Author Topic: Power gain on a 16 year old's budget (Read 15562 times)

Birdman16 · « **on:** June 05, 2008, 05:31:45 PM »

My 91 318is is my first car and I'm looking for some power for it. I'm not talking about a turbocharger or supercharger, but a 15 to 30 horsepower/ torque gain. I was thinking about a performance exhaust (not ANSA) or a Dinan or Alpina chip ( if I can find the later) but can't find 93 octane in Massachusetts. I have replace all the hoses and gaskets and have done suspension, wheel/tire and gasket work. What do youu reccomend. Remember, working at Marshall's does not pay that much.

dude8383 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 05, 2008, 08:24:23 PM »

I would consider MarkD's chip...its one of the best out there.

As for any extra power gains, you should look into light weight flywheels.

peerless · « **Reply #2 on:** June 05, 2008, 08:25:01 PM »

Well at least your straight up about it all.

You can find a chip used if you keep looking or find a new one if you can swing the cash flow. Header back exhaust with a high flow cat and a easy breathing muffler will add a few ponies as well. Don't fall into the big name mufflers or cat back systems either.

A cold air intake will add a bit more as well.

Regarding octane ratings, I have a chip in a M20 E30 that requires 91. I run 89 and don't have any problems. 87 on the other hand will ping, but even then its only on a high load situation, 3rd gear pull up a hill, etc..

Have fun with it.

doucy2 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2008, 09:26:40 AM »

Learning to drive properly will allow you to reap great benefits. Jim C chip and a s3.73 diff would be two great mods.

tony92ic · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2008, 01:39:40 PM »

Low budget:

1. Modify the airbox to take more cold air. Instructions are on the forum someplace.

2. Get a muffler shop to put a magnaflow muffler and new tip on. Mine cost me about $175. Sounds great and should free up some flow over the old exhaust (making an assumption here). BMW cats usually flow pretty good, unless yours is bad I'm not sure there is going to be a big gain there. If somebody has tested this and found otherwise - chime in.

3. Mark D chip.

4. Remove weight. Cheapest HP you can get, because it doesn't cost much or anything. Pull out crap in the car you don't need. For me that includes the spare. If you buy wheels and tires don't get cheap heavy ones. Pay close attention to what they weigh. Rotating mass robs more power than you can gain on all these other tricks combined.

5. Tune up. New plugs, wires or COP, airfilter, etc will regain a lot of lost power. Buy a good quality air filter like Mahle. They seem to flow as well as expensive oiled cotton ones. At least according to some testing also posted on this site.

6. Junk yard upgrades. Swap the diff out to get LSD or more acceleration. Single mass flywheel upgrade. M50 coils. Mustang injectors. Search the forum for instructions and advantage/disadvantages of each.

All of these should be doable on a teenagers budget. The most expensive item is the Mark D chip (unless you go looking for new wheels and tires.)

Good luck and enjoy the BMW.

Birdman16 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2008, 02:10:57 PM »

So far great responses, keep them coming. I have done the whole tune-up (plugsm gaskets, wires, light wheels) and have a K&N air filter with a cold air box I made in metal shop. Luckily, the car came with the LSD and runs on both wheels (found that out when my dad did a burnout in the driveway when we got it.....)

Frankie · « **Reply #6 on:** June 08, 2008, 02:45:20 PM »

No need for "cold air intake", use the orginal with good oem filter. KN's and other crap will do no difference in M42.

Buy cheap ebay chip, like X-xtreme, only 40 bucks. Everyone says that MarkD is the best, but I have ever seen any dyno results.

Then do the throttle body delete, costs around 40 bucks (at most) to fix new hoses. I allows cooler air to flow to intake manifold.

With these mods I got 153hp from dyno.

Birdman16 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2008, 04:59:54 PM »

I went looking for this Mark D chip and still could not find it. Does anyone have a link? By the way frankie... 5 hp increase on the K&N not much but a start... dyno proof.

318kid · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2008, 05:19:23 PM »

http://www3.sympatico.ca/mdsylva/products.htm

Thats Mark D's website. Also I have a glass pack as my muffler, It sounds like crap but it is quite a bit quicker. Throttle response also improved. Oh I'm 16 also

xwill112x · « **Reply #9 on:** June 13, 2008, 05:54:05 PM »

yea, i have a K&N..shrick cams, aluminum fly wheel, and i loosened up my exhaust behind the cats to make it louder and more free flowing..oh did i mention the 4:10 LSD?

its pretty fast when all i did wasput the K&n on!

Birdman16 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 26, 2008, 12:21:28 PM »

Anything else. Car's in the shop for suspension work (control arms, can't fit wrench in there) and because of a frozen fan clutch (loud as hell squeeling). Any other upgrades in mind to throw on when the car comes back?

EN318isPDX · « **Reply #11 on:** June 26, 2008, 05:16:24 PM »

Quote from: Birdman16;52075

Anything else. Car's in the shop for suspension work (control arms, can't fit wrench in there) and because of a frozen fan clutch (loud as hell squeeling). Any other upgrades in mind to throw on when the car comes back?

There you go! get rid of that fan clutch its killing your HP.

Birdman16 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 29, 2008, 06:56:02 PM »

CORRECTION! The alternator died when the car went to start (That's what the shop said.). It froze up causing the squeeling problem. Fan clutch was in good shape and the car has not lost any WHP.

Birdman16 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2008, 04:11:26 PM »

Any other suggestions, took the spare out for weight, fuel pump will be replaced this weekend. Light chirp now possible between 1st and 2nd w/o the spare.

E30nate · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2008, 11:12:17 PM »

i have a pro formance ebay chip. put down 128 whp on the dyno. worth the $50 imo.

and high flow cats dont really do much, if anything. if youre stock cat isnt clogged i wouldnt waste the money on a new one. just do a good mandrel bent catback with a good flowing muffler and you should be fine.