Big Bore Throttle Body... Opinions?

[The Chauffeur]

First, I know I own an 80's-designed heavy sedan with a lesser engine, not trying to turn it into an F1 racer! :D Just trying to see if there's a way to make it even more enjoyable to drive :)

Second, I've already searched info on the subject, but I haven't found enough for the M50, specifically...

That said, I'd love to hear opinions on this, pros and cons, is it worth it, etc... Supposedly, a bigger throttle body would provide slightly quicker throttle response with no major compromises, which is exactly what I'm looking for. I know, vendors will tell you it makes you gain 10,000 hp, your paint will look shinier from all that speed, your wee-wee will be bigger, yada yada yada... I just want to hear unbiased thoughts, especially from folks who have done this upgrade.

Thanks!

[moroza]

General consensus, as I've gathered, is that BMW intake systems are designed well enough that there is little to nothing to be gained (and often something to be lost) by modifying it without accompanying mods. Your mileage may vary (YMMV), in general, and it'll likely go down by a small amount too.

[The Chauffeur]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, that'd be my main fear, to compromise driveability... Don't get me wrong, right now as it is (no major mods), the car is pretty enjoyable to drive, but your signature picture is right on: not much fun under 2K... I mean, sometimes I feel I have to make an appointment to merge on the highway... :rolleyes

[moroza]

Haha... I made that sig piece back when I owned a 534i (I'll call it a 535i when it displaces 3.5l) with a small exhaust leak, and the surly rumble it had below 2k reminded me of the then-novel shifty smiley. In normal driving I'd shift at 2k and keep up with traffic all day long. Later, I sorta-co-owned a 1982 Mazda B2200 pickup with a 60hp diesel, which had no trouble getting on the highway in a timely fashion. If you can't do that with over triple the power, you're doing it wrong.

That said, of course you want more power. A chip is about all you can do short of major modification.

[BleedsBlue]

There is actually lots of info on this that should be useful to you, albeit under the guise of S50/52 (M3) mods (probably nothing on this in terms of E34 M50s :rofl). To summarize from my 5 years as an E36 M3 owner, the BBTB won't make a smattering of difference by itself. It needs an accompanying 3.5" intake system all the way (elbow, MAF, intake) to really make it worth it.

On an otherwise stock car, even then we're not talking much hp/$. Used those parts can still touch $1k total. Cams and, on the other side of the cylinders, freer flowing exhaust really help take advantage of that extra air from the BBTB and larger intake tract.

The power band will move up with these mods, so while the M50 may toot out more HP, it will be higher in the RPM range. Not necessarily a bad thing for a non-Vanos M50.

I hope that helps, but more reading can be found on M3Forum.net (again, search for S50 or 52 in context, not M50).

[The Chauffeur]

Thanks again for the info. I think I'm asking too much from the car... :stickoutt. I already got it chipped (it was the first upgrade after I bought it), and the difference was night and day, obviously; I was also lucky enough to get an Eisenmann muffler for peanuts (I know, I know, on an m50... :D), dunno how many pounds I dropped there! I just wish it was a little bit quicker on the bottom end, especially from 1st to 2nd gear; don't get me wrong, if that doesn't happen, I'll still find it very enjoyable... I've had faster/lighter/newer cars, but none I've enjoyed as much as this one!

[skeeternohustle]

Do you have a model number for the Eisenmann muffler or point me to who sells them for my 1985 BMW 735i. Thanks !

[BleedsBlue]

M50s are awesome motors, but particularly with the non-Vanos you're just not going to get more low-end out of it.

Not that it's really any cheaper, but a differential would also be very noticeable.

[The Chauffeur]

Do you have a model number for the Eisenmann muffler or point me to who sells them for my 1985 BMW 735i. Thanks !

Model No. is B5227.00700. I got mine used from ebay (it was cheaper than what a generic setup would've cost me!:)), and the seller stated it was removed from another m50 E34, so the fit was basically spot-on... According to their website ( http://www.eisenmann-sportauspuff.de/shop/EN/show/BMW/ ), the only ones they make for the 7 series are for the E32 and E38; if I remember correctly, the E23 muffler is very different in shape and placement than the newer models; IMHO it'd be easier to find another Eisenmann closer to the E23 one, but I might be wrong. Here are a couple more links to other vendors:

http://www.bimmerzone.com/category/BMW_Performance_Exhaust_Eisenmann.html

https://www.vividracing.com/catalog/eisenmann-exhaust-m-165.html

Hope this helps!

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Not that it's really any cheaper, but a differential would also be very noticeable.

Yeah, that's another one in my ever-growing wishlist!!! :luvlove