Apologies for the possibly misleading title. What I am looking for is anyone who has installed the vf kit. How did it go? Was the tune Ok? Did the performance meet your expectations? How was post sale support and overall kit quality. If someone has another kit to recommend please chime in. Thanks Andrew
M52tu/m54 VF engineering supercharged experience
- Thread starter Sajk
- Start date
Yeah, I am also interested to hear about experiences with the VF supercharger, it seems like a straightforward kit but perhaps there is some unseen pitfall or is it a good upgrade? 
Wow 9 years, so it seems the engine block can take the extra power?
Did you have to upgrade the transmission also or anything else besides the kit?
Mac27040
Zorg Legend
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2014
- Points
- 75
i did replace the block last year as i spun a crank bearing on piston 5, however the SMG gearbox is standard, new clutch and flywheel fitted when i did engine swap. i upgraded engine mounts and have changed the pulley from a 3.6" to a 3.25" so its raised boost from 6psi to 9-10psi. need a remap reallyWow 9 years, so it seems the engine block can take the extra power?
Sounds you are pushing quite some power, have you done a dyno?
And OUCH!
replacing the block + the cost of the VF supercharger seems a bit expensive, especially given the fact that in Denmark M54B30s seem to be quite rare for some reason....
76k sounds like a good deal
prices here are not so friendly for an M54B25 with almost 90k miles on it and it's already at £1350...
In the Uk I had trouble finding people that would touch the MS42 ECU installed on the M52TU engines. It just wasnt supported enough as it was only produced for a few years.
The M54 uses a MS43 ECU that has a lot more tuning support here.
Just something to check locally.
The M54 uses a MS43 ECU that has a lot more tuning support here.
Just something to check locally.
Hello i installed the VF kit on my 2000 m coupe. the support from VF was horrible only email. the price i paid was to include shipping of the bmw computer. NOPE they said i had to pay only fedx shipping. the kit did not really fit correctly. cutting of brackets and studs had to happen the coolant line i had to reroute it was rubbing big time. i had to do many trips to the hardware store for fittings. the ones supplied were junk. got it all installed and the belt had to be forced on. then after running the belt will pop off one of the ribs so the belt is not seated on the supercharger pully. VF said you are on your own about that. VF SUCKS. the final product is very peaky only power at 4k and up. and it is not earth shattering. i was UNDER WHELMED to say the least. if you buy a kit and want to do it your self plan on 2 days due to garbage parts. and having to goto the hardware store. i got mine on sale for 3000 now the kit is 5000 and i would say DO NOT DO IT. go with an active auto werks turbo kit. i have that on my 2.8 z3coupe and it totaly kills the 2000 Mcoupe.
again DO NOT BUY VF SUPERCHARGER KIT FOR Z3
TURBO has midrange power the VF is all top end.
again DO NOT BUY VF SUPERCHARGER KIT FOR Z3
TURBO has midrange power the VF is all top end.
there are two basic types of superchargers one is call centrifugal (VF is this type) the other is Roots type. (6-71 type) the roots type is good for mid-engine torque the roots will supply more air at mid-range rpm than a centrifugal supercharger. the centrifugal is speed based and needs high rpm to achieve high boost. the centrifugal supercharger uses less energy to get it up to speed (high rpm) the roots needs more power from the engine to create boost. and the root type is larger than the centrifugal supercharger. the roots will compress the air at higher temperatures than the centrifugal supercharger. so, in BMW's a roots type is awesome but big and requires more hp to run it (less milage) the centrifugal supercharger is smaller and works ok with the high revving BMW inline 6 engine and gets better milage at lower rpms. the centrifugal runs a bit cooler also.
i only know of one roots type of blower for the BMW inline 6 and they went out of business in 2006 or 2008 (sometime along that time frame) Those superchargers were capable of incredible torque at mid-range i rode in one and though the VF would do the same. I was sadly very wrong.
A roots type blower is just an air pump and it gets less efficiant the higher the boost and creates more heat. As above makes good boost down low but top end suffers.
The centrifugal supercharger is essentially a turbo charger compressor side connected via a gearbox and belt to the crankshaft. Very good at high end. Very simple but they are not variable speed like a turbo charger. A turbo set up can produce more at lower ends and at higher the exhaust is bypassed through the wastegate.
My car is turbo charged with a cheap Holset at the moment. It starts making boost at 2500 and is at full 1.5 bar at 3000 rpm upwards. Packaging and installation is a lot more work. My car dynoed at 425hp and is still running strong. Its definatly not something you can do in a weekend or without a good amount of fabrication skills but it is well worth it in my opinion.
The centrifugal supercharger is essentially a turbo charger compressor side connected via a gearbox and belt to the crankshaft. Very good at high end. Very simple but they are not variable speed like a turbo charger. A turbo set up can produce more at lower ends and at higher the exhaust is bypassed through the wastegate.
My car is turbo charged with a cheap Holset at the moment. It starts making boost at 2500 and is at full 1.5 bar at 3000 rpm upwards. Packaging and installation is a lot more work. My car dynoed at 425hp and is still running strong. Its definatly not something you can do in a weekend or without a good amount of fabrication skills but it is well worth it in my opinion.