Fitting a turbo - big job?

[e34.535i.sport]

Hi there, just wandering whether retro-fitting a turbo is possible on e34 535i sport and is it a big job? What sort of cost are we looking at getting a garage to do it?

Thanks in advance...

[genphreak]

Hi there, just wandering whether retro-fitting a turbo is possible on e34 535i sport and is it a big job? What sort of cost are we looking at getting a garage to do it?

Thanks in advance...www.turbochargingdynamics.com (http://www.turbochargingdynamics.com) is a good place to start. They have a great $600 manifold- trouble is you really must change the ECU as Motronic will not workwith forced induction. Megasquirt is the ideal option, once installed you can chuck the AFM as it replaes it with a MAP sensor which runs from a pipe going to the the intake manifold. Is your motor strong? You will need to check/change the headgasket and get serious head (ARP?) studs, etc etc. www.millerperformancecars.com (http://www.millerperformancecars.com) have a very interesting setup also...

[BigKriss]

Beetos (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9655507&postcount=108) hasn't been on here for a while. He would know for sure.

[Omega]

Just a stab in the dark but I suspect Jon K knows a little about forced induction having run both a supercharger and turbo on his engine.

[Omega]

Actually e34.535i.sport , as you're in the UK try and get hold of a copy of Practical Performance Car magazine.

One of the writers -Toby Unna- has fitted a 3.5l to a 3 series BMW and then turbo'd it using scrap yard bits. Works well by all accounts. "Well" being a loosly defined word, naturally.

And welcome to this site, going from your profile you live about 30 miles from me, yet we both use a site based in the states.......

[Jon K]

The only thing that fits without massive modification is the 745i turbo setup, but you still need oil bits and all. A kit for the car starts probably around $6k not installed. Installation on something like that is like $1000 - $1500. I wouldn't say its a "big deal" but its not an oil change for someone who has never done it. You have to tap the oil pan for oil return, tap the sensor feed for oil feed, fit and intercooler, etc.

I've custom built a supercharger setup which is now replaced with a custom built turbocharger setup. It's not impossible, but you have to know what's going on.

[e34.535i.sport]

Think a chip may be a more pheasable route for me to take! Thanks!

Omega - Thanks for the message, nice to know some locals on here! This is a great site though dont ya think? I've been reading for a long time and recently began posting since i got my e34. I notice you have an e39, how do you find it? I was considering buying an e39 but the styling of the e34 was too much to resist for me personally. I bet the newer 5 series are a really nice drive.

Nice to meet you anyway, :).

[Jon K]

Think a chip may be a more pheasable route for me to take! Thanks!

Omega - Thanks for the message, nice to know some locals on here! This is a great site though dont ya think? I've been reading for a long time and recently began posting since i got my e34. I notice you have an e39, how do you find it? I was considering buying an e39 but the styling of the e34 was too much to resist for me personally. I bet the newer 5 series are a really nice drive.

Nice to meet you anyway, :).

I don't mean this in a rude way, but if your "fall back" is that a chip is more feasible then you should never have considered turbo :) Then again, if you took a ride in a turbo E34 you wouldn't even waste time thinking about a chip. Not to say that the chips offered (most notably the EAT Chip) are not adequate, it's just that an NA chipped car will never, ever compare what so ever to a forced induction motor. I have single-handedly corrupted several of my local BMW friends minds by giving them rides in my car - it's probably for the best that you stay away from turbo :p Its one step away from a narcotic!

[shogun]

Save your money.
Don't waste it on a chip.
That little bit of (theoretical?) more HP is nothing compared to a forced induction engines.
But as usual, everything has it's price.
and more HP cost money, each HP more.

[Jon K]

I think a chip would be a good investment because if he ever does move to FI he can surely sell it - but I don't think a person can rationally sit thinking "Hmmm... turbo... or chip." I think the fact that he easily fell back on the chip means he doesn't full understand what he was contemplating to begin with!

[e34.535i.sport]

I think a chip would be a good investment because if he ever does move to FI he can surely sell it - but I don't think a person can rationally sit thinking "Hmmm... turbo... or chip." I think the fact that he easily fell back on the chip means he doesn't full understand what he was contemplating to begin with!

Jon - I can see you are very knowledgable in this area, but if I knew what was involved in fitting a turbo to my car or the price of this job i would not of posted a thread (as i would have known the answer)- so i dont really see the value in you saying i didn't understand what i was contemplating- as this is obvious, hence me posting the thread!? :p

I am looking for more speed from my car, but i dont (unfortunately!) have £1000's lying around for such a job or the know-how; however i would love a turbo as i have seen what they can do! I know its much more than a chip but some extra power is better than none do you see my point? I hope this clears things up for you?

