Upgrades that aren't crazy $$$$ ?

[603Racing]

So I'm kind of at the point where I think all upgrades will be expensive. Here's what I have:

• '90 325i
• Stock internals m20b25
• Schrick 272 cam in a rebuilt head, head decked .010
• 17lbs injectors
• MarkD 17/19 93 octane chip
• headers
• cat delete
• 3.73 lsd

I've looked into putting a SETA bottom end in the motor. Also looked at having the head ported. I don't want to do forced induction.

Any suggestions on effective mods that won't break the bank at this point? Should I get a new chip specifically for the injectors/cam combo? I could go 19 lbs injectors, but from what I know and have ready that is not necessary with my current setup.

[deutschman]

Seams like your only asking about engine upgrades.
Take the head to a machine shop, and get a three angle valve job and port it a bit. That will help you get a bit more put of the cam.
Then you could save up for an ITB set up to help your head breath. From what I have read the stock intakes are very restrictive even on the "i" heads. If your not going forced induction, helping your NA engine breath would be a good idea.
Then maybe some mega squirt tuning system where you can really dial in your numbers.

[Bullet Ride]

Here's some dyno proof that a properly designed set of ITBs on a stock M20 is good for roughly a 25whp increase... http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showpos...42&postcount=1

[MR 325]

MAF conversion!

[mpowerful]

Are you using m50 17lb injectors? They are 17-17.5 at 3.5 bar which means on your car they are actually at 15ish.

[603Racing]

Are you using m50 17lb injectors? They are 17-17.5 at 3.5 bar which means on your car they are actually at 15ish.

Yes.

[mpowerful]

You could prob benefit from some actual 17/19lb injectors then.

[mpowerful]

With the m50 the only improvment you really get is just going to a four pintle design. They wont flow a whole lot better than stock volume wise. Chances are your car is adjusting the difference for the chip but its prob getting near leaning out at the top end. Holler at me if you are interested in getting a set of bosch gen IIIs. I think some 19s would work very nice on your car with your setup. Ive got em cheap too.

[603Racing]

I agree on the porting/valve job, but that is the kind of pricey work I don't have the budget for right now. The quote was $1000 to $1500 to port and valve job the head. The only reason I picked up the Schrick and rebuilt head is because I got a great price on it.

On the ITB topic, this car is driven on the street quite a bit. I don't see any sort of filtering of the air with this setup. Or am I missing something?

On the injectors... would I better off just putting the Bosch 19's in it? Or is there a good set of 17 lbs injectors to use?

Great info so far guys, keep it coming.

[mpowerful]

I sent you a message but I will say the same thing here for anyone who is interested. Because you have moved to cam and plan on going farther with your upgrades I highly recommend the 19lbers. I think that the gen III 17s would be perfect up to headers/free flowing air filter/tune and past that I think the 19lbers will give you more headroom for upgrades. The markD tune requires a lot of fuel and runs pretty aggressive ignition advance. What you dont want to find out is the limit of your injectors with all that advance. Your better off having the headroom and letting the fuel trim add fuel up there than having your injectors work fine all the time and lean out at W0T.

[mpowerful]

And I will add to that this.....Running gen III 17lb vs 19lbs on a stock tune on a stock car makes almost zero difference at all. The driveability is just as good with either.

[Bullet Ride]

And I will add to that this.....Running gen III 17lb vs 19lbs on a stock tune on a stock car makes almost zero difference at all. The driveability is just as good with either.

I will also add to this:

Stock injectors when working properly do not lean out on the top end. I installed a wideband O2 on a bone stock 325i with 280,000km on the clock and watched the gauge all the way up to red line. Then I installed a set of 19lb Gen3 injectors and once the fuel trims adjusted the AFR read pretty much the same all the way up to redline.

With an after market chip that's a different story. If 19# is what is required then that's what should be used.

[mpowerful]

Thats the problem. They wont lean out stock but they will get very near 100% duty. So you start adding things to it and then you are stressing them way to much. So yeah. Cest la vie. I tend to lean toward the non-possible-lean solution. No pun intended. And yes if the chip is for 17/19lbers then definitely running anything under that will not be good.

[volvolover]

CAI dude, added like 50 ponies to my e30!

[NYSE30]

Haha volvolover.