Sports auto box so slow!!

[LOW]

I find my switchable auto box in my 325 is really slow off the mark, now i have never driven an auto before so this may be the norm but is there any way of improving the take off or is there any advisable mods to gain more power?

[MONSPORT42]

Hi LOW, Always had auto E30s but they can seem slow. The 325 is an over square engine (bore width greater than stroke) and so the revs come quickly but nothing seems to happen on the road! All the power gets soaked up by the torque converter. Autos are much better suited to high torque engines - mines mated to 220 ft lbs plus 2.7 and slow it ain't. But if I want to cane it, I change manually which allows me to use the revs where the real power is i.e above 3000rpm. The sport mode holds the changes a little longer but not enough for real driving. Autos can also 'seem' slower than they really are because of the smoothness of gearchanges. On paper a standard auto is hardly any slower than a standard manual. I track mine quite often and hold my own but I only ever use 2nd and 3rd.

[LOW]

Nice one pal, is the 2.7 the ea block from the US or is it just a larger block if so is this an easy swap.

[andyp]

ive got 2 autos, and they aint slow as people on this zone will tell you. you just got to get used to how to use auto,

[MONSPORT42]

Hi Low,
It's the fairly standard conversion using the eta crank from the 525e to give the longer stroke plus lightweight pistons, etc, etc. I also have a MAF conversion which increases throttle responses and helps to overcome the torque converter 'lag' a bit. The car's in the Members E30s - 2.7 section at the top of the page although I've had a few things done since the spec was written. If you go the the tuning route, go for torque enhancement rather than bhp alone. A lot of the obvious tweaks like induction and exhaust can push the available torque up the rev range and you can end up with little improvement in normal driving situations - i.e. away from the lights!
I'm no guru on the subject - this is just from my own (expensive) learning curve!

[BlackCabrio]

Yes, I can see that torque is what's needed - I've got a 320, and if you think a 325 with a slush box is slow off the mark ... the box has only four gears, and its fine once you get moving, but no really low ratio for rubber burning stuff.

Actually, when you get used to driving the auto - and the unresponsive throttle on these cars - it moves OK. I remember having a 320 manual, and after a 318 manual, it always SEEMED slower! Anyway, a six cylinder is about SMOOTH performance, and a 320 auto certainly has that.

I think a chip will make the accelerator response better - on the standard set up you just have to get used to using a lot of welly, although in today's traffic, I rarely get the opporunity, and that's why I went for the auto box

[LOW]

Thanks again, i can see what andy P is saying because yes when you get it going it moves bloody well, but what i was looking for was just more pull from the lights as Monsport42 said, but it does seem like a very expensive job for the 2.7, and at the moment i dont have a lot of cash as i have only just bought the car.

I will try driving more with the selector(1,2,3) to see if this is any better, blackcabrio has said a chip would improve accelerator response, can anybody confirm this as it seems a far more feasable option cost wise(at the moment at least!).

[Guest]

I've had a 320i auto and a 325i auto. The 325 was real fast but I found on the 320 that you need to floor it, especially on setting-off, if you want to get any speed. Both can be driven fast if the engine and box are in good nick! You may find you have a problem with your gearbox if the speed is still down despite flooring the pedal.

[BlackCabrio]

I haven't tried a chip myself - just remember reading something about it helped make the throttle feel more responsive (guess it will depend on who did the chip of course). Just noticed a post about a bbtb modification which sounds well worth a go (the's 'big bore throttle body' apparently). Claimed to improve throttle response - especially if used with a chip. Sounds a reasonable cost mod at 120 for bbtb, 60 for chip. And discreet, in case you don't want to disclose it.