Hello everyone

[xraym5]

I used to be pretty active on M5board and have an E60 Dinan 5.8 liter stroker M5, now with 104K miles and about 30K miles on the engine. Car is still in great shape with no SMG issues, etc. For about five years now I have been toying with the idea of getting a pre-owned space gray E92 M3 as one of the last great naturally aspirated BMW engines and putting in the Dinan 4.6 liter stroker. So...I finally scratched the itch. Found myself a 2011 ZCP space gray M3 with 29 k miles and two-toned red/black interior in January, had the Dinan stroker installed a few weeks ago, and just completed the break in. What I didn't expect was for it to be potentially faster than the M5 (at least to 60 MPH). My M5 was able to run to 60 in 3.7 seconds as verified on my Performance Box. Now that the break in on the M3 is done, I just ran 0-60 in the M3 in 3.8 seconds without breaking a sweat. Didn't have time to fully warm up the tires, so I was breaking loose everywhere. This car should easily be capable of 3.6 seconds or less. I know 0-60 times aren't everything, but I have always found them useful in evaluating the mods on my M5, from the throttle bodies and exhaust, then the airboxes, headers, and finally the stroker engine. Prior to the Dinan mods on the M3, my best 0-60 was 4.4 seconds.

For about the price of a brand new M4 with turbo six, I now have a naturally aspirated V8 which should be just as fast, if not faster. (My stroker M5 was about 4 MPH faster in the 1/2 mile than an M4 (which might have been modified) at a recent wannagofast event, with a wet track and terrible traction for my car in 1st gear.) The orange M4 in the picture is a friends. At the time that car wasn't broken in, and my car was still stock, so no race videos. The Dinan process wasn't cheap, with many more inexpensive supercharger options, but I (obviously) like to keep my cars for a long time and don't want to risk engine longevity. And I prefer the feel of NA. I highly recommend Ron at www.performingimports.com for any Dinan work. He is one of the top Dinan installers in the country and a friend of Steve Dinan's. He also has incredible contacts in Germany and in the near future will have downloadable/ non-piggyback software for the F10 M5, with power in the 700HP range and removal of the top speed limiter. He also installed for me a stealth Escort radar system and AL Priority laser jammer. As much as I love my M5, I have to admit the stroked M3 is a lot more fun to drive.

Good financial decision?? Of course not, but you could say that about simply buying an M3. I plan to keep these cars as long as possible, so I won't be making any such poor decisions again in awhile.

Here are a few pics that I quickly threw together:

[NYBulldog]

Beautiful garage you've got there. Stocler M5 That M3 combo is a very nice pickup

[REV1]

Awesome setup.. I have a space grey too I've been thinking the same thing about the stroker. Glad to hear such encouraging results! I sent you a pm..

[Gr330zhp]

Wow! Love the E60 so much! And the E92 of course

[newton976]

Thanks for sharing! Gotta love the power with the NA stroker engine.

[Flying Ace]

Quite a fleet you got there

[Slammo]

A Dinan stroked M3 and an M5?...SWEET!!!

[Bavarian Beast]

Nice!

[Law]

Great stable you got there and welcome.

Stroker S85 and stroker S65, truly a great combo; the best of the best of NA BMW engines.

[pooyab]

My realistic dream combo...

[Flying Ace]

You really like yours stroked huh?

[xraym5]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

You really like yours stroked huh?

Yes sir!!

Just a few videos of my M5:

(the white stroker was Steve Dinan's original stroked M5 bought by a good friend)

(start at :40)

(I've since done 3.7 seconds)

[BNBM3]

I personally have been going back and forth on the stroker vs supercharger. I am all set on supercharging. It came down to the fact that I can supercharge for $10k compared to $30k+ for a stroker. I can fix a heck of a lot of what could go wrong on the engine for $20k and get 600hp instead of 500hp.

Of course, if you prefer NA, then you made the right choice. It's a fantastic car.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

You really like yours stroked huh?

I know I do. Congrats sir cool cars.

[Lunker325]

Thanks for sharing, I can't imagine how good that stroker feels!

[xraym5]

Originally Posted by Lunker325

Thanks for sharing, I can't imagine how good that stroker feels!

Feels and sounds great with the midsection and exhaust. Tires easily breaking loose. I also noticed at around 5K, the sound dramatically changes from a harmonious muscle car sounding V8 to a shrieking roar. It literally sounds like a totally different car in the high RPM's. Assuming (and hoping) that is normal. Has anyone with exhaust mods noticed this?

[buddalun]

OP,

Excellent choice in upgrades to both the M5 and the M3.

After adding the stroker to the M3 did you notice an increase in low end torque? TIA

[xraym5]

Originally Posted by buddalun

OP,

Excellent choice in upgrades to both the M5 and the M3.

After adding the stroker to the M3 did you notice an increase in low end torque? TIA

Absolutely. Just like with the M5, that's where I notice most of the power gain. My 275 rears are not wide enough for first gear.

[xraym5]

Just wondering if this car belonged to anyone on the board here or if anyone knows the prior owner. He/ she had great taste. Car was originally titled in 2011then sold at auction in New York late 2014, and ended up in Westside, WA at an Infiniti dealership. With the stroker engine it is an absolute beast. I'd highly recommend this over trading to a new M4 to anyone wanting to remain NA with a significant power boost.

[Baddass5]

The grey BMW is so Beautiful!

[roastbeef]

do you know much about the throttle bodies? dinan says they are 8% larger, but does that mean each of them are 8% larger, or each one of them is 1% larger for a total of 8%?
i imagine the induction noise from them are amazing!

[xraym5]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

do you know much about the throttle bodies? dinan says they are 8% larger, but does that mean each of them are 8% larger, or each one of them is 1% larger for a total of 8%?
i imagine the induction noise from them are amazing!

I believe they are each 8% larger. Not sure of the induction noise change, but the sound from the midsection and exhaust and angry roar over 5k RPM are incredible, just incredible.