Most reliable setup

[Slybeanx]

Who has the most reliable setup here? Looking to add a small turbo on my M20, small amount of boost. Looking for 200hp and I'll be plenty happy with it.

I saw Jon Volk stated there was a cast manifold from a euro company still in stock that ive asked about. I was thinking a smaller T3 garret turbo with a proper water cooled setup.

Already running Megasquirt.

Really want to avoid wrenching more than I need to.

[2mAn]

200bhp can be done reliably NA, especially if you already have megasquirt

[Slybeanx]

200bhp can be done reliably NA, especially if you already have megasquirt

I assume cam, exhaust are needed? I can start looking more into that I guess.

This seems to be the repeated answer (https://www.reddit.com/r/E30/comment...ze_horsepower/) >:/

[2mAn]

Fastest way is more compression, add a cam and a good exhaust and you’ll be there.

[varg]

Budget? Wheel or crank HP? A healthy stock M20 makes low 150s to the wheels, approaching 90hp/L NA with an engine that made <70hp/L is significant.

It's my opinion that a turbo M20 making more power than that would be cheaper than an NA M20 at 200whp and not significantly less reliable. 200whp is a tall order with a NA M20; higher compression, intake and exhaust, head work, cam, injectors, EMS. It's basically a full build. 200whp with a turbo M20 is bolt on and a trivial amount of power; turbo, manifold, exhaust, intercooler and piping, oil feed/return, injectors and EMS. I would do head studs in either application. Pistons + boring or just a hone cost more than a turbo, head work costs more than IC and piping, I don't think such an understressed turbo setup will be significantly less reliable provided you don't use a chinabay turbo or manifold and use synthetic oil which is changed every 3-4,000mi. Stock clutch is probably fine with such goals, though I never tried it because I wanted to make twice the power. MS is reliable; I've been DDing cars with MS for a decade or more and have never had a MS related breakdown.

The most annoying and consistent issue I've had with a turbo M20 is exhaust leaks. Manifold flanges warping and leaking, cracks, etc. That long manifold with runners of various lengths seems to work its way loose eventually even with a nice flat flange and nut access is poor. Those runners are all expanding differing amounts as it heat cycles and that is bad for durability and sealing. The manifold hasn't cracked and I've been using it for a couple of years, but I'm sure it will eventually because of its design. I had a buddy put it on what is basically a giant belt sander that they use to surface big cylinder heads and it still eventually started leaking again

[Slybeanx]

Budget? Wheel or crank HP? A healthy stock M20 makes low 150s to the wheels, approaching 90hp/L NA with an engine that made <70hp/L is significant.

It's my opinion that a turbo M20 making more power than that would be cheaper than an NA M20 at 200whp and not significantly less reliable. 200whp is a tall order with a NA M20; higher compression, intake and exhaust, head work, cam, injectors, EMS. It's basically a full build. 200whp with a turbo M20 is bolt on and a trivial amount of power; turbo, manifold, exhaust, intercooler and piping, oil feed/return, injectors and EMS. I would do head studs in either application. Pistons + boring or just a hone cost more than a turbo, head work costs more than IC and piping, I don't think such an understressed turbo setup will be significantly less reliable provided you don't use a chinabay turbo or manifold and use synthetic oil which is changed every 3-4,000mi. Stock clutch is probably fine with such goals, though I never tried it because I wanted to make twice the power. MS is reliable; I've been DDing cars with MS for a decade or more and have never had a MS related breakdown.

The most annoying and consistent issue I've had with a turbo M20 is exhaust leaks. Manifold flanges warping and leaking, cracks, etc. That long manifold with runners of various lengths seems to work its way loose eventually even with a nice flat flange and nut access is poor. Those runners are all expanding differing amounts as it heat cycles and that is bad for durability and sealing. The manifold hasn't cracked and I've been using it for a couple of years, but I'm sure it will eventually because of its design. I had a buddy put it on what is basically a giant belt sander that they use to surface big cylinder heads and it still eventually started leaking again

Budget can likely go up to 7-8k but id rather spend somewhere in the 2-4k range. I want whp to be 200, small but noticeable gain, ideally spooling around 2500 RPMs.

No china turbos or manifolds (unless they make a cast manifold like for the NA miata).

I want a cast mani, garret turbo, maaaaaybbeeeee ebay intercooler and piping. I thought 200whp sounded like a tall order for an NA M20.

I tuned my own E30 and havnt had it professionally tweaked yet. It drives perfectly fine, but I should probs get it looked at.