For future reference i post threads to obtain information, not to ask a question to which i know the answer - this would be pointless. However I do appreciate the facts you have included in responses to my threads, so thanks for that. I dont appreciate your assumptions and condescending words however, so please dont reduce yourself to this level. I dont meant to be rude here, just getting things straight.

Thanks.

[Jon K]

Jon - I can see you are very knowledgable in this area, but if I knew what was involved in fitting a turbo to my car or the price of this job i would not of posted a thread (as i would have known the answer)- so i dont really see the value in you saying i didn't understand what i was contemplating- as this is obvious, hence me posting the thread!? :p

I am looking for more speed from my car, but i dont (unfortunately!) have £1000's lying around for such a job or the know-how; however i would love a turbo as i have seen what they can do! I know its much more than a chip but some extra power is better than none do you see my point? I hope this clears things up for you?

For future reference i post threads to obtain information, not to ask a question to which i know the answer - this would be pointless. However I do appreciate the facts you have included in responses to my threads, so thanks for that. I dont appreciate your assumptions and condescending words however, so please dont reduce yourself to this level. I dont meant to be rude here, just getting things straight.

Thanks.

I hope you didn't interpret my accusation of not understanding as me saying "you don't understand, why are you asking." What I meant was - if I took you out in my turbo 525 and then in a 535 chipped... there would be NO question in your mind which setup you want. My bad for coming off blunt - i merely meant that because you haven't been in a turbo car, you haven't the understand of how night and day the pondering between chip vs turbo is. Not to say chips are not worth it -- people who are content with a 540 would be oh so content with a 540 chipped. Likewise with a 535. Every person is different. I am not addicted to power or boost, but I like to see whats out there...


ok i lied im addicted to power and boost!


Sorry for coming off wrong.

[e34.535i.sport]

I hope you didn't interpret my accusation of not understanding as me saying "you don't understand, why are you asking." What I meant was - if I took you out in my turbo 525 and then in a 535 chipped... there would be NO question in your mind which setup you want. My bad for coming off blunt - i merely meant that because you haven't been in a turbo car, you haven't the understand of how night and day the pondering between chip vs turbo is. Not to say chips are not worth it -- people who are content with a 540 would be oh so content with a 540 chipped. Likewise with a 535. Every person is different. I am not addicted to power or boost, but I like to see whats out there...


ok i lied im addicted to power and boost!


Sorry for coming off wrong.


I can see where your coming from there, very hard to understand what people mean when reading text rather than listening to them! Apologies if i was a bit quick off the mark there. Its late.

So i'm guessing you have turbocharged your car yourself? I just replied to you via my other thread - so i wont ask anymore questions as it might get a bit confusing! Actually, just out of interest, what 0-60mph time would your 525i turbo have? (Or 0-100km/ph in american terms?).

[Jon K]

I can see where your coming from there, very hard to understand what people mean when reading text rather than listening to them! Apologies if i was a bit quick off the mark there. Its late.

So i'm guessing you have turbocharged your car yourself? I just replied to you via my other thread - so i wont ask anymore questions as it might get a bit confusing! Actually, just out of interest, what 0-60mph time would your 525i turbo have? (Or 0-100km/ph in american terms?).


Not entirely sure what the 0-60 time is. Yeah its turbocharged. I use a very large turbo off of a 7L diesel engine for max peak (eventually) horsepower. I am not one for "off the line" performance. I am more of the "let me get into 3rd gear at 4500 rpm and blow your freaking doors off" type person. Basically, right now I am prob at 300 whp. At the end of summer when I swap my new engine in, I am hoping for 550+ whp figures.

[beetos]

The only thing that fits without massive modification is the 745i turbo setup, but you still need oil bits and all. A kit for the car starts probably around $6k not installed. Installation on something like that is like $1000 - $1500. I wouldn't say its a "big deal" but its not an oil change for someone who has never done it. You have to tap the oil pan for oil return, tap the sensor feed for oil feed, fit and intercooler, etc.

I've custom built a supercharger setup which is now replaced with a custom built turbocharger setup. It's not impossible, but you have to know what's going on.

I would agree that a 745i set up would be relatively easy if you are LHD. BMW never had a RHD version of a blown M30 (745i). They had a 745i in South Africa but it used the M88 twincam engine in it instead of a turbo M30 (M102 or whatever it is). Steering box and shaft gets in the way for RHD.

