Tuning on '84 318i

Fri Jun 17, 2005 9:52 pm

I am wondering what I should add to the engine/suspension of my '84 318i. Is it worth it if there is 130k miles on the car? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

Nolan

Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:32 pm

Hi
There is loads that can be done to a good old m10 motor, its one of the most tunable bmw engines. The block was used in 80's formula 1 turbo cars, they even managed to produce 1400bhp from it

Ãƒ”šÃ‚¬

Generally 150bhp is pretty attable, with a 2lt bottom end and carbs, but up to 200bhp is also not to hard, and still being N/A.

You can go wild, there are a few guys in the US, AUS (and Sweeden) who have turbo their m10's producing well over 250bhp just depends on how mad you go!

Check out my sig pic!

Start with suspension/ brakes I currently have 318is (m-tech) suspension/brakes on mine it makes a lot of difference. The six pot guys will always try to look down on the m10's but well all know the 4 pots will always handle better....

Sat Jun 18, 2005 3:00 am

Ok thanks but I am embarassed to say I dont know what you are talking about when you say 2lt bottom end and carbs!

Good tips I will definitely act on them.

Nolan

Sat Jun 18, 2005 3:05 am

You can bore the 1.8 out to 2 litres....

Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:37 am

ok with what company and what stuff would I go about doing that? thanks for the help

Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:46 am

Is the M10 the engine that powered the 2002 turbo as well or was that something else?

Im in the same boat with my 1985 318i, which has a lot of life in it and an extremely good engine, and im looking to possibly get something like a performance chip. Are there chips available for the 318i M10 that would also increase idle speed?

Sat Jun 18, 2005 9:17 am

Start with suspension/ brakes I currently have 318is (m-tech) suspension/brakes on mine it makes a lot of difference. The six pot guys will always try to look down on the m10's but well all know the 4 pots will always handle better....

being a six pot love, i hate to say it but been driving a 318iS for a week and its a lot less understeery than my 325iS. they do seem to turn in better. i imagine its cos there's 2 pots missing lol.

Sat Jun 18, 2005 10:35 am

You can bore the 1.8 out to 2 litres....

Er no not exactly,

What people do is the get a 2lt bottom end from a 2002 and mate it with a e30 cyclinder head, or you may just need to use the internals.. can't remmeber now..

This distirbuter on 2002 engines and e21 goes the wrong way around, whcih mean's you have to run k-jetronic, which i have heard is an ass to set up, e30 m10 engines are better cause you can use L-jetronic.

Is the M10 the engine that powered the 2002 turbo as well or was that something else?

Yes same engine been around since the late 60's.....

Im in the same boat with my 1985 318i, which has a lot of life in it and an extremely good engine, and im looking to possibly get something like a performance chip. Are there chips available for the 318i M10 that would also increase idle speed?

no chips as such available for m10's as they don't as have a complicated ECU like later cars do, why do you want to raise your idle speed? should be around 6500rpm

Sat Jun 18, 2005 12:24 pm

raising idle speed not rev limit mate. It sits on about 750 right now, but coupled with a worn distrib cap, its running on 3 cylinders, and stalls like a cow at times. Dont know what the distributor cap is worth yet, but I like to have idle closer to 1000.

Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:43 pm

ment to say 650rpm not 6500

Er Dizzy cap's fo m10 are about Ãƒ”šÃ‚£8 (ie sod all) Also check your plugs etc etc and the HT leads for arcing (sparks jumping from one lead to another)

Don't change the idle speed as it far better to sort the real problem out.

Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:35 pm

Gwynleym10 wrote:
You can bore the 1.8 out to 2 litres....
Er no not exactly,

What people do is the get a 2lt bottom end from a 2002 and mate it with a e30 cyclinder head, or you may just need to use the internals.. can't remmeber now..

I really know bugger all about E30 engines don't I?

Thatnks for correcting me though

Sun Jun 19, 2005 2:50 pm

I was kinda wrong as well, wasn't thinking right... all you have to do is change the cranshaft to get 2lts

Mon Jun 20, 2005 6:25 am

Thats all? just a replacement crankshaft and its up to 2L? Just doesnt sound right :\

Mon Jun 20, 2005 8:44 am

To get an m10 to 2.0L you need the crank and pisons from a 2002 or 320 e21, the rods are all the same.

Like has been said you can do loads to these engines theres so many bits out there for them (except right hand drive exhaust manifolds d'oh!).

Im building a pretty high spec m10 at the moment, you can end up spending a fortune as ive found out whoops