Author Topic: e30Andym42 (Read 31531 times)

r0ckrat · « **Reply #15 on:** April 10, 2008, 02:42:47 PM »

Until you get it chipped it's safe to run 89. Once chipped, it will need 91. The chip will alter timing settings, which with 89 octane can cause detonation.

monty23psk · « **Reply #16 on:** April 10, 2008, 03:10:09 PM »

if you look at the manual it says 91, which in the USA, its hard to find. Thats why 93 is the next best choice. The car will work with 87 as my car is living proof as it used it for over 3 yrs. The article I read said if your compression is over 9 you will need 93 octane. You call it super premium but here it is just premium, 89 is super, and 87 is regular. If the car is working fine, you can keep the current octane.

So in my opinion the m42 318is should be using 91 octane whether stock or with chip. Remember, premium and super premium are just marketing words, its the scienctific values that matter.

e30Andym42 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 10, 2008, 05:26:01 PM »

well i wouldnt want detonation, thats for sure. anyways, ive been checking out some forums and such about chips for the 318is. they sort of contradicted each other....thoughts on the best chip? seems like MarkD is up there....like i said, idk much to anything about chips.

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 10, 2008, 08:14:50 PM »

Nice car! For the chip, MarkD is probably the way to go. I've had no problems with his 93 octane chip, and it gave a noticeable increase in driveability and midrange. A chip won't really get much more than that on our cars.

e30Andym42 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 10, 2008, 09:25:02 PM »

the thing i'm currently focused on, in the nicest way possible, is the m42's lack of power in acceleration at least. sure the 318is can kick some serious butt around a track, but its not like i do that often, though id like to change that in the future when i have some extra money lying around. i'm afraid some idiot (avoiding profound language) is going to pull up in a 96 honda civic with a ridiculously big spoiler and a loud, annoying muffler (such as a glasspack) and think his car is the fastest car to hit the world. i'd like the ability to prove him wrong with a CORRECTLY and BEAUTIFULLY engineered german classic. don't get me wrong, there are certainly slower 4 cylinder BMWs, but id like to reach 60 faster than i currently can with the stock m42. my stock m42 is a blast around my street, but like i said...i dnt want to get shown up by a piece of crap when the light turns green. it may change in the near future as i obtain more information on the 318is, but i'd like to increase my 0-60 time without spending a huge pile of money. i'm working on getting a job so my money supply, once again, is limited. *sorry for the over-explanation, it's in my nature

*

e30Andym42 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 10, 2008, 09:29:00 PM »

hope i wasn't too harsh....i love my m42 to death, i just wish it was faster off the line...not that i really know what i'm talking about...first car much?

hoevesruperd · « **Reply #21 on:** April 10, 2008, 10:23:43 PM »

you want fast? here it is...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A3BzF7kjLUY&feature=related
remember; there is always someone faster... and people with big engines usually compensate for smaller reproductive engines...

just kidding, i'd love an S engine too! if you look around you will see the prices and info you need to know for a swap. or maybe someone will be willing to trade a 325

r0ckrat · « **Reply #22 on:** April 10, 2008, 11:27:34 PM »

With the M42 it's all about the revs. Keep the RPM over 4500 and it'll go just fine, it's just getting to that point that seems sluggish. Don't shift 'till it reaches 6500-6800 rpm, and and you'll be able to keep it in the sweet spot. But, the M42 is definitely not a drag car motor, but a canyon carver.

e30Andym42 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 11, 2008, 02:55:05 PM »

well i usually shift around 6....but thats becuz i'm afraid to over rev. as far as engine swapping, id love to swap for an s52 at the very least just for the beautiful engine tone. but i can't say i dnt love the sound of the m42. but back to the subject, an engine swap is time consuming, i can't do it by myself so that means wasting my dad's time, i dnt have the tools, and depending on the engine, there goes the weight distribution. oh, and one more thing, stock m42 318is 0-60 in an average of 9 seconds, as i'm guessing u already know. that's not exactly going to squash your face in with the g forces. i am aware its not a drag car and i dnt intend to make it one, just looking to improve upon that area.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mX4YBszdk04

318kid · « **Reply #24 on:** April 11, 2008, 05:19:17 PM »

If you wana do an engine swap get a Downing Atlanta Supercharger. Although it makes less power than the S50/52 it is still just as fun, and it only adds around 15lbs in the front of the car! (P.S. Make sure you take a buncha pictures and videos if you do it!)

e30Andym42 · « **Reply #25 on:** April 12, 2008, 08:04:14 PM »

MAYBE in the future....not the near future though, adding a supercharger is a big job....parts need to be strengthened to handle the stress. not to mention, it would probably cost more than i spent on the car. plus, there of course are advantage to having a supercharger, but the problem is, i'm spending all that money and getting a great performance increase, but i have to deal with that whining noise all superchargers make. a car sounds better without it, in my opinion. a turbo is less annoying as far as sound goes, and i know i'm comparing them for the wrong reason, but the sound of a car is very important to me, as is peformance. i'd only sacrafice so much sound for performance because its not a race car, its my every day car, and i want to enjoy driving it without wearing earmuffs and/or hating the sound being pumped into my ears.

supercharger:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jSnd9E5BERQ

turbo:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jSnd9E5BERQ&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KdXD64OORPA&feature=related

over the top- straight cut gears:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSJ-HzNWJGM&NR=1

i wouldn't drive my car very much at all if it had straight cut gears and whined so annoyingly like that.

hoevesruperd · « **Reply #26 on:** April 12, 2008, 09:01:38 PM »

dont worry about the sound of that gearbox!! its a super-race car with the S42 engine and lots ofswiss318is was talking about (check the thread)

i also think the m42 turbo video you linked is rob_e30's car, (correct me if i'm wrong)
his threads on this forum might help you out figuring of you want to go the forced induction route

another great engine sound is the one from the S14! makes it even better since you know it was born in an e30!

e30Andym42 · « **Reply #27 on:** April 12, 2008, 10:31:46 PM »

ok well everybody has a different opinion on sound and supercharger vs turbo, and what engine would be best to swap, but what really matters is i CAN'T do any of those for years, unless i get some magic money where it appears out of nowhere just for me, because the only money i have disappears. man, if it was 13 years later when i'm finally done with school for good, i would do so many mods and own like 10 different e30s....but the reality is it's not 13 years later. I need cheap, difference making performance mods, as simply said as i can. at some point, i would also like to spend maybe $1500 or so on a reliable, safe winter car to protect my 318is from the dreaded road salt. but thats not at least until next winter. but as for now, i need performance enhancing, not wallet depleting modifications for the m42....and a job so i can...buy them? just looking for info to decide what to do first

e30Andym42 · « **Reply #28 on:** April 14, 2008, 03:51:49 PM »

oh.....it was maybe a month or two ago that i tried to install a cold air intake system from K&N, but the bracket to support it didn't fit at all, so i had to return it, and i ended up just getting a panel filter...noticeable modification without the noticeable weight difference in my wallet

. this was also due to the fact that the panel filter that came in the car was finished and needed replacing anyway. but you know, thats what i'm looking for, what else going to do that for me?

318kid · « **Reply #29 on:** April 14, 2008, 05:16:50 PM »

Oh well you were talking about swapping so I figured.... There isn't many things that will really help our engines. You may get away with a rebuild for $1700 but thats dependent on how hard you search for parts. The only things that are reasonable price-wise is maybe a chip and an exhaust system. Sorry.