New Manifold makes +18 BHP on stock 325i with dyno

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Gunni
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 8:53 am

All an M30B30 needs is a better cam,
something in the 288 range at least,
with still more then a M20 low end and alot more then a S14 high end should make it a clever swap.

The M30 was built for seriously long lasting, so by taking away long lasting, by raising the used revs by a cam and opening the head should ALOT for the M30.
With great challenges comes great engineering.

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Moofles
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:24 am

yes it's ancient tech i respect that. doesn't mean i like it tho, hence asking if power can be improved! higher power engines can be just as long lasting (200k) - see sal raving on about the s38 3.8 in that other thread? 200k, he says :D

there are quite a few bmw engines on 200k that have better power-to-displacement ratios, thats all.

i don't think it's completely unstressed though, didn't toby's first one (or 2?!) blow up on him?

the torque output is "nice" but not so good when you consider the blooming capacity!

i think bottom line is, it's a dinosaur which is cheap, and that's why e30 owners love it. :)
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Chaos
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:38 am

Moofles wrote:there are quite a few bmw engines on 200k that have better power-to-displacement ratios, thats all.
different more modern technology i spose.

s38 has individual throttle bodies, 4 valve heads, crank designed for higher revs, peakier cams.

still i reckon an m30 with some mods wud be pretty cool

i think bottom line is, it's a dinosaur which is cheap, and that's why e30 owners love it. :)
yeah i reckon ur right
bit like the m20 i spose
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Demlotcrew
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:53 am

745i anyone :wink:

400bhp M30

Andrew
Dan318-is
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 11:16 am

ye but 4.5 litres!
Demlotcrew
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 11:31 am

318-is wrote:ye but 4.5 litres!
Its not winkeye
Chaos
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 11:39 am

318-is wrote:ye but 4.5 litres!
i thought it was "just" a turbo'd 3.5 m30 with 250bhp odd.
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boybimmerm3
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 11:57 am

I think it was a 4.2 litre turbo.
boybimmerm3
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:07 pm

just checked, the early ones were 3.2 and then they changed to 3.5....ill get my coat.
Dan318-is
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:26 pm

so why call it the 745i?

almost as confusing as the random useage of E numbers
chip-3door
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:41 pm

318-is wrote:so why call it the 745i?

almost as confusing as the random useage of E numbers
Because they are saying the boost is equivalent to 28% more capacity.
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Dan318-is
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:51 pm

mother trucker

how big is the turbo? any lag?

never new bmw branded thigns like that!
Chaos
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:52 pm

318-is wrote:mother trucker

how big is the turbo? any lag?

never new bmw branded thigns like that!
bmw south africa are a rule unto themselves - they even made a car called m745i
Last edited by Chaos on Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Moofles
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 3:04 pm

yeah i suspect toby's driving had something to do with the bangs too :wink:

745i = 400hp? demlot what you been smoking lately! i want some of that!
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pacerpete
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 6:07 pm

Demlot is right , with a chip and wastegate mod package (us$350 !!) a bulletproof 400 bhp and a mountain of torque is easily obtainable. Fueling is marginal once you get to 430 +bhp and you need to start spending but i think for an e30 350-400 bhp should be more than adequate ! :) .
These engines were originally rated at 252 bhp (at about 4000 rpm!) they were restricted so that the gearbox(4 speed auto) would outlast the warranty !
The normally aspirated M30 is a bit of a boat anchor BUT it is cheap and durable. An ordinary bod with reasonable mechanical skills should be able to convert an e30 for around the Ԛ£1500 mark, this is not going to happen with an m52/54 . The best bit is that if it goes bang, you can take your pick of good running donor cars for Ԛ£200 (or less!) each time.
A good running steel liner 328 engine will cost you (just for the engine NOT gearbox, prop ecu etc) Ԛ£1000 ++, E36 M3 running gear (with a proper receipt!) will cost Ԛ£2000 + and these are much more involved conversions than an m30.
Lets be realistic our cars are not particularly valuable, most of us drive e30s because they are cheap, fun to drive and fixable so how can you justify spending Ԛ£3000 + to gain 25/30 bhp?.
Cheap power and torque thats where its at ! :)
Chaos
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Thu Dec 29, 2005 10:31 pm

Argos wrote:The 745i Turbo was built by BMW in Germany, sold throughought mainland Europe and 'gray imported' into the USA.
you learn summit new everyday.

i knew about the m5/6 engined ones and the turbos, but not that the turbo ones were made in germany. :D
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Moofles
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Fri Dec 30, 2005 2:50 am

pacerpete wrote:Demlot is right , with a chip and wastegate mod package (us$350 !!) a bulletproof 400 bhp and a mountain of torque is easily obtainable.
i believe that, i was under the impression he was talking about factory figures as he didn't say anything else (still seems a random figure nonetheless!). wonder how mucha745i engine would actually set you back (are they rare?)
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Chaos
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Fri Dec 30, 2005 3:06 am

