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Danny_E30

Turbo or V8?

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Hey all, just wondering what you all would suggest.

Turbo or V8 in a e30 318i?

And what would be cheaper?

Cheers, Danny.

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v8 to many turbos around :P or hell v12 someones done it!

Edit: just checked google... v12 twin turbo!

Edited by GRUNT5

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Hey all, just wondering what you all would suggest.

Turbo or V8 in a e30 318i?

What is your power goal?

And what would be cheaper?

Unless you are good at fabricating, neither of them. Both can be very expensive.

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What is your power goal?

Unless you are good at fabricating, neither of them. Both will be very expensive.

Edited B)

Turbo what?

V8 What?

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Unless you are made of money, or as has been said, an awesome fabricator and mechanic... buy a car with a V8 or turbo already in it.

If you do either of those things to a 318i you'll have to upgrade the suspension, brakes, do chassis strengthening to cope with the excess torque (if you go V8 route) etc etc etc.

... and at the end of the day, it's just a 318 with a V8 in it.

Money... say hello to toilet.

(Sorry, not meaning to be a dick... but that's just how I see it)

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correct me if im wrong but wouldnt this be one of the cheapest ways?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Turbo-Kit-B...bayphotohosting

Edit: my bad only for 6 cylinder...

Most of that kit is craaaaaaaaaap.

You need bigger injectors. You need a downpipe for the turbo.

More importantly, you still need a computer to control fuel/spark. Yes, I know people do it with rising rate fuel pressure regulators and blah blah blah. But I am convinced the only proper way to do it is with a proper standalone EMS like a Link, or Megasquirt (for a cheap option).

US$800 would quickly become NZ$4-5k if you can weld and know what you are doing, even for fairly low boost. Paying someone else? Easily $2-3k more I reckon by the time the bugs are ironed out.

Edited by CamB

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And what would be cheaper?

Cheers, Danny.

If you have to ask you cant afford it.

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Modifying cars is not a cheap game. If you simply want a fast car just buy one, not worth building one. I'd say most of the people on here with turbo' or motor swaps do it because they like playing with cars or wanted something different (or just got too far in before they realised what they wanted)

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i sold a bmw part to a guy that had an e36 318i that he had turboed - slap it on but was still running on rear drums! :rolleyes:

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one way to answer your Q is, to ask yourself;

Am I planning to keep it?????

how much do really want it?

how much am i prepared to spend?

how much over and above am i willing to spend when the budget blows out?

will i keep at it to finish it,or will it be another '90% compelete' trademe auction?

Is my job safe,so i can pay for it,and able to pay the mortgage/rent?

if i do sell it,will someone buy it?

knowing these simple answers will help in deciding on what you want.

If all check lights are green, go for the V8, two blower option.

even better still V12 twin hairdryer setup. B) check utube

endsless laughs

that kit is cheap,and easy to setup in the car.add 3-4k for injectors and a stand-alone ecu

fuel pump,plumbing,bits and bobs.and be perpared to fix crack welds,replace turbo etc

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Unless you are made of money, or as has been said, an awesome fabricator and mechanic... buy a car with a V8 or turbo already in it.

If you do either of those things to a 318i you'll have to upgrade the suspension, brakes, do chassis strengthening to cope with the excess torque (if you go V8 route) etc etc etc.

... and at the end of the day, it's just a 318 with a V8 in it.

Money... say hello to toilet.

(Sorry, not meaning to be a dick... but that's just how I see it)

Agree 100%.. Sad but True.. Man I wish I was an engineer, id have the coolest garage. An RB-26 E30, a 3SGTE AE82.. A 2JZGTE Altezza.. A B16a Mini the list goes on :wub:

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one way to answer your Q is, to ask yourself;

Am I planning to keep it?????

how much do really want it?

how much am i prepared to spend?

how much over and above am i willing to spend when the budget blows out?

will i keep at it to finish it,or will it be another '90% compelete' trademe auction?

Is my job safe,so i can pay for it,and able to pay the mortgage/rent?

if i do sell it,will someone buy it?

Thanks for the comments guys and girls. Yes i've been over those questions more than enough haha. All are green lights as i don't pay any living costs, just pay for petrol :P Thanks again all! :D

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Thanks for the comments guys and girls. Yes i've been over those questions more than enough haha. All are green lights as i don't pay any living costs, just pay for petrol :P Thanks again all! :D

Well it comes back to power goal then.

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Dont bother with a v8 they are so slow and sound so bad............;) worse thing you could do to an e30.....haha

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I vote V8, Kemp Rd taught me that displacement rules. But listen to what people are trying to tell you, you will need more money than what ever figure you think will cover it.

Agree 100%.. Sad but True.. Man I wish I was an engineer, id have the coolest garage. An RB-26 E30, a 3SGTE AE82.. A 2JZGTE Altezza.. A B16a Mini the list goes on :wub:

Friend has a 3SGTE AE82 race car. Easy 230kph at the end of the Puke straight, BUT 300whp+ and 900kg FWD car = torque steer for Africa. Not sure why you'd want one. :wacko:

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That’s awesome, had I not just purchased a car for the Missus that would be in my Garage. Why is it that when you buy a new car something you really want pops up a week later!!

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Well it comes back to power goal then.

Yeah, uhm looking at around 250-300 hp.

Dont bother with a v8 they are so slow and sound so bad............;) worse thing you could do to an e30.....haha

Haha, im going to ponder on this idea for a bit :D

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Yeah, uhm looking at around 250-300 hp.

Just buy a 540. Cheaper than a conversion. 540 is 280hp Edited by Nick021

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Just buy a 540. Cheaper than a conversion. 540 is 280hp

But E30FTMFW!

Just save up for a 325i while you enjoy the amount of petrol your 318i uses..

Way easier than all the money a conversion would cost and faster than a 318i.

Ahh the benefits of driving a 316i..

Edited by //James

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My opinion...

Turbo your M10 if you can DIY (although 250hp is getting up there)*. Put in a Nissan CA18DET (cheapest) or SR20DET if not, or a Toyota V8. Japanese option are probably the most cost effective IF you can keep their stock computers. The CA and SR are my suggestions as the exhaust is on the passenger side. You'll need a gearbox and custom propshaft for the Jap options.

Good examples of M10 turbos:

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46634

http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index.php?showtopic=8958

Just remember Mike's comment in this thread on page one:

Modifying cars is not a cheap game. If you simply want a fast car just buy one, not worth building one. I'd say most of the people on here with turbo' or motor swaps do it because they like playing with cars or wanted something different (or just got too far in before they realised what they wanted)

* Yes I know people have 3,465,869,708hp from their M10. Ask me when mine's finished and been to the dyno, but I'm doing it properly (forged pistons, 2 litres not 1.8, decent ECU, etc) and will be delighted if I can make 250hp at 14psi, and it doesn't blow up.

(edit) As t cost - just estimate what you think it will be, then double it. That should be close enough...

Edited by CamB

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