How much power can a stock M3 handle?

[M3equalslife]

How much horsepower can a 1999 M3 e36 3.2 handle before you have to upgrade parts. Rear end, trans, etc??? Thanks in advance

[pbonsalb]

A 16 year old E36M3? Is it in new condition? Otherwise, parts have been and will continue to fail with stock power. If you do all the maintenance and repairs, the clutch will be the first weak link, at maybe 350 rwhp, 300 lbs rwtq. It can easily be upgraded. The diff has held 500 rwhp and 500 lbs rwtq in turbo cars that are not drag raced with slicks and that stay on street tires. The trans is about the same. Very few have found the need to upgrade either, but you can swap in the stronger 6 speed and a large case diff. The engine is good for about the same as well, though compression needs to be lowered with a thicker headgasket for the boost that will take you to those power levels. It can be rebuilt to be much stronger.

[Volf]

The forced induction section will be able to make short work of this thread

[M3equalslife]

Thanks guys ill repost in forced induction and see what they have on the subject.

[Frerecend]

good information to know, the same for a automatic I would think ?

[Moron95M3]

Autos are weak - they can barely handle the stock power.


Thought most the drive train is pretty good though to atleast 400 - back when I had readup in the FI area.

[ChuckDizzle]

good information to know, the same for a automatic I would think ?

The automatics are not known to handle as much power as the manual transmissions.

[kopaczjm]

How much horsepower can a 1999 M3 e36 3.2 handle before you have to upgrade parts. Rear end, trans, etc??? Thanks in advance

what kind of plans were you thinking??