Moofles wrote:i believe that, i was under the impression he was talking about factory figures as he didn't say anything else

yeah i thought the same.
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pacerpete
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Fri Dec 30, 2005 11:39 am

I have just sold a complete 50000 mile 745i running gear for Ԛ£1500 ,it ran like a watch and would smoke up both rear tyres on demand. That drivetrain is going in a 70s 3.0cs !.
A friend has just brought one back from germany and the engine is destined for an e21 !, i think he paid about 2600 euros for the car . I have another one but its quite a nice car so i'm not fragging it, for now !
Moofles
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Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:13 pm

pretty cheap then! so, are they as easy to fit as a normal m30, seeing as they just have a turbo bolted on?

route to cheap turbo power! ant, fozzy et al will be most disappointed after their m20 turbo efforts, lol :D
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Demlotcrew
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Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:42 pm

Moofles wrote:
pacerpete wrote:Demlot is right , with a chip and wastegate mod package (us$350 !!) a bulletproof 400 bhp and a mountain of torque is easily obtainable.
i believe that, i was under the impression he was talking about factory figures as he didn't say anything else (still seems a random figure nonetheless!). wonder how mucha745i engine would actually set you back (are they rare?)
Well i think with your driving styles you are best to stick with the factory figures of 218bhp. Or even if your feeling brave maybe put a 3.64lsd on it.

Andrew
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Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:39 pm

For a 745 engine (M106 ?) you realy need a LHD E30 other wise the turbo gets in the way as it's placed underneith the manifold and to the rear.

But a M106 engine in good condition with a differant manifold and i'd guess a slightly bigger turbo would make some serious power but reliable power if it was set up/tuned correctly.

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Fri Dec 30, 2005 8:43 pm

Moofles
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Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:42 am

Demlotcrew wrote:
Moofles wrote:
pacerpete wrote:Demlot is right , with a chip and wastegate mod package (us$350 !!) a bulletproof 400 bhp and a mountain of torque is easily obtainable.
i believe that, i was under the impression he was talking about factory figures as he didn't say anything else (still seems a random figure nonetheless!). wonder how mucha745i engine would actually set you back (are they rare?)
Well i think with your driving styles you are best to stick with the factory figures of 218bhp. Or even if your feeling brave maybe put a 3.64lsd on it.

Andrew
lol, with my 'resources' i can stick to pretty much anything i fancy so i'm happy! may have had a little 'mishap', but from what i hear you're not one to speak, what with your suspension turrents :wink: :D
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Demlotcrew
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Sat Dec 31, 2005 12:38 pm

My suspension turrents? Dont you mean Turrets? I hit a manhole cover its hardly the same as being chased by the police, loosing control and writing off your car is it?

Andrew
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DieselMeister
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Sat Dec 31, 2005 1:27 pm

Another nod for the M54 3.0. My last car was 330Ci Sport (54 plate - don't ask how :) ) which I ran for 9 months and 12k miles. Apart from the extra 400 kilos, it was magnificent. In some ways a better car than the E46 M3 the Chief had too - more stealthy, more usable, 30% less to buy, 50% less to insure with 80% of the performance if driven well.

I'd go for that or an E36 M3 lump personally. I think that 250-300bhp is much more than enough for such a narrow, light car with slow steering.

However, even if you can pick up the bits for ~Ԛ£2k, it's gonna cost the best part of Ԛ£3k to get them fitted. Which is not only expensive but extremely hard to justify on a Ԛ£3.5k car. And lets be honest, many of us don't have the time or the garage space (or the weather) to be skinning our knuckles trying to bodge it.

I'm seriously thinking about the whole engine conversion thing but right now I'd just like to tie down the chassis and get the car running sweetly. The stock Sport I have feels brisk enough, despite running a little rough, mainly due to torque to weight (amplified by the short legs of the 'box/diff) - just needs to be fettled back to rude health with some breathing, chassis and brake mods.
Moofles
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Sat Dec 31, 2005 5:11 pm

yes andy you obviously don't know very many details of what happened (edited to add: as you got the above story quite, quite wrong as opposed to just details!). you're an alright guy but you snap at people all the time, it is just a pain to be honest!
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Sun Jan 01, 2006 4:23 am

318-is wrote:so why call it the 745i?
the badging relates to the rules used in F1 at the time. i.e. 3.2 litre turbo car is equivalent to 4.5 litre NA car. not as daft as you think.

RE the first M30 i had in my car. first it never bloody blew up! it always made crap power at high revs, thats why i replaced it, and i found a bent valve when i took it apart. not worn out, just been abused.


and it was free remember :D i'd really like an m54 3.0 but they cost.

the second engine dropped the sprocket off the oil pump and lost oil pressure because the nut loosened. i know the engine's been apart before so it's the fault of some tw@t mechanic not BMW! and with the sprocket back on it's run pefectly since.

what happened to Andy335touring's m30 though is bit more worrying :eek:
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