Quoting this.
** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **
- Thread starter Akagi
- Start date
Quoting this.
Please do...
Its not usually said to indicate cost saving, just the strength of the engine as a base for a turbo build. I always thought anyway?
In this case it won't be anywhere near 5 grand though. If I fit things myself it will be about 2 grand. If I don't, then 3.
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Soldato
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First piston rods sent into space?
First piston rods sent into space?
If I put a couple of SX500's on it, maybe.
I'm not going to send an M20's rods into space with an HX35.
Soldato
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I reckon you will make a good fist of it though!
Thanks? Lets be honest, I'm going to have an experienced acquaintance telling me what to do like a good spanner monkey, while he does all the complicated stuff.
This is getting out of hand, lets pick the subject up again in 10 months time.
Caporegime
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Please do...
Its not usually said to indicate cost saving, just the strength of the engine as a base for a turbo build. I always thought anyway?
In this case it won't be anywhere near 5 grand though. If I fit things myself it will be about 2 grand. If I don't, then 3.
Please do not be so naive. You are looking at least £700 for manifold and downpipe that will not crack after 5 minutes, £400 on fueling, £300 on second hand turbo, £400 on turbo ancillaries, £1500 on an ECU and mapping. That's three and half grand and that's on the cheap. Not including all the little bits you always end up needing like gaskets etc and after all that you still have a standard chassis with 400BHP going through it on an engine of unknown quantity.
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I was going to say a 5k 335i would implode within a couple of months, but on reflection it's probably a sensible option compared to converting the E30
I still want to see him do it though!
The turbo alone will cost about £500 without any ancillaries, are you sure you've budgeted enough for the work?Please do...
Its not usually said to indicate cost saving, just the strength of the engine as a base for a turbo build. I always thought anyway?
In this case it won't be anywhere near 5 grand though. If I fit things myself it will be about 2 grand. If I don't, then 3.
You've overestimating that a bit. I'm not spending £700 on a turbo manifold, rather £200 on a Direnza one which will then be double tig welded. Downpipe and intercooler pipes will be custom tig welded or universal with joiners. ECU is £400, fuelling and ignition are cheap as chips, can either use the stock rotor and dizzy, or use junkyard coil packs connected to the ECU, fuelling, need some injectors which will probably be second hand and re-furbished, say £100. Stock fuel pump (mine is new) is fine for the power I'm aiming for, if it presents an issue, an upgraded one is £130 ish. Second hand turbo about £300. Clutch about £250. So far we're up to what, £1400? Head bolts, £200, intercooler, £150, which is £1750. Still a long way from the £2500. Then what do I need. BOV, oil cooler sandwich plate, pipes and bits and bobs for the oil tap, gaskets, etc.
I've even had someone offer to buy all that and do all the work for me for £3000 total.
You can even buy a tried and tested 350BHP kit for £1800 which includes everything you need aside from ECU... http://kamotorsperformance.com/budget-brawler-v2-turbo-kit-t3-internal-wastegate-low-hp/
They really are cheap to extract good power from. Cheaper even than an MX5. If you went for super basic management and all second hand parts bin parts I recon you could get 400HP out of one for £1000.
And the engine isn't an unknown quantity at all. Sure I haven't had the head off and looked at the bores, but thats about all I haven't done.
You don't understand cars you petrolhead poser.
A 335i is in no way shape or form as interesting, special, exciting, as a turbo'd M20 E30.
Although I would love one as a daily driver. Auto with cream sport leather, iDrive, and wood. Mmmm.
I was going to say a 5k 335i would implode within a couple of months, but on reflection it's probably a sensible option compared to converting the E30
I still want to see him do it though!
If I wanted a sensible option I wouldn't have bought an E30 in the first place. It baffles me that certain people don't understand that.
You can't always be sensible.
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True, but it exists in fully working form which is more than can ever be said for your turbo M20 E30
Surely this is not the most suitable car for 400bhp?
Are you going to track it? Is it going to get full suspension and brake upgrade too?
Edit - wait, what. Standard fuel pump is good for a turbo etc and 400bhp? Second hand turbo?? £100 for refurbed injectors?
I'm confused.
Are you going to track it? Is it going to get full suspension and brake upgrade too?
Edit - wait, what. Standard fuel pump is good for a turbo etc and 400bhp? Second hand turbo?? £100 for refurbed injectors?
I'm confused.
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Free injectors, £100 for a refurb. Yes second hand turbo, a Holset HX35 with a 12 or 14cm exhaust housing, usually found on diesel trucks/small lorry's, and popular for old BMW's. Yes standard fuel pump is fine for 400BHP, don't ask me how because I don't know, but if it keels over, a 255lph one is £130. Turbo manifold is £200 + a bit of time to double over the welds as a precautionary measure. Intercooler in a size that fits snugly is £150. K-Tec engine management (Megasquirt software) is £400. Etc etc.
Its going to have uprated shocks, lowering springs, brand new OE top mounts, drop links, etc. Brakes I'm not too sure on yet. I was going to do standard size with track pads and grooved disks but that might still be a bit hairy even for me.
Being a 325i it already has front and rear ARB's which are reasonably decent, the bushes will need doing though.No I'm not going to track it. It will be road use, show use, and occasional strip use.
E30's have excellent chassis dynamics (although admittedly the Touring slightly less so), they can be made to handle fantastically well with suspension, ARB's and bracing.
People are still skeptical despite the 350BHP tried and tested kit being linked above sans ECU which stands at £1800. That kit, with 350BHP, can also be used without even taking the top off of the engine to change the head bolts, and without even changing from a stock clutch... £1800, bosh the kit on, aftermarket ECU, 350BHP, just like that.
That might end up being what I do, but I have this mystical '400HP' figure stuck in my head and its staying there for now.
Don't worry, anything I do visually will be OE or period correct. The only non OE visual aspects will be the ride height, wheels, and exhaust. See the on the previous page for a rough idea.
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This is why these boards are **** for this kind of thing. Step outside of the box and you get pounced on.
Do you have experience with E30's and/or M20 engines? Know many people who have turbo converted them? Seen them? Spoken to them at length about all the parts that were used? Ridden in them?
If the answer to more of those questions is "No" than "Yes" you have to question why you are convinced I'm wrong? Probably just because its me. Or because it seems too cheap compared to turboing other cars. But ANYWAY
As I said, this is all in planning stages at the moment and there won't be any movement on this until next year, there is suspension and bits to do first, cooling system, paintwork, etc. And because its me, I'll probably have changed my mind about this several times before it happens...
Have a couple of pictures, one from the Santa Pod BMW Show official highlights video, and one at Ace Cafe.
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Skeptical when presented with facts. Fair enough. This is why these boards are **** for this kind of thing. Step outside of the box and you get pounced on.
Tell me, what experience do you have with E30's and/or M20 engines? Know many people who have turbo converted them? Seen them? Spoken to them at length about all the parts that were used? Ridden in them?
If the answer to more of those questions is "No" than "Yes", kindly shove your misinformed negativity.
I'm not convinced about the concept, the pricing, well whatever it is it's still going to be a fairly reasonable amount. I don't see the point in second hand turbos personally and I've never heard of cheap manifolds being worth it, admittedly I know nothing about BMWs in this regard.
In my eyes BMWs are all about the 6cyl (and above) N/A engines. Slapping a turbo on is just against the ethos.
Also, having had powerful cars in the past I think the hassle and expense of high power is pointless unless you use it (which you can't really do on the roads for longer than a few seconds) but that's just a general point.
Put your toys back in the pram please