Ignition conversion for m50

[No name user 379]

........................................

Edited February 16, 2011 by crunchy

[Silver Fox 43]

Very interested Crunchy, I'm about to go down the path of putting a turbo in the E28, M30 3.5 engine, for the race series.

Don't have any money, but aim to do a budget install, fitting what I need, and doing the best I can with what I've got and can get. Have a few people who are ok to help, so keen to see where you go with this.

Good luck, altho it seems you don't need it.

Look forward to any pics.

[Silver Fox 43]

So, what do you know about the E34 3.4 lt M30 as far as turboing goes?

What do I have to do to get a reliable engine with around 300rwhp as far as bits go?

Engine has around 9 to 1 compression ex factory.

Trying to keep budget to around $4k, can it be done?

Appreciate any help.

[Silver Fox 43]

Yes, stock, but will go with decent head gasket, revving to stock revs, 6250 rpm.

[polley 916]

So you are just going to run a static advance?

[CamB 48]

Based on a dude in the USA called Otis (I bought a manifold from him) who goes by the forum name "good & tight", the recipe is:

- an M30, any working condition (he boasts that it was a junkyard engine)

- a large turbo (he used a Holset HX40) and suitable wastegate

- an ECU (he used megasquirt)

- free-flowing manifold + exhaust

- etc

I seem to remember he got to 300rwhp like that, possibly just with ARP studs and an MLS head gasket (possibly with neither...)

He has more now:

http://www.r3vlimited.org/board/showthread.php?t=153556

He's not focused on pretty. More on something that works. I kinda admire that.

I'm sure crunchy can give a far more considered (and correct) opinion. What worries me, and why I have gone down the path (slowly) involving a rebuilt engine (M10 in my case) with forged pistons etc is that I am worried that in a racing environment the stresses are much higher. For this reason I'm setting my hp goals lower than I might and basing it on a lower level of boost.

[westy 614]

What I like about this, is that you can get rid of the ugly coil-on-plugs and have badarse old school plug leads!

[Silver Fox 43]

How would this turbo go Steve, the guy says it's one of yours?

Brand new holset turbo custom built by MSE ( steve M ) polish front cover with 3 inch intake, oil cooled only, .63ar rear housing with t3 flange.400hp.

model no: H1CN

It's on trademe

[Silver Fox 43]

Hi, you know there's a booster from the E32 which is a smaller diameter, it's a twin chamber job we run one in my car and the bros E30 with the M54 as well to clear the intake.

Brent HARTGE535i on here could probably help.

Edited November 26, 2010 by Silver Fox

[Silver Fox 43]

Thanks, now for the manifold. There's a crowd in Norway who do a nice branched top mount for a reasonable price.

[Silver Fox 43]

Do you know anyone here who could do one like this for under $800, that's what I can land it here for?

[Silver Fox 43]

Will give him a call on Monday, thanks Steve.

[CamB 48]

Ok after having to make new engine mounts and cut the intake manifold and shorting it by 3" and then glue it back together,it fired up first turn of the key.

For those who dont understand why ive done what i have ill post a pick and when you see how much room ive ended up with to do intake and exhaust manifold youll understand the meaning behind my madness as such.

Cams will go in this weekend i hope which are 309 intake and 290 exh, bear in mind this is just the dummy engine as such while im putting the tricked m50b25 together,again ill be running the stock ecu with a piggyback MAPECU 2 plus 6x extra injectors etc.

I'm super-keen for pics. I've been wondering about the pros and cons of standing the engine up a little to get more room. Thoughts:

- gives more room (keen to see your pics)

- roll gearbox over (not an issue with 260 but an issue for me)

- oil sump / pickup might not like being on an angle

Its the last one that worries me.

[thorburn 120]

+1 for pictures

Where are the cams from?

[polley 916]

I'm super-keen for pics. I've been wondering about the pros and cons of standing the engine up a little to get more room. Thoughts:

- gives more room (keen to see your pics)

- roll gearbox over (not an issue with 260 but an issue for me)

- oil sump / pickup might not like being on an angle

Its the last one that worries me.

Annnnd oil drain from head might be affected.

[Silver Fox 43]

Would be more than interested in your ideas on a cam grind for the M30 Steve, also what wastegate size I should be using with that holset turbo I bought, intending to use 12 lb boost max? Engine has 9 to 1 cr, 3.5 lts, max 6500rpm.

[CamB 48]

One of the reasons I wondered about standing the engine up was to make more room for the downpipe around the steering. Might be worth thinking about on an E28 David...

[Silver Fox 43]

Marty has a 3 inch one on his going down by the firewall, seems to fit, there's quite a lot of room there once the exhaust is gone. I think the trick is to keep the runner from number 6 fairly low and tight to the motor.

We did the opposite on the M54, used a E28 on one side and a M20 on the other in Steve's e30, but that is to clear the brake booster.

Edited November 30, 2010 by Silver Fox

[Silver Fox 43]

Can someone sort out Steve's pic problems, would love to see them.

[*Glenn* 854]

Can someone sort out Steve's pic problems, would love to see them.

Admin has changed things Dave because of some of the picture sizes being uploaded on the forum. You can now only upload pictures with a pixel width of 800. I suggest Steve resize to 800 X 600 and it should all work.

BTW: I'd like to see more pictures as well. I've been following this thread with interest.

Edited November 30, 2010 by *Glenn*

[westy 614]

Keen to see this too.

[Silver Fox 43]

I can understand the anal ones who do spend the time making it all look good, but I'm with you, mine aren't works of art, but I do try to make them go good.

Love the short intake, does the fact that you're forcing the air in the intake change the need for having the runners at factory length?

[CamB 48]

That's the IHI super-trick turbo I've seen you post about before isn't it? It's huuuuggggeeee.

[rds 0]

How does mechanical spark help you?

Surely with the addition of a turbo fueling is also gonna be a problem.

I really cant fathom where the advantage is over COP

[rds 0]

So you are going to change the ECU on this beast you are creating?

Do the M50 COP's have a known limit? Or is it to get away from having 6 separate coils