Don't laugh at me..M42 power

[xwill112x]

i have a m42 i drive it daily, it gets flogged everday.

& why does everyone say mark d?

and have tryed both mark d, and dinan, they are the same exact gains. dinan is cheaper too.

as for the torque argument, you don't want to run a true straight pipe, just cut the cat and run 2.5" to a magnaflow or dynomax muffler. and since m42's have axle breaking torque anyway..what does it matter? ;)


and as for the single mass fly wheels, ebay is your friend.

throw a cai on it, call it a day.

after that, you should be keeping up with 325's, but even if you don't, enjoy it for what it is, drive it like you stole it.


/thread

[Cobra Jet]

Damn, half this thread is about the clutch setup/flywheel conversions, etc....

Want to argue dual mass vs single - here is a very good thread with actual factual TECH including WEIGHT variances, price comparisons etc. for the so called "must have" flywheel/clutch conversion:

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5696

IMO - and not to get further off topic of the OP's questions - the dual to single conversion is really not a "best bang for the buck" modification...


~~~~~~~~~

If you want to improve what the M42 has to offer in stock form - these tried and confirmed "mods" have been very good:

1) remove the factory clutch fan setup and go w/ an electric fan - either aftermarket or you can use the later E36 M42/M44 factory electric fan set up... OR you can go use just the factory auxillary fan based on the tech on understeer.com's site...

2) many go w/ the pwr steering delete - this is supposed to free up more front end weight and improve engine revs/dynamics. Based on the many forums and responses of those w/ E30's (both 318 & 325's), many love this mod (and some are not for it) - it's all a matter of preference.

3) the Mark D chip is THE chip to have, based on all of the happy owners/users of this specific chip offered for the M42.

4) obvious Z3 short shifter mod (a + to do in all 5spd E30's)

5) remove dead weight such as factory sound deadeding under the cabin carpet and/or trunk. In a positive way, this will lighten the vehicle, in a negative way, the interior will become noisier due to lack of sound deadening.

6) COP mod - discard the factory coil/plug wire setup and go with a coil on plug setup - many say this has improved engine efficiency and engine response. You can get complete conversion kits already made for about $190, or you can be advernterous and source your own parts from the classifieds and design your own

7) upgrade to Mustang injectors - there's mixed feelings about this mod - some say it improves fuel economy, engine efficiency, etc - while others don't see any real benefits over the stock/factory injectors

8) The M42 exhaust header is the absolute BEST designed factory exhaust header for a M42... Don't waste $$$$ on the "eBay" headers or any other aftermarket header... The M42 header is mandrel bent, stainless steel tubing - looks like a race header and really cannot be improved. You could opt to go w/ a better higher flowing catalytic converter and muffler if your heart desires, but it's not really a necessity.

9) There is room to adjust the stock cams to get a little more power out of the M42, however, again, this has mixed results and responses from those who have actually done it (or know more about it). The end result is, the way the cams were set from the factory is the best setting, especially for those M42's that are daily driven.

10) if it has not been done already - look under your factory intake, there may be a medusa of factory cooling hoses & vac lines - DELETE THESE and get rid of the mess... The factory setup is a poor design and only destined to cost $$$ in the long run if any of those hoses fail... there is a very good thread on M42 as to how to go about deleting all of the unneccesary hoses/vac lines.


Honestly, check out m42club as noted previously by someone else - there's a TON of m42 specific info/tech on that site, which is very essential and valuable to an M42 owner.

If you want to read THE ULTIMATE M42 performance build up - go to this thread, have the time, grab some food & drink and read the entire thread.... there is so much tech & info in that thread alone about hopping up an M42, there's really no other thread on any forum to match it...

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=433471

oh yea - welcome to the M42 "club" - it's a very fun BMW to drive daily, gets excellent fuel economy and is definitely fun to toss around in the twisties...

[2002maniac]

Did I say shave it to 8 lbs? I said shave 8lbs!! Meaning shave 8lbs from each.

heres a thread with a little info.

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=50033

Post number 5 guy said he has a M42 flywheel shave to 17lbs.

there is no way in hell to get a M42 dual mass flywheel down to 17lbs. That guy is full of it. Show me pictures and i'll believe it. As far as the single mass M42 flywheel. Good luck finding one. lol

[2002maniac]

Well untill you show me different then Im sticking to it, I havent seen one other person here show me any proof that you can not lighten a M42 dual mass flywheel.

you've obviously never seen a dual mass flywheel. If you had, you would understand why they cant be lightened.

[Dillinger]

Just read all this and If "liam" is who I am pretty sure he is there is zero point in arguing with him on m42s and 318is.

[woofster]

I love booting around with my M42. It's not a fast car, per se, but that doens't take anything away from it. It's a solid 16-valve rev-happy engine that does howl a wee bit when pushed to the limit!

[Massive Lee]

BTW For those of you who were too young to care (probably still pumping on your mom's nipples) when the 318is came out, won't know it was nicknamed the "poor man's M3". So, I guess people liked it very much 18 years ago...

Lee

[Liam]

BTW For those of you who were too young to care (probably still pumping on your mom's nipples) when the 318is came out, won't know it was nicknamed the "poor man's M3". So, I guess people liked it very much 18 years ago...

Lee

True, I've had 9 of them. My favorite ride of all time (even like them better than the Ms I've had for driving on the street)

[Japandrew73]

HAHAHAHAHAHHAH
there you go. I laughed at you :p

[e30guydownunder]

General lolz at the clutch thread going wayyyy off course. I have weighed a stock m42 flywheel, clutch kit and dual mass bolts back to back with a 323i single mass flywheel, clutch kit and tha shorter bolts. there was 6 kilos difference. Both were standard flywheels and the 323i one was the already lighter factory flywheel.

As people mentioned, exhaust, chip and then the COP and 4 pintle injectors for a little extra/smoother trouble free running and call it a day. If you still not happy get your wallet out for some headwork and a complete engine makeover.

[rThor432]

The best way to improve turn-in is to drop in that S14. :razz:

If I hadnt sold the 265 CR I had, it would already be in there... Selling that has been a bit of a regret.

I spoiled myself by driving my 318is daily for ~4 months while I was doing little work on the eta. I just drove the eta once a week or so, but I got so used to the 4-banger's excellent balance.

[rThor432]

Why would anyone want a lightened dual-mass flywheel?? That doesnt change the fact that it is dual-mass.. The clutch engagement feels so much better without the flex of the d-m flywheel.

That's the best reason for swapping to single mass.

Really though, anybody out there with an M42 should just spend the money and put a real lightweight aluminum single-mass flywheel in their car. It'll be worth it, trust me. The JB 8lb. flywheel I put in my M42 transformed the car. It was amazing.

The s-m lightened M20 flywheel works just as well, but I like the plug-and-play factor of a bolt on flywheel made specifically for the application.

[Liam]

We should probably go start another thread about flywheel/clutch setups for all this,
However.

I'm currently running a 16lb CroMo flywheel (with a 280mm clutch) in my (what started life as) 318is (now 2 litre). I have run a lot of different configurations behind m42s and this one works for the driving I do.

When we start talking 318is I get excited, it really was the e30's "Swan Song" it had it's faults like every other machine but it more than made up for them with style and grace.

[gazellebeigem3]

^ doesnt your make believe motor 'spin' at like 11,000 rpm?

[cepa318is]

What about the euro m42 single mass flywheel?