Please help me Turbo it 525i or 528i

[alif78]

Firstly a big G'day to all members from Australia.

I would love some advise please.

I want to purchase an OLD 90's 5 series and bring it back to life but not too sure which model to go for. I would like to put a turbo on it after a rebuild of engine from ground up. Here is the break down of questions I have.

E34 or E39? M50 or M52? with VANOS or without? Which would be easier to do? (I will be getting a mechanic to do the work. I'm aiming for mid budget for rebuild of around $5000 Australian (not including the car).
What do you wanna rebuild??? I want to know which size gasket, what size forged pistons/rods/cams/compression.
Fuel power??? I will upgrade all fuel (this is the easy part)
Horsepower??? I don't have a set figure but if I had to pick one around 400hp would be good. (please advice)
Turbo size??? what ever fits. (please advice)
Transmission??? automatic at first.
Driving style??? weekend run with the wife.
Computer??? Haltech
and because I live down under and we don't have the luxury of EU parts any advice for parts would be great.

I'm sooooo sorry for this massive noob questions but any help will go along way.

Thank you all.

[Pelican Parts]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Before other members jump on you, I would highly recommend searching the thread as this topic has been discussed many times. I'm including a few links to earlier threads below, but there are going to be tons more out there. Best of luck!


https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...E39-540i-Turbo

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...9-build-thread

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...urbo-M50-build

[328iFun]

Id figure id spare all the veterans on this one


E34 or E39? M50 or M52? with VANOS or without? Which would be easier to do? (I will be getting a mechanic to do the work. I'm aiming for mid budget for rebuild of around $5000 Australian (not including the car).
M50 has lower displacement, personally unless you can get an older Non-Vanos m50, I would go with the m52 as its displacement is a bit higher. Although the rods in the m50's generally are stronger than the m52s, I like the m52b28. But Ideally a non-vanos m50nv would be ideal as its rods are super beefy. Guys here have made insane power on the NV engines
Parts cost $5,000USD, quality that is, which is $6368.94 in AUS. Labor would be no less than 3k if you do it correctly. end thread/ but ill type a little more for you just incase you want to do it yourself, otherwise its not happening if you intend to pay someone.
What do you wanna rebuild??? I want to know which size gasket, what size forged pistons/rods/cams/compression.
Stock engines can manage quite a bit of power with a cutring/arp studs/copper spacer. You will need a at least a stage 3 clutch to handle it though.
If you can run e85 you don't have to lower the compression but its recommended you do a ARP studs and a cutring
Fuel power??? I will upgrade all fuel (this is the easy part)
Depends on your power goals. Most start with 60lb injectors if there running pump gas
60lb injectors and walboro 255 or similar fuel pump if your boosting stock motor. or 80lb injectors and 340lph if you have e85
Horsepower??? I don't have a set figure but if I had to pick one around 400hp would be good. (please advice)
400hp is achievable and has been done numerous times on stock engine
Turbo size??? what ever fits. (please advice)
GT35 or equivalent
Transmission??? automatic at first.
Automatic is a no... I wouldn't boost an auto car but to each his own
Driving style??? weekend run with the wife.
Computer??? Haltech
Get a tuner to program your stock DME if your goals are only 400hp
and because I live down under and we don't have the luxury of EU parts any advice for parts would be great.

But all in all if you have your goal is 5k or 6368.94 in AUS and have to pay someone... Its not gonna happen. I'm over 6k in parts ALONE. But its all quality.

Revaluate.

[someguy2800]

I would do an E34 5 speed hands down. I sold my e34 for an E39 and I hate it. I just like the style and mechanics of my E34 alot better and there is alot less electronics to fuss with. Plus its fairly easy to get a limited slip diff for an E34 and almost no way for an E39. A turbo M50 vanos or non vanos with a stock bottom end is pretty potent and good for roughly 500 whp with a thicker head gasket and head studs. If your power goals ever progress past that point you can get the crank out of an M52b28 or M54b30 to build a stroker. I believe all the E39's in Australia would have all been aluminum blocks, whereas the M52 in the US was an iron block. Some people have turbo'd the aluminum block motors but we in the US don't have much experience with the subject.

[NC540]

I would do an E34 5 speed hands down. I sold my e34 for an E39 and I hate it. I just like the style and mechanics of my E34 alot better and there is alot less electronics to fuss with. Plus its fairly easy to get a limited slip diff for an E34 and almost no way for an E39. A turbo M50 vanos or non vanos with a stock bottom end is pretty potent and good for roughly 500 whp with a thicker head gasket and head studs. If your power goals ever progress past that point you can get the crank out of an M52b28 or M54b30 to build a stroker. I believe all the E39's in Australia would have all been aluminum blocks, whereas the M52 in the US was an iron block. Some people have turbo'd the aluminum block motors but we in the US don't have much experience with the subject.

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