i want more power out of my 318

Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:45 am

hello all

I am new to E30's and have just got a nice 1986 318 i like the car but at the mo it is standard as standard can be !!!

i want to get more power out of the car and dont know where to start?...

if someone could help me out with a list of good mods that dont brake the bank to much and a good place to order parts from please?

if someone could help me out with this it would help me out alot!!!

cheers

Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:03 am

Drop a 2.5 in. 1.8 you will not get good enough gains to notice with out forced induction.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:58 am

ok cool .

is there anyone that does a carb kit for 318's? some webbers would be nice!!

Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:24 am

liseth, yourl find if you ask how to spend money on your car on the current engine you have,you will always get a "engine swap" awnser.
tho you can upgrade and modify the 318 its a little expencive, ethier go for itbs or forced induction, or better both.

but it depends were you want to start,spending 2k on a 318 engine and maybe get 240bhp+ or start with a 2.5 engine and get 290+, but with out serious head work nethier engine will last long forced. im not sure if there are fast cams for the 1.8 but that may release some horses, tho again there usserly around 250-300 pound andonly get upto 10-15bhp on a healthy enggine, maybe with a chip your see better performance, throttle response. just search google for 318 mods etc search the parts like cams, turbo kit etc

and at the same time you could think off starting simple, full s/s exhaust and headers, enlarged tb and then remapping will get noticable improvment and will mainly be "drivabilty" but from that there would see around 30bhp on a good engine but thats talking a good 400 for the exhaust, tb is around 45 from headtune.com and then a remap is 300-400,

hope that helps awnser some qestions

Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:37 am

Surely it's better to just buy a faster car than spend all that money on an old engine? Or swop the engine completely. I've been down this road many times and whatever way you look at it, more power costs money and normally lots of it.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:51 am

http://www.racetep.com/weber/0245single.html

some better cams

increase capacity to 2.0l

or turbo

lots can be done to the m10

Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:13 pm

Surely it's better to just buy a faster car than spend all that money on an old engine? Or swop the engine completely. I've been down this road many times and whatever way you look at it, more power costs money and normally lots of it.

YES BUT MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF DONT WISH TO SWAP A ENGINE JUST BECAUSE THEY ASKED THAT QESTION!!! were does engine swapping stop? when you have a m5 v10? what if someone askes how to get power from a 2.5? what do you tell them? oh swap to a m52 engine!!!

Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:48 pm

zimmer-320i wrote:
Surely it's better to just buy a faster car than spend all that money on an old engine? Or swop the engine completely. I've been down this road many times and whatever way you look at it, more power costs money and normally lots of it.
YES BUT MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF DONT WISH TO SWAP A ENGINE JUST BECAUSE THEY ASKED THAT QESTION!!! were does engine swapping stop? when you have a m5 v10? what if someone askes how to get power from a 2.5? what do you tell them? oh swap to a m52 engine!!!

The only reason I mentioned that was because the chap mentioned he didn't want to break the bank, and surely bolt on bhp is going to be expensive on a 1.8, as it would be with my own 1600i. I understand what you're saying though Zimmer; it's frustrating when people mention engine swops, but maybe more logical and cost effective?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:32 pm

oh yes i do understand the implications of bolt on parts but it wasnt what he asked but nevermind!

Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:12 pm

Is it on a carb at the moment?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:21 pm

Run it as is and save up for a bigger engine, or a car with a bigger engine.

And as for the what do you say to the people with a 2.5 comment, Well I have a bigger lump to go now.. lol

No replacement for diplacement...

Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:21 pm

what engine u got?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:36 pm

Boreing old m30 3.5. I want loads more torque for my sideway's antics. Will start the swap over in the next couple of week's.

Think I'm only short of the rad and fan now...

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:19 pm

toby wrote:Is it on a carb at the moment?

it says, 318i

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:21 pm

looks good
whats involved in that swap?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:24 pm

if you want power... drop a 2.5 in.... if you want to be keeping up with scoobys in the twisties and handing skylines their asses from the lights... drop a galvanizer m42 in (from a 318 i.s)
i heard that the m42 was hand built by virgins and touched by the hand of god................ i also heard that if you take a 318is to be re mapped on a rolling road and get it mapped with a gameboy... it will unleash another 50bhp, how true that last statement is i dont know...

Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:05 pm

my 318 has sports cams straight through exhaust inducation kit and kits out a sexy 170 brake which is ass i did fit a turbo to one a while back that chewed the pistons in a month and doing so you need to uprate the bottom end with stronger conrods!

for the money spent you could pick up a 325 lump and get it put in for less, so i would say new engine

Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:19 pm

willisssteve0 wrote:my 318 has sports cams straight through exhaust inducation kit and kits out a sexy 170 brake which is ass

would love to see the dyno report for this engine

Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:27 pm

So many factors come into upgrading the lump. How much cash you have, insurance issues, space, time and tools if you're doing it yourself are all things to consider.

You can tune the M10 til the cows come home, getting fairly good results for an ancient 4pot, but it'll cost. Turboing is an option, M10s (as with most BMW motors) can take a serious beating. Again, cost comes into it.

If you want/need to keep the engine on the smaller size, an M42 (318iS engine) is a good upgrade, 1.8 and fairly good on fuel so cheap to run.

M20s (325 motors) are the common motor of choice. Nice power, good torque and a sound that'll make your pants messy. But...

M50s seem to be the way forward. 24v motors see about 190bhp and much better economy than the M20. Bit more difficult to fit but there's enough info on here for you to get stuck in.

M30s are big heavy lumps with masses of grunt. Who needs economy with that much torque?

The sky is the limit really though, you only need to look over various zoners cars to see how many different engine combinations there are.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:29 pm

willisssteve0 wrote:i did fit a turbo to one a while back that chewed the pistons in a month and doing so you need to uprate the bottom end with stronger conrods!

Was this an M10 or M40? Either way, tuned properly neither will be unreliable on stock internals. If it was the pistons that got destroyed, why replace the rods?

Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:44 pm

Well, the M10 was the base for the crazy turbo F1 cars

There's a M10b18 with bike carbs in a 316 that was in TotalBMW abit back. It's an Irish fella that owns it now but the last owner was on here too.

I'd say it sounds great too

If you want to keep engine size down for insurance, fuel economy an M42 is the obvious choice and with a few hundred quid you could have one putting out around 150bhp.

If it was me, I'd nearly go for an M30 since I kinda think an M30 chromie would be cool being old skool with an old skool motor

Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:47 pm

jbh wrote:
willisssteve0 wrote:my 318 has sports cams straight through exhaust inducation kit and kits out a sexy 170 brake which is ass
would love to see the dyno report for this engine

+1 is it a e90

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:17 pm

A lot of ppl are thinking very often that the only way to get a car to go fast is a big engine!
Is that always the case?

First of all, to make a fast car, you need to have a fast driver behind the wheel, and you need to have a car you trust in hi speeds, that makes you to first think that upgrade the suspension is a vise idea...
And yes it is! Upgrade your 318i with some better shocks, springs and brakes is my advice into this, then you upgrade the engine. Im on a Alfa Romeo forum too, and the ppl there are so much better to talk about road handling than a big engine under the hood.

Before you start to tune a car, you should first take it to a tuning shop who have a dyno so you could check up how much power you have, and from there start to twist more horses out of the engine.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:19 pm

78dude wrote:A lot of ppl are thinking very often that the only way to get a car to go fast is a big engine!
Is that always the case?

First of all, to make a fast car, you need to have a fast driver behind the wheel, and you need to have a car you trust in hi speeds, that makes you to first think that upgrade the suspension is a vise idea...
And yes it is! Upgrade your 318i with some better shocks, springs and brakes is my advice into this, then you upgrade the engine. Im on a Alfa Romeo forum too, and the ppl there are so much better to talk about road handling than a big engine under the hood.

Before you start to tune a car, you should first take it to a tuning shop who have a dyno so you could check up how much power you have, and from there start to twist more horses out of the engine.

Completely agree with that, better to have a slow car you can drive fast than a fast car you'll just crash.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:21 pm

78dude wrote:A lot of ppl are thinking very often that the only way to get a car to go fast is a big engine!
Is that always the case?

First of all, to make a fast car, you need to have a fast driver behind the wheel, and you need to have a car you trust in hi speeds, that makes you to first think that upgrade the suspension is a vise idea...
And yes it is! Upgrade your 318i with some better shocks, springs and brakes is my advice into this, then you upgrade the engine. Im on a Alfa Romeo forum too, and the ppl there are so much better to talk about road handling than a big engine under the hood.

