Turbo Progression Steps

[Zephyyyr]

Hey! I just got my first e30 today! It's a 1989 325i 5 speed. So stoked! Anyways this has been my dream car for a long time and can't believe I got one. So that being said.. I plan on putting a Turbo in it at some point. I'm in no rush unless it can be done cheaply without sacrificing reliability. Basically anything and everything I do to this car I want to make sure the engine/car can handle it. So if I'm going to put a Turbo in it I want it to be able to drive it hard with no worries. I want my car to be completely ready for all the power that the Turbo will bring. Soooo here are some of my goals and some info.

- What are the BEST steps to take before actually installing the Turbo? If possible please list them from most important to least or from which. This is because I am going to slowly build up to putting the Turbo in. So ideally it'd be awesome if whatever I have to do would also improve HP and overall better performance :)

- My goal is around 250-300 HP.

- In total I wouldn't like to spend over $3000. This depends tho because I won't be buying everything at once.

- I am not insanely knowledgable with cars but am pretty decent and am very very willing to learn. I have a really close friend who is a mechanic and would help me with basically anything I would have to do and has most tools I would probably need.

Hopefully that all made sense but pretty much I want to know the best order of things to do before I put in the turbo and I want to know what exactly I need to do to be able to drive the car as hard/fun as I want. Let me know. Thank You!

[thebutterson]

This has been covered many times. Search.

[Zephyyyr]

This has been covered many times. Search.

I have read many different build threads but was having a hard time finding anyone who was trying to slowly work up towards the turbo like me. I have a pretty good idea tho so I'll just have to go with that. Was just looking for some extra input from some of you guys about my situation. Thank You!

[ak-]

putting a Turbo in it

done cheaply without sacrificing reliability.

I'm going to put a Turbo in it

I want my car to be completely ready for all the power that the Turbo will bring.

BEST steps to take before actually installing the Turbo?

I am going to slowly build up to putting the Turbo in.

I want to know the best order of things to do before I put in the turbo

There is so much more than to just 'putting a turbo in'.
We can't help you because you haven't helped yourself yet. You have a lot of research and learning to do, then you can come back with concerning questions.

[e30davie]

Install a megasquirt. And spend a year learning how to tune. Then install turbo. K go!

[Zephyyyr]

There is so much more than to just 'putting a turbo in'.
We can't help you because you haven't helped yourself yet. You have a lot of research and learning to do, then you can come back with concerning questions.

Kinda bummed you are judging me off of those statements but anyways heres a few things I've learned after hours of research.

- Holset HX35w turbo
- Megasquirt ECU
- 42lb injectors
- Turbo manifold adapter
- Exhaust
- Intercooler and plumbing
- Wastegate
- Single Magnaflow muffler
- Dual Bosch diverter valves
- ARP head studs, stock cylinder head gasket (or MLS)

Now this was mostly off of few guys build threads. I already knew this before posting. Because I don't have 3000-4000 to put out at once I was just wondering what the best steps were and the MINIMUM I need out of this list. When I say minimum I mean minimum that will still have the car very reliable as if it were stock.

If I seem like a noob or am saying something stupid, would you mind actually helping me and not calling me out? I didn't claim to know a lot and I am very willing to learn. Thats why I joined this forum tbh. I came here hoping to get help. Even if something I say wrong may seem so obvious to you. Im not someone who is just making a thread only to not follow through. This is my new DD and I have no plans on ever selling it.

[Zephyyyr]

Install a megasquirt. And spend a year learning how to tune. Then install turbo. K go!

I noticed there is a megasqiurt 2 for a much lower cost. Is there any major difference's with that one and the most current one?

[e30davie]

Much to google you have.

[Zephyyyr]

Much to google you have.

Very helpful.

[e30davie]

Sorry but i didnt have time to google for you.

https://www.diyautotune.com/support/tech/megasquirt-systems-compared/

https://www.diyautotune.com/support/tech/install/bmw/megasquirt-your-bmw-e30/

[NEOe30]

Your (planned) setup is very, very similar to mine. I also budgeted around 3k for my build. To give you some perspective, I have purchased/created and installed every part on my car except for my downpipe due to lack of welding knowledge. Even the megasquirt I wired in. I have learned IMMENSE amounts of information just searching for months before I started my build.

