E36 3.0 M3 Performance Gains

[crazyarab 6]

Just curious what people out there have done to boost the performance of their E36 M3's and what sort of gains they achieved i.e. noticeable or not.

I am talking about fairly basic mods (not turbos, supercharges or leaf blowers for that matter) .

I was thinking of starting off with cat removal, however after speaking with the mechanic he suggested it probably would not change much (then again I really wonder what he knows about M3's.. as it seemed he did not really know what the car was).

p.s. Car is completely stock.

[CamB 48]

From what I've read BMW didn't leave a lot on the table with the M3s. The guys in the link below, who appear to be one of the UKs foremost M3 specialists, basically offer a remap (which I am dubious about given you are supposed to use 98 anyway), or exhaust plus remap (showing a difficult to believe 10% increase), or big $$$, or really big $$$.

http://www.thorneymotorsport.co.uk/tuning/E36_M3_Power.shtml

They don't change the intake or anything else, and I do believe that they test everything and they only offer stuff that makes a difference.

I don't feel a great desire to modify mine - its already fast and I don't think I could even tell the difference from an extra 5% (let alone actually use it!).

Edited September 4, 2008 by CamB

[crazyarab 6]

Hmmm.

I know it's already been extensively tuned and will always put a smile on my face when I give it stick.

You know how it is though, always looking for more >.<

[BreakMyWindow 1870]

Put it on a diet.

[Apex 693]

Superchips state a 12kw increase for $1,250.

I’d do a Simota intake and a fit a nice muffler, it wouldn’t gain much power but would sound amazing and often that’s what makes a car more enjoyable.

Or just save your money to keep it running as it should. A well serviced M3 will always be fast.

[crazyarab 6]

Or just save your money to keep it running as it should. A well serviced M3 will always be fast.

That is always the priority... I always keep her in tip top shape.

I am talking about what ever spare I have left .

[E30-323ti 66]

I'd look at a standalone ECU, Cams & intake/exhaust mods if you are serious, otherwise, just keep it well maintained.

[ecko_complex 3]

Haha... Here we go... Just put a turbo on it !

Or go see Basil @ Autopassion about "Chip Tuning":

M3 3.0 - Old: 210 kW / 286 HP, New: 223 kW / 303 HP

And do the usual bolt ons (intake, exhaust etc).

[mr E34 11]

Whats been said is basically correct, there was a GT version of the M3 which BMW built & it only had another 9bhp?

To get more power you need more air in the engine(the hard part), more revs. Fuelling is the easy bit.

Even if you dropped 100kg you would only lower your 0-100k time by a few 10ths of a second, why bother?

edit out 100ths, should be 10ths

M3 GT Advert.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/697192.htm

Edited September 8, 2008 by mr E34

[CamB 48]

I dunno - if you could drop 100kg it would feel a lot better to drive (thet's 1.5 passengers and the weight is what I dislike the most in mine). Unfortunately it would be a different (unrefined) car...

[mr E34 11]

The USA only lightweight version was only 0.3 sec better, it's all academic, you can loose that & more on a bad start or gear change.

As everyone knows when you get down to those times you need a lot of power to chop 2 seconds off!!!

[CamB 48]

The USA only lightweight version was only 0.3 sec better, it's all academic, you can loose that & more on a bad start or gear change.

As everyone knows when you get down to those times you need a lot of power to chop 2 seconds off!!!

I agree it would hardly change the acceleration.

[Apex 693]

The USA only lightweight version was only 0.3 sec better, it's all academic, you can loose that & more on a bad start or gear change.

As everyone knows when you get down to those times you need a lot of power to chop 2 seconds off!!!

Didn’t the US cars only have like 190 KW?

[morerevsm3 7]

mine started with 170rwkw stock except high flow metal cats, then with alloy flywheel, free flowing muffler, 8000 rpm alpha n chip, and carbon plenum got me to 200rwkw on dyno dynamics, aftermarket cams would net more as well

the M3R was the most powerful production M3, it is 3 litre rated at 240kw...

