1.3 Motronic Up-Grade & 2.7i How To

[EtaSport]

Yea, my 2.7 would really fly with the 3.25 diff, it was good for about 140 on a straight.

-I will be this summer putting together a 2.7i using an I head. I havent had any experience with this set-up but I am hoping for pretty good results. The head will be milled slightly to help the compression but without getting the timing too jacked up.

[rjteeter]

Can some one post a picture of what the "i" reference sender mounts to. Also Could I possibly get a picture of the wiring on the starter and alternator. Ive lost track of how things are wires since I tore my car apart last summer

[kenika65]

Im guessing i starter or e?

[rjteeter]

Aw man that is great. I was looking completely in the wrong spot.

My starter is an "e" starter. Will that be a problem other than a different connector on the "i" harness?

Also I'm not sure if this is because of something not being hooked up properly but my starter only spins. It does not kick out and engage with he flywheel. Any suggestion on that? can a starter go bad just from sitting for a year and not being used?

[kenika65]

Aw man that is great. I was looking completely in the wrong spot.

My starter is an "e" starter. Will that be a problem other than a different connector on the "i" harness?

Also I'm not sure if this is because of something not being hooked up properly but my starter only spins. It does not kick out and engage with he flywheel. Any suggestion on that? can a starter go bad just from sitting for a year and not being used?

Sounds like your starter is stuck, no biggy get a rubber hammer or put a rod on the starter then hit the rod with a hammer when you engage it, hopefully it will pop out and work, if not it is a bitch to get the starter out if you dont have the correct tools. Before you pull it out make sure you have a fully charged battery.

as for the starter wires I do remember changing a wire connection on the small wire, what I did is cut the square connector off of my eta harness and put it in place of the circle connector on the i harness. I will be able to get you a picture tomorrow.

[rjteeter]

no start

All rite, the starter is fine and the solenoid is not getting power. When I run a wire to the solenoid pin to the power pin on the starter it turns over but it wont turn over with the key.

I have some wires that aren't connected to anything, maybe one of these are the problem???

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[kenika65]

Think of a 2.7i this way your 82-87 325,e,es has the 2.7L 9.0:1 compression M20 and the 87-92 325i,is,ix have the high performance 2.5L 8.5:1 compression M20. Now if you have both an e and an i then take all of the high performance i parts off and bolt them on to the e and you will have a high performance, high torque 9.0:1 compression 2.7L M20. This i the quick way. The long way is putting on the i head which is not necessary for this quick performance upgrade.

Now if you have an i car then I am going to suggest getting any 2.7 crank and use your i rods and buy custom pistons that already have valve reliefs cut in them and at a compression of your choice.

[E30Kaiser]

Okay I got a question that I have heard multiple answers to, so let me ask it here. My 2.7 revs to about 5500 and the limiter cuts in, I am wondering why it doesn't go at least until the I's limit. I didn't do the swap, bought the car with it, here is what the PO put in the for sale ad:
Motor:
88 325e
M30 injectors
M30 AFM
3.0 bar FPR
"i" head swap
K&N Filter

Head swap:
Re-manufactured "i" head
"i" intake manifold
"i" Throttle body
173 ECU
"i" cluster

solutions?

[EtaSport]

He doesnt have the right chip installed. Sounds like its only got an e chip that is good for 5500 rpm. You need to call around to see if you can get a chip to raise you e computer's rev limit up to 6500 or so. Markd has made a few of them. Other choices are to convert to 1.3 like it explains at the beginning of this thread, or go standalone

[jmc1590]

Or he doesn't have the 173 ECU that he thinks he does. Before getting another chip, I would verify which ECU is being used. (Could even be a 154 unit from a Super Eta, which would explain the 5500 rpm limit.)

[E30Kaiser]

Or he doesn't have the 173 ECU that he thinks he does. Before getting another chip, I would verify which ECU is being used. (Could even be a 154 unit from a Super Eta, which would explain the 5500 rpm limit.)

Well I looked a couple days ago to make sure because that was the first thing that came to mind, because I was given a 173 in a box of parts with the car too. A 173 is in the car though. Are there different 173's? If so I am just going to throw that other one in there and see what happens.

[jmc1590]

No, all of the 173 ECU's are the same. However, there are different chips available from numerous sources, some better than others. Since you have an extra ECU (173), I would try swapping that first. (I'd be interested to know what chip # is in the 173 box with the 5500 rpm rev limit.)

It's possible, unlikely, but possible that someone sold a Motronic 1.1 box with a "173" cover. (Same connectors, different programming.) If so, I would think that your 2.7"i" would be running poorly with the "i" cam.

Just my .02

[kenika65]

What tach does your car have? 7000?

[E30Kaiser]

What tach does your car have? 7000?

yeah....but the limiter cuts in around 5500 as I said.

[kenika65]

Time to swap in a different 173ecu...