Before you start to tune a car, you should first take it to a tuning shop who have a dyno so you could check up how much power you have, and from there start to twist more horses out of the engine.

+1

its 6 pot owners who seem to think that putting a begger engine in will solve all problems

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:24 pm

Alex wrote:
78dude wrote:A lot of ppl are thinking very often that the only way to get a car to go fast is a big engine!
Is that always the case?

First of all, to make a fast car, you need to have a fast driver behind the wheel, and you need to have a car you trust in hi speeds, that makes you to first think that upgrade the suspension is a vise idea...
And yes it is! Upgrade your 318i with some better shocks, springs and brakes is my advice into this, then you upgrade the engine. Im on a Alfa Romeo forum too, and the ppl there are so much better to talk about road handling than a big engine under the hood.

Before you start to tune a car, you should first take it to a tuning shop who have a dyno so you could check up how much power you have, and from there start to twist more horses out of the engine.
+1

its 6 pot owners who seem to think that putting a begger engine in will solve all problems

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:25 pm

im lost

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:37 pm

Alex wrote:
its 6 pot owners who seem to think that putting a begger engine in will solve all problems

it's true. an M50 conversion costs about £500 all in.
by the time you've bought a decent exhaust manifold, nice cam, set of carbs, your not far off that and you have shit economy and a flighty 4 pot. 4 pots are good but 6 pots just handle better imo having owned both, excluding m3. because thats just superior!

zimmer, why get het up over it, it's an internet forum nobody really cares they are just offering advice. lets all stop doing that oh and then there wont be a forum, bugger.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:39 pm

it's true. an M50 conversion costs about £500 all in.

really i thought it would be more, im shocked, the only thing that would put me off is the fannymould and wireing

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:46 pm

Alex wrote:
it's true. an M50 conversion costs about £500 all in.
really i thought it would be more, im shocked, the only thing that would put me off is the fannymould and wireing

no it's shockingly cheap for such a good conversion. also mine cost me nothing because I sold the aging m20 out of mine for more than what i paid for my m50.
welding is easy and wiring is easy. I managed it in a weekend

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:47 pm

Bob_S wrote:
Alex wrote:
it's true. an M50 conversion costs about £500 all in.
really i thought it would be more, im shocked, the only thing that would put me off is the fannymould and wireing
no it's shockingly cheap for such a good conversion. also mine cost me nothing because I sold the aging m20 out of mine for more than what i paid for my m50.
welding is easy and wiring is easy. I managed it in a weekend

is it like m30 plug in and go wireing loom

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:50 pm

no but not far off it.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:51 pm

i want to read that m50 thread but its like 30pages long

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:52 pm

When you upgrade an E30 from 4 to a 6 pot engine, you dont tune it, you just change the engine, thats it.....
Offcourse the car will be faster, the car will be a lot more faster and also handle diffrent, but you didnt get the plesure to stand in your garage, open the engine and view the parts in it... To tune a car isnt all about how much it will cost you, but also the intresting job to make parts better and get a lot of good experience around it.

Yes new hi performance camshaft cost you a lot, Yes, to skim the head and maybe upgrade the pistions so you get more compression is expencive, but how cool would it be, to still have an 4 pot E30 with the same maching numbers from the facotry and you can still say to others that yes, this car is mine, I have tuned it, and it drives like a flash!

I know a lot of ppl in here are not fan of M10s and M40s but I do like them, remember this is very good 4 pot engines compeer to other brands like Volkswagen. The only problem is the BMW enthusiast who dont see the value in them, and thinks like the Americans, the bigger the better!

Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:57 pm

Alex wrote:
78dude wrote:A lot of ppl are thinking very often that the only way to get a car to go fast is a big engine!
Is that always the case?

First of all, to make a fast car, you need to have a fast driver behind the wheel, and you need to have a car you trust in hi speeds, that makes you to first think that upgrade the suspension is a vise idea...
And yes it is! Upgrade your 318i with some better shocks, springs and brakes is my advice into this, then you upgrade the engine. Im on a Alfa Romeo forum too, and the ppl there are so much better to talk about road handling than a big engine under the hood.

Before you start to tune a car, you should first take it to a tuning shop who have a dyno so you could check up how much power you have, and from there start to twist more horses out of the engine.
+1

its 6 pot owners who seem to think that putting a begger engine in will solve all problems

i threw away my 6 pot for a much more powerful and smaller 4 pot.