Supercharged M3 mods

[bimma]

I know this thread might seem ridiculious but lately I've gotten the itch again to spend some money on "Bimma." She is a DINAN S/C 1999 M3.

Can anybody tell me what list of modifications I can still do to her to add a little bit of power here and there without goin insane on spending money but at the same time something pretty reliable?

Like I said, I know it sounds dumb, but I've just had the itch to add a few ponies here and there just to build up and see what I can get without risking screwing up my engine. So just give me all the feedback you can, experience, adv, and disadv.'s , etc...

Thanks guys
Zaki

[ICS Performance]

One of the senior members Paul Elliot has a Dinan s/c car, he is very educated on mods done to his vehicle, he could definetely assist you. :)

[buldogge]

...but...a 6" crank pulley and some water injection is the cheapest quickest route to a significant increase in power. $350 for the pulley and $400 for water injection. You can add custom tuning down the road for $700 as well...although Paul E ran on "stock" Dinan software for sometime @ 11psi.

[paul e]

Thanks guys for the 'props'. Zaki, assuming your car is a street only application (occasional autox and drags are ok... just not much track, full bore, extended redline track motoring), For about $1000, you can expect to add between 35 and 50 whp! As buldogge says, buy a 6" crank pulley available from buildogge right here. When I got mine, the only source was RMS. So, get the pulley.. That will add +3 psi or so. It took me from the dinan out of the box 8 psi in my car to just over 11 psi. To keep things running smoothly, get yourself some water injection, spraying around 250-300 ml/min, triggered around 4 psi. At about $25/hp, its one of the most cost effective street mods you can make :) To really get the most out of it though, get some custom tuning to go along with it. Its well worth it. Im picking up around 15-20 whp from the software alone. For more info, search bf on water injection.

[marc1119]

If you start considering to raise your boost by 3 lbs, you might want to consider bigger injectors, a 3.5 HFM, and some custom tuning, as well as the water injection and pulley upgrade.. You might want to monitor your engine better with an EGT and a wideband O2 sensor setup.
Taking all this into account will run you substantially more than $1000 :)

Been there, done that. ;)

[buldogge]

My car was HURTIN at the track this past weekend (only ran one session and switched to the new track-only E36 325is I built)...EGTs thru the roof on the front straight. Talking to Karl right now about injectors/HFM. Are you using the std euro/540 HFM? What size/source of injectors??

Thanx...

[lkstaack]

...but...a 6" crank pulley and some water injection is the cheapest quickest route to a significant increase in power. $350 for the pulley and $400 for water injection. You can add custom tuning down the road for $700 as well...although Paul E ran on "stock" Dinan software for sometime @ 11psi.

Your options for a $400 water injection has recently been reduced. Aquamist has just raised their prices over 25%. The cheapest price that I have found for a 1s system is $510. I am trying to get information from anyone that has tried the Snow Performance system on their E36.

[marc1119]

Bulldogge, I run a 3.5 EURO HFM and I believe 42 lb injectors @3.5 bar from RMS.Incidently RMS has PISSER tuning for 10-11 lb boost with that setup. :)

[bimma]

ok, if i got with bigger injectors to just be on the safe side, where do i buy bigger injectors from, someplace that is safe and nobody has had any problems with the injectors they purchased from them?

also, will going with bigger injectors affect running lean anywhere throughout the rpms or will the custom tuning pretty much take care of that issue there?

[buldogge]

You have to have custom tuning to run larger injectors...you can't just install them and go. I am working with Karl @ AA right now trying to fine tune the programming for my set-up...hopefully with 3.5HFM and larger injectors. You can also speak to Nick G here on this board. I believe he and Paul E are working on a similar set-up. Lastly, as Marco can tell you...Osh @ RMS has tuning for this as well...but...there is a lot of controversy going on with him right now so this may not be the best choice.

Either way...stick to 9-9.5 psi with water injection or @ 11psi I suggest you look into injectors/HFM/tuning as well.