Custom manifold route is not much easier for RHD as its hard to get clearance with the steering box and locate the wastegate, especially if you are keeping A/C. I have a custom RHD top mount manifold on mine and I have to have the motor shimmed up to clear the steering box. The wastegate hangs a bit low for my liking also. My solution is probably not the most elegantI have seen some very nice M30 RHD manifold concepts from 666fabrication. I think they have an off the shelf solution now, looks like real quality stuff. Recommend you re-tap all exhaust header studs to M10 if you do a turbo project and have the opportunity to work on the head.

[CharlesAFerg]

Not entirely sure what the 0-60 time is. Yeah its turbocharged. I use a very large turbo off of a 7L diesel engine for max peak (eventually) horsepower. I am not one for "off the line" performance. I am more of the "let me get into 3rd gear at 4500 rpm and blow your freaking doors off" type person. Basically, right now I am prob at 300 whp. At the end of summer when I swap my new engine in, I am hoping for 550+ whp figures.

Sorry to disrupt your civilized argument, but...

Jon, you're purchasing a new engine?

Do you have a link to a thread where you explain what your next project will be? ...or is this the first we've heard of this?
I'm interested.

[attack eagle]

He is building a second motor specifically designed for boost. (lower compression, I think stronger internals as well)

Once it is done he can swap engines and crank the boost up.

[Jon K]

Yeah sorry - I have a 2nd motor on a stand that is being rebuilt and dropped into the car.

[MarkD]

http://blowneuroz.com/mygallery/Sigs/sig2.jpg

I'm going to make a sig similar to yours but it will say powered by Motronic, not MegaWiz :D

I tuned a supercharged e36 m50tu in a total of about 10 hours this week.


Here's a link to the thread:

http://www.maxbimmer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90645

MarkD

[winfred]

"P.S. I didn't need a MegaPiss" http://members.cox.net/wdixon27/lol.gif


http://blowneuroz.com/mygallery/Sigs/sig2.jpg

I'm going to make a sig similar to yours but it will say powered by Motronic, not MegaWiz :D

I tuned a supercharged e36 m50tu in a total of about 10 hours this week.


Here's a link to the thread:

http://www.maxbimmer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90645

MarkD

[Jon K]

http://blowneuroz.com/mygallery/Sigs/sig2.jpg

I'm going to make a sig similar to yours but it will say powered by Motronic, not MegaWiz :D

I tuned a supercharged e36 m50tu in a total of about 10 hours this week.


Here's a link to the thread:

http://www.maxbimmer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90645

MarkD


Yeah but what kind of torque didn't it make..
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hahaha Mark.

I tuned my CF blower on an FMU and a narrow band :) Pretty simple linear setup to tune for, but congrats.

No but seriously I don't have a MAF.


:p

All in good fun - PS whatever happened to that 530 chip I have a 18 year old sister buggin me about more power!

Mark I want to have you tune my car ultimately - you're one of the few tuners who doesn't offend people or make them feel retarded. What do you say... 8.3:1 CR and 25 psi, you up to the task?

[MarkD]

Yeah but what kind of torque didn't it make..
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hahaha Mark.



I didn't dyno it so I'm not sure. It's a temporary tune till the owner gets his S52 in there, it will have lower CR.



All in good fun - PS whatever happened to that 530 chip I have a 18 year old sister buggin me about more power!


Jon, I can't find any 530's at all up here. Is it a standard? That will be easier for me to develop as there are two types of software for the auto trannys and I don't know which you have.




Mark I want to have you tune my car ultimately - you're one of the few tuners who doesn't offend people or make them feel retarded. What do you say... 8.3:1 CR and 25 psi, you up to the task?

I'd be interested, but were would we actually do it? We need to use a good dyno with a retarder, such as a Dyno Dynamics one. (or else we tune on the road). Plus, I don't know if I'll have trouble getting into the USA now after my last trip.

Are there some other tuners that offend people? I'm curious who. Just send me a PM or email since I'd like to know if I know them.


Mark

[Jon K]

Jon, I can't find any 530's at all up here. Is it a standard? That will be easier for me to develop as there are two types of software for the auto trannys and I don't know which you have.



Mark


Mark yeah it's a 5 spd. 1995 - I can get the build date but the car just left the driveway :p

PM'ing

[MarkD]

Mark yeah it's a 5 spd. 1995 - I can get the build date but the car just left the driveway :p

PM'ing

That car may have EWS. If the DME end in 203 484 it has EWS. Can you read the chip and email a file to me?