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Increase in power for 316i

  • 22-11-2009 1:41am
    #1
    Finty Huggz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭


    I've got a 2001 e46 316i and it is aggressivly slow. It's a 1.9L producing 115bhp, surely something can be done?? And what sort of effect is this likely to have on insurance?
    Thanks
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    tossy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,587 ✭✭✭tossy


    Finty Huggz wrote: »
    I've got a 2001 e46 316i and it is aggressivly slow. It's a 1.9L producing 115bhp, surely something can be done?? And what sort of effect is this likely to have on insurance?
    Thanks

    Not being smart here being honest spending any money on power upgrades would be silly,and not worth it for what you'd get.

    A remap costing 350-400e would give you around 4-5bhp
    An exhaust costing porbably the same would give you 4 bhp if you were lucky
    A cold air induction kit might give you 2-3bhp and would cost 100-150e plus for a good one.

    So you would have spent the guts of 1000 euro and have 135 odd bhp and it would still be aggressively slow (love that term btw)

    Spend the money on nice wheels and some decent suspension upgrades to lower it slightly.


  • #3
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    tossy wrote: »
    Not being smart here being honest spending any money on power upgrades would be silly,and not worth it for what you'd get.

    A remap costing 350-400e would give you around 4-5bhp
    An exhaust costing porbably the same would give you 4 bhp if you were lucky
    A cold air induction kit might give you 2-3bhp and would cost 100-150e plus for a good one.

    So you would have spent the guts of 1000 euro and have 135 odd bhp and it would still be aggressively slow (love that term btw)

    Spend the money on nice wheels and some decent suspension upgrades to lower it slightly.

    +1, it's a non-turbo so unless you're willing spent lots then there are no options to increase the power significantly, and even if you spend money on the above mods you wouldn't notice the difference.


  • #4
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    tossy wrote: »
    Not being smart here being honest spending any money on power upgrades would be silly,and not worth it for what you'd get.

    A remap costing 350-400e would give you around 4-5bhp
    An exhaust costing porbably the same would give you 4 bhp if you were lucky
    A cold air induction kit might give you 2-3bhp and would cost 100-150e plus for a good one.

    So you would have spent the guts of 1000 euro and have 135 odd bhp and it would still be aggressively slow (love that term btw)

    Spend the money on nice wheels and some decent suspension upgrades to lower it slightly.

    +1, it's a non-turbo so unless you're willing spent lots then there are no options to increase the power significantly, and even then you wouldn't notice the difference.


  • #5
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    Buy the engine and ECU from a wrecked 535 or 540 and drop it in.


  • #6
    Owen
    Registered Users Posts: 12,683 ✭✭✭✭Owen


    That can be surprisingly difficult JHMEG, a friend dropped an e36 328 engine into an e36 316 body, and the electronics ended up being a nightmare to marry. In the end, he bribed a master technician from one of the garages to come over to his house a few nights over a month, they poured over the wiring diagrams, and eventually got it to fire ... but one of the control units was so incompatible, they had to turn on the ignition, count to 12, send 12 volts down a wire to it, and only then would it fire.


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  • #7
    Ferris
    Registered Users Posts: 2,280 ✭✭✭Ferris


    Not worth ot OP, either spending money on mods or swapping the engine. Sell the car and buy one with a better/bigger engine. You'd sell your car and pick up a 325i for less that it would cost to modify yours and you'd have an origial reliable and resaleable car.


  • #8
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,380 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    isn't the 318i of that era the same engine? surely an ECU swap from a 318i would give some increases?


  • #9
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    PaintDoctor wrote: »
    That can be surprisingly difficult JHMEG,
    Dump the ECU and existing engine and put in an S2000 engine. Has been done before with a BMW.


  • #10
    Ferris
    Registered Users Posts: 2,280 ✭✭✭Ferris


    JHMEG wrote: »
    Dump the ECU and existing engine and put in an S2000 engine. Has been done before with a BMW.

    Or a nissan sr20 or RB, or a 1jz Supra engine or even an LS1 V8, its all been done but it is a hugely complex thing to do. BMW make some of the best engines (6cyl of course) in the world, why not just buy one with the right engine in it already.

    I'm all in favour of engine swaps but its obviously not something that the OP is into.


  • #11
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    Ferris wrote: »
    Or a nissan sr20 or RB, or a 1jz Supra engine or even an LS1 V8, its all been done but it is a hugely complex thing to do. BMW make some of the best engines (6cyl of course) in the world, why not just buy one with the right engine in it already.

