E30 Zone

I've been searching the vast knowledge of the tinternet for simple but effective ways of tuning the baby straight 6 but am quite stuck. The only things i have come accross are Big Bore Throttle Bodies (these are only worth it if u have more tunning parts in place already), ECUs...not yet, turbo kits (hmmm no)...

The only things i have come accross that sound appealing are the BTB exhaust manifolds, but they're a bit too overpriced for a 500 quid car (although in great nick).

After that well, i'm down to a new aluminium alternater pully (a bigger pully) to increase the effiecency of the electricity used or summin along those lines. Now i'm not exactly a mechanical expert but would love to know what possibilities i have to get a few extra horses (or even just easier revving)? I'm obviously lookin into airfilters/inductions but does anyone have good ideas for me or even feedback on different air filters/induction and exhausts.

Cheers in advance peeps!

btw soz if this has been asked before but i cant seem to use the forum search properly (keeps returning the same theads which aren't even related)..

Basically most will tell you that the best upgrade is upgrading the engine to the 2.5 m20 or even an m50 2.5 from the E36. This is because the 2.0 has the same fuel economy if not less than the m20b25 but similar performance to a 318i.

Another route you could take is the 2.7 route, see here:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... ding_a_2.7

this has been done before by many before but Daimlerman's story is here

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... an%27s_2.7

It all depends what you want from the car and how much you are willing to spend, but if you wish to keep the b20 then the best bang for buck mods are firstly a good service with good quality parts, and a 325 Throttle Body and Inlet Manifold conversion, explained here

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... conversion


Induction kits are a waste of money powerwise really but the give a great noise

HTH

Cheers Snoops. So i take it its basically not really worth tuning. True, when i'm a bit older i do want to find a 325iS (even if i have to import from the mainland...) which would be the better option for a bit o performance. So do you reccomend good servicing and replacing pistons and rings, sorting out gearbox etc to make it near new?

The reason you can't find any info, is because there isn't any.
There's nothing wrong with the M20B20, as long as you enjoy it as it is, but tinkering around at the edges with things like you have mentioned will do nothing significant, except perhaps get you into trouble with your insurance company.
The only thing that might be worth doing is to fit a zone chip to the ECU. The next step on from that is an engine change.

Hi Guys... im new to all this car modification stuff so trying to get some more info... i have a e30 320i auto cabrio (chrome bumper) btw.

I have had a stainless exhaust system put on it (as old one gave up after 18years!) and i have fitted a pipercross induction kit...

Ive recently found some parts including a 325i auto throttle body which i have been told is a "straight swap" for my 320i one and told it will improve performance?... How? ... Is there any other mods needed to make it work?

I am also looking for a heat shield for my induction kit, if anyone can recommend where to get one? Or should I ditch the piper and replace it with a "original" K&N filter which was supplied with the other bits i bought?

To change to the 2.5 inlet manifold and tb, remember you would need the 2.5 air intake piping also, apart from that its pretty much plug and play mate.

I'd ditch the induction kit and maybe get a panel filter to stop heat soak, found the engine looses power with the induction kit on the 2.0/ 2.5

To fit the 2.5 TB you really need the manifold off which looks like a job and a half, you have to grind away some of the alloy where the TB sits to let more air in and you really, really don't want that getting into the engine.

You can fit the 325 T/B to a 320 inlet,but you need toremove the manifold and grind the mating face to match the larger bore.Best £200 I have spent is the Hottuning exhaust manifold.

Brianmoooore wrote:The reason you can't find any info, is because there isn't any.
There's nothing wrong with the M20B20, as long as you enjoy it as it is, but tinkering around at the edges with things like you have mentioned will do nothing significant, except perhaps get you into trouble with your insurance company.
The only thing that might be worth doing is to fit a zone chip to the ECU. The next step on from that is an engine change.

Listen to this man's advice, it is the best you will get on here.

djk wrote:

Brianmoooore wrote:The reason you can't find any info, is because there isn't any.
There's nothing wrong with the M20B20, as long as you enjoy it as it is, but tinkering around at the edges with things like you have mentioned will do nothing significant, except perhaps get you into trouble with your insurance company.
The only thing that might be worth doing is to fit a zone chip to the ECU. The next step on from that is an engine change.

Listen to this man's advice, it is the best you will get on here.

Haha, i agree. Especially with 19000+ posts! Ye it is a nice engine and i dont exaclty want a fully beasted up engine (living on an island with 40mph speed limit ), just a couple of extra horses and more reaction from the throttle. I'll probably wait till it begins to play up a bit and get the thing renovated to as close to new as i can. In Jersey finding good priced (and good condition) e30s is becoming a bit of a pain to be honest.

Cheers for your words of wisdom lads.

