M42 Turbo? whats involved and what parts are needed?

[ryan0143]

Im just undecided atm as what to do with my E30.

Stick an M50 engine in or turbo my M42?

been doing some searching but not been able to find a great deal on M42 Turbos?

What is the rough cost to do this and are things like the exhaust manifolds etc readily available to house the turbo etc?

anyone have a rough parts list?

thanks

Ryan

[chu346]

Stuff I used on my M40 turbo
Holset H1D turbo £200
Megasquirt v3.00 extra diy build £170
Wideband lamda sensor £150
External wastegate £80
Custom full exhaust £450
Custom manifold £150
DIY Intake pipes (ebay) £80
Custom oil feed £45
Oil return £?
Air filter £20-40
Volvo injectors £50
Volvo intercooler £25-40
Boost control solenoid £40
Silicone and vacuum hoses £70+
Colder spark plugs £20

M42 turbo would need simular parts, but I would modify a M50 ebay turbo manifold to fit instead of full custom manifold.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/92-99-BMW-E36-323 ... 483a170f5a

I'd definatly turbo an M42 over a N/A M50

[ryan0143]

is the M50 manifold the same stud pattern as the m42 engine then just with 2 extra cylinders?

seems like quite a good little project.

What volvo injectors are needed ie from what model?

There is a turbo kit on ebay minus the exhaust manifold are these just crap though?

[chu346]

is the M50 manifold the same stud pattern as the m42 engine then just with 2 extra cylinders?

yep

What volvo injectors are needed ie from what model?

any bosch injectors will do, I seen them on ebay and checked the output from the model number

There is a turbo kit on ebay minus the exhaust manifold are these just crap though?

yeah crap

[rix313]

There's a trader on here 'Injector tune' who can source your injectors. As for silicone pipes give me a shout as I get good prices on SFS Performance hoses.

[ryan0143]

Is it worth turboing an m42 then, what sort of gains do you get?

[chu346]

Yes it's worth it.

How much power is relative to how much money you have.

200bhp easy
280-300bhp relatively easy
300bhp+ possible

[ryan0143]

The parts hunt commences then.

[ryan0143]

Whats the hardest part of building an M42 turbo? is it the manifold?

what about the engine management i understand i need to use megasquirt, how does this work? is it just a new chip or is it a whole different ECU?

[chu346]

Different ecu, I built mine myself.

Diyautotune.com
Extraefi.co.uk

Hardest part varies depending on your skills, what your prepared to do yourself and budget.

What is your budget?

[ryan0143]

I would say my budget is 1000-1500 quid

[chu346]

A grand can get you 200bhp, if you do most of the work yourself. But you could really do with £1500, more if you can't do much yourself.

[grantly]

hello mate i am doing the same project im using a garrett t3 turbo ive made my inlet manifold, intercooler and in the process of making my exhaust manifold and down pipes if you want ill email you some pics

grant

[ryan0143]

okay yes, all of the labour work will be done myself, my boss owns a metal work business so i dont think the fabrication of the manifold will be a problem. I think the only issue i will have is all the wiring for the megasquirt lol

i would be happy with 200-220bhp

Grant if you could send me some pics that would be great

[richlyons]

thanks for this thread, now i want to turbo a m42 when i get one

what you guys doing with the engine internals? can the bottom end cope with a fair bit of boost ?

[TamTom]

Different ecu, I built mine myself.

Diyautotune.com
Extraefi.co.uk

Hardest part varies depending on your skills, what your prepared to do yourself and budget.

What is your budget?

I tried building the megasquirt, had nothing but trouble.
Started building it to the US specs from the megamanual. I realised a bit too late that i was building it to the wrong manual.
Now i tried to modify my ecu to run the extra code and six months on still no ecu??

Can't seem to get a crank signal, this only happened when i went with the extra code.
Any advice mate?
Running an m42 with wasted spark coilpack and 2 spark outputs.

Thanks,
Tam

[chu346]

Firstly, what trouble have you had previously?

What code are you running and is it MS1, 2 or 3? Have you tried reflashing? Did you read all the instructions on upgrading to the extra code?

[Dave_M3]

Definitely worth turboing one...


There has been a good few with well over 400-500bhp

[randomspeedfreak]

what is the maximum safe power without forged internals (read megabucks)

[Dave_M3]

200-250 may be possible with safe boost levels on stock internals with a thicker MLS headgasket and bolts

The crank and rods are already forged anyway so to get a bulletproof bottom end, all you would really have to do is get some new pistons (which you will need to anyway unless your happy with very low boost levels and small power increase), decent bearings and arp bolts and good headgasket.

I've heard of M42s on standard cranks and rods but with everything else taken care of doing around 500bhp

[chu346]

I'd be aiming for 300bhp with just headbolts and maybe a MLS or o-ringing.

[Gunni]

what is the maximum safe power without forged internals (read megabucks)

650hp +

[Dave_M3]

what is the maximum safe power without forged internals (read megabucks)

650hp +

Really Gunni? On stock M42 crank and rods with just low comp pistons, MLS gasket, Arp studs and bolts and things?

Fook sake, I'll be changing plans for my iS again at this rate!!!

Most I've seen so far was 550 on an M42 on itbs, a huge turbo and bit of headwork with just pistons, beatings and bolts in the bottom end

[Gunni]

Wow sorry, didn´t see the stock rods thing, I´m not sure what the stock M42 rod can handle, but M42´s have been built to high numbers though.

