Why not to turbo m52?

[jimmymig]

I have a low milage m52 and was thinking i need a bit of boost.mentioned this on another post and was told not a good idear on this engine and to use m50 instead but i cant see why.I now if it overheats the block would be scrap is there any thing else i should now.i dont plan on alot of boost or over heating the engine and my brothers m50ed e30 felt front heavy and was much better when we fitted m52.I will be fitting arp rod bolts head studs and multi layered gasket was hoping this would be strong enough?cheers jim

[Andy325i]

Interesting topic. Not sure how the block will handle extra boost and obviously will get warmer with extra power being produced. Maybe the block threads could be tapped and helicoiled.

Andy

[E30BeemerLad]

I think it is the risk of having to throw away the block if you do manage to cook it.

Also, the later blocks with steel liners can sink.

It's one of those things you'll never know until you try I guess. I suppose on 7-10psi, which would be the max I think would be reasonable on stock 10:1 compression ratio, you may be alright.

Try it and report back

[MarkT]

I'm going to turbo my M52 in a simmilar way to you, however not going to use the MLS head gasket. Keeping low boost and hopefully reducing lag. Fairly small turbo being used TD05 16G from an evo. The turbo's good for 360 bhp and according to Gunni the stock CR should be able to take the boost levels for simmilar ammounts.

As long as the heat side of things is managed properly then I can't think that lowish boost should be a problem. Decent sized radiator and an oil cooler too.

[Gunni]

I´d say the bottom end can do 400hp, but I don´t really know of many or any M52 turbos to validate estimations. And I´d say MLS and ARPs would be needed for that.

the problem is detonation causing such a stress on the threads that hold down the studs that they come out of the block and then the block is scrap.

[jimmymig]

That what i wanted too hear