I know it is cheap power but you lose character when you don't use a BMW engine. If I wanted a V8 BMW, the E39 M5 or E9X M3 would do nicely.

[@BuiltForRedline]

Yes, the 1M also got the N54. There’s definitely merit to both arguments. The LS is a very compact, readily available, RELIABLE, easy to work with package. Meanwhile motors like the E39 S62 are more expensive and won’t make as much power for your dollar. Then there’s the E9X S65, which had a myriad of issues mechanically/reliability related, all while being more expensive. S65 is also a tall motor, so by the time it fits in an E30, you’d have a built motor which vastly increase the cost. That’s of course all while ignoring the increased electrical complexity. Nonetheless, I’d like to see it done for sure!

[@Louis_m9]

Honestly LS swap get too much hate. Just because they are popular doesnt make them bad. They are popular for a reason. I can guarantee a LS e30 would be awesome to drive.

[@alvincliment3104]

That much power, almost no traction.

[@tylertheguy4749]

“It’s fun man”, proceeds to grab door while making a turn like he’s riding a rollercoaster 😂

[@vw133s]

hey, i tried the solution of building an oil pan and destroyed two N54 engines due to oil starvation with the front oil pan. So everyone trying that I suggest to do as he has done, change the front subframe.

[@MrHobbitton]

I'm attempting to install in an e34. I was planning on doing the custom oil pan. Is it impossible to get it to work?

[@deadassbeats1925]

bro made the e30 good

[@12valverollin_81]

I'd like to see a s65 swapped in something

[@teddybuffnutskin7926]

used to go to wyotech with this guy was my roommate too

[@eavenmarcum1759]

Who are you? Lol! 🤘🏻

[@teddybuffnutskin7926]

@eavenmarcum1759 I'm your old roommate from wyotech, Jeff. You had an e30 back then too.

[@teddybuffnutskin7926]

You still got that foot fungus?

[@teddybuffnutskin7926]

Chris's mom lived in Marin County, he had the 240z with the rear end clunk

[@rayraycarter04]

The play in that steering wheel tho 😅

[@thesneak281]

That's called a stock e30 steering rack.... Terrible ratio

[@eavenmarcum1759]

Im running an e46 ZHP rack, no play. All new inner and outer tie rods and no rag joint.

[@RandR-E30]

We will not only only screenshot, we will own. Update : finally got a body

[@Formula1-Dave]

02:13 is he holding on for dear life, this is a death trap.

[@JD-ml7cg]

Would it beat a 400hp e30 M20?

[@anthonymiles1446]

you need a front lip. with a Ryan g splitter

[@eavenmarcum1759]

Finally picked up a new valence, so I'll be making the front end pretty now.

[@twentize6494]

Have you come up with a plug & play kit😅

[@magnum357225]

Wish this was alowed in my country, they simply wont let you change the engine unless its proper dead, and even then it can only be the same model e30 engine back in😢

[@fastlanenigeria]

Ridiculous

[@justdagoatgaming8460]

I want to put a b58 inside a 09 650i… can you provide the contacts he used to do this amazing swap 🎉?

[@BuiltForRedline]

B58 is an entirely different architecture and you can’t use the same information as this swap

[@bigfwopl4873]

Mr.Worldwide!

[@darrenfields2462]

What rear subframe did you go with? Did you keep the same e30 rear subframe. Or went something different? What was curious 🤔.

[@DanielMelendez-uf9wl]

I was thinking of throwing a spare n55 engine in. What gear box did you go with?

[@getdealtwithquick]

So how does this compare from a smiles per gallon standpoint? Worth the extra trouble over an LS or S54?

[@SGspecial84]

Only three years to mess up an e30. Impressive.

[@eavenmarcum1759]

🤘🏻

[@jchung658]

Nice built. Did you have the front tires mounted backwards?

[@littlebitofeverything2381]

how much it cost to put n54; into e30? for the future plan for myself

[@henrylima6974]

A chubby version of the rapper pitbull

[@fastlanenigeria]

Custom oil pan?

[@hussienelhamahmy3759]

what to do the best solution in swaping n54b3o in e30 ? the n54b30 have automatic gear box and i dont know if i replace this gearbox by manual one of n52b30 it will work good? and what about the ABS OF THE N54B30 AND HOW CAN I MAKE WORK IN THE E30 AND IS THIS ABS IMPORTANT FOR THE CAR TO GO NORMAL OR I CAN DRIVE WITHOUT IT?

[@JAIIFAR]

Do u use e34 oil pan ?

[@georgebarahona9615]

W

[@BuiltForRedline]

W...win! This ride is an absolute win

[@nimanthagunawardana7661]

What was the manual transmission you used for the swap?

[@nemwallet2114]

i love this build do you have a photo from the subframe and what kind of differential do you use ?

[@BuiltForRedline]

Unfortunately I do not have any!

[@eavenmarcum1759]

Check out my Instagram. @n54e30. As for the diff, I was using a 3.08 Torsten from a z3, went up to a 2.93 from a e28 535i. Might consider going back to a shorter 3.08.

[@smcarmel]

Ever wanna sell it hit me up!

[@thetumanshow]

Maybe one day he can get a front lip for it too... and still rocking the worst headlights E30s got... sigh

[@BuiltForRedline]

When you’ve got two turbos deliver 450hp or so at the crank of an E30, the rest hardly matters, thing is crazy

[@thetumanshow]

@@BuiltForRedline yes because with all that power who wants to see what’s coming up on them at night...

[@eavenmarcum1759]

Finally making it pretty! New valence is being painted, and yes, the headlights suck haha. baby steps.

[@eavenmarcum1759]

It looks much different now.

[@EliasRizk53]

Change your steering wheel bro

[@Dildology]

Tire specs?? I have the same but with style 4s...

[@BuiltForRedline]

Hey you can ask him on IG @N54E30

[@Mkid24]

Can you do this to my e24? lol

[@robi6713]

is m50b20 2 liter engine swap more reliable than m20b20 on e30 4door?

[@DankCarzMemes]

M50 is bulletproof but go for a 2.5 and stroke it

[@jorgenieto1283]

Did you fill/redrill from 5 lug to 4 lug or do you have adapters?

[@if2790]

With all this power, it's not hard to 5 lug swap. You can use e36 front knuckles and e36ti rear trailing arms or just use z3 hubs for the rear to make it full 5 lug conversion. Makes for bigger better brakes as well

[@EF50404]

Ya but does it have A/C??

[@eavenmarcum1759]

No a/c, it’s a tight squeeze. I’m considering air to water intercooler for space, and a 12v a/c compressor setup, but it’s never really that bad in Northern California

[@anthonymiles1446]

s52 turbo would of raaaaped

[@BuiltForRedline]

N54 offers way more torque out of the box and a massive tubing community for easy easy power with little supporting mods. I’m sure if you put the same money in an S52 as N54, you’d be at similar numbers

[@1188clean]

thats old now. these cars are way easier to get than a s52

[@jeancharlesrabaux5658]

In France is cars look slippeur in france y love slippeur look slippeur Google ok no problème

[@jeancharlesrabaux5658]

Y love the cars is the solde the e30 for mie ou one troc contre un terrain pres de Disney land yes ho no please

[@luckyluke1423]

great work but that steering wheel 😀

[@eavenmarcum1759]

I like having an airbag lol. Unfortunately there's not a better option if I want to keep the airbag.