New Here and need some honest opinions about Turbo Setups

[SilverE30]

Hey Guys I am new here and have just picked up a 89 Bronzit E30 and am wanting to stay with the stock engine and run a trubo setup. I have searched around and found many differ setups on the forums but wanted to get individuals who have a turboed M20 to chime in and give me a run down of parts (good or bad) and LMK how their setups have been in terms of power output, reliability, and value for the money spent. Thanks in advance.

My setup is going to contain a M20 Head and all general parts with a 2.7 liter bottom end also will be looking to get a turbo manifold that places the turbo under the manifold so it is more concealed instead of the 666 manifold. Also need some info on Injectrors, Engine Management, Head studs etc. I plan on getting head studs and also a better or replacing gaskets on the whole engine build. I also plan on using mega squirt as engine management. May have left something out but I will let you know.

Oh yeah I also will be getting a clutch and flywheel that will hold a good 300 to 350 to the wheels.:D

Josh

[Emre]

Josh,

You'll probably get better results if you post over on www.e30tech.com where turbo conversions are more common.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of turbo installations on engines that were never available in turbo form from the factory. Too much trouble, too much DIY backyard hacking, too much fiddling and trouble-shooting, etc. Just not worth the time, energy, and money IMNSHO. Especially when swapping in an S50B32US from a US-market 3.2L E36 M3 will be more reliable and cost you less in the long run.

[nando]

look into blacktrail69's build. 300whp 2.8l.

An S50 *might* be cheaper, but it will also be slower. :)

[SilverE30]

Yeah

I got a friend that has a M50 setup and he needs more powa.....LOL But I want to stay with a stock motor for reliablilty HA HA I know. But I can piece togehter a set up that ill be good for 300 to 350 to the wheels fairly cheap. I would post up on e30tech but I dont really want to pay to post but I may end up doing it. But I will get with your guy and see what comes of it. Thanks for the info I appreciate it.;)

Josh

[Emre]

An S50 *might* be cheaper, but it will also be slower. :)

Sure, the M20 turbo will be quicker...right up until blows to pieces on the track ;)

I got a friend that has a M50 setup and he needs more powa.....LOL But I want to stay with a stock motor for reliablilty HA HA I know.

How is a turbo conversion a stock engine? And how do you expect slapping a turbo kit on an M20 to be more reliable than a stock factory engine? A stock S50 will be 100% dead reliable on the street and on the track. A DIY backyard turbo? Not so much.

The fact is, a stock M20 (a) doesn't like high-revs, (b) has inadequate oiling for track use, (c) is sensitive to heat, and (d) is pretty high-maintenance by modern standards. Does that sound like a good basis for a turbo engine to you?

But I can piece togehter a set up that ill be good for 300 to 350 to the wheels fairly cheap.

How cheap it is all depends on how long you expect the engine to last. A "fairly cheap" M20B25 / B27 hybrid generally means used, non-rebuilt parts. If you're going to build the engine properly and then turbo it, a used 3.0 or 3.2L US-market S50 will be cheaper in every way.

If you really want to go cheap and have huge power, swap in an M50 and turbo that.

[SilverE30]

Well

dont really want hugh powa just want 300 to 350 reliable...

Josh

[whiltebeitel]

Spec makes makes a good clutch, the 6-puck, that's actually streetable. Sachs 618 pressure plates grab better than stock. For engine management, MSII v2.0 or up is what I would do, or VEMS. Plenty of support, esp. on e30tech, where you have to pay to be a new member...

ARP makes studs, stock headgasket should be fine for 15 psi with a good tune. A Holset HX35 will get you the power you want. get 42# injectors, because you don't want to have too little fuel and go lean.

I have an HX35 I'm willing to sell and a set of flow-matched 42# injectors, if you're interested. I ended up abandoning the turbo build for a motorcycle, and now i've got a broken wrist. Thank you bike! :P


As for track work, I made a new pal who has a very basic turbo m20, (T04E, RRFPR, etc.) who makes 253 whp, did so cheaply, and ran his car all day in the Texas heat with no problems other than toasting the stock brake master cylinder. Turbo m20's aren't the DSM-like ticking time bomb some people would like you to think.

[SilverE30]

Yes

I agree I have talked extensively with Dominic49 who is a local guy with massive knowledge on M20, 42, 50 etc and alot of info on turbo M20 setups so I am just getting other info from others, and I know the M20 will hold up to abuse all day as long as you got a good Engine managment and a bullet proof tune. I am really looking for more torque than horsepower as torque hauls your butt down the road or around the track.

Josh