[Dave_M3]

I was wondering, lol. I have seen one doing 550 with a fully built engine but still using the stock crank and possibly rods so they do have pretty good potential.


Would 650 be the most you could reliably have so with the whole lot done internally before you start stressing the block?

[Gunni]

The crank isn´t going anywhere, rods and pistons are probably a must.,

If we assume that that a M50B25 can handle about 400lbs torque without problems, that´ll be 66pounds per rod and 266lbs total torque in a M42. Although M20 rods have handled 600lb+ torque then some chance there is for plenty torque from M42´s.

[polsta]

A grand can get you 200bhp, if you do most of the work yourself. But you could really do with £1500, more if you can't do much yourself.

intereesting thread lads, this is somethig i know nothing about-

so would £1500 get the lot done-if you couldnt do anything yourself ? ie what would a "turbo it up" cost for an m42 if it was a hand the car over, give it back done, sort of job ?

280/300bhp relitivly easy ? - what sort of cost

[chu346]

If you can't do anything yourself I would say you are looking at 2-4K+

[polsta]

cool , so what would 2k get ? what sort of boost and bhp ?

gonna have a good think about this option , would it be reliable to do ? /whats the safe sort of limit to keep reliable and not too expensive ? (ie 3/4k) i think id be delighted with sort of 220/250/280-300 bhp, and no need for another car

chatted to my mate about this yesterday,hes done a fairt bit of turbo work said he could do it if i had all the bits

so what difference wil the turbo make to the drive..when would it kick in etc etc ? and the speeds ?

also...what sort of fuel difference would a turbo make on an m42, what sort of mpg if driven real sensibly fuel conciously , and what about when boosting ?

[polsta]

also .... would that sort of option, be all round better(or not) than say an engine conversion ? like a 2.5/2.7/3.0 ? in both performance/fun/fuel ?

[chu346]

2k would get you about 180-200bhp.

It may only get you going on motronic and limited upgrade possibilities.

Whatever you turbo will drive like a normal engine until it comes on boost. So standard mpg when not on boost.

When the boost comes in is dependant on the size of the turbo.

[Dave_M3]

also .... would that sort of option, be all round better(or not) than say an engine conversion ? like a 2.5/2.7/3.0 ? in both performance/fun/fuel ?

To be honest, that debate would be a never ending argument if it kicked off.

A strong M20, M30, M52 or S50 are all very different engines and also are very different to a good M42 in terms of engine characteristics (taking the difference in power out of it) not to mention a boosted M42.


Can't really say which would be better as its entirely down to opinion but what I will say is, where the M42 would be better if done right compared to an engine swap would be that you would possibly have a brand new engine after a thorough Turbo conversion rather than a 100K engine from another car.

[polsta]

ok i see, chu- thats what kind of gives me the idea that where the m42 can be driven grandad style under say 3k-3.5k and good on fuel - so it could be driven like that not using the turbo much ? where as a 2.5-3.0 engibe would be more all round juicy in that sense ?

dave- my engine is rock rock solid, drives really smooth and quiet , around 30k before i got it, it had a brand new bare head from bmw for £2250 and a rebuild , in the 18 odd months ive had it it has been faultless and never skipped a beat or let me down at all,...which is why im very open to the option of that, rather than a swap, i love my car, but sooner or later il want that speed ive yet to own and drive

200bhp id love, standard cossie bhp is 205 my mate said ? ..i know the cossies a totaly different engine and geared different, but stil 200bhp would be ample for my needs , the rest of the car i love, - spending say my car sold+ 1500/2k for a sport , that then might have rust issues or need this and that etc...or just spend the 2k on my car and better the devil you know ?... might be a better option,and have some turbo , ive never driven a turbo car

also i have no idea about turboing up a car, so would be 100% reliant on zoners advice on what to get and how to go about it

[Dave_M3]

Drive a turbo car anyway first. many don't like the power delivery of them once the novelty of boost wears off.
Personally, I prefer N/A unless the turbo is strapped onto what already is already a very strong engine.

Also...with such a good engine, I'd be inclined to get a cheap M42 engine and build it from the ground up as a turbo engine will you are still driving the car as it is.

then swap over the engine when you or whoever is building it for you is happy with it.
Otherwise, you'll be stripping down what is already a good engine and you could be without the car for a long time while the engine is being built with the turbo.

[polsta]

hmmm food for thought there, i agree it would seem daft to do that to a solid engine, and if kept could always be put back to standard form , but then its finding an engine for sale..thats said good, then using that- and the engine could/might be an old abused last legs dog, and wind up costing a fortune all in or turboing,put in-breaking after not long, can an engine be all worked on and sorted and made right whilst out of the car then ? although as im not a mechanic and wouldnt so it myself- sounds like a costly process ? - buy an engine and pick up/delivery, get all the turbo bits, all the labour to get it sorted, extra cash for unexpected bits etc, then get it all put in the car and driving right, doesnt sound cheap ? how much would you think id be looking at from start to finsh ? inc "mates rates" type labour ?

god knows what il do, but il try n drive some turbo somewhen if i can and see what i think, is a wise idea, in an ideal world i want a nice tech 1 sport somewhen, but what a minefield to enter ,selling my is say, and spending 2k on top , is quite a lor and the risks of hidden dangers with a sport, for the sake really of a 2.5 engine and a tech 1 kit , i like my is`s looks and the interior and all the extras ive put on

not sure what il do, but just going to fish about and read and think and ponder options until something really sticks, or maybe sell my escort , have the empty garage and that cash plus what ive got- and then say right...what to get (keeping my is as a daily)