modifying a 328ci 1999 coupe

[basildogz 0]

hi guys

probably this has been asked many times, but i am looking to increase hp, but still maintaining an NA BMW.

which means stuff like full exhaust system, headers?..... (what else can i do?!?!?!)

what are some things i can do to increase power in my bmw 328ci 1999 e46.

its manual. 5 speed. nz new.

also can you tell me places where i can get a quote for this upgrade? i rather do this local than import headers and systems.

who are some good full exhaust specialist ? and other modifying specialist?

at the moment just installing a PSS10 bilstein b16 suspension kit, as i love taking my bmw to the pukekohe track and burn it up with the rest of the NA cars.

thanks.

[PBOY23 0]

a e46 328 manual nice !

id say wolf mufflers in auckland city would be good heard good stuff about them for the likes of remus

what a about a ecu remap ?

[lidistick 70]

IIRC, the E46 328i has the M52B28TU with Dual Vanos.

[kerrynzl 3]

The M52 2.8 Engine will wake up in the top-end if you install an intake manifold off a M50 2.5

[ the 2.8 manifold is basically the same as a 2.0 manifold ]

The Yanks claim about 35hp with this. but I would assume thats with Exhaust [ And Cams??]

to recover a bit of lost bottom end torque

go to:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=544874

You have to be honest to yourself about how you intend to use it.

HP= TQ x RPM so if you get more airflow thru the motor , you have to rev it. [consider dropping the rear end ratio as well ]

Me personally : I would increase the capacity, and leave the car tractable [ & maybe use NOs if I needed to blow someones doors off, which would be less than 1/10% of usage ]

BIG is GOOD [ mega]

[basildogz 0]

a e46 328 manual nice !

id say wolf mufflers in auckland city would be good heard good stuff about them for the likes of remus

what a about a ecu remap ?

yes i have already ecu remap.. and got a remus back muffler from wolfe mufflers too

hahaha

[basildogz 0]

but guys.. wouldn't like doing somthing like changing headers and full exhaust system have enough power gains???

i mean... just change the stock bmw to some aftermarket ones..

than like hardcore.. change bmw parts for bmw parts?

[kerrynzl 3]

but guys.. wouldn't like doing somthing like changing headers and full exhaust system have enough power gains???

i mean... just change the stock bmw to some aftermarket ones..

than like hardcore.. change bmw parts for bmw parts?

On a 7.4 litre V8, a set of open headers is worth 45-60hp over a stock exhaust [ I've seen the Ads claiming this]

But who uses open headers on the street ????

I've also seen tests where a Muffler manufacturer's products gained HP over open headers [ dyno proven on the same engine ] "they had a special long exhaust duration cam in the engine"

The Engine is an Air Pump, free flowing intakes and exhausts help raise the volumetric eficiency especially at higher RPM [ if you rev it more, it'll make more top end power ]

If the engine is strangled [ which your BMW isn't ] increasing airflow in / out will make a lot more power

"Keith Duckworth" of Cosworth fame once said " hp is the size of the bang, times the number of bangs per minute "

so Increase the "bang" or Rev it harder

Nitrous is the best value for the occasional squirt , it's easily removed when you sell the car [ a $2500 set of Schrick cams , and a $2000 exhaust system will buy a hell of a lot of nitrous ]

The car also remains user friendly , when its used in traffic jams etc

[Jammasterjames 0]

Nitrous is the best value for the occasional squirt , it's easily removed when you sell the car [ a $2500 set of Schrick cams , and a $2000 exhaust system will buy a hell of a lot of nitrous ]

The car also remains user friendly , when its used in traffic jams etc

How much ?

Any of y'all done the nitrous mod?

[westy 614]

Your opening a can of worms if you start playing with the intake manifold on an e46. The e46 dosn't suffer as much in the top end as the e46 anyway.

If it was me I'd be looking at a lightened flywheel and a shorter diff ratio.

We have both the e36&e46 328s in manual and with these two mods the e36 would eat the e46.

[basildogz 0]

Your opening a can of worms if you start playing with the intake manifold on an e46. The e46 dosn't suffer as much in the top end as the e46 anyway.

If it was me I'd be looking at a lightened flywheel and a shorter diff ratio.

We have both the e36&e46 328s in manual and with these two mods the e36 would eat the e46.

lighting the flywheel and shorter diffs...

i suppose have to get these from bmw? or aftermarket ones available?

where to get these from?

[kerrynzl 3]

When I said a BMW is not strangled.

Look at the power / litre of these things on pump gas thru mufflers, & polution controls [ they get the same performance as an old race engine ]

They get relatively high V/E right up to the rev limit [ turn it faster and the BMEP and TQ will drop ]

So within the limits of the rev range they are not strangled

No one individual modification will get any major gains [ except NOs or a turbo ]

eg: a K&N pod filter vs stock [ one is quiet and designed for longevity , the other may get 2 more hp??? ]

Combine a few carefully matched mods and you will see results [ you have to get more air thru the engine ]

Start with a Pod filter, then Intake Manifold , Cams , Headers , full free flowing exhaust, lighten the flywheel [you'll need a better clutch ] and lower diff gears , and a chip that raises the limiter

You have then built a car that I wouldn't want to use as a daily driver [ but would be very responsive, especially with the cams & diff gears ]

Equal length headers produce a negligable amount more than unequal length as soon as a muffler is used [ But I'd go for the M3's because they fit, and they don't rot out like aftermarket headers ] and they'd be cheaper

Incidentally, on Canam Chevys they used unequal length intake stacks to widen the TQ range , and make the engine more tractable,

[westy 614]

Lightened flywheel is not an engine out job and does not involve machining as the standard dualmass piece of sh*t cannot be lightened.

