1. Is it worth it to just turbo charge the 520i motor?
2. If question 1 is yes can anyone guesstimate the output I would see?
3. Should I do the swap then hold out to do the turbo?
:)Thanks for your helpThe Car:
Is it worth it?????
I am new to the e28.....just recently picked up a 1985 euro 520i.....In the long list of mods that I want to do on the car are a 535i or better motor swap as well as turbo (depends on funds), and of course I have some of questions and I need opinions...
1. Is it worth it to just turbo charge the 520i motor?
2. If question 1 is yes can anyone guesstimate the output I would see?
3. Should I do the swap then hold out to do the turbo?
:)Thanks for your help
The Car:
1. Is it worth it to just turbo charge the 520i motor?
2. If question 1 is yes can anyone guesstimate the output I would see?
3. Should I do the swap then hold out to do the turbo?
:)Thanks for your helpThe Car:
1&2. Is around 270-300 rwtq enough for you? Todd's been able to achieve that on their 325i test mule with stage 2 kit.
It depends what you want. The M20 turbo is a little more "peaky" than the m30 turbo, simply due to motor differences. The m30 has really nice mid-range torque stock, so it has really meaty mid-range torque characteristics with a turbo. The m20 likes to rev, making most of its power high in the rpm range, and keeps those same characteristics with a turbo attached.
3. If your goal is maximum power, then yes, do the m30 swap first (or in conjunction with the turbo swap). You can make enough power to embarass a stock M5 with an M20 turbo though. Like I said, it would depend what your ultimate goal is.
Jeremy
PS- Nice looking car, needs some bigger wheels on there though.
It depends what you want. The M20 turbo is a little more "peaky" than the m30 turbo, simply due to motor differences. The m30 has really nice mid-range torque stock, so it has really meaty mid-range torque characteristics with a turbo. The m20 likes to rev, making most of its power high in the rpm range, and keeps those same characteristics with a turbo attached.
3. If your goal is maximum power, then yes, do the m30 swap first (or in conjunction with the turbo swap). You can make enough power to embarass a stock M5 with an M20 turbo though. Like I said, it would depend what your ultimate goal is.
Jeremy
PS- Nice looking car, needs some bigger wheels on there though.
Thanks Jeremy.......I definitely agree about the wheels, I am currently shopping for a set, trying to stay with BMW oem so if you know anyone selling a set please let me know. I am kind of leaning towards keeping it a 520 for a couple a reasons, first is, keeping the car original and the second would be because the motor has 77,000 miles on it any is babied so it is better than anything that I would swap into it. Do you know of any companies that would sell a kit for it or any articles on regarding this. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
Sorry, I kinda assumed knowledge of the TurboCharging Dynamics company was a requisite for posting in this forum. 
http://www.turbochargingdynamics.com
Todd (from my first post re: the 325i) = TCD = founder and owner of TurboCharging Dynamics. A great guy who'd be able to answer any specific questions you have better than I.
If you don't have it already, Corky Bell's "Maximum Boost" is an excellent read/ reference on matters of forced induction.
http://www.turbochargingdynamics.com
Todd (from my first post re: the 325i) = TCD = founder and owner of TurboCharging Dynamics. A great guy who'd be able to answer any specific questions you have better than I.
If you don't have it already, Corky Bell's "Maximum Boost" is an excellent read/ reference on matters of forced induction.
Okay let's see. Assuming that you have the original engine in there, it most likely is a high compression engine to begin with so a turbo is not really what you want to do unless you lower the compression on it which is another ball of wax all together.
You will have some considerable mods going to an M30 setup including things like a differrent tranny and driveshaft and things like different springs and sway bars(I think). I would need fire up my electronic parts catalog(ETK) to make sure about all that stuff, but I'm fairly sure about it. Also things like a bigger radiator and maybe a different brake setup(?). Again I'd have to look in ETK and make a list of all the key differences.
That said I'm not sure how I would advise you. If you find that you have a low compression engine somehow, I'd look to turbo it and keep the car basically original like you said. It would be fuel efficient but you would have a good kick when you wanted it too. TCD has not boosted that engine yet, but with the help of TCD and the comunity here, you could probably piece together something that would work out for you.
Hope this helps.
You will have some considerable mods going to an M30 setup including things like a differrent tranny and driveshaft and things like different springs and sway bars(I think). I would need fire up my electronic parts catalog(ETK) to make sure about all that stuff, but I'm fairly sure about it. Also things like a bigger radiator and maybe a different brake setup(?). Again I'd have to look in ETK and make a list of all the key differences.
That said I'm not sure how I would advise you. If you find that you have a low compression engine somehow, I'd look to turbo it and keep the car basically original like you said. It would be fuel efficient but you would have a good kick when you wanted it too. TCD has not boosted that engine yet, but with the help of TCD and the comunity here, you could probably piece together something that would work out for you.
Hope this helps.
[QUOTE="Jesse "]Okay let's see. Assuming that you have the original engine in there, it most likely is a high compression engine to begin with so a turbo is not really what you want to do unless you lower the compression on it which is another ball of wax all together.
You will have some considerable mods going to an M30 setup including things like a differrent tranny and driveshaft and things like different springs and sway bars(I think). I would need fire up my electronic parts catalog(ETK) to make sure about all that stuff, but I'm fairly sure about it. Also things like a bigger radiator and maybe a different brake setup(?). Again I'd have to look in ETK and make a list of all the key differences.
That said I'm not sure how I would advise you. If you find that you have a low compression engine somehow, I'd look to turbo it and keep the car basically original like you said. It would be fuel efficient but you would have a good kick when you wanted it too. TCD has not boosted that engine yet, but with the help of TCD and the comunity here, you could probably piece together something that would work out for you.
Hope this helps.[/QUOTE]
While the compression may be higher, that doesn't mean it "cant" be turbo'd with good results. The ///M3 guys are getting 120-150whp on those hig comp engines.
RussC
[Edit by russc on [TIME]1126804061[/TIME]]
You will have some considerable mods going to an M30 setup including things like a differrent tranny and driveshaft and things like different springs and sway bars(I think). I would need fire up my electronic parts catalog(ETK) to make sure about all that stuff, but I'm fairly sure about it. Also things like a bigger radiator and maybe a different brake setup(?). Again I'd have to look in ETK and make a list of all the key differences.
That said I'm not sure how I would advise you. If you find that you have a low compression engine somehow, I'd look to turbo it and keep the car basically original like you said. It would be fuel efficient but you would have a good kick when you wanted it too. TCD has not boosted that engine yet, but with the help of TCD and the comunity here, you could probably piece together something that would work out for you.
Hope this helps.[/QUOTE]
While the compression may be higher, that doesn't mean it "cant" be turbo'd with good results. The ///M3 guys are getting 120-150whp on those hig comp engines.
RussC
[Edit by russc on [TIME]1126804061[/TIME]]
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dcbrewmeister
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[QUOTE="russc"]While the compression may be higher, that doesn't mean it "cant" be turbo'd with good results. The ///M3 guys are getting 120-150whp on those hig comp engines.
RussC
[Edit by russc on [TIME]1126804061[/TIME]][/QUOTE]
A little elaboration; Just means you can't run as much boost is all. A friend of mine turbo'ed a Metro (quit laughing) boosted it to about 7psi and worked very well and gave it quite a bit of pep for a 3 cyl engine.
RussC
[Edit by russc on [TIME]1126804061[/TIME]][/QUOTE]
A little elaboration; Just means you can't run as much boost is all. A friend of mine turbo'ed a Metro (quit laughing) boosted it to about 7psi and worked very well and gave it quite a bit of pep for a 3 cyl engine.