No I don't want to swap the engine, the M20 has to stay. And its 170HP. These engines love boost. It won't be used on track aside from strip racing and I'll have high and low boost settings. Daily mode of about 300bhp I expect.
** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **
- Thread starter Akagi
- Start date
No I don't want to swap the engine, the M20 has to stay. And its 170HP. These engines love boost. It won't be used on track aside from strip racing and I'll have high and low boost settings. Daily mode of about 300bhp I expect.
Soldato
Yeah, but have you fixed your abs and brakes yet?
Priorities.
Will have grooved disks and EBC pads fitted, along with new backplates and some better brake fluid. And the ABS will get fixed of course. Longer term I'll probably fit RX7 front disks and calipers which are a common upgrade.
Soldato
Hah! Presume you're going to do a full Stage 0 on the engine before bolting that lot on right? Especially if you're going to the trouble of having head off.
Not sure what a "stage 0" is? But it will have new plugs, leads, full service, and the cooling system will be replaced before then as well which will consist of radiator, hoses, stat, water pump, and it would make sense to do the timing belt as well even though it is quite new.
Soldato
Brakes before engine! and suspension, and safety
Got new shocks springs and top mounts sitting here waiting to go on. And droplinks.
Brakes will likely get done first as well but will be uprated standard size for now.
Soldato
That is a stage 0, well, plus dizzy cap + rotor if you have it and fuel filter. If you're removing the timing belt to do heads then yes you must replace timing belt.
Dizzy cap and rotor will probably go in the bin and be replaced by coil packs up against the firewall. So I'll leave the original ones on for now.
Soldato
Sounds exciting Acme! Whats spurred on the change of direction? Or was it always the plan? I thought a full resto was the original line?
Its been the plan for a while. I figured out that turboing it is cheaper than making it a 2.7/2.8 with decent headers etc... That and a few months of M20 turbo YouTube videos and people offering assistance to get it turbo'd made me think stuff it.
I also changed tack on the respray plans which is saving me a shed load of money compared to what I originally budgeted for it...
I had budgeted 2.5K for welding repairs and got it done for 1K, albeit not to the same standard but it will do. And I had budgeted 3K for a colour change respray but have opted for a 1K same colour blowover to tidy it up instead.
It's not going to be concourse or a high value example so I thought sod it.
I also changed tack on the respray plans which is saving me a shed load of money compared to what I originally budgeted for it...
I had budgeted 2.5K for welding repairs and got it done for 1K, albeit not to the same standard but it will do. And I had budgeted 3K for a colour change respray but have opted for a 1K same colour blowover to tidy it up instead.
It's not going to be concourse or a high value example so I thought sod it.
It is some way off remember, I'm just getting excited.
Man of Honour
What could possibly go wrong?
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Aug 2004
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Needs plywood aero, and flammability adding! 
Soldato
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Not a lot, drivetrain and engine are rock solid on these. People have done 500 brake on stock engine and drivetrain without issue. Kameron of Kamotors for example. I'm only aiming for 400 high boost and probably 300 low boost for regular driving.
Soldato
Acme, all good on well on the power front. What if your car starts falling to bits at that power though?
Soldato
Maybe if you fully rebuild it prior to whacking 20lbs of boost on it but I'm thinking on an older, high mileage engine you're going to experience issues.
Remember, something WILL go wrong when you add a turbo to a car that didn't originally have one, it always does.
Remember, something WILL go wrong when you add a turbo to a car that didn't originally have one, it always does.
Don't see why it would. Its rock solid now. Has various new bushes, the others are all fine and look to have been replaced already, most of the gaskets have been done, gearbox seals have been done, the shocks, springs, top mounts, drop links, and engine mounts will all be changed prior to this as well, brake lines have been done, and disks and pads will be upgraded when they get changed in the near future, it will have a new radiator, coolant pipes, water pump, stat and belts.
Only current sticking points are the ABS which I obviously want to be working prior to slapping double the power through it, and the rear subframe bushes, one of which has a little bit of play and both of which are very worn.
Plenty of people have done just that and had no issues. Things may well go wrong, but I'm not expecting anything drastic to go wrong. I probably won't even bother to change the head gasket... Just swap the head bolts and torque them down one at a time. Leave it undisturbed. Plenty of people have done that with zero issues as well. Shock horror!
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Caporegime
I like the way people say 400BHP on stock block. After around 5 grand on fueling, ignition, ecu, custom manifolds, turbo and all the ancillaries that goes with that! LOL