You'll need either an aftermarket flywheel/clutch kit or cobble one together using an m20 flywheel and heavy duty e30 clucth.

If the diff has internals the same sizing as the common medium case (type 188) bmw diffs then a gear set from either an e30 m325 (3.46 or 3.64 a bit high maybe) or a 3lt e36 m3 (3.23??) shgould fit inside the housing. Recommended to have it set up by a pro. A shorter diff increases torque to the wheels.

A nice set of free flowing headers from an e36 m3 will help a lot too, If they fit the e46 head!!!

[kerrynzl 3]

Lightened flywheel is not an engine out job and does not involve machining as the standard dualmass piece of sh*t cannot be lightened.

You'll need either an aftermarket flywheel/clutch kit or cobble one together using an m20 flywheel and heavy duty e30 clucth.

If the diff has internals the same sizing as the common medium case (type 188) bmw diffs then a gear set from either an e30 m325 (3.46 or 3.64 a bit high maybe) or a 3lt e36 m3 (3.23??) shgould fit inside the housing. Recommended to have it set up by a pro. A shorter diff increases torque to the wheels.

A nice set of free flowing headers from an e36 m3 will help a lot too, If they fit the e46 head!!!

Now we are talking! The beauty of the BMW Donk, is that it's internally balanced [ the flywheel assembly can be be neutrally balanced afterwards ]

The engine's an air pump, you've got to increase revs to get results [ or increase capacity ]

about 7 years ago when I was playing with a MK1 cortina, I bought a cheap crossflow race engine from a friend [ dyno'd at 138 hp ]

He replaced the engine with one that dyno'd at 165hp [ at a higher rpm ]

Our cars were within 10kg of each other, but my car consistantly beat him everytime

The real truth! both cars had the same diff an gearbox ratios, his new "trick" engine made less hp than mine at the same rev range

If he had geared the car down, [ to turn the engine harder ] He would have blown my doors off every time

When we compared Dyno sheets it was obvious

With engine mods " you giveth and you taketh away" You increase V/E at the top end but you lose air velocity at the bottom [ M50B25 intake is a good example ]

That is why BMW started using Vanos [ to widen the rev range and use a shorter cam][ short cams also help emissions]

[basildogz 0]

so... the best thing is to get m3 headers, and a straight exhaust system...??

i wanna try do most work locally, so might see wolfe exhaust mufflers specialist in dominion road...

not sure where to get the headers thought.

[kerrynzl 3]

so... the best thing is to get m3 headers, and a straight exhaust system...??

i wanna try do most work locally, so might see wolfe exhaust mufflers specialist in dominion road...

not sure where to get the headers thought.

You are heading in the right direction here

US M3 headers are the same as South African 328 headers so dont buy them [ if you inherit them , like I did, then use them ]

Basically do the bolt ons before you decide which way to go [ easy to undo ]

I personally are considering Boring and Stroking a M50B25 engine out to 3.2 litre for my E36 [ I'm gonna leave , exhausts, diff , flywheel, intake all standard ]

I am wanting a torquey "old boat" for a "Boulevard Bandit"

[basildogz 0]

Kerry's raising the US M3 is worth expanding on - this is essentially a 3 litres cast iron block with stock M52 inlet and exhaust manifolds - it churns out 176kW.

The Euro M3 is 210 kW and got rave reviews about how tractable and grunty it was when it came out.

Euro M3 headers are wat you want.

They use a small diameter primary so watch out of after market ones with bigger primaries - i belienve these lose mid range torque.

See attached dyno of Euro M3 3.2 headers onto my 328 with NO other mods NO losses just ALL gains

This made a huge difference to the car

Yours with the better inlet manifold should be even better.

are you referring to the e46 m3 headers? for my 328ci 1999 e46 car?

[basildogz 0]

Correction to last post

real OEM lists your engine as an M52 and shows same exhaust flange gasket as mine SO E36 M3 will fit

Real OEM part numbers for E46 M3 headers are different and they have a triangular flange so they will not fit -

E36 M3 3 or 3.2 is the go.

thanks.. i will be looking into some e36 m3 headers.

also... i have the opportunity to get a miltek full cataback system .

do you know of any problems? such as.. if i change my cataback system... coudl my computer like throw a fit at me for changing the system?

or is cataback systems just bolt on no problems?

e46... too much computers.. dammit. ...

[basildogz 0]

thanks for all your help

found a guy on trade me with aftermarket headers for e46 cars, he is also gonna bring in alot of bmw performance products too.

just chatted with my mechanic and asked if i need to certify the change of headers or full exhaust system,

simple answer is not.. no certifying is needed for changing these, unless your exhaust system is louder than the legal noise level.

now i am also thinking of changing my pulleys and cams too.

if you are keen to see this bmw in action just go to pukekohe on open trackdays..

i be racing a black bmw e46 coupe on the track... representing the bmw's (japanese car eatter ... LOL )