e30 323i performance mods

[Court M3 0]

Early 323is didn't come with a removeable chip. Are there any bolt ons that can improve performance? What about just swapping ECUs with a later model? Would really love an M50 swap but taking the car back to Japan and it won't pass inspection

[mark247 39]

Early 323is didn't come with a removeable chip. Are there any bolt ons that can improve performance? What about just swapping ECUs with a later model? Would really love an M50 swap but taking the car back to Japan and it won't pass inspection

You can not just swap the ECU's because they have different plugs. What you would have to do is get an entire facelift engine loom and put that in. That involves swapping around a few plugs, and removing the sensors that go into the bellhousing and adding another wheel onto the front of the crank for a sensor as well ( cant remember what it was for. ) Me and my mate did it to my car, we took a whole weekend to do it because my mate tested every wire going into the fuse box to make sure they were the same ( which they were. )

Also if you have an auto gearbox its stand alone ECU that involves more work as well ( no idea what you would have to do ) but all i know is that once i swapped in the new ecu, my gearbox ecu didnt work and my gearbox was stuck in limp mode so we decided to convert the car to manual =D. If you have a standard auto gearbox ( without sport mode ) or a manual gearbox you should be fine.

Once this was done i chipped my car with a chip i got from JayCar and a .bin file i got off the internet for the Jim Conforti chip.

[Neal 544]

Early 323is didn't come with a removeable chip. Are there any bolt ons that can improve performance? What about just swapping ECUs with a later model? Would really love an M50 swap but taking the car back to Japan and it won't pass inspection

I think superchips did a inline for these many years back. Also check the sticky on the 2.7 litre conversions for the M20 engine. One conversion I read years back talked of using 323i rods.

However, my understanding is that the Le jettronic will compensate if you do things like air filter / and freer flowing exhaust (EG you don't need to chip it if you change those things and it should add more fuel based on airflow.)

Would be interesting to dyno a E30 320 race car with Motronic verse Le Jettronic as I suspect the Le might produce a bit more on the dyno due to the allowable exhaust change. The Le should add more fuel as a result.

Others may be able to put me right here if I've got it wrong.

[gmccormack 0]

However, my understanding is that the Le jettronic will compensate if you do things like air filter / and freer flowing exhaust (EG you don't need to chip it if you change those things and it should add more fuel based on airflow.)

Would be interesting to dyno a E30 320 race car with Motronic verse Le Jettronic as I suspect the Le might produce a bit more on the dyno due to the allowable exhaust change. The Le should add more fuel as a result.

Others may be able to put me right here if I've got it wrong.

I don't think L-jet can compensate for any changes as it is an open loop system and only matches fuel to air flow below a fixed rpm. Once the revs climb above about 3000rpm at WOT the ECU almost ignores the AFM and works from a fuel map. Motronic, however can cope and adjust to small changes.

[Gus 5]

find a 2.7 bottom end and use your head..easy swap

else put a 2.5 in there.

[Court M3 0]

find a 2.7 bottom end and use your head..easy swap

else put a 2.5 in there.

Ecu has to be changed also correct? I'm in the US so things are a little different. Superchips no longer has any support for this car.