E30 Zone

what is the highest bhp recorded or u can get from a m20 engine. iv been told the most u can get is about 220 bhp from hartge h27 engine. can a higher number be achived without fitting a turbo

your source is full of BS ive seen 221bhp before.....

Iirc you can get an M20 to a 3.1ltr so i guess with cam, head work. etc it will be more than 220bhp

Big power m20's cost big money! I'm sure the most powerful naturally aspirated one I've ever come across was around 265 bhp. I think it was in the states? Someone must know which one I mean. Can't remember the spec but I'm sure it was a 3.0 or 3.1 stroker on throttle bodies.

It all depends on how much money you have to chuck at it.

For 220bhp you are going to have to build a well sorted motor. And anything above that is going to have to have a considerable amount spent on it. It obviously needs to be put together right as well, its not as simple as having all the parts.

this is at the wheels on a chassis dyno, engine power possibly 25% higher. The money spent on this is not as high as one might think. It mostly takes a carefully matched set of parts and a really good head porting job.

link about the build here

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117701

Nice work Rama

Bryon,

What do you think this would give?

B27 bottom end with 325 head fitted with newman 270/270 cam
Btb header
BBTB
M30 AFM with 19lb injectors
Bespoke map
Lightened fly

All refurbished so like new

Cheers

Jim

most powerful NA M20 is this one I believe-




big dollar engine though

What's the cheapest way to get a standard 325i sport to 200bhp (without changing from a M20)

There ain't a cheap way !

Fastroad wrote:What's the cheapest way to get a standard 325i sport to 200bhp (without changing from a M20)

Keep an eye on the for sale section for a bolt in 2.7 I'd say....

cam and chip/map( to get closest to without major building)

my 2.7 was 230bhp - high compression engine, 2.0 block skimmed and bored out for 2.5 pistons, head ported and polished, 525e crank, 2.0 rods, 2.5 pistons and head, btb2 manifold, shrick 272/268 cam bbtb, itg air filter, m30 535 injectors with fpr, unichip and mapping.

Quaser wrote:my 2.7 was 230bhp - high compression engine, 2.0 block skimmed and bored out for 2.5 pistons, head ported and polished, 525e crank, 2.0 rods, 2.5 pistons and head, btb2 manifold, shrick 272/268 cam bbtb, itg air filter, m30 535 injectors with fpr, unichip and mapping.

got a RR plot? its always interesting to see the power delivery difference between various engines

e21jps wrote:this is at the wheels on a chassis dyno, engine power possibly 25% higher. The money spent on this is not as high as one might think. It mostly takes a carefully matched set of parts and a really good head porting job.

link about the build here

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117701

Impressed, the cam kick makes a the Vtec kick seem smooth lol

Seriously impressed and pleased that there are people, still tuning m20's

Kos wrote:
Impressed, the cam kick makes a the Vtec kick seem smooth lol

Seriously impressed and pleased that there are people, still tuning m20's

if you look at the other dyno plots of m20 cars on this particular dyno( on e30tech) the dyno operator must have started the run not at WOT and then eased into WOT so the low speed/rpm numbers are skewed lower.

Fair point, but I did watch the video of it on track where the cam kick is quite noticeable

Cam kick is quite noticeable on my 2.7 - pushing 220bhp with a 285/285(?) cam - it really launches abover 3.5k rpm!!!!

Personally, I wouldn't bother trying to do another powerful M20 - there's plenty of BMW engines that will put out 'better' power (& delivery) and be more cost effective - and still tuneable if you want a bit more down the line.
I've spent way too much on mine!!!

Hoping to get my 2.6 m20 on the rollers soon (after the Mac conversion) to see what kind of power it's putting out (all ready got a pretty good spec so fingers crossed).

miniblob wrote:Cam kick is quite noticeable on my 2.7 - pushing 220bhp with a 285/285(?) cam - it really launches abover 3.5k rpm!!!!

Personally, I wouldn't bother trying to do another powerful M20 - there's plenty of BMW engines that will put out 'better' power (& delivery) and be more cost effective - and still tuneable if you want a bit more down the line.
I've spent way too much on mine!!!

catcams are bad like that. with the OEM manifold it is really pronounced on mine it was the same.