SNAFU; high performance 318is build that lives up to the name, Turbo M42 ➞ Turbo M20

[cleanasse30]

Congrats on getting the m20 in there, your setup looks like fun. I'm diggin that oil cap!

You wanna come tune mine?? haha

[ngampleh]

nice write up...!

[varg]

good info, i wonder how much power you could pull out of an n/a m42 with ms2. trying to keep myself from spending lots of money on mine!

You'd be lucky to make 125whp. If you don't want to spend lots of money a wet nitrous kit is an option, or dry nitrous and megasquirt.

[downforce22]

good info, i wonder how much power you could pull out of an n/a m42 with ms2. trying to keep myself from spending lots of money on mine!

[varg]

Hey, this topic is a mine of gold, great job dude, that E30 looks great!

Thanks.

I'm working on a E36 (M42B18) MegaSquirt II project and I have a few questions, hope you can help me with them

Sure. My megasquirt setup looked complicated with all of the extra wiring, but it was just a regular MS2 kit with 3 additional coil drivers, a zeal daughterboard and a boost control circuit. The regular MS2 VR circuit worked fine for my crank trigger with no modifications and minimal tweaking of the potentiometer, the cam VR sensor was handled by the Zeal daughterboard. The tach is driven directly off of the tach input on the MS, no additional circuitry necessary, I'm guessing the E36 tach would be the same. The ignition setup was pretty straightforward, there were no problems or traps, below are the ignition settings I used. Note that I had a coil-on-plug conversion on my M42, dwell times are appropriate for the M52 coils but I cannot speak for a regular M42 coil pack. Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions. If you have a build thread link me to it, turbo M42s are rare here, it will be neat to see one on the other side of the ocean.

damn it looks mean.

Thanks, the exposed intercooler and piping changed the look a lot. It's not much of a sleeper anymore if you look at it from the front unfortunately. I'm going to remove the fog lights and blank them, then find a clean way to block off the brake duct holes. I'm hoping to eventually replace the valance with either an early 'is' valance (see: http://i2.tinypic.com/qs8t1l.jpg also pretty sure it that would not fit with my intercooler) or an Alpina-style valance. I like how the early 'is' valances jut out like a plow, and the deep air ducts, but I also like the peaked, inward slant of the Aplina valance.

[Sinfreu]

Hey, this topic is a mine of gold, great job dude, that E30 looks great!

I'm working on a E36 (M42B18) MegaSquirt II project and I have a few questions, hope you can help me with them

Did you install any additional resistence in the VR (cam and crank) circuits? I've read that in some BMW engines these are needed so the MS processor is provided with a good signal, without noise.

OEM tach is compatible with MS?

Do you remember any trouble while setting spark/ignition stuff (dwell, spark time...)?

¿Something to take special care with?



Thanks and greetings from Spain! ;)

[Northern]

damn it looks mean.

[varg]

[AbsorbantNut]

If you haven't heard a field of spec E30 cars I'd describe the sound as like a flock of civics which have been blessed with two extra cylinders each, or many, many bees.

Oh my god

[Dj Buttchug]

varg go 3.25 if you can find it

[downforce22]

They're all impossible to find locally so far and too expensive when found online since it costs nearly $100 to ship, so I'll have some time. I do a lot of highway miles so I need something tall. I'm also getting ~15mpg now

the 3.64 is good, hard to find though. I get about 22 mpg with it, could do better if I didn't boost and stayed at about 65 mph

[varg]

They're all impossible to find locally so far and too expensive when found online since it costs nearly $100 to ship, so I'll have some time. I do a lot of highway miles so I need something tall. I'm also getting ~15mpg now

[ak-]

My friend's gt35r s50 mated to the g260 was such a dog to drive @ 450whp with the 2.93.
I have a 3.46 and think it's a happy medium between street and highway.

[gotaloveRWD]

The 4.10 diff has to go. First gear is only good for making 11s at WOT, I get 2nd gear wheelspin on dry pavement, and can spin them up in 4th in the wet if I'm abrupt with it. Seeking 2.93 LSD.[/QUOTE]


Do what you think you'll like but I've read a few people saying the 2.93 is too tall and something like a 3.15, 3.25 or 3.45 would be a good happy medium

she's looking good though!

[ForcedFirebird]

Need an iS lip to hide that pipe...or come over the shop for a couple hours lol.