Supercharging my e30

[Kaz 60]

Hi there!

I have recently decided that I would like to try supercharge my 1989, 320i as a project. My brother has offered to do all the work for free and I can get parts for cheap through his work. (I dont know too much about cars myself).

Would it be worth it? And how much boost would I be able to have with the supercharged, standard engine without damaging any internal parts of the car?

This would only be on the car for a year or so untill I can afford to get a new engine.

Also does anyone have any tips on things that would need to be done on a project like this?

Thanks for any help,

Kaz

[greenday-rulz21 5]

I don't really know anything about supercharging etc, but doing all the work to supercharge an engine for a year isn't worth it. I would have thought.

[oscar90 0]

theres one or two threads in the project section from memory, and some info in the forced induction section

[Kaz 60]

May not be for a year depending how it goes.

Just really wanna know how much boost it can handle with a standard 2 litre, 6 cylinder engine.

Sorry I'm new to bimmersport so haven't been have a good look around for any but I had a breif look before.

[isis 16]

you probably get the same amount of power by dropping in a 2.5

and if you have full insurance, might be tad cheaper than telling them you've got a super charger under the hood

[greenday-rulz21 5]

It would probably be cheaper for a 2.7 transplant anyway.

[tibbs.james 1]

you probably get the same amount of power by dropping in a 2.5

and if you have full insurance, might be tad cheaper than telling them you've got a super charger under the hood

Supercharger needs LVVTA certification

mind you technically so does a 2.5 or 2.7 conversion-but nobody can tell the difference with those.

[Kaz 60]

Well I can get parts for very cheap so it would be alot cheaper to just super charge it, rather than getting a 2.5/2.7.

Just wanna know how much boost it can handle with a standard 2 litre, straight 6 engine

[Mike 1]

Well I can get parts for very cheap so it would be alot cheaper to just super charge it, rather than getting a 2.5/2.7.

Just wanna know how much boost it can handle with a standard 2 litre, straight 6 engine

8psi should be reasonable safe as long as you aren't running lean.

BTW 8psi will give you roughly the same power as a 2.5L I'd be very surprised if you can supercharge a M20 for less than the cost of buying a 2.5L. you could pick up the supercharger cheap enough but its all the other bits and pieces that cost ya. Good luck though

[Kaz 60]

8psi should be reasonable safe as long as you aren't running lean.

BTW 8psi will give you roughly the same power as a 2.5L I'd be very surprised if you can supercharge a M20 for less than the cost of buying a 2.5L. you could pick up the supercharger cheap enough but its all the other bits and pieces that cost ya. Good luck though

Ok well we was thinking around the 7-8 mark so that sounds reasonable. Also it would make an interesting project.

How much would a 2.5L cost roughly?

Thanks for all the help though everyone!

[Kaz 60]

Ok well im definately gonna supercharge it.

I have a SC14 in mind and still waiting for other parts to be priced up before I start.

[e30plz 1]

Awesome, Cool sig btw.

[mark247 38]

Yea i dont think you will be wanting to run more than 8psi on the standard ecu and chip.

[Guest FrantiC]

You can buy my 2.5 bottem end for $80 lol.. Chuck on your oil pan, i can sel you a new gasket for that..

then get a 2.5 head from a scrap yard or off here and you have a much much much cheaper, same power engine.. f**k paying for insurance for a supercharged 2l. The 2l is the most gutless engine, crap torque, peaks HP at the highest RPM out of the m20 family..

and then you wont have to fiddle trynig to get sh*t to work and certified and insurance as stated above by others.

IMO buy my engine, get a head, then supercharge the 2.5!

[Kaz 60]

You can buy my 2.5 bottem end for $80 lol.. Chuck on your oil pan, i can sel you a new gasket for that..

then get a 2.5 head from a scrap yard or off here and you have a much much much cheaper, same power engine.. f**k paying for insurance for a supercharged 2l. The 2l is the most gutless engine, crap torque, peaks HP at the highest RPM out of the m20 family..

and then you wont have to fiddle trynig to get sh*t to work and certified and insurance as stated above by others.

IMO buy my engine, get a head, then supercharge the 2.5!

Haha that was actually the plan. I was just talking it over with my brother cause I dont know crap about engines. But yeah, im very interested in that. Although im from pukekohe so it will be a bit of a road trip to get it.

[Kaz 60]

Awesome, Cool sig btw.

Thanks Just something quick I made last night to see if I could get it to work.

[Guest FrantiC]

Haha that was actually the plan. I was just talking it over with my brother cause I dont know crap about engines. But yeah, im very interested in that. Although im from pukekohe so it will be a bit of a road trip to get it.

