A new benchmark has been set for the Gen 1 BMW B58 platform.

Miami Engines Racing ran an incredible 7.95-second quarter mile at 175 MPH at FL2K, setting a new world record with its BMW F30.

For everyone at VAC Motorsports, this one is especially rewarding because we had a hand in the engine program that helped get the car there.

Miami Engines came to VAC with a clear objective: prepare the Gen 1 B58 block and rotating assembly for the cylinder pressure, horsepower and abuse required to compete at this level.

The result was a sleeved 3.15L B58 using CP-Carrillo 84mm forged pistons, Arrow Precision connecting rods and a 12mm head stud conversion.

Then Miami Engines Racing put it to work.

7.95 @ 175 MPH.

Building the Foundation for a 7-Second B58

Making horsepower is one thing. Keeping an engine together while applying that power for an entire quarter-mile pass is another.

As B58 power levels continue to climb, the demands placed on the factory block, cylinders, head clamping and rotating assembly increase dramatically.

That’s where VAC’s work on this engine started.

VAC sleeved the original 3.0L Gen 1 B58 block and converted it to 3.15 liters, providing the foundation Miami Engines needed for its record-setting combination.

VAC Motorsports performed the precision block machining and sleeving required for the conversion.

The engine combination includes:

• CP-Carrillo 84mm forged pistons
• Arrow Precision connecting rods
• VAC Motorsports cylinder sleeving
• 3.0L to 3.15L displacement conversion
• 12mm head stud conversion
• Precision B58 block machining by VAC Motorsports

Each part of the combination has a specific job, but at this power level, the machining that ties everything together is just as important as the components themselves.

Why Sleeve a High-Horsepower B58?

The BMW B58 has earned its reputation as an extremely capable engine, but a 7-second drag car operates far outside the conditions BMW designed the original production engine to handle.

Cylinder pressure rises substantially as boost and power increase. That puts additional load on the cylinder walls, head gasket, fasteners, pistons, rods and surrounding block structure.

Properly installing performance cylinder sleeves gives an engine builder a different foundation to work with when preparing a B58 for extreme power.

But installing sleeves isn’t simply a matter of removing the original cylinder material and pressing new sleeves into the block.

Bore geometry, sleeve fitment, deck preparation, final bore size, piston clearance and the relationship between the block and cylinder head all have to be controlled during machining.

That is exactly the type of work we perform in-house at VAC Motorsports.

From 3.0L to 3.15L

While the block was being prepared, the engine was also converted from the original 3.0-liter displacement to 3.15 liters.

The combination uses 84mm CP-Carrillo forged pistons.

CP-Carrillo has been part of countless high-output racing engine combinations, and we’ve worked extensively with its forged pistons across BMW engine platforms.

The pistons are paired with Arrow Precision connecting rods, giving Miami Engines a forged rotating assembly designed around the requirements of this particular B58 program.

This wasn’t about throwing parts at an engine.

The piston, rod, cylinder and block machining all needed to work as a system.

12mm B58 Head Stud Conversion

VAC also performed a 12mm head stud conversion on the B58 block.

As cylinder pressure increases, maintaining cylinder-head clamping becomes increasingly important.

The head studs have to help keep the cylinder head and block properly clamped while combustion pressure is trying to separate them.

Moving to a 12mm head stud configuration gives an engine builder another tool for addressing those demands in extreme-power B58 applications.

Like the sleeving operation, this conversion requires accurate machining. You’re modifying the block itself, so location, depth, thread preparation and the surrounding material all matter.

For a street B58 making moderate power, this level of block preparation may not be necessary.

For a car running 7.95 seconds at 175 MPH, you’re operating in a very different environment.

Miami Engines Takes It to FL2K

VAC’s role was to provide Miami Engines with the block machining and engine components they needed.

What happened next belongs to the team at Miami Engines Racing.

They developed the complete vehicle and engine combination, got the F30 to the track and turned all that work into a number:

7.95 seconds at 175 MPH.

That performance established a new Gen 1 B58 world record at FL2K.

Records like this aren’t the result of one component or one company. A car capable of running this number requires the engine program, turbo system, fuel system, engine management, transmission, chassis, suspension, tires, tuning and driver to work together.

We’re proud Miami Engines trusted VAC Motorsports with an important part of that equation.

And we’re even happier to see the finished combination deliver.

Building a High-Horsepower B58?

You don’t have to be chasing a world record to take advantage of the same machining experience.

VAC Motorsports works with BMW owners, engine builders, race teams and performance shops on B58 and S58 engine programs ranging from high-performance street builds to dedicated drag and competition engines.

Depending on the application, VAC can provide B58 block machining, cylinder sleeving, forged pistons and connecting rods, head stud conversions and complete engine machining services.

The correct combination depends on the power target, fuel, boost, intended use and the rest of the engine package.

If you’re planning a serious B58 build, talk to our team before ordering parts or machining the block. We can help determine what the engine actually needs for the intended application.

VAC Motorsports
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sales@VACMotorsports.com

Congratulations again to Miami Engines Racing on an outstanding achievement.

7.95 @ 175 MPH. The Gen 1 B58 bar just moved.