E30 with E36 M3 motor + turbo project. Help needed.

[tommyg]

Hi, I now have all the bits I need, or most of themanyway. I have an E36 M3, an XS power turbo kit and an E30 318is with an M3 body kit.

The info is proberly on this site somewhere but i couldnt find it.

I would like some pointers in how to put it all together.

What do you guys know about XS power (it was very cheep)

any tips or links would be great thanks. Tom

[jaistanley]

First off.. Read the sticky 'M50 Developments', there's a lot of relavent info in there. Then look at Dameons posts (Old_Skool_2002), they are basically a 'how to' for the S50 installation.

As for the XS turbo kit.. I have no experience but rule of thumb: If it was cheap, FORGET IT. You cant just bolt a cheap turbo and expect it all to run well. Perhaps the manifold will be of use but you'er going to need custon plumbing, intercooler, a suitable turbo (GT30 kind of size I would imagine but I dont know enough about turbo specs). Plus then you have to consider the extra fuelling it'll require, the timing etc for which you'll need uprated injectors and ECU (which will have to run the VANOS - Not cheap). Then: How are you going to lower the compression ratio? I reccomend forged pistons with the correct machining to take it to about 9.5:1 compression ratio and uprated head studs instead of stretch bolts.

Fair enough, LOTS of power but NOT cheap!

Good luck though mate.

Jai

[tommyg]

thanks Jai, I will read up on this.

I take it that the E36 M3 3.0ltr engine is an S50 and it will be the same instalation as the M50?

I am under no illusions about this project and i know it wont be a five minute job. But it is the first time I have done anything like this so it will be a steep learning curve.

[E30BeemerLad]

you have a lot of work ahead of you dude, just doing the S50 conversion itself is far from straight forward with various mods being needed to inlet plenum and the sump also I believe. Quite a major undertaking for a first project and certainly not cheap. About £6K to do the S50 swap before all the additional stuff needed to turbo it.

[jaistanley]

The installation will be the same for all S50's, be them B30 or B32 form. They have larger plenum chambers, different electronics (though very similar to M50's) and higher cooling requirements than the M50's.. That said, it's all very similar. Dameons threads are most certainly the best start.

I personally recommend getting it installed N/A first. To this end look at this link: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %26fvi%3D1

It is essential for n/a operation. You of course wont need it to run the turbo so could sell it later on, after you have driven the car for a while and collected all of the extra parts to make it fi. (just a suggestion).

Good luck again dude.. Make sure you keep us posted, whether you install N/A first or go straight to F/I...

Jai

[tommyg]

Thanks again lads, I was planning to go straight in with the turbo. As i would be able to any additional mods before the engine was fitted. But I am now thinking one step at a time.....

[Ant]

In good order the S50B30 should swallow up to a bar of boost without major mods( rod bolts for safe measure... whilst the sump is off) the head breathes very well in standard form.

I'd not use the XSP turbo though , shuld it go poop, it will take the rest of the engine with it.

as with everything controlling it wil be the key, which leads to another matter.

are you planning to go FI on the std ECU setup ? if so then certainly go N/A 1st then mod, if no then the wiring headache of the swop will be less of an issue as you'd need to create a new loom for the chosen ECU soloution.

More food for though ?

Sounds like a great project, doing a supercharged S50B30 in an E30 in the coming weeks in conjuction with another company could well provide some comparison and info for yours when the time comes for so boostage.

[maxfield]

The iS with M3 bodykit would not be a LHD red one bought fro eBay recently would it?

[ShepsEvo3]

FWIW. I have a customer with an S50B30 with over 165,000 miles on the clock pushing over 365bhp ATF with only 5psi of boost. All original and standard internals.

[tim_s]

lol, wanna swap jobs paul?

[tommyg]

Well i was going to give the motor a ''birthday'' before fitting the turbo, as it has done 150k+. I was also thinking about going the whole hog and going for forged pistons and rods but this will add time to the build as i will need to more overtime!!

Ant, you dont rate the xs unit? I was very cheep (£300 and that included the manifold, dumpvalve, gaskets, huge intercooler and lots of other bits and bobs.) I couldn't resist!

If it pops how will it damage the rest of the motor? As for ignition i have been recomended to Mega-Squirt, what are your opinions on their stuff? Do you know an alternative?

The car came from Northern Ireland (to Devon where I am based) and I found it on the Autotrader.

ShepsEvo3 was that with no mods at all i.e. headgasket?

I was hopeing for around a 50%-70% power gain with out forged pistons and rods. But with a tight budget I may just fit the S50 and get some trackdays in Summer is on its way now

[tommyg]

Here is a photo of the intended victim.

[fuzzy]

ive also only heard bad things about xs power stuff , from badly fitting to just plain cr4p. dont cut corners when turboing, buy the best you can and buy new. most of my turbo problems were from buying 'recon' turbos.

[fuzzy]

If it pops how will it damage the rest of the motor?

if a turbo shatters it can send chunks of metal through the engine......

[E30BeemerLad]

you sure you need a turbo?

Here's Buster's S50B32 giving my V8 soarer an ass ripping at York dragway earlier this year

[nickalauski]

good work on the turbo conversion!

i'm in the middle of an e30 / s50 turbo projectm myself.

i've use forged rods and pistons as the std equipment won't handle the power i require! i'm using aftermarket management called KMS, they have loads of expereince with bmw's and supply fixed vernier pulleys to get around the vanos problems. check out www.enginemanagement.co.uk for details.

xs power stuff is cheap and cheerful. intercoolers and manifolds are ok but i wouldn't use the turbos.