E36 323i - What are they like?

[Joshy]

Hey there guys

Dad has gone and brought himself. R Reg 2 owners, FSH, 88k all standard, he paid £1200 for it. Seems like a nice enough car (apart from the awful dashboard!), although it does have a slight misfire at around 1k RPM, the idle is a tad lumpy and sometimes it cuts out randomly

Any suggested mods? He's looking to upgrade the audio and wheels + tyres, any particular input FOR those areas? (he wants big wheels, but I think he's better off with smaller 15s with shit hot tyres).

What to do innards to firming up the Suspension? How well do they response to exhaust modfications?

Any input welcome

Shit, I've just realized that it has Vanos, any chance the problems mentioned could be caused by a kanckered unit?

[e30_singh]

323i is actually a 2.5i

Bearing that in mind whatever can be done to a M50 is applicable, and as you would obviously know, exhaust modifications are the first step to modifying a BMW for more power.

[eko]

M50 manifold conversion will see about 20hp.
Easy upgrade to 2.5/2.8 twin exhaust system.
I had a well specced 98 one last year and apart from fairly soft suspension it was a pleasure to own.Only sold it as I doubled my money on it

[GrindCulture]

The M52 in the 323i has the same restrictive inlet as the 2.8 version. Swap the M50 intake manifold over to get back 20odd bhp.

Damn Tony got there before me, almost word for word too

[Joshy]

The manifold conversion sounds good - Roughly how much work is involved though? I take it that it isn't a bolt on scrapyard jobby?

I'm sure I read earlier that the manifold ( or something) was fitted to give the car more low end torque? Is changing it going to make it even more gutless (I'm personally not very impressed by it's low end grunt).

[Simon]

Intake leak could be causing the running problems, also there's a regulating valve mounted under the inlet manifold, the diaphragm can rupture causing the same problems.

[harry_p]

17in wheels are what bmw chose for 328i sports and m3s, so are unlikely to screw the handling, a 17 is'nt really a 'big' wheel on an e36.

15s are just too small, and need a 205 60 15 tyre, even the very best tyres in that size will be a bit crap due to the massive profile. go lower profile and you lose rideheight, and get a larger arch gap, the worst of both worlds

[eko]

I fitted 328 sport staggered BBS to mine and made a nice difference both on the outside and the ride too.

[maxfield]

If you need any E36 bits and bobs, I can have a word with my tutor as he has lots and lots in out college workshop