When I was ready to begin I started sourcing parts and created a spreadsheet of how much money I thought I was going to have to spend. As I just said it was around 3k. Given that I would've played it conservative and gotten the car tuned before blowing it up (im on my second engine now) I would've been in just under $4000. Now that I've build my second engine I'm well over that mark and have stopped keeping track because it hurts to look at it, lol.

Do your research, buy parts as good deals come up, and always pay the extra money to have quality parts/work done. 300whp can be done pretty reliably for around 3500 if you do a large majority of the labor yourself. But you will get boost hungry quickly.



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[Zephyyyr]

Sorry but i didnt have time to google for you.

https://www.diyautotune.com/support/tech/megasquirt-systems-compared/

https://www.diyautotune.com/support/...-your-bmw-e30/

Thank You for those links they are very helpful. I read them all. Do you or anyone else have anymore suggestions on how to use megaquirt or just tuning in general? It seems very very interesting to me and I'm hooked. Although it is a bit overwhelming atm. Can some one chime in just some basic input on their thoughts on MS and how they learned?

[e30davie]

Grab the megasquirt manual. Its like a million pages long. Read that from cover to cover. Google all of the things.

Ive just started putting a ms in my car (m20b23), custom made loom cause its not plug and play on the early cars. I used to hace a haltech on it but thw haltech failed. Hope to get it powered up tomorrow:D

[NEOe30]

Just realizing that you are probably boosting an M20 whereas my setup is an M50, still most of what I said applies. If you want it, go get it.

[SirMaxximus]

Your going to have trouble staying under $3,000.

If you want to boost your car I'd say go for it mate, just remember, its a project, so treat it like such. What I mean by this is: You'll be doing quite a bit of custom work... you can just slap a turbo in your stock everything and hope for the best but your likely to experience failure and extra costs....you can also overbuild your motor/driveline/transmission in preperation, while any of this would likely help your chances you really honestly can't ever make everything bulletproof and your still likely to experience failure and extra costs.... This is what I mean by its a project, so go into it expecting such or your gonna be let down. While we can all take guesses its just simply unrealistic to really "know" the best steps to take before building your car. At the end of the day, its your car, so do what you want with it. Expect to be let down on occasion and be incredibly happy with it and proud of what you've done on other occasions... Thats all part of the experience

I'm in the process of building mine, here's a link to my expenses.. Mine's an M50 build but still alot of this will apply to your m20. I could have cut corners on some expenses. Other's I felt like I did pretty good on, so I hope this helps with your decision making!

E30 Parts listing
Intercooler = $113
Headers = $500
Oil Feed Lines 4AN = $60 (Vanos Adaptor included)
Oil Drain Line 12AN = fittings $41 + $28 kit
Turbo = $320
Wastegate = $50
BOV = ~ $70 with adapter pipe
LC1 Wideband = $155
MegaSquirt = $1384
Gauges + Interior stuff = $135
Turbo Blanket = $23
Hallman Manual Boost Controller = $90
Bosch 42lb EV1 = $250
TRM Oil Distribution Block = $30
ARP head Studs = $200
2.93 LSD = $50 after trade
SPAL puller fan = $60
Misc Gaskets = $42
Makeshift Catch Can = $5 (filter)
Exhaust = $45 (vband) + $16 (vband) + $32 (dump tube) + $15 (flex) + $339 = $447
Air Filter = $19

Random Other Expenses thus far
$7.20 - ace hardware (intercooler bracket)
$41 - Home Depot (spray paint + copper fittings for oil drain)
$15 - ace hardware (misc bolts / nuts + high temp spraypaint)
$37 - Ace Hardware (Extra wiring + Brass fittings for intake)

Total: $4172.20

This is my list thus far: I'm sure I have many more trips to Ace hardware and other little things as I finish up... This list so far does not include Charge Pipping and Clutch/Flywheel.... those are the only two MAJOR purchases I have left... Hope this helps mate!