    I'm all in favour of engine swaps but its obviously not something that the OP is into.
    All he needs is money. The returns are guaranteed.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICsrADnWFKU


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  • #12
    JimmyCrackCorn!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 752 ✭✭✭JimmyCrackCorn!


    The cheap/easy option is to buy a car with a bigger engine. (Sorry its a fact)


    Next option is buy a bigger engine and put it in. Not cheap or easy unless you can do it yourself. (plus the engine itself wont be cheap, and the bits for conversion wont be cheap like breaks,gearbox, custom mounts, custom prop )

    Tuning a bmw 1.6 to make more power is not worth the investment as its already well tuned.

    If i was going for a swap and could justify it id look and an ls1 but driftworks people drop all sorts of engines in so try there.


  • #13
    JHMEG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,686 ✭✭✭JHMEG


    JimmyCrackCorn! wrote: »
    The cheap/easy option is to buy a car with a bigger engine. (Sorry its a fact)
    I thought this was the modified cars section?


  • #14
    qz
    Registered Users Posts: 8,753 ✭✭✭qz


    JHMEG wrote: »
    I thought this was the modified cars section?

    The thread only just got moved from the main forum.


  • #15
    JimmyCrackCorn!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 752 ✭✭✭JimmyCrackCorn!


    JHMEG wrote: »
    I thought this was the modified cars section?

    Its a 316 modify away but spending 6 grand( plus allot of leg work ) to get an engine conversion when you could have a factory fitted engine with reasonable power for much less pain.

    What do you want me to say buy an ls1 4.5k on its own drop it in spend the next six months getting everything where you needed it. Or if that's not enough fabricate a twin turbo set-up and go for 600bhp and kiss your wallet goodbye.
    (http://www.britishamericanengines.co.uk/ls_engines/default.asp)


    Just because you can modify it doesn't make it the sensible approach. No need to do all that if all you want is 240bhp ish.


  • #16
    DaireMac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 38 ✭DaireMac


    Agree the fact its got to be a turbo or compressor for any mods to really work. Anyways get yourself a 318is coupe i loved it a real drivers car...................:D


  • #17
    projectgtr
    Registered Users Posts: 2,461 ✭✭✭projectgtr


    im not up on BMW engines but id say id just stick to the basic breathing mods unless your willing to dig deep, keeping it cheap(ish) id go with maybe routing a cold air feed to your intake and removing any restricive resonators (if any) then id look into a decent manifold and cat back system, thats as far as id go unless you really want to build on that engine, another option could be changing the gearing in the gearbox again im not up on BMWs but this is where theres alot of potential on civics and while it doesnt add HP to the car it can totally change how the car drives and can make it alot quicker (acceleration wise :D )


  • #18
    Ferris
    Registered Users Posts: 2,280 ✭✭✭Ferris


    projectgtr wrote: »
    im not up on BMW engines but id say id just stick to the basic breathing mods unless your willing to dig deep, keeping it cheap(ish) id go with maybe routing a cold air feed to your intake and removing any restricive resonators (if any) then id look into a decent manifold and cat back system, thats as far as id go unless you really want to build on that engine, another option could be changing the gearing in the gearbox again im not up on BMWs but this is where theres alot of potential on civics and while it doesnt add HP to the car it can totally change how the car drives and can make it alot quicker (acceleration wise :D )

    Easier to change the diff in a BMW than the gearbox. Also if you do that its gonna suck juice on the open road.


  • #19
    Pdfile
    Registered Users Posts: 2,115 ✭✭✭Pdfile


    Finty Huggz wrote: »
    I've got a 2001 e46 316i and it is aggressivly slow. It's a 1.9L producing 115bhp, surely something can be done?? And what sort of effect is this likely to have on insurance?
    Thanks


    shorter gear'd g/b is your best bet then a new engine.


    gears will only do 115/120 mph but jasus you'd get their fast, even better with a bigger engine, then when you get serious power have them lenghtened.

    also yeah it does take a year and a half to get the gb but jasus lads, the gb shorten, buy good tyres, and your away for the time being... its all about the power you put to the deck not how much you make



    and i swear if one more person uses Civic/honda/vtec and fast in the same sentence when not refaring to how fast they loose races i swear ill backflip a donkey :mad:


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