E30 ECU remapping?? More Oooomph??

[ChemicalAl]

Another idiot post probably, but I hope you can help.

I'm thinking of purchasing a 1991 E30 320i touring with 70k on the clock, and was wondering if you can get a few more hp out of the engine with a ECU remap? I'm not a boy racer (33 yo with wife & 2 v young kids), I just would like to try and reinstate those ponies lost over the last 17 years.

If so, how do you go about getting one, and roughly how much do these cost?
If not, what are the options to get a wee bit more out of the engine - Good air filters? What kind - do K&N do E30 induction kits etc? Anything else that may help?

Look forward to your replies!!

[SCOTT325SE]

Forget the chip to start with and install a Throttle body from a 325i. This has been proven to give bhp and torque gains throught the rev range. Chips can be anywhere from £55-300, depending on who you get them from and how much R&D is in them.
The 325 T.B. avenue will cost you about £30-40 and is a simple 10 minute change. It also looks standard in the engine bay.
Feel free to look it up on here. Its probably the best mod you can do to a 320.

Coincidentally, I've got a spare Throttle Body (funny that, isnt it)

Let me know if you're intersted once you've looked it up and if you'd like it, I'd be happy to help liberate some ponies for you!

All the best,

Scott

[SCOTT325SE]

additional .....

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

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

[BadDave]

If fitting the 325 throttle body, swap the inlet manifold as well

No point fitting a larger bore body if the hole in the inlet is still the same size.

[SCOTT325SE]

ive got one of them too.

[zaust]

Was it not Brian who said " if your going to fit a 2.5 TB, then leave it attached to the rest of the engine ".



Welcome to the zone BTW.

[BadDave]

Was it not Brian who said " if your going to fit a 2.5 TB, then leave it attached to the rest of the engine ".



Welcome to the zone BTW.

It certainly was

And it still applies

[Brianmoooore]

Fitting a 325 TB, with or without the 325 manifold, is NOT a 10 minute job! If the step between the two, whether at the TB to manifold join or the manifold to head join, is not removed and properly blended, then turbulence will reduce the engines power to less than it was before!
I also strongly disagree about a chip! E30 engine management systems are designed to allow the car to operate between sea level and several thousand feet up, from temperatures between -60 and +60, and on fuels with a RON down to around 91.
Since you are not likely to need to operate your car anywhere near any of these extremes in the UK, a chip can be designed to exploit this, and one from the likes of Ant, can make a real improvement.

[ChemicalAl]

Thanks for all the advice chaps - very very helpful.

I had a good long look at the TB info Scott325se, and it looks fairly complicated (for a very amature mechanic like myself) and not something i'd like to excecute without full confidence in my ability - something for the future, methinks!
Brianmooore - liked what you had to say - Can you advise on who Ant is, and how I go about purchasing this? Prices? and how easy is this to install?

Zaust - thanks for the welcome also!

[pony2]

http://www.fastbimmer.co.uk/

Atec's website.

[DavieP]

I'm thinking of purchasing a 1991 E30 320i touring with 70k on the clock, and was wondering if you can get a few more hp out of the engine with a ECU remap? <--------snip-------->

Technical replies aside, you might want to hear from personal experience of fitting a new chip. I've had an Evolve chip in my 320 for the past 8 months or so and it really does make a lot of difference in terms of drive-ability and response. It has transformed a pleasantly smooth, but somewhat indifferent, 17mpg (worst case scenario) performer into a relatively lively and less fuel-hungry car that is rewarding to drive and still silky smooth.

It's no fireball by any stroke of the imagination, but it revs very freely to 5.5K and beyond (howls wonderfully in the upper limits) and doesn't have to be woken up and offered a cup of tea before it responds to a twitch from your right foot. Mine has the alleged disability of an automatic box, but it easily returns 34 - 35mpg on the motorway and 25mpg in urban, stop-start traffic. A manual in good condition should better that.

There have been absolutely no drawbacks to fitting the chip and it took just a few minutes to pop into place. A bit of mixed driving to settle it all down and from then on it was plain sailing (no jokes about boat anchors perleez ). I opted for Evolve because they showed they had the chip on their site and I was under the impression that ATech were primarily interested in M42, B25 engines and above. Cost-wise I paid about 40 quid because they were on special offer at the time. I suspect that you might normally expect to pay £70+ but keep your eyes open for any deals that might be going.

I wouldn't bother with an induction kit for this engine - a new oem panel filter will do far more good than anything K&N can offer. You could pick up a 325 TB and inlet mani for much less than a chip, but then you need to match it all up. No problems if you're mechanically minded and clever with a dremel, but pricey if you have to pay garage rates.

Advice I was given here was that: 1st do the chip, 2nd. do the TB/manifold. Then plenty of other advice offered: 1st dump the engine, 2nd fit a B25 and 3rd. attach original engine to a long chain with a boat on t'other end. I've kept the engine, done the chip and may eventually get around to adding the TB/manifold. Strangely, I've absolutely no urge to even consider that second nugget of presumed wisdom

[StuBeeDoo]

I just would like to try and reinstate those ponies lost over the last 17 years.

You need to adresss the issue(s) that have caused the "lost ponies". There's no point in bolting performance enhancing goodies onto an engine that is past its best.

[ShakeyC]

Agree'd an engine refresh or upgrade is much better long term investment than most bolt on goodies apart from a good chip, panel filter and a full service all around.