Good luck...

[PourkyM3]

I just bought the RMS S/C Stage II Kit. I won't be adding any extra power on top of the S/C anytime soon (Need more $$$), but I was wondering should I use the RMS Software the way the kit coems or Should I get a different type of software? Would RMS software be safe since I won't be doing anything for awhile with the S/C kit?

[paul e]

>>Would RMS software be safe since I won't be doing anything for awhile with the S/C kit?<<

Thats the thing... you never know what youre going to get... its like Pot Luck. If I were you, after you get the kit, send the ECU down to Nick so he can 'correct' it, to make sure it wont ruin your car. The problem is that, if Im not mistaken, the circuit board they install makes it next to impossible for tuners like Nick who use the conventional BMW methods to tune the ecu to gain write access . These circuit boards, encryption devices, etc some of these tuners are using relegates you to having to use their services in the furture for sw tuning, unless you purchase an extra ecu that hasnt been 'bastardized' yet.

[PourkyM3]

I'm not getting the S/C Installed at RMS, but before I do get someone to install the kit (Probably be at Meridian, friend said he can do it for $800, good people who work on all europeans...Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Benz, Lambo) what should I do for software if RMS's will be a problem? Also do you think Osh will sale me the kit without the software?

[paul e]

>>what should I do for software if RMS's will be a problem<<

Guess you didnt read my post one above yours!

>>Also do you think Osh will sale me the kit without the software?<<

Good qustion.. get back to us when you find out.

[marc1119]

Osh subtracts $46 for software(1/2 hr labor bench time) for no software. For $46 I would get his S/W and use it to BASELINE your kit. If it is good leave it, if you do not like it, seek other avenues. :)

Also, you know I love you Paul but ;) , Osh is not the only one who "bastardizes" S/W, AA does also and Eurospeed is in a GB on this BF doing one right now.Just because some tuners "prefer" or "only can" FLASH a computer and not "BURN" a chip, hardly makes it "bastardized". I prefer the convenience of "driving my car while waiting for an updated program" and NOT losing prior programming that may be good because of a "flash over". :) And not worrying about sending my DME on "several cross country trips", risking losing it or damaging it.

There is nothing wrong with Flashing, I prefer "burning chips" everytime and anytime. I would HARDLY call that "BASTARDIZING".I think that is a poor characterization of the process, :)

[paul e]

Marco,

>>Also, you know I love you Paul but , Osh is not the only one who "bastardizes" S/W,<<

Where did I say he was the only one?.. All I did was warn the user that once he goes that route, hes tied into that route with that tuner...

sorry.. shouldnt have used the 'bastardized' word, as that implies good or bad.. I meant to be factual.. Bastardized in my mind meant inextricably altered.. I dont like any method which Ties you to that tuner for hte life of the ecu.

It certainly has benefit for that tuner :) The way Nick does it, if you dont want to deal with him anymore for whatever reason, you still have the option of sending that ecu to Osh, or Karl, for them to retune for you. You dont have the same freedom with the Osh or Karl method.

But its a double edged sword.. I can see advantages of mailing chips instead of entire ECUs. There is a convenience factor with that, no doubt. But the downsides Ive already mentioned above.. Each user has to decide which he wants, and whats better for him. I just want him ot have the facts.. thats all. Forget the word 'bastardized' .. youre right. theres no place for that characterization.. Still, i might be wrong, but I think in a strict sense, 'bastardized' means changed beyond recovery, or some thing like that. AT least, it does to me. :)

[marc1119]

I know what you meant, I wasn't trying to be so literal as trying to point out a chip is just as viable an option to me as a flash, and I think to many others.

I went and used the term "bastardized" a while back describing the M50 manifold swap and then went ahead and did it. That is one "bastardized" I am willing to live with. I am very happy with the outcome and driveability of that swap. :)
I understand exactly what you mean though Paul, in terms of the DME and tuning. :)