If its low down grunt you want then there really is not much you can do apart from fit a bigger engine, the induction and exhaust mods mainly gain power in the higher revs.

From what you say, a zone chip sounds like it would do the trick by removing the engines lean-burn nature below 4K, another common side effect of these chips is improved fuel economy.

Must get one myself.

NayC, I have a B20 engine, and I'm doing some serious tuning. Step one: get a 2.7 engine

Take a peek at Stubeedoo's posts. His m20b20 is lovely and fruity.

I junked my 2 litre for a 2.5. It is noticeably faster, but I find it less economic.

Junk the b20 for the b25.

Cheapest power increase for the m20.

A full and proper service with all the filters changed etc. will make a lot of difference. After that, adding a zone chip will improve mpg and provide a better spread of power so you don't have to rev it to 4000+ before it does anything. I've yet to be fully convinced that adding a 325 TB will make any worthwhile difference either with the original manifold or the 325 manifold. To be honest if half of your day is spent stuck in that tunnel just outside St Helier and the rest pootling along the lanes in St Martin and Trinity, you won't need more than the chip. It's a cheap and simple upgrade and one that definitely works. My automatic gave 17-18mpg around town and in traffic, now it does between 23 and 25mpg for the same motoring without me keeping an eye on the fuel meter. Motorways are mid to high 30's. A manual in good nick should return much better than that.

how do i go about ordering this zone chip?

The 320i has a short stroke, big bore 2 litre engine with big valves and big ports. It is restricted by a spastic throttle body, a very tame camshaft and really conservative ECU mapping. Not much you can do about the cam this bside of major expense but a 325i inlet manifold swap is £40 quid and an easy day's work. The 320i inlet port in the head need to be opened out with a grindstone in a drill, about 10-20 mins per port using the 325i inlet manifold gasket as a template. You need to wedge an oily rag down each port to stop alloy swarp going down the ports. A good remap is equally important. Done right a 320i would knock out 140 bhp and be vastly better to drive. The M20 B20 has the right credentials to rev really well, just not enough air or fuel in standard trim.

Cheers, i'm definately gonna sevrice the engine. Probably keep this car for pootling around in, considering a lack of simple options. ECU does sound very tempting tho, but how would you get/fit them. Can they be bought straight out or do you have to take it to somewher which maps these ECUs and get it configured there?

DavieP, You've explored the great roads of Jersey before? Lucky man.

A proper remap involves hours of work on an engine dyno, or rolling road, and is a bit OTT for a near standard engine. Contact Ant (one of the mods on here) who supplies the zone chips. These won't be absolutely the optimum for your particular engine, but the won't be far out, and will be a great improvement on standard.
You simply have to open up your ECU, pull out the old chip and push in the new. If you don't feel confident enough to do this, I'm sure Ant would fit it for you, if you sent him the ECU.

I am thinking of getting a zone chip, would be interested to find out more feedback on the chip for the 320i, would people who have it recommend it? I like the sound of a few more mpg and won’t turn down a few more bhp either.

johnna wrote:Take a peek at Stubeedoo's posts. His m20b20 is lovely and fruity.

I really must get 'round to having it dyno'd. Purely out of curiosity as no-one seems to have bothered - would be nice to be able to say that a properly breathing M20B20 does actually make 1xxbhp.
I think it's time I had a word with Metcalf's.

StuBeeDoo wrote:

johnna wrote:Take a peek at Stubeedoo's posts. His m20b20 is lovely and fruity.

I really must get 'round to having it dyno'd. Purely out of curiosity as no-one seems to have bothered - would be nice to be able to say that a properly breathing M20B20 does actually make 1xxbhp.
I think it's time I had a word with Metcalf's.

I was flirting with the idea of a better flowing rev happy B20 for a while, so it really would be cool to see if the B20 reacts well to a bit of light tuning, rather than just stuffing in a 2.5 like everyone else

Fitting a new chip is really quite simple. I was scared shitless of doing it, but the guys from Evolve talked me through it over the phone. It really does add some spirit to the car and does it rev freely now! Hard kick down takes it immediately to 5K revs and howling like a banshee. Not that I do that sort of thing you understand

NayC - yep, I know Jersey well and used to spend quite a lot of time working over there. Driving is a bit frustrating though!

Haha, it aint all bad (maybe) but being a local boy and a delevery driver (part time whilst was at college) meant knowing every road really well makes it fun, but i'm yet to experience mainland and rest of the world driving. A trip to germany may be getting arranged in the near future, go see the spectical of the BMW museum and Nordchieffe......

Ye, i'm definately gonna look into a Zone chip, as it is the sort of thing i was looking for in the first place. Once again cheers people and ty for all the input!