tuning a 325e

[Ronin]

I was originally in the market for an e30 325i or is. I happened along a mint e30 325e. I have owned a e46 and currently own an e36 but I don't know too much about tuning.

The 325e I'm looking at has upgraded shocks and springs and a SS performance muffler. Other than that, how much would I have to drop in the car to push up the hp and performance? Maybe to 160-170 hp? Would it be worth it?

The reason I ask is that most e30 325i/is I have seen are kind of beat on with really high milage. The 325e I'm looking at has been fully restored and I know its in mint condition so I wouldn't mind putting a little $$ in it to beef up the performance. What do you all think?

[crazyho4sho]

a SS performace muffler on a otherwise stock m20b27 engine is a complete and total waste of money.

do a 2.7 stroker. Use your eta crank, or a 524TD crank, eta rods, eta pistons, complete I head. This isnt very expensive, depending on what else you do, maybe 500-1000.

This will give you about 190-200hp, and tq to match. Along with a software asisted 6900rpm redline.

of course you sacrafice gas milage, but anyone looking for performace shouldnt be concerned with that.

im sure someone will chime in, and start screaming "DONT USE A ETA CRANK, IT WILL BREAK" ive driven, and seen several 2.7i engines, and they all used the eta crank, and bounced off the rev limiter all day long, the crank wont break, not in street applications. Ask anyone that builds these for a living, they will say the same. The only time ive ever heard of eta cranks breaking is in racing applications, where the engine is overly abused.

honestly though, if your looking for bolt on performace, stay the hell away from the eta man. Start with a 325i/325iS.

[E30 Stu]

You need to get rid of your 'e' motor, and do a full 'i' swap. Go to a junkyard and buy a complete 'i' motor with wiring, intake, full exhaust system, everything. This will run about $1000. The 'e' motor is NOT worth messing with.

Also, get a 3.73LS or 4.10LS to go along with it.

If you want to get serious, do a 3.0 or 3.1L stroker with a Schrick dual pattern cam and high compression. This way, you'll be looking at around 220-240hp, but it will be more expensive.

If I were you, I'd just swap a complete 'i' drivetrain.

[crazyho4sho]

heh, seems we get these "how do i make my eta fast and furious" questions every other day. Someday, when im rich, im gonna buy every m10 318i and m20 325e and crush them all muahhaha and dump them into the ocean.

[E30 Stu]

lol. Well, the '84-'86 E30's are something I would never drive/modify....but, they are good cars. Sure, they don't have a lot of "ooomph", but, they are fun.

BimmerSteven will argue all day long about how the early chassis is supreme.

To each his own.

[Digitalwave]

poop

[Ronin]

Don't have a problem getting a 325i/is, the problem is finding one in GOOD shape, not too abused. Otherwise I'll take e30 Stu's adivice and swap out an i drivetrain.

[vodomagoo]

u def cant use the eta crank to rev above 5500 rpm, u gotta be nuts to do that it is cast not forged,and u cant make a stroker out of an eta to 2.7 being that they are 2.7l to start off with. also eta pistons and a i head will drop your compression u dont wana do that eather, its a full i engine with a td crank also a supersprint muffler is not a waste at all, more flow more hp expecialy with a chip, u need one when i ran the stock exaust before mine was made, my car almost stalled with the chip oh also anyone want a supersprint for a eta i got one for cheap

[Dave 325i]

I can't seem to figure out what your your 325e is. If you have an 88, then you can just swap the complete 'i' head on for a bit of a boost.

A Jim Conforti chip will bump you 13 ish hp. 170-200 isn't going to come without a rebuild, like everyone else says. You can also get a shorter diff - 3.46 or something, to improve acceleration.

You can build a stroker with an eta crank, custom pistons, and some other internals that I'm not too sure about, plus the 'i' head of course.

Just for the record, M10s can be tuned to 200+ hp naturally aspirated, so don't crush 'em all yet.

[uberpanzer]

If you are looking for simple, low cost bolt-ons to get up to 160-170hp, then it is easy. A chip gets the eta to 150+, so that, with the exhaust you have, and a good, properly shielded intake would get you close to this. ....at the crank. When one of my friends put a Dinan chip in his '85 e I swore it turned the thing into an i. Not quite as high revving, but the same power. Too bad we never tested his e and my i head to head.

The motor building everyone else is talking about isn't the easiest thing to do if you don't have the time, skills, or money. I say just do the main bolt-ons for this engine. You can even go with cams and fresher valvetrain if you want. It is an eta, which means 2.7, so you COULD go with a hotter cam that makes more hp and less low-end torque if you want, but that's a waste IMO. But once you get into cams on this motor....you had better do the work yourself, or reside with the fact that you are INVESTING in this engine (due to labor costs).

[crazyho4sho]

lol just 200? motorsport division, and other racers have had them well up over 1000hp(turboed). with the right budget 200 isnt anything

but your average 16 year old, that cant drive for shit yet, that wants a "fast and furious" ride hasnt got crap for money, and im sick and tired of seeing this same thread time and time again, if you want a fast car, looking at a 318i or 325e isnt the right start...

[crazyho4sho]

Originally posted by uberpanzer
The motor building everyone else is talking about isn't the easiest thing to do if you don't have the time, skills, or money.

off the top of my head, of all the engines ive rebuild, both foreign and domestic, i cant think of any that are so INSANELY simple in function as the m20. If you dont know how to rebuild a engine, a m20 and a Bentley is the best way to learn.

i would so so far as to say my redneck neighbor, whom only seems capible of drinking, and burning trash in a barrel on his front lawn could even rebuild a m20.

[BimmerSteven]

Originally posted by E30 Stu
BimmerSteven will argue all day long about how the early chassis is supreme.

To each his own.

It's a good thing this guy is asking about power-related items, and not chassis tuning then isn't it? Also, Stu, I chuckle at the thought of you putting the car down for lacking "oomph", mister 318iS. (kidding of course, you know I dig your car)

The ease with which you can drop a 325i motor into the car depends on it's production date of the 325e.

vodo, read what you write before you click "submit." That made no sense at all.

[Digitalwave]

You guys got it all wrong. Chips don't add 13 horsepower PEAK, they add it lower in the RPM (5,000 RPMish). Check out AA's dyno charts of M20 B25 chips, they claim +10 RWHP but its not peak HP, you only gain +2 RWHP peak, so that means your car is going from 168 to 170 crank HP.

I seriously doubt that a chip bumps an eta from 122 HP to 150 crank. Unfortunately I can't find any dyno charts for eta chips.

[Ronin]

hmmmm...I don't remember saying I wanted a rcoket or a "fast and furious car" just a couple more horsepower. Chill out. And for the record, I drive an e36 M3 right now.