Mike: E30 318i Turbo project

[martyyn 2]

Guess what I'm trying to say is that a turbo setup on the cheap is possible (<$2k)

I bet Im not the only one who is now watching this thread with interest

[topcat 11]

nice one mike,hope it all works out for you.well done,so far, on a tight budget.

try to keep your intake temps as low as possible.that should keep the detonation level to not existant.

[CamB 48]

that would go very nicely on an M10 i'd say.

Gasket was brought from TCD for $150US incl shipping to family in the states as I had other bits over there too. ARP studs were a last minute decision from Top End Performance for 180US shipped to NZ.

edit- thought I might point out that while I had the head off everything looked very good. I was pushing around 10psi through the thing with stock timing and some bigger injectors. Only signs of detonation were in the cylinder where the HG pushed through to the water jacket. MLS would have stopped this obviously. Guess what I'm trying to say is that a turbo setup on the cheap is possible (<$2k) but I want quite a bit more out of mine so the budgets gotta grow.

Thanks - that's helpful, especially the bit about 10psi being ok so far on a stock bottom end (I'd been thinking 8-10psi). I plan on trying it that way at first then (similar to you) going 2 litre/low compression if it goes bang. I'm way more likely to have problems since I'll be racing it, but never mind. You don't know till you try.

If anyone's got a good (as in not already reground) 2 litre M10 crank/rods they want to sell me for a sensible price, I'll probably do that now - buy some decent forgies and see how long my gearbox lasts.

Either way I'm planning on way, way more than $2k - a $80 manifold isn't going to happen for me, I plan on going for bigger injectors, blowoff valve or Bosch diverter, little FMIC, deal to the cooling, it goes on and on. But I agree if the manifold/exhaust can be sorted on the cheap then $2-3k is possible for a low boost setup.

I wondered about this VEMS wideband/egt gauge.

[topcat 11]

Thanks - that's helpful, especially the bit about 10psi being ok so far on a stock bottom end (I'd been thinking 8-10psi). I plan on trying it that way at first then (similar to you) going 2 litre/low compression if it goes bang. I'm way more likely to have problems since I'll be racing it, but never mind. You don't know till you try.

If anyone's got a good (as in not already reground) 2 litre M10 crank/rods they want to sell me for a sensible price, I'll probably do that now - buy some decent forgies and see how long my gearbox lasts.

Either way I'm planning on way, way more than $2k - a $80 manifold isn't going to happen for me, I plan on going for bigger injectors, blowoff valve or Bosch diverter, little FMIC, deal to the cooling, it goes on and on. But I agree if the manifold/exhaust can be sorted on the cheap then $2-3k is possible for a low boost setup.

I wondered about this VEMS wideband/egt gauge.

i'm running 15lbs in an m30 block,stock everything with a metal headgasket.no dramas.then again i havent raced it yet.track day at sum stage will be interesting,might bring trailer

[Gus 5]

someone on e30 tech has done a 2.0L build, put forged pistons in and is getting 370rwhp. not bad!

deffo gonna have a tech 1 m1o turbo..has to be done! andy i think we should go halves when i get back

[Gus 5]

i so want this

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47093

[Gus 5]

mike what sorta power were you running, any idea?

[Mike 1]

haha heres what happens to the rods at 370whp..

yes, that was a rod.

Hard to say what sort of power I was making. Felt faster than my mates 325 which was running a 3.91 and I'm running a 3.64 but my power delivery was way different, 325 had much more down low, where as mine came on pretty strong from a little around 3 - 3.5 krpm. I'd say around the 170-180hp mark at the fly. most people who rode in it were pretty impressed. Goal is 200 rwhp by end of summer.

[Brennan 0]

hi mike. so are you just managing fuel so far with larger injectors and adjusting the AFM but without using a rising rate FPR? It must run a bit rich off boost and lean at redline wouldnt it. Please explain. Also what kind of steel did you use for the manifold? Like thickness etc

thanks alot

[SandMan 0]

Mike - you are the win.

A word of caution, remember to either put some exhaust lagging around the exhaust pipes especially near the steering column. The heat can get so intense that it will melt the seals in the universal joint and will cause the steering to fail.

[Mike 1]

hi mike. so are you just managing fuel so far with larger injectors and adjusting the AFM but without using a rising rate FPR? It must run a bit rich off boost and lean at redline wouldnt it. Please explain. Also what kind of steel did you use for the manifold? Like thickness etc

thanks alot

Yip, it was rich down low, maybe a tad lean up top. I knew I wanted around 0.6 Bar boost so I just got injectors around 60% bigger. Biggest downside to this approach for a low boost setup was the fuel economy and it would only be safe for low boost. If I didn't have plans for ECU I would have brought an RRFPR and maybe a BTM too but it wasn't worth it as a temporary solution. If I hadn't got greedy and kept bumping the boost I'm pretty sure it would work long term at around 0.5 Bar. I never got the chance to dyno it with that setup, will get a few over summer with the MS in though.

Steel was just steam pipe from steel and tube, was 3-4mm or something? its f**king heavy anyway and isn't gonna crack in a hurry.

Sandman, good point. gotta admit I forgot about that rubber in there. Has been ok on some pretty long drives but will get some on there when I get the manifold planed.

