Remap needed, or just a new chip?

[PeteE30Tourer]

Once i've got my replacement cylinder head fitted, my car should be equipped with:

- early Zone chip
- BBTB
- 6-branch
- Scorpion rear box (standard centre)
- ported head
- 272/284 Dbilas cam

Everything else on the engine is standard.

From listening to various people, i believe this last mod (the cam) may need the system to be "set-up" to get the best benefits. So, the question is - do i need a full remap, or would a more up-to-date zone chip be sufficient?

[PeteE30Tourer]

Anyone care to comment on this?

[Jimbob]

Depends on your budget mate, a decent remap is siro Ԛ£300, well worth it as the engine won't be missing a beat if everything is up together on it.

[Jhonno]

i think you may need an updated chip - the cam and 6 branch will make a considerable difference to how the car needs to be fuelled and timed imo

[Karan]

i wonder if i sjhould get a remap after i had the new 6 branch put on

[E30Adam]

For optimum power the engine will require a remap after ANY changes that you make (Pete & Karan).

If you want to save your cash then just keep it as it is. You will still benefit from the upgrades but like the old saying goins "you get what you pay for"

[Ant]

A hotter zone chip would benifit this new setup Pete, you have added a lot to the car since ist was Sals and have defo outgrown the unit you have fitted now

A custom remap would of course be the ultimate but sometimes drivability can suffer unless you specify that you want the car to remain tractable as a daily driver.

I'll get it 95% spot on mate, whether the extra 5% is worth the extra Ԛ£Ã”šÃ‚£ only you wallet can decide

[M5pilot]

No new chip is going to make the car run anywhere near optimum.

You need a remap end of story.

The cam is a significant change over standard, the engine will be drawing in different amounts of air at different times now. The velocity of the air at higher rpms will be different.

You already have a 6 branch fitted etc, spend the money and get a remap!

Its worth every penny

Sal

[Ant]

Its a lot of pennies though Sal

[Karan]

thats the reason i didnt get a remap just cos i switched 6 branchers///////

[M5pilot]

Its a lot of pennies though Sal

Why is it a proper remap is so much money to us E30 people but when it comes to people who own e36's and e46's (on finance) they spend mega money on their depreciating overgrown 3 series?

A remap will ensure the engine fuels properly throughout the rev range at all different throttle positions.

Pete's touring is in dire need of a remap with the bits he has now.

[e30_Turbo]

Once i've got my replacement cylinder head fitted, my car should be equipped with:

- early Zone chip
- BBTB
- 6-branch
- Scorpion rear box (standard centre)
- ported head
- 272/284 Dbilas cam

Everything else on the engine is standard.

From listening to various people, i believe this last mod (the cam) may need the system to be "set-up" to get the best benefits. So, the question is - do i need a full remap, or would a more up-to-date zone chip be sufficient?

Pete,
I'd say it's def down to budget. I recently had a similar question thrown at me and I decided to go for a half solution for now, but still it's a upgradeable system so I'll still have full control (fuel/sparks) one day.
I would have thought that a UNICHIP would have been able to cope with those mods, giving good results, Adam has one, I'm sure others.
It's just nice to know when it's tuned well, that you're getting the best performance and drivability out of your car for money. but it does cost to everyone has a diff budget to work too.
Sounds like it's gonna be an animal too when it's finished, good luck.
Mark.

[M5pilot]

Pete,

just save up and do the job properly.

[PeteE30Tourer]

Thanks for all the responses people.

You're all seem to talk sense - budget option is defo the new chip and i'll be sure to go this route to begin with (Ant - you have PM!).

Longer term, remap sounds the right option. There's nothing more i can do with my engine now other than major mods like a 2.7, MAF or forced induction, so i'm going to be happy with what i've got for some considerable time. At the last Bexley's RR day, it was shown that my car had potential for much more, but everything comes at a price of course.

As for saving up - it's going to take me a long time to pay off this bill - replacement head, new cam & springs, all the gaskets and labour to fit - adding up to around Ԛ£800 already!

[Karan]

may i suggest unichip and maf.... i have it and throttle response is great.... i find it better than my e34 m5 was for some strange reason
it just rasps and its off!
Karan

[hogweed]

I've considered one of these thingies with a MAF etc, but... what would one do if the car broke down somewhere? You wouldn't be able to get a replacement in a hurry, unlike standard parts...

[M5pilot]

I would say go for stand alone management rather than a MAF conversion. Emerald is alot cheaper now and extremely reliable.

The throttle response with Stand alone is amazing.

[Karan]

id be interested to hear from someone running emrald on an m20....i know andy runs it with very high success

[M5pilot]

The results are exaclty the same as with MBE and any other stand alone system.

The reuslts are fantasitic with stand alone but you might not notice a big improvement if you already done something like a MAF conversion.

[E30BeemerLad]

Hey guys, sorry i'm going a bit off topic here but here goes anyway...

I'm on the verge of committing financial suicide, well there will be a death if the missus ever found out I paid Ԛ£400 for the 6 branch I am very seriously considering from Sal. But beyond that, some of the car mags I read, there are quite a few people going down the bike carb route. With the existing mods I have to my head (fast road cam, ported & polished and FSE valve, if I get the 6 branch and then later considered doing the bike carb thing, would I need a standalone like the Emerald 3D or megasquirt? Am I looking at about Ԛ£1k for the management system and is there any other way around this expense if I wanted to fit bike carbs? Has anyone tried this on the M20?

There's a company not too far from me called Bogg Bros, who aparently are the gods of putting bike carbs onto cars. Or should I just stick with injection and that being the case, is there any sense in putting bigger injectors on my car or am i just going to be over fuelling?

Or am I living in a dreamworld? zzzzzzzzzz

[hogweed]

Old Hogweed only gets into E30s because he is an ex-biker, smashed up too many time, and now too old, to do it any more... carbs can't be managed by the the ECU mate, you'd throw the entire DME (fuel injection system) away if you fitted carbs.

They're simple devices which use the air vacuum to evaporate fuel from a little pipe called a jet, no injection or anythign involved.

Performance just MIGHT be aawesome - consumption woudl defintely be!

[E30BeemerLad]

Thanks Hogweed, I'm aware management not needed for a carb per-se, just thinking about the ignition side of things. I've read bike carbs can be picked up for Ԛ£20 a pop, obviously would need 6 of the blighters.

So it I junked the injection system and put bike carbs on some sort of inlet manifold, does the ignition/timing just take care of itself as it is or od I need to do something? Sorry, that's what I was really asking about when I was rambling about Emerald or megasquirt.

I'm more theory than practice i'm afraid

[M5pilot]

I would try this bike carb thing out if its cheap.

So you want a 6 branch do you, dont worry about the missus, I wont say anything! Just hide the bank statements.

I will send the manifold to where you work, just dont allow her to notice the changes under the bonnet.

[E30BeemerLad]

Missus works at the same firm as me, think I may have to have it sent to my old fella's address in Norfolk as that's where I'll end up fitting it anyway, but she ain't too daft the missus, she will notice the noise. I will just say it cost Ԛ£60 or something!

Could I do Paypal?

[M5pilot]

You can do Paypal if you pay the charges.