Boosting the e36 328i stock internals

[WILDCARD55]

Hey everyone, I'm looking to buy a 1996 328i as a project. I plan to turbocharge it. What can the stock 328i internals handle? Do I need an ecu upgrade right away? I don't want to blow it up to fast :P

[rstaylor25]

Just gotta send it


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[WILDCARD55]

Say what?

[vollosso]

Yes you need an ecu immediately. I run 22rpd.

Stock stuff is pretty good into the low 4s above this youll need to go with a headgasket and studs. Cutring headgasket and arps work great.


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[WILDCARD55]

Whay do you mean by low 4s? And good to know, thank you.

[vollosso]

Whay do you mean by low 4s? And good to know, thank you.

400hp you can generally run like 8-10psi on a factory motor relatively safely.


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[WILDCARD55]

Okay, I'm taking a look at 22rpd. When I select pre-flashed ECU, do they send me a new ECU unit with the tune?

[Mklock]

F**king vtwin still gonna sennnnd it.

How much does 22rpd charge and what can *they* tune on (hardware wise)?

[pbonsalb]

Talk to Buttters. He will give you experienced advice from someone who has built cars for himself and others for 20 years. Others have not had a drivers license that long. Don't trust me. For a reference besides mine ask Meylo -- he is running 10s while driving 10k plus miles not just making claims. Butters may recommend a NickG tune. Definitely the best. Have run one since 2010.

[vr6dubny]

I think butters has a hand in about half if not more of the cars that have been recently built.

My advice is to go through build threads, pay attention to trouble posts, research all tuners. Once you think you decide on a tuner google the tuners name and bimmerforums to read more about people’s experiences.

research more

butters knowledge is def extremely valuable

What is your wrenching ability? Can you weld or know someone that can? is car stock now? This is not so much just slapping a turbo on and going. Lots of parts getting put on the car to make a whole.

[vollosso]

Okay, I'm taking a look at 22rpd. When I select pre-flashed ECU, do they send me a new ECU unit with the tune?

Yes


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[E36warbird]

It all starts with a turbo, than your hooked with no escape for over seeing the true cost of the build! I’ve alway ran a boxer motor and even with mega buck into to the build nothing lasts for ever when you take it to the extreme!
We are currently building a drift car (new for us) running stock motor with head bolts and thick gasket.
your going to need a few items =MAF ,injectors and a tune! I used miller performance.

[WILDCARD55]

I currently have a turbo car but I want a BMW turbo project. The BMW is stock at the moment. I'm decent in terms of mechanical knowlage. I did my own miss and turbo replacement on my current car as well as my own maintenance.

[328iFun]

It all starts with a turbo, than your hooked with no escape for over seeing the true cost of the build! I’ve alway ran a boxer motor and even with mega buck into to the build nothing lasts for ever when you take it to the extreme!
We are currently building a drift car (new for us) running stock motor with head bolts and thick gasket.
your going to need a few items =MAF ,injectors and a tune! I used miller performance.

Boxster = junk in my opinion. Just a standard hard-ass car too work on (for the regular guy) with 'that' Porsche logo. I almost bought one and was very unimpressed with the way it handled and drove. Now... The better Porsche models that's another story... A $3,000 E36 with a modest turbo setup would hurt a Boxster.

Building a E36 turbo is no surprise in cost. I can tell the OP that with purchasing the tools to do the job if he doesn't have them already, assuming he intends to turn the wrench, he'll spent over $6,000, easily - if he were to use quality parts.

With that said, 22rpd is good. I haven't tried any others. But Zack at 22rpd is a cool guy and would be willing to help you mechanically as much he possibly could if you were too encounter issues.

Butters is great for anything mechanical, there's probably not a single person here who is as willing to help as much as him or knows as much as he does, hes been through it all. He should charge people for his services but hes a really good guy none the less.

I'm pushing 7-10 psi on stock block with cutring gasket/spacer/and arps studs and 22rpd Tune. The car is quick with 10 psi and I feel that its a happy medium for the daily driver and too not break anything. (And to pull on anything else I see in the county I live in)



If you are serious about going boosted the first step would be to check your compression to see if your engine can handle it. Check compression and post numbers here and we'll let you know