[Mark 178]

Didn’t the US cars only have like 190 KW?

240hp... yep. But I think what was meant is that the Lightweight version of the US spec M3 was 0.3 seconds faster than the normal version.

[crazyarab 6]

Cheers for the replies guys, will start to weigh up the options .

[westy 614]

Lightened flywheel and shorter diff.

[hybrid 1039]

Look into underdrive pullies too.

Check some of this out on http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/index.asp just be aware that some of this stuff is US model specific. eg s50b30US

[mr E34 11]

mine started with 170rwkw stock except high flow metal cats, then with alloy flywheel, free flowing muffler, 8000 rpm alpha n chip, and carbon plenum got me to 200rwkw on dyno dynamics, aftermarket cams would net more as well

the M3R was the most powerful production M3, it is 3 litre rated at 240kw...

There is your answer, someone who has done it with a whopping 30kw@ wheels increase.......save up for a carbon intake system & go for full custom remap.

[mr E34 11]

Didn’t the US cars only have like 190 KW?

I think the lightweight version was a stripped out euro M3 made for US racer schools.

[mr E34 11]

These guys sell nice carbon intake systems for E30 M3/ E36 M3/ E46 M3. If i had an M3 this would be my first enhancement, you need to get as much AIR into the cylinder.

I wouldn't butcher the loom for aftermarket ecu, i would simply piggy back Mapecu 2 for fuel & timing.

http://carbon-airbox-bmw-e36.bmw-airbox.com/

Edited September 6, 2008 by mr E34

[Greg111 13]

So how much in NZ$ is 1085 euros? I could be quite keen.

[mr E34 11]

So how much in NZ$ is 1085 euros? I could be quite keen.

$1085 divide by

.46

=$2350 approx, depends on the exchange every day.

Edited September 6, 2008 by mr E34

[ecko_complex 3]

These guys sell nice carbon intake systems for E30 M3/ E36 M3/ E46 M3. If i had an M3 this would be my first enhancement, you need to get as much AIR into the cylinder.

I wouldn't butcher the loom for aftermarket ecu, i would simply piggy back Mapecu 2 for fuel & timing.

http://carbon-airbox-bmw-e36.bmw-airbox.com/

Holy crap that thing is awesome, I must find out if it can handle boost...

[10hove 0]

Holy crap that thing is awesome, I must find out if it can handle boost...

Heres an old fellas view ( I do have an M3 3l race car and a bussiness that specialises in BMW sales and service)

So while all these add on and bits available on line are tempting these are the steps I would suggest if you are serious about performance

1) check the car is up to standard as close as it can be to when BMW manufactured it (after all its a few years old )

This means compression check and maybe a leak down test . If it doesnt come up to spec your wasting you money on any add ons.

2) make sure all the servicing is up to scratch in particular oils etc but also that the vanos operates correctly and that it has no seals leaks etc, pay particular attention to the cooling system and clutch, after all if you are going to be thrashing it you dont want to incurr expensive repairs.

3) If you are going to do any performance mods you need a base run on the dyno this will tell you if the mods work

your base run will also point to any other faults and check that the car is performing as it should and most importantly that the air fuel ratio is optimum . BMW are always pretty conservative with HP and your car should pull some pretty good numbers if its running right, if not it may need a new air flow meter to get the mixture spot on.

Once youve done all this you can start to look at gains,

Personally my car is standard except for the addition of a twin plate clutch set up and very light (almost non existant fly wheel and a custom tune "superchip")

Ive posted a pic of the dyno chart 257 KW (344Hp) at the engine is not bad I think, (especially as its done 210,000kms) so the standard set up is very good you could spend a lot of money on go fast bits and actually go slower if you dont get it right or the car is not right in the first place.

anyway thats my 2 pennies worth

cheers Hove

Edited September 6, 2008 by Alex ten Hove