m52 Turbo Build

[328iFun]

This is where people are like “if you had a standalone...”

But the bottom line is VERY few people implement any safety features.

I’ll take a stock ms41 ecu over a generic standalone install every day.

Anyway, glad the car is running!


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Granted, I haven't ran the car since or had it on the lift yet.

But I'm about 85% sure all is good

[EagleJake]

Finished reading this goldmine of a thread, it's really evident how knowledgable and helpful people in the community can be and it's fantastic. The information in this thread is pretty unreal, thank you for all of the conversation and documentation. Is your wastegate reference pre or post intercooler? Miata guys had a time where they figured out post intercooler was the better reference.

[328iFun]

Finished reading this goldmine of a thread, it's really evident how knowledgable and helpful people in the community can be and it's fantastic. The information in this thread is pretty unreal, thank you for all of the conversation and documentation. Is your wastegate reference pre or post intercooler? Miata guys had a time where they figured out post intercooler was the better reference.

Lol, 'goldmine,' I don't know. I asked a lot of funny questions... It was and still is a learning process.

You're right, the community is great here. Its disappointing to see whats happening over on Boosted E36 world sometimes...

I've never really thought about WG reference, I just put in the manifold because that's what everyone seems to do here

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Anyone have any rear calipers they'd be willing to part with?

left rear bit the dust

Upgrades are always great too, as long as price is right :-)

[vollosso]

FWIW, wastegate reference lines should be boost reference only (non vacuum sources).

The intercooler acts like a damper, and since it’s the largest source of pressure drop ,measuring from the “cold” side is pretty much the optimum location.


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[328iFun]

FWIW, wastegate reference lines should be boost reference only (non vacuum sources).

The intercooler acts like a damper, and since it’s the largest source of pressure drop ,measuring from the “cold” side is pretty much the optimum location.


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Makes sense,

Majority of turbos I've seen have a nipple directly on the cold side housing, which should be used as WG reference

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calipers? Aynone?

for sale rear brake calipers?

[Mklock]

I have my wastegate reference at the manifold, ideally, on the compressor housing is correct. Although, I've never EVER had any problems off the manifold with my gate. From literally 3 psi all the way to 20 psi with no controller or anything.

[EagleJake]

I count it as a goldmine cause of all of the questions you asked and even more so all of the knowledge that butters left.
Vollosso is on track with the Miata guys, they were measuring a pressure difference of a few psi pre and post intercooler. With the turbo setups they were using, they would spring for 15psi and with a pre intercooler reference they would see boost drop at high rpm and airflow. In my head*, a manifold reference wouldn't be good since the throttle plate would be a restriction that the turbo would spin like crazy to get the boost at reference that the WG is looking for.
*I have not read maximum boost so please take this with salt as it is a guess.
Any updates as we start spring and the season?

[328iFun]

Good, I'm glad you found some useful information.

Right now the car is in my garage on the lift. I had a rear brake caliper blow out on me. I ordered replacement calipers from a member on here, just waiting for them to arrive.

Aside from that I've just been working on cleaning the car up a little bit. Painted the fenders flares, installed camber arms, catch can, and am looking for aero stuff (rear/side skirt diffusers, front bumper splitters) to make the car look better.

Eventually some cheap GM pattern wheels for wider tires in the rear and then rear bushing or swapping in an M3 setup.

Either all this ^

or swapping the the turbo stuff into a clean 4 door. E36's are to find anymore though, for a good price

[328iFun]

And yes Butters, even though I haven't seen him around here in forever, is a great a person.

Many others on here as well... I listed everyone awhile back. You know who you are:

Thank you guys

And really, the only item I gathered from Maximum Boost (most of the knowledge I obtained was from here and just reading around) was to have a flex pipe after the turbo. That explanation of exhaust gas and the expansion of material is a pretty good read.

A standard e36 turbo build is pretty cut and dry at this point in time as far as hardware is concerned, really not much of a guessing game anymore ( or some complex equation)

The most difficult task of all was (and my fault) installing the SPA manifold/turbo with the cyl head bolted to the block (when I already had the cyl head removed to begin with). Should have dropped the entire unit on in one piece; cyl head, manifold, and turbo - at the time I didn't have a second pair of hands and its pretty damn heavy...

Took me a good 4-5 hours installing exhaust manifold bolts and some still aren't as tight as I would like them to be

[328iFun]

Had to make fender liners. Going to coat them in rubber

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[328iFun]

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[328iFun]

Send it ?

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[euro2fast4u]

Send it!

[SilburE36]

What is that lift ????? I’m envious.


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[euro2fast4u]

Im hoping just the dust shield

[armenh7]

Had to make fender liners. Going to coat them in rubber

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Whenever people would mention getting a lift for their garage, I never knew it was that small! That must be nice. What's the highest you've gotten it up to? Can you stand under it?

[328iFun]

Lift is maxjax

I'd say about 5 ft in the air. Lifts my 1500 pickup as well

I have roller stool I use to sit underneath the car

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[328iFun]

Its portable, unbolts, has wheels

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[Mklock]

Yeah these are nice for a low ceiling garage. I still love my full size 2 post. I'm almost 6 ft. And can walk underneath with hitting anything but the tires. If I had a personal garage i'd totally use this.

[beeasy]

Can we get more pictures of your fender liners

[328iFun]

Yeah, the lift seems to work well. Just wish I would have had 2 years ago (when I was actually working on the car everyday). Saves a ton of time / back pain

Once the liners are complete ill post pictures. I just have thin metal rivetted up right now

[328iFun]

I found someone close to me that has an m3 rear sale

What are the benfits of running an m3 rear vs 328? How noticeable would they really be?

Would like one but not sure at this point

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[someguy2800]

There should be a noticeable difference in the amount of times you get stranded from broken stub axles.

[pbonsalb]

M3 gets you a shorter ratio and limited slip and heavier duty rear axles and bigger rear brakes (though your convertible has bigger rear brakes than a regular 328). Make sure you get the axles and trailing arms and brakes with the rear since it all goes together.

As for breaking diff output stubs, I broke M3 ones with drag radials when launching at the strip with 500+ lbs rwtq. They are bigger than 328 ones, but I am not sure about the splined part in the diff — I was breaking that splined part and am not sure the M3 splined section is bigger than the 328 splined section. This is probably only an R compound tire at the strip issue.

[bmw328m52]

There will be a noticeable difference. I have broke three axles on my 328. You can get replacement axles from O'reillys with lifetime warranty but it becomes a pita to fix. After breaking the third I get a whining noise from the diff during shifts. An m3 rear end will be the move in the near future.

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