318i turbo

[Adam CD P1]

So my old daily a 99' 318i 1.9 has been for sale for a while, I never really wanted to sell it in the first place even though it had it's issues and it was terrible on petrol I do like it. I upgraded to a 04' 320d auto touring with a decent amount of spec. It's quick enough and does the job as a daily. However, I do miss the old 318i.

So here's the idea, put a turbo on it and use it as a drift car.

I've looked into swapping various engines in and I think the simplest thing is to just turbo the standard engine. The M43 is apparently good up to 8/10 psi standard which is more then I'd push through it. You don't gain a massive amount of power but anything is better than 118bhp (this one probably has 90 left lol).

So, thoughts ?

I've been looking at doing this on the cheap I can get a turbo for around €100 and then intercooler & piping etc a few quid more and just hack it together I have a welder there for all of those bits.

Fun project without a care given is what this really is.

Any ideas on this ?

[Matt]

Will need aftermarket management no?
I was looking at doing the same to my 320, but management

[BashRacing]

You could probably get away with a rising rate fuel pressure regulator if only running low boost

[Dum-Dum]

Are you sure it's not easier to drop in a larger engine? The 328 lump has 198bhp standard and 250bhp with that manifold swap everyone does.

You say you aren't going to run 8-10psi but lets say you run half a bar (7.4psi) you should have 50% more power which is 177bhp.

There is a 328i lump on ebay for £350 BIN. You'd need an unlocked ECU and that would be 200bhp

If you want to turbo the 318 you'll need to buy a manifold (£300) or make one (£100)as the join flange is in a location where you can't fit a turbo. You'll also need an exhaust back from the turbo, £50 for a downpipe is probably fair. You'll need a turbo, lets call that £50 for a TD04 off a scooby as they work. Obviously more money if you want a turbo that wasn't first designed to be made of granite and used to turbocharge Fred Flintstone's car. Oil lined, you need to work out where you can take a pressure feed out and run a line back into the sump, minimum is £30 for an oil line. You'll surely need new management so assuming you are doing this on the cheap megasquirt is £400. You'll need a few more sensors to make that work so call that another £100 and then there is the sundries that are too small to mention but all add up. so £800-£1200 to turbo it and alot of trial and error (look at Niall supercharging his GTi6)



Anyway my question is how is it simpler or cheaper than just swapping in an engine that already fits the car and would give better power and reliability?

I'm not knocking you, it's your car and you can do what you like, I'm just intrigued at your though process.

[Adam CD P1]

Are you sure it's not easier to drop in a larger engine? The 328 lump has 198bhp standard and 250bhp with that manifold swap everyone does.

You say you aren't going to run 8-10psi but lets say you run half a bar (7.4psi) you should have 50% more power which is 177bhp.

There is a 328i lump on ebay for £350 BIN. You'd need an unlocked ECU and that would be 200bhp

If you want to turbo the 318 you'll need to buy a manifold (£300) or make one (£100)as the join flange is in a location where you can't fit a turbo. You'll also need an exhaust back from the turbo, £50 for a downpipe is probably fair. You'll need a turbo, lets call that £50 for a TD04 off a scooby as they work. Obviously more money if you want a turbo that wasn't first designed to be made of granite and used to turbocharge Fred Flintstone's car. Oil lined, you need to work out where you can take a pressure feed out and run a line back into the sump, minimum is £30 for an oil line. You'll surely need new management so assuming you are doing this on the cheap megasquirt is £400. You'll need a few more sensors to make that work so call that another £100 and then there is the sundries that are too small to mention but all add up. so £800-£1200 to turbo it and alot of trial and error (look at Niall supercharging his GTi6)



Anyway my question is how is it simpler or cheaper than just swapping in an engine that already fits the car and would give better power and reliability?

I'm not knocking you, it's your car and you can do what you like, I'm just intrigued at your though process.

I've just had a good read and you've made some very valid points. I've done some more checking up and it's quite pricey. This is precisely why I posted up here before doing anything to the car because I have no experience with turboing a petrol car and I was sure I was leaving out a few things. Your right on a lot of points and I don't want to swap an engine in as my driveway is sloped and my garage is taken up with another project. I may just straight pipe it from the manifold back or from the cat back, weld the diff or preferably fit a cheap lsd if I can find one, fit cheap coilovers and do a few other bits. I don't want to put mad money into the car as it's only for fun.

[welshpug]

I'd definitely M52 it, into a 318 it'll be a part bin raiding exercise, so very very easy, alloy block and 190 bhp stock.

I think the E46 all used the 188 medium type diff, apart from the M3, so swapping these about is easy enough.

there's a goo bmw specialist in the north, http://www.willswheels.co.uk/index.html

[Midnightclub]

Speaking of drifting this.. have you got the subframe repair sorted yet..? if not it will not last long before it's detached completely lol. Echoing the above though, that being said the M52 in the E36 is different to the M52 in the E46 (M52 in the 46 isn't as tuneable) so it might not be as simple as plug and play, may need EWS deleted amongst other things