Whats some good engine modifications for an e30 316i?

[Oboyle20]

Basically i was wondering what will make it just a little bit faster?

[Cook318IS]

I've got this fitted to my 316i to "make it just a little bit faster"




Not alot of people bother with tuning the 1.6ltr engine when you can get better bhp/£ from engine conversions.

[Kos]

m40 or m10 ?

either way not a lot, unless you spend ££££. the m40 has never really been tuned as such but the m10 has been raced and developed for years.

if its an M40 316i, the you can fit an 318i throttle body, tubular manifolds exist, ( 318is ones DO NOT fit) and exhaust system may free up some ponies and a chip of some description

personaly, i'd invest money into a good service, change cam belt tensioner and rollers, plugs and dizzy cap and fuel filter.

not work pissing about with that engine in all honesty

[Oboyle20]

A strut bracee? Ahh yeh i see but i suppose im a 17 year old an want to go a bit faster and i cant do an engine conversion due to insurance costs! :/

[Oboyle20]

Ahhh i understand! Thnaks very much im not going to spend alot! i mean i will wait till im older and get something bigger and better! ;)

[leeparkes]

Get a very short ratio diff on there (if you haven't already) it will perk things up a bit on the acceleration front

iirc the shortest ratio is a 4.47

good service wont go a miss either

[Oboyle20]

ahh cool! well im new to this what do u mean by shorter ratio diff? thanks

[leeparkes]

Basically the shorter ratio diff will give better acceleration at the cost off top speed

You need to check the ratio of your own diff first as you may already have a 4.45

Here's a chart of all the e30 diff ratio's

[Oboyle20]

Ahh cheers for that! ive saved the chart! but what im saying is how do u actually change the ratio? i would ask my dad but hes not back from work! :/ thanks!

[rix313]

Buy a diff with the ratio you want then change them over. Isn't a 5 minute job though.


Sorry but this did make me laugh

A strut bracee?

[Oboyle20]

why did it mae you laugh?

[rix313]

Just looks like your first assumption at Cook318iS' power enhancements was a strut brace and not the huge E36 6pot underneath it

A-tech turbo'd a couple of M40B18's, I know your's is a 1.6 but they saw good gains from the 1.8's so might be something to be gained from the 1.6's?

[Phatz]

Wait until you are old enough to get insured on a 325i. Build up your no claims bonus on your insurance by not pranging your 316i.... just like I did when I was 17!!!

I would say a good old service would help things in the mean time....

[Oboyle20]

Just looks like your first assumption at Cook318iS' power enhancements was a strut brace and not the huge E36 6pot underneath it

A-tech turbo'd a couple of M40B18's, I know your's is a 1.6 but they saw good gains from the 1.8's so might be something to be gained from the 1.6's?

Omg didnt even notice that! i just saw the strut brace straight away and it stood out! how embarrassing!

[Phatz]

Just looks like your first assumption at Cook318iS' power enhancements was a strut brace and not the huge E36 6pot underneath it

A-tech turbo'd a couple of M40B18's, I know your's is a 1.6 but they saw good gains from the 1.8's so might be something to be gained from the 1.6's?

Omg didnt even notice that! i just saw the strut brace straight away and it stood out! how embarrassing!

Lol

[FormerMember]

M42 is really easy swap and gives the car nice power gain. M50 is also one good option, but they tend to be a bit more expensive and swapping them is bit harder.

[Motorhole]

How much do you like your creature comforts?? Cheapest way to go faster is to strip out all the nonsense you don't need - back seats? Sound deadening? Boot carpet? Rest of the carpet? Stereo? Also swapping the front seats with a pair of lightweight buckets (keep your eye out for a 2nd hand pair to save cash) with side mountings will save a few kg's.

[Jhonno]

This is what I did to make my 316i a little faster.. I think it worked..

[Brianmoooore]

The OP is 17! Anything he does, apart from a good and full service to get it running as it should be, and losing a bit of weight, is going to affect insurance costs anyway.
Best thing to do is to build up driving experience, along with no claims bonus, so that in a few years, you can afford to insure one with a proper engine.

[jaistanley]

Jhonno: You fitted a gollum??

[Oboyle20]

Jhonno: You fitted a gollum??

A what sorry?

[rix313]

Jhonno: You fitted a gollum??

[Oboyle20]

dont get it

[Jhonno]

Jhonno: You fitted a gollum??

[Oboyle20]

HAHAAHHAHHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAH! NO! what u on about?

[hazd31]

shorter ratio diff would help (insurace would find out or probably even know what a diff is)
and strif the interior, you should tell you insurance but nobody does, just if you get pulled over say its being refurbed! remember to keep it in the shen for re fitting though!

[Oboyle20]

Thanksss very much! im gonna look into getting a diff because alot of people have said about it!

[hazd31]

i have one spare
but i am probably a bit far away!

[Oboyle20]

ahhh yeh truee! :/ how much quicker u think it makes them?

[hazd31]

it will change the gear ratios so that it will have faster accelaration but will rev a lot harder while crusing on the motorway!

[Oboyle20]

Ahhhh i seee! will deffo look into it!

[rix313]

HAHAAHHAHHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAH! NO! what u on about?

Chill Winstan!

I believe he is refering to the gentleman leaning on the engine in the right of the photograph.

[Brianmoooore]

shorter ratio diff would help (insurace would find out or probably even know what a diff is)

If you're going down that route, a 1.8 M40 is identical to a 1.6 from the outside.

[Motorhole]

If you do go for a shorter ratio diff, just be sure you don't mind your motorway cruising at 70mph being at 4500rpm! Otherwise, go for it. If you strip out the excess weight too in combination with the differential, it really will shoot off from the lights.

[Dave_M3]

4.45 diff will make it every bit as fast as a good 318iS upto real-world speeds. so look for a diff out of a 316i auto first as it'll cost fookall and only a half hours work.