Looking Good

Wow, I need this

99 dakar M3 vert & 97 M-tech ti

Good Idea...

Getting ready to start building the lower end. Pistons are ceramic coat on top and teflon skirts

[emoji15] woah!! How much those bad boys run you??


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About 1400 for pistons, rods, coatings and a race ballenced to the crank

+1 I'd probably be in line for 3. :D

Are you running an MM crank or OEM?


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Running my own concoction, so we will see how it works. As a matter of fact, this whole engine is built from specs in my head, and educated guesses. This my just be a trial build for my next one. This is kinda my tribute to the bmw m12 from the 80s that ran 79psi and made 1400 estimated horsepower.

Wow, a true gentleman and a scholar!
Seems like a very expensive trial build though, but of course "expensive" is relative, my expensive might be your cheap haha
I've never heard of the M12, sounds incredible though I'll have to look into it more!
I encourage more use of the M44 it's overlooked so much. So threads like these are always up lifting to see and hopefully it will encourage more use of the M4x motors and increase the aftermarket as well! So it's a win/win [emoji16]


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Finished up the oil and intercooler mount today. Waiting on some more parts to continue on with boost piping. Also my late night self control with ebay is not good. I guess i bought next winter's project already. I'll post some pics when it arrives.

Every time I think I am done with a part, I have that "BUT WAIT!!!" moment. Now i decided to make a skid plate to tie the subframe to the core support brace and frame rails. This is what happens when I'm waiting on parts and have scrap around.

Preping the block. Hopefully I will have the rotating assembly in this weekend

Put the last cost of glyptal on, using a radiant space heater to cure it. Its got the block temp up to 135degF. Hopefully I'll put the crank and pistons in tomarrow.

Got all the covers painted and yes even the rear main plate.

Looking wicked really excited to see this thing come together!
Just curious how much power are trying to achieve?


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I'm going to keep turning it up until i start breaking stuff. In all honesty, hopefully it will hit 1000hp, or fail spectacularly

Incredible! Looks like you're going to have the most BA M44 to date, you've inspired me to scrap my ITB kit I was about to run and go down the super charger route [emoji38]


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On my stock engine with the dasc i was running 10psi and 100 shot of nitrous and making sub 13 sec. Passes. And could still out handle m3s on the track. Now im going for something most have never seen otherwise i would of stuck with that setup

Were you running a dry kit or wet?
Also have you heard of the GKD supercharger kit? They utilize their own manifold etc. and let you source out an Easton M45 Mini Cooper S super charger. That's the kit I'm going to go with


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Hold out and get a real dasc. Haven't heard good things about that kit. And i was running a wet kit

I'm at work right now when I have more time I'll explain why I don't really like that kit

What a shame I've heard decent things about the kit and the company is very backing of there product /: the price seems like a bargain to me plus the fact I can't source a DASC for the life of me haha


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Disclaimer : i haven't used or seen in person the GKD kit. What I'm going on is my work with the mini Coopers that use that m45 supercharger. Its a smaller supercharger and uses a smaller pulley than the dasc kit. If you windup having a belt stretch or a tensioner start to fail this will allow the supercharger to slip on the Belt. This causes boost surge, especially at higher RPMs. This plays havoc with the computer, because when the belt slips boost drops and the computer tries to lean out the mixture, then when the belt re-grips, boost spikes faster than the computer can compensate. This makes a lean condition underboost which is a killer of exhaust valves. Especially when the Mini Cooper guys run the smaller pulleys to a boost. I've had to replace about 10 cylinder heads in two years on modified Mini Coopers. Now running this supercharger on a larger engine it will not create as much boost so this condition may not apply but I even have slippage problems on my other TI that runs the 15 pound pulley on a Downing Atlanta kit. Mine only fluctuates a few pounds when it does it. But with minis having a smaller pulley to start with when they slip they seem to drop about 1/2 if the boost. Hope this helps under stand my point of veiw on this setup. I also wonder what is the max boost that can be achieved by this kit and weather it can maintain that boost throughout the RPMs

After hours and hours of hand painting the head os almost ready for reassembly. And if you have ever wondered if you could drill a m44 head for 4 studs per exhaust hole, you cant. Made a jig and drilled on a old bad head i had and there is only about 1/4 in before coolant jacket

Hmm so should I hold off? Because I'm not looking for crazy power. Just 200 to the wheel and I'll be more than happy


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Wow that is looking squeaky clean.

Got the head reassembled and plan on putting it on this weekend, just curious if anyone else uses the 6deg timing blocks for cam timing. It was a rare service bulletin tool for m44s that had rough idles and it also added a little more power. Just wondering if anyone else has seen this tool or used it. I aquired it from an retired bmw mechanic that had received it from bmw in the late 90s

Head is on and timing covers. Finishing up some mods to the valve cover and also fitting the supercharger. I have to modify all the brackets because I'm using a 5mm phenolic spacer on the manifold.

Can not wait to see this thing run! I wish more people would modify these little M4X motors. Especially in a Ti. A super/turbo charged slant 4 in these hatches is way to cool [emoji16]


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Same here, my biggest concern on modding it had nothing to do with making power, but more with my own standard of wanting to be able to smog it any day of the week and it passing. The only CARB legal support for the m44 for extra power seems to be the DASC, which is already discontinued, even though Downing Atlanta has been very open to helping replace any misc parts or even printing out a CARB sticker if needed.

With the s52/m52 it seems with the aftermarket support a s52 at roughly 240hp can be modded NA to reach 280hp crank without much trouble, I don't doubt if the same kind of interest was had in the m44, building reliable safe street m44's that made ~180 and were fun would be more common.

Slowly making progress, was sick this week but back on it.

Some more parts going on

Decided to drill the turbo bolts and safety wire them. I drilled the downpipe bolts as well

Looking fantastic man! Hope you're feeling better as well. What is the reason for the "safety wire" if you don't mind me asking?


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The safety wire makes it so even if the bolts try to rattle loose or back out the wire keep them tied together and if you wrap it right the wire is pulling both the bolts clockwise (tighter)

Incredibly smart idea!


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LOL I don't think this is 'General' chit chat... :)
Following anyways.

Engine is in the test bay for hopefully the last time. Working on brackets and locations for everything. Also cut up the factory front engine hook and welded it to the dasc support bracket to make a proper front hook.

Essentially the race version of the BMW 2002tii M10 engine... :P

OMG I so want a 2002 again.... :( Crying here, I have had two and they have gotten lost along the way... both were 1973 with the round taillights.

(And the rust, uggh.)