When I originally got the full 2.5L motor I road tripped all the way to wellington to pick it up, dismantle it and drive it with it in my boot on the way back hahaha (sucks not having a trailer )

[Kaz 60]

When I originally got the full 2.5L motor I road tripped all the way to wellington to pick it up, dismantle it and drive it with it in my boot on the way back hahaha (sucks not having a trailer )

Would it fit in the boot of an e30? Otherwise I can probably take my parents oddisy . Would be nice to go on a decent drive in my bimma though.

[Guest FrantiC]

Would it fit in the boot of an e30? Otherwise I can probably take my parents oddisy . Would be nice to go on a decent drive in my bimma though.

Yeah man, I had the block with oil pan etc lying on it's side, manifolds and head in the boot to. So i can definitely say just the block will fit in the boot. Though if your car is already sacked, adding the block will pretty much meet the bumpstops in the rear and make the drive home quite an experience

[ashy_aye 3]

hey man its so not worth the hassel superchargen a 2.0 i was gunna super-charge a 2.5 bt i roughly workd out the costs and time werent worth it. once you upgrade injectors, coil, fuel pump, new or re-map ecu, pipe work, make brackets. then go and get it cert'd just to run a max 10-12psi for very little gain its way cheaper and easyer to get a 2.5 (theres one on here for sale at the mo $400) and you dont realy need a cert! thats just my 2cents. if sum1 told me this and i realy wantd to do it, id do it anyway! (thats is y i hav project e30 set up for a rb30det in the garage that has cost way2 much and taken way to long) bt if thats wat u wanna do GO4 IT!!!

[Kaz 60]

hey man its so not worth the hassel superchargen a 2.0 i was gunna super-charge a 2.5 bt i roughly workd out the costs and time werent worth it. once you upgrade injectors, coil, fuel pump, new or re-map ecu, pipe work, make brackets. then go and get it cert'd just to run a max 10-12psi for very little gain its way cheaper and easyer to get a 2.5 (theres one on here for sale at the mo $400) and you dont realy need a cert! thats just my 2cents. if sum1 told me this and i realy wantd to do it, id do it anyway! (thats is y i hav project e30 set up for a rb30det in the garage that has cost way2 much and taken way to long) bt if thats wat u wanna do GO4 IT!!!

Thanks for the input!

Well its something a little bit different then the usual Turbo'ed car. I'm trying to get a 2.5 litre for it so that would make it worth it a bit more. My brother is a mechanic and really wants to do it too. Will be like a joint project with him doing all the work on my car and me just having to pay for it . Also he is a good welder so can make alot of the pipes and brakets himself for pretty cheap. Also he gets discounts through Counties Toyota so parts will come cheap.

It would just be something interesting to do really.

Are you planning to finish your project? If I got a new engine I was gonna get one of them or a 2JZ. Preferably the 2JZ. I just couldn't afford that though.

Edited November 5, 2008 by Kaz

[Mike 1]

hey man its so not worth the hassel superchargen a 2.0 i was gunna super-charge a 2.5 bt i roughly workd out the costs and time werent worth it. once you upgrade injectors, coil, fuel pump, new or re-map ecu, pipe work, make brackets. then go and get it cert'd just to run a max 10-12psi for very little gain its way cheaper and easyer to get a 2.5 (theres one on here for sale at the mo $400) and you dont realy need a cert! thats just my 2cents. if sum1 told me this and i realy wantd to do it, id do it anyway! (thats is y i hav project e30 set up for a rb30det in the garage that has cost way2 much and taken way to long) bt if thats wat u wanna do GO4 IT!!!

Good advice man but can you try and cut some of the text speak, makes it way easier for everyone to read.

I reckon it could be worth chucking a 325i ecu/injectors/AFM on the car. Power outputs would be very similar, just run the AFM in front of the supercharger. Chuck it on a dyno to check the mixtures. You can play with static fuel pressure or other injectors if its not quite right. Lower pressure regulators are easy enough to come across at pick-a-part or squish yours in a vice to raise it. Not ideal but would definately be the cheapest way of doing it and should give near stock driveability.

Ant on e30zone might even have supercharger chips with the timing knocked back (I dont think this would be needed though), I know TCD do an M20 turbochip, could also do the job if its knocking. A full standalone is the best way hands down, but I dont think its worth investing in one if your only going to run it at 8~9psi.

[Kaz 60]

Would an oil pan from a 2 liter would fit on a 2.5 liter?

[Guest FrantiC]

Would an oil pan from a 2 liter would fit on a 2.5 liter?

Yes. Btw - I e-mailed yo those pictures.

Edited November 6, 2008 by FrantiC

[Kaz 60]

Yes. Btw - I e-mailed yo those pictures.

Ok thanks a lot. I'll check when I get home. Hotmail is blocked at uni.