Edited November 8, 2007 by Mike

[Mike 1]

Bit of an update. Got the car started today after a few weeks off the road. ign wires still need a bit of a tidy up but otherwise pretty happy with how things are looking.

No more flappy paddle! still needs to be tuned and then dynod but will probably just get it drivable to make it down south then go and see NZEFI about some dyno time.

I made up a small adapter to reuse most of the loom, the wideband O2 and the TPS had to be wired in from scratch as there was no existing O2 sensor and the TPS wiring had a short in it somewhere. This meant i was constantly in flood clear mode, so no fuel and no start. In the engine bay i cut the AFM plug and attached the IAT plug, and i cut the TPS plug and reused that. Other than that its all pretty much factory loom. Hardware changes were an e36 TPS and suitable adapter, pipe to replace AFM with bung for intake temp sensor, and the LC-1 lambda cable.

The only problem with this is setup is that the ign. system is responsible for turning on the fuel pump and the ECU, so the ecu only powers up when the car is running, makes tuning a bitch so i just rigged up a temp jumper from the battery. shouldnt be needed now its idling.

Still having a few little problems but will probably come across some more when i start the proper tuning.

Also replaced the ignition system and sorted out some water lines for the turbo.

If anyone else is thinking about doing this go have a look at DIYautotune.com, customer service is outstanding - even after they've sold it to you and you keep asking dumb questions.

Edited January 28, 2008 by Mike

[E30TOY 0]

Looks good mike, that'l make that m10 hum alot faster, hope to see the finish product soon, keep up the good work

[drifty325i 0]

Very nice Mike,, good kiwi DIY

[Boost Junky 1]

Hey Mike! Looking good! Any updates yet? Also who made your manifold and what kinda $$ it cost to have it fabbed up?

Luke

Edited May 8, 2008 by Boost Junky

[Mike 1]

Hi luke, I thought I PM'd you about this? I made my myself manifold at a place I used to work, called Cycleworks - they mostly do motorbike stuff but are pretty handy general fabricators.

No major updates sorry, brake and suspension upgrade is due to happen pretty soon, and I'm planning to switch to full ignition control too. I never seem to have either time or money spare (one if I'm lucky but not both)

[Mike 1]

Little update, latest project almost done:

288x25 rotors (260x22 stock) with 535i calipers, which run the same pads as an M3. I would like to have used some wilwood 4 pots but they wont fit behind the wheels.

also have bilsteins and urethane shock mounts to go in.

[Cale 36]

Good stuff Mike. Very cool

Keep the updates coming.

[Gus 5]

lookin good mate! the caliper seems small for the disc? they are corrado ones yeah?

[Mike 1]

nah they're audi items, the corrado items are 280x22, the extra thickness is the main advantage of the audi ones. the caliper is designed for a 282mm rotor so the rotor is slightly larger but it probably just that the 535i rotors had a larger hub diameter. the rotor sits just past the top of the pads with that bracket.

Edited June 7, 2008 by Mike

[Boost Junky 1]

Hi luke, I thought I PM'd you about this? I made my myself manifold at a place I used to work, called Cycleworks - they mostly do motorbike stuff but are pretty handy general fabricators.

Sorry Mike you probably did haha! That photo of your down pipe looks so tight fit between the steering arm and block I was thinking of making my downpipe going round the other side of the steering arm but might change that idea. Does it hit on the steering arm at all when cornering left?

Luke

[Mike 1]

i think its just the picture, thats a 2.5" pipe and its pretty much halfway between the block and the steering shaft where its comes through. I doubt theres enough room to go around the other side of the shaft. only clearance issue is that i need to remove the steering shaft to get the waste pipe past it if I'm pulling it apart for whatever reason. it just hits that flange you can see in the picture.

[Mike 1]

'Nutha Update:

Brake upgrade is almost done, brackets and rotors are all ready to go on. just need to get hold of the caliper seal kits. Have also upgraded to bilsteins all round and 51mm front struts.

Also put some bigger injectors in, had them cleaned and flow tested only to find that they're not as big as I was told, but they're still a bit bigger than what I head in there. 12psi boost is pretty much maxxing them out now, which is about a safe limit for the nissan turbo anyway so will keep it like this for a while. Pulls quite nicely but I couldn't finish the proper tune becuase of the few problems below. Megasquirt has been running pretty well, had a few issues with logging but using a serial cable instead of USB seems to have solved it. Still need to sort the accell/decell but about from that everything else is going right.

Time for bad news, while I was tuning it for the new injectors my exhaust leak came back. I'd gone 5 months without any trouble so I'd hoped i'd fixed it but guess not. And it gets worse, I've also got a leak in the cooling system, only happens when the things gets hot. I've had quick look but can't see where it is yet, chances are its either a hose or (worse) somethings split in the radiator. I've been needing to upgrade the radiator anyway, but this just comes at a bad time. The car wasn't overheated, something just finally gave out.

[OLLIE 26]

'I've also got a leak in the cooling system, only happens when the things gets hot. I've had quick look but can't see where it is yet, chances are its either a hose or (worse) somethings split in the radiator. I've been needing to upgrade the radiator anyway, but this just comes at a bad time. The car wasn't overheated, something just finally gave out.

pressurise up the system with one of those proper pump things to find the leak. hopefully it's just a hose or clamp.

[CamB 48]

You gonna chuck it on a dyno? Do it!