Need mod help.

[Bimmer325e BD]

Hi, my auto tranny took a dump on my bmw...so i decided to dump some money into it and make it a car that i want...so i'm doing the manual conversion as of right now...and i plan on putting some money into the car but i need help, i'm basicly clueless on what to get...I know about the chips(not which kinds are best) and heard of some other things....i don't think im gonna turbo it due to how much it costs.(heard around 3-4k). Another unfortunate thing is my engine has 259k miles...the top end was rebuilt(heads redone/gaskets)....it runs great...i think i've lost topend because i max out at about 105mph...it runs great for now...and was wondering if the time comes...how much a rebuild would be..or maybe a new engine swap could be possible? Just any ideas of tricking out my car...make it faster...would be greatly appreciated...websites/brand names/parts to had would be so helpful... btw my car is a 1988 BMW 325e(supposedly a supereta)....2.7L.

Thanks in advance.

[pat325e]

i have a 86 eta so i don't know if the 88 has some of the same components. one thing would be find a 3.25lsd or a 3.73 i am personally am going with the 325 i have heard that 1st is useless with the 373 but i'm not sure of that. as far as chips go the jim conforti is what a lot of people use im not putting it in because im not paying 4.25 a gallon for 93 octane. but those are the basic mods 1.3 Motronic Up-Grade & 2.7i How To - R3VLimited Forums this right up may also interest you.

[Bimmer325e BD]

Hmmm...im seriously interested in the 2.7i conversion...cuz that's what im told is the best...what does this exactly cost? a ballpark figure? and does it really give 180+ hp? and whats it transfer to the wheels???

[slawler]

this sounds like something i want to do to my car. roughly how much hp and torque does it give to an 84 325e?

[pat325e]

it all depends im thinking about it to what ive read on other forums some say you get 180-190 and some say over 200. one guy said he had 210 with the eta stroker with a performance exhaust. the cost depends on were you get the parts it probably wouldnt be to hard to find the 325i head in a salvage yard and it probably wouldnt be to high up in cost or you could find a 325i parts car that has the stuff you need. good luck

[Bimmer325e BD]

yea...well i get my bimmer back tomorrow : ) Finally converted it to a stick...stupid auto trans was a nightmare....i read that 2.7i's don't idle smoothly? is that true? it doesnt idle right cuz of the 325i ecu? i think?

[pat325e]

idk i dont have it but it might be true. If they say it doesnt idle smoothly u have to make. a ruff idle in a 13b rotory is kinda like a 2 stroke outboard if you know what im talking about it revs then goes down thats my idea of a ruff idle or it could be different like a shaking like one of your cylinder is misfiring. but if you want power cheap thats your best bet. the m50 is a good option but its a grand for the engine and tranny then you need the drive shaft motor mounts and ecu.

[austra]

well your super eta is easy to make a 327i swap the head to a 325i head its easyer then swaping the cam and then valve springs, the 84e not so easy only the super E has domed pistons like the I motor cars.all the rest of the E's have dished pistons so you can bolt on an I head but your compression will be in the 7 to 1 range. you can swap all 6 pistons and then put the head on. you can also shave the head about .035 which should rasie the comression to at least a runable number would not recomend the shaving unless you do lots of math to get every thing right. you still need an ecm to run it above 5k to use the I cam

[Bimmer325e BD]

Originally Posted by austra

well your super eta is easy to make a 327i swap the head to a 325i head its easyer then swaping the cam and then valve springs, the 84e not so easy only the super E has domed pistons like the I motor cars.all the rest of the E's have dished pistons so you can bolt on an I head but your compression will be in the 7 to 1 range. you can swap all 6 pistons and then put the head on. you can also shave the head about .035 which should rasie the comression to at least a runable number would not recomend the shaving unless you do lots of math to get every thing right. you still need an ecm to run it above 5k to use the I cam

well...i was going to do the 327i swap....but i heard changing out the ecu makes it idle rough...i want my car to still be reliable...but fast...so...what kinda car u got?

[Bimmer325e BD]

did you do the 327i swap on ur 86 eta?

[j.amrol]

The idle doesn't run rough.. It takes an extra half second on start up if you were to keep your pistons and throw on the I head. Because of the combustion design and piston design.

There's write ups EVERYWHERE! Do you not look?

The basic fact is that if your tearing apart an entire motor why not build it up to what you want it to be?

high compression/ custom pistons cost money, and you could have the I's pistons shaved 2-3mm to work as low compression.

The crank you already have which is a plus, but if your tearing off the head and pulling pistons why not upgrade the crank? and so on and so forth.

How big of a budget are you talking? A manual conversion is a pretty penny at any shop. Done yourself you could do it for well under a grand.

You've got to set goals before you can start your build. Do you want naturally aspirated, or boost?

Lower compression allows you to run more boost and timing at a less grade fuel.

Higher compression you have to run lower boost (if any) with a higher grade fuel.

You have to research and ask yourself what you want to use the car for, a dragster is obviously not reliable.

A street car is obviously not a dragster.

What I'm going for is keeping the Eta head/ pistons (e30 323i head if I can find one) or, I intake manifold, TB. Having it all machined to fit together, and to accept the I's cam, (the valves are 1mm bigger and the springs already drop in).

Keeping my chip, (rev limit set where power drops off) running boost at 8psi to 1bar. My goal is to run 93 octane (available at the pump) with turbo. Simply bump it into the rev limit and shift. Still retaining Low end torque, AND gaining high end horsepower.

The 273, and 293 differential are useless unless you are losing time due to shifts. I would chip it, boost it at 8psi and call it a day running 93 octane. Add an exhaust when you can.

The whole idea is already laid out for you, all of the trial and error is laid out. You just have to decide what you want..

and yes economy cam's are awesome for boost.

[slawler]

bimmer325e how much did it cost to do the tranny conversion? what all did you have to get and what not. i have an auto and want to go stick. if it costs under like 700 ill think about it.

[Bimmer325e BD]

Originally Posted by slawler

bimmer325e how much did it cost to do the tranny conversion? what all did you have to get and what not. i have an auto and want to go stick. if it costs under like 700 ill think about it.

well you have to get the pedals, master and slave cylinder, a getrag 260 transmission a clutch kit...a driveshaft..flywheel the lines for the slave ...clutch fork...transmission crossmember rubber mount shift tower boot and knob...cost me 875$ from this company in sacramento, CA...uhm...it cost me 750 for it to be installed cuz he's a family friend...but it will prob be double that...its about 15 hours of labor...

only down side is you have to keep your neutral safety switch glued in the "park" position and hide it somewhere...and you dont get reverse lights...still havent figured out to make it work...but its only been 2 days since i had it...and ive been working..

[slawler]

that sounds like alote of fun.

[SpartanTiger81]

Damn I didn't know you could get 200+ horses out of a stroker!