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Thread: e36 328i with cams and tune

  1. #1
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    Question e36 328i with cams and tune

    Hello everyone;

    I have a stock 328i obd2 and my stock hp is 190 at the flywheel.

    I plan to do these mods below;

    1. 292 degree cams intake and exh.
    2. m50 manifold
    3. reflashed ecu - 7500 rpm max
    4. stock injectors and regulator ( i ve learned that it is safe to use stock injectors until 300 hp, Nick G helped - thanks to him)

    questions?

    1. some people say that with 292 degree cams, I can not get power until 6000 - 7000 rpm, what do you think?

    2. if i dont change my m52 mainfold with m50 , can i gain some more torque in the low rpm , how much it will suffer in the high rpm.

    3. where can i get my ecu reflashed for 292 cams , AA has relash for m3 cams ( 252, 244 ) for 328i

    4. if my rev limit goes 7500 rpm after reflash - will my springs, valves and retainers stand to this rpm or do i have to change them? do i need dolid lifters also?

    Thanks

  2. #2
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    I am not sure you will find an off the shelf OBD2 tune for race cams. Try AA. It did the tuning for the Sunbelt cam kit sold by Bimmerworld. Maybe you should try those cams.

    7500 rpm is high for these cranks. I would stick with 7200 rpm. Above that, the likelihood of problems increases.

    No point in running cams that make power at high rpm and then choking that power with a small runner intake manifold. Or use the M50 manifold, but run the M3 Shricks (256/264). You cannot have it both ways -- maximum top end power and maximum low end torque. There will be some tradeoffs.

    Look into the issue of M3 Shricks or Sunbelts with the 328i valvetrain. You may have to change springs and/or retainers.

  3. #3
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    thanks for quick reply

    any other ideas?

  4. #4
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    Why not just go with s52 cams and a reflash, im pretty sure turner has a flash for those cams.
    1994 325is - s50/zf trans/TRM chip/s52 headers/21.5lb injctrs/3.5 HFM/M3 brakes/billy sports/hr springs/reinforced subframe/camber plates/adj ctrl arms/3.15 LSD
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  5. #5
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    Yes, there is a Conforti Shark for S52 Cams/M50 Manifold and stock fuel injectors and HFM. That is what I run. Idles fine and pretty smooth power graph on the dyno and good A/F throughout.

    In general increasing camshaft duration creates more power up top and loss of low-end torque. Now with the specific duration you are asking about, you will need to find someone that has done it and measured the results to understand what you can expect. The rest of us can only guess, and you probably don't want to go through the expense of this mod combination, especially the custom tune, based on our guesses.

    Of course, if you want to be the first you might uncover something that takes mods to the next level. I am sure at some point in time, someone somewhere asked another enthusiast "do you think an S52 cam would fit in an M52, and if so how would it run and perform?"
    Thomas

    1997 328is -- Arctic Silver w/Black Interior
    Performance Mods:
    S52 Cams / M50 Manifold / Conforti CAI / Conforti Shark for S52 Cams / Borla Exhaust / UUC Pulleys / ASC Delete / Fan Delete / Bilstein + H&R Sport / Turner Adjustable Rear LCA's / UUC RTABs / ZF Auto-Manual Conversion / 3.23LSD Diff
    Audio Mods:
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    Cosmetic Mods:
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  6. #6
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    why ruin a good reliable car for 10hp?

  7. #7
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    The cams the OP is considering are significantly hotter than the S52 cam and would be worth more than 10 hp or even 10 rwhp. I'd guess the S52 cams are worth 10 rwhp over the M52 cams, the Shricks are worth 10 rwhp over the S52 cams, and the Sunbelt street cams are probably worth 10 rwhp over the Shricks. It rarely works to add up all the gains and think that is your new horsepower, but I'd double your suggested 10 hp.

  8. #8
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    s52 cams will net you more than 10 hp.
    1994 325is - s50/zf trans/TRM chip/s52 headers/21.5lb injctrs/3.5 HFM/M3 brakes/billy sports/hr springs/reinforced subframe/camber plates/adj ctrl arms/3.15 LSD
    2004 Volvo s40 T5 - Daily
    2000 GMC k2500 5.7 - 33's/frame off resto'd
    1989 Chevrolet k2500 5.7 rclb

  9. #9
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    so nobody tried 292 cams in his 328i ? I wonder the result.

  10. #10
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    try the track forum for what appears to be a track car question. Before buying the cams, I would make sure you can get tuning for the cams and that you can pass inspection. OBD2 tuning options are more limited than OBD1, but converting to OBD1 means it will fail inspection in many states.

  11. #11
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    inspection is not important for me. i will look at track car section thanks

  12. #12
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    Why do you want those cams?


    You were given good suggestions in this thread. Talk to the company selling the cams and ask them about tuning and their opinion on which manifold to use.


    Have you considered using a turbo? $8000 or so gets you a kit from TT. Don't like turbos? You can get your engine built to make quite a bit more than these common 328 mods you read about here. Might cost about the same or more than the turbo option.

    Want cheaper mods that still make a measurable difference? Go with the common S52 cams, M50 manifold, CAI and Conforti tune.

    Want cheap mods that make a lot of horsepower? You bought the wrong car.


  13. #13
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    292 is HOT dude. To extract any real power from a 292, you'd need a significant bump in compression.

    Stay around 272 max, and you should get the most power on the stock compression ratio. Also, if you want to rev to 7500, you're going to need much stiffer valve springs.

    Summer 2017

  14. #14
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    I hear that our lifters are the main problem with running over 7000rpm..
    '96 328is 5speed - CDV Delete, SPAL electric fan with SPAL PWM controller, weight reduction, Koni str.t springs, H&R OE sport springs, 16" Kosei K1's, ECIS CAI, bored out cupholders.. etc

    Sold 04/27/10 - Now rockin' a 1996 200sx SE-R.

  15. #15
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    I've heard that 7200rpm is the absolute maximum you want to run if you're using the stock bottom-end and hydraulic lifters.

    Apparently the harmonic balancer grenades at around 7400-7500rpm

  16. #16
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    You would deff need stiffer valve springs bimmerworld.com sells alot of good valvetrain components if your totally serious about this but it's super expensive dude. Plus that's a big cam for a pretty much stock engine do you have headers track pipe and intake yet? Like said before I wouldn't go over 272
    92 325i- afe intake, bavauto coils, m3 h&r race springs, m3 koni yellows, m3 solid rubber bushings, sparco strut bar, TMS sway bars, bavauto chip, shorty headers, AA track pipe, borla exhaust, evosport pullies, FDK, stewart waterpump, silicone intake hose, silicone rad hoses, alum rad, reinforced subframe, brembo BBK, 3.23 LSD, uuc weighted shift knob, AA short shifter, m3 bumpers, DS1's, TURBO S50 BUILD IN THE WORKS
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