m42 SET UP!!!?!?!??!??!

[shayne_bermudez]

i want to get more power from a m42 from a 91 318i. from what everone is saying its not possible to do on a budget but ik there has to be some way to do it? so what are ur guys tips and tricks on this . i eventualy plan on boosting it but i wanna make it as fast as possible before i start on that project.

[E30beemer]

A quality chip is probably the best way to go and of course a basic tune up and routine maintenance to start.

[sfinsf]

go read m42club and save your money for turbo bits or another motor. It's all been discussed b4

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Category:Upgrades

I'm not being an ass, I have an M42 w 215K, I understand.

[totheredline]

The m42 isnt, and will never be a powerhouse. learn to love it for the revvy little 4 cylinder it is and use every bit of power it can give you all the time.

if you want to get an easy 30hp, cams, and a chip. Done.

or just buy a metric mechanic M42.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKIr68vWYEU

[MF DOOM]

$+30psi

[bmwman91]

You will not make more than 160 crank horsepower on NA stock internals. Period. End of discussion. I've owned and played with the M42 for 13+ years and that's the whole story.

Boost is the most economical way to get over 200 crank horsepower out of an M42. A built NA one with 200 crank HP will cost you a minimum of $8000 if you do all of the work yourself except the balancing and machining, and $12k+ if you have a place like Metric Mechanic build it. I know because my 2.1L NA M42 makes about 205 crank HP.

[JonnyOg]

You will not make more than 160 crank horsepower on NA stock internals. Period. End of discussion. I've owned and played with the M42 for 13+ years and that's the whole story.

Boost is the most economical way to get over 200 crank horsepower out of an M42. A built NA one with 200 crank HP will cost you a minimum of $8000 if you do all of the work yourself except the balancing and machining, and $12k+ if you have a place like Metric Mechanic build it. I know because my 2.1L NA M42 makes about 205 crank HP.

Really 160? thats actually not bad. Is that with a tune and cams?

[bmwman91]

Really 160? thats actually not bad. Is that with a tune and cams?

160bhp is what you would get with a chip, a high-flow cat and a clean stock air filter...on an M42 with less than 100k miles that was very well maintained.

My first M42 laid down 131rwhp (est ~160bhp) with a Conforti chip, bullshit DIY CAI and a Magnaflow cat back in 2004 or so, and the engine had like 101k well-maintained miles on it (PO was religious about maintenance).

My second M42 put down 121rwhp (est ~147bhp) with the same chip and cat + stock air box in 2006, with 170k miles and the PO had not been super kind to it. For reference, I tested the thing with the stock air box and a budget-CAI and the budget-CAI caused a loss of around 2rwhp, so the difference in power really was from a difference in the condition of the engine. Come to think of it...I also had an M20 flywheel at that point, so even that couldn't make up for the motor's age.

Cams and a tune could probably buy you ~10bhp at the peak on otherwise stock internals without totally crushing the mid-range powerband. Not worth $2k in my opinion, and that probably is what some custom cams and a dyno tune would run you.

Unless you want to start dropping $thousands on a proper build or a turbo setup, the only worthwhile bolt-on's for the M42 are a reputable chip (Conforti, MarkD or Midnight Tuning) and a lightened M0 flywheel + clutch setup. The rest is a waste of money and time. If anyone here asks about a CAI I will hunt them down and mushroom stamp them, right on the forehead. Stock air box + Mahle paper filter is the only way to go.

[I8UR911]

M42 has plenty of potential but you have to pay to play. I prefer the M42 over the M20 just for balance alone. Also look up S42...... one badass motor..... building a replica now :)

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[JonnyOg]

160bhp is what you would get with a chip, a high-flow cat and a clean stock air filter...on an M42 with less than 100k miles that was very well maintained.

My first M42 laid down 131rwhp (est ~160bhp) with a Conforti chip, bullshit DIY CAI and a Magnaflow cat back in 2004 or so, and the engine had like 101k well-maintained miles on it (PO was religious about maintenance).

My second M42 put down 121rwhp (est ~147bhp) with the same chip and cat + stock air box in 2006, with 170k miles and the PO had not been super kind to it. For reference, I tested the thing with the stock air box and a budget-CAI and the budget-CAI caused a loss of around 2rwhp, so the difference in power really was from a difference in the condition of the engine. Come to think of it...I also had an M20 flywheel at that point, so even that couldn't make up for the motor's age.

Cams and a tune could probably buy you ~10bhp at the peak on otherwise stock internals without totally crushing the mid-range powerband. Not worth $2k in my opinion, and that probably is what some custom cams and a dyno tune would run you.

Unless you want to start dropping $thousands on a proper build or a turbo setup, the only worthwhile bolt-on's for the M42 are a reputable chip (Conforti, MarkD or Midnight Tuning) and a lightened M0 flywheel + clutch setup. The rest is a waste of money and time. If anyone here asks about a CAI I will hunt them down and mushroom stamp them, right on the forehead. Stock air box + Mahle paper filter is the only way to go.

Would it be worth it to put in a high flow cat if the one I have is old?

[DER E30]

4.27 gears!!! It's not exactly more power but it gives the motor a better mechanical advantage as well as faster revs=in the powerband.

I had a 4.27 and swapped to a 4.10 because the 4.27 was loud and clunky... It is a noticeable difference in power, with ~5mph faster for each gear popping the limiter...

Mine has:
"Ported & Polished Head
S14 Camshaft Grind
High Flow Air filter
Custom 2.5" Exhaust w/ Magnaflow Muffler (no cat)" according to the PO

She screams pretty good but doesn't make much below 2k revs. It hates to idle as well. Not really but I've heard better idling cars...

It ran a best ET of 9.672 @ 52.9 in the 1/8th mile over the summer. That is about 151 bhp @ 2700 pounds. (I have no idea as to the weight)

I suppose I need a chip...

[I8UR911]

Just follow some build on here. Don't worry about stock internals......M42 internals are forged.

You CAN make power with these engines. It's just not "cheap power".

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[bmwman91]

Would it be worth it to put in a high flow cat if the one I have is old?

If your stock one is broken / plugged, then yeah go for it. They are a hell of a lot cheaper than OEM replacements. A CA-legal weld-in one costs $250 installed. Don't expect any power gains from it versus a fresh OEM unit though.

[Dj Buttchug]

Just follow some build on here. Don't worry about stock internals......M42 internals are forged.

You CAN make power with these engines. It's just not "cheap power".

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rods and crank are forged. pistons are cast.

[b318ear]

coneus chip may work as well .