Ignition upgrade,8MM plug wires, and Bosch platinum +4's

[NORCAL/E30]

Hey guys whats up? Noob here. :D Just bought my first E30. 1990 325is 5spd, Steel Gray E46 paint IE stage 3 springs with Bilstien dampers, IE sways, Tri-flow exhaust Confronti chip and hot air intake. It ships from Chi-town on monday. Will post pics upon arrival. :twisted: ; I was on Bav-auto looking around and I noticed the Ignition soloutions product they sell. When used in conjuction with good wires and better plugs, is this worth it for an internally stock E30? Or are mods like that more for internally modified engines? I've done ignition upgrades on American V8's and had good results. So should I get this or would my money be better spent on something else?

Thanks, ABE

[808BMW]

It would be better spent on a Jim Conforti chip. Unless your wires and stuff are in bad shape and need replacing, then stock is fine.

[Rob]

dont bother, the ignition system is not holding back m20 performance, as long as the stock stuff is in good condition

[NORCAL/E30]

Thanks for the input

The car has had a recent tune up so everything is fine. Is there any way to do a true cold air intake set up on these cars? As opposed to just the cone filter sucking in hot engine compartment air.

ABE

[Rob]

well, BMW did it...


Jordan's setup:


Pretty self explanatory.

[natorious]

plus 4 plugs suck... well they dont suck.. but e30s run terrible on them... just get the oem plugs and call it a day.. i think bosch w8lcr.. you probably have to go to a foreign auto place to get em... its not a plug that autozone or pep boys usually carry

[parkerbink]

I have 5k on regular Bosch Platinums and the car is running great.

[MattE30]

I bought the platnum +4 as a young lad and my engine runs just fine. Probably shouldn't have spent the extra money on them though. Stock works just fine.

[Ryan Stewart]

what I said on BFC. Finish the shifter and then do mounts/bushings.

[Jon '92 325ic]

For christmas my girlfriend is buying me the Plasma Booster.

For christmas my girlfriend is buying me the Plasma Booster. I was planning on installing it and running it for a three or four weeks and then reporting on their performance. I got a set of Bav Auto 8mm wires that I installed a couple of weeks ago. So far I can see no difference in performance and the idle (which was fine to begin with) hasn't changed either. I'm tracking the mileage so I can compare to my fuel economy with the stock wires. Too early to tell though at this time. I'm gonna track changes in fuel economy due to the wires being changed for another couple of weeks and then install the Plasma Booster. This way I can isolate the variables and see what effect each item (performance wires and plasma booster) had on power and economy. Personally, I'm a little skeptical that I'll notice any difference in power from either. Economy maybe, but only time will tell. I figure if I get them as gifts for christmas, then if they weren't worth the money I wont care, since they didn't cost me anything.

Should be able to provide some feedback by the end of January.

[macdadmorgan]

whats a plasma booster?


and for platinium plus 4's, they suck, even in the VW market everyone hates them. the best plug for the 1.8T is a autolite, i was skeptic til i tried them. i really only run bosch regulars, or they call them "bosch supers", there the best. platinium plugs are alright if you need them to last 60k miles, but i'm the type of guy who changes my plugs every year (if i own a car that long).

i just ordered up some 8mm wires, not becouse i will see any gains, but becouse i like the cosmetic look of them. for your ignition set up, a tune up is fine.

rember there is no such thing as a "hotter spark" .

[Jon '92 325ic]

A Plasma Booster

A Plasma Booster is the name of the Ignition Solutions Product that was asked about by the person who originally posted this thread.

[macdadmorgan]

great, but what is it? something inline between the coil and cap, a new coil, hobbits that live inside the cap?

[Jon '92 325ic]

It's a device

It's a device that intensifies the secondary sparks. I've heard of these types of devices being used on muscle cars and big block engines with slight gains in performance and economy. M20s are small block so I don't know that stronger secondary sparks will have much affect. But I'm curious and my girlfriend's paying for it so what the heck.

There's more technical info about Ignition Solutions products at their website:

https://www.ignitionsolutions.com

[NORCAL/E30]

Thanks !!!

I appreciate the advice and input everyone has given here. :D I'm going to take it and spend my money elsewhere. Pehaps the poly bushings that were suggested and possibly some upgraded RSMs. The car has stockers in it right now. I'm so jucied about getting this car!!! I've wanted an E30 since I was like fifteen. 8) The car I bought is actually posted for sale on here and Bimmer forums too. It belonged to forum member Mad Bimmer_325is.

ABE