Project Track Car

[bmw178]

I have a 1996 BMW 318is that I have had for a while and have decided to turn it into a track car.

Has anyone on here got any good mod ideas because the care only has 140bhp.
Ideally camshafts, bigger injectors & chipped induction kits. Just thought I would get the engine mods out the road before chipping.

Not to bothered with increasing high end just low to mid.

 

[HDi fun]

How much power are you after?

 

[Prince]

Hi and welcome mate. Good to see another 318is owner. We've got a few pottering around now.

1996 means you have an M44 engine (1.9).

This means your best mods to the engine will be exhaust (Eisenmann or Supersprint), Simota induction kit, big bore throttle bodies and then a remap. The M44 doesn't respond well to a chip so you will have to remap it (The M42 is the engine that chips well). That is about all it's worth doing tbh. It should see you to around 160bhp (assuming the car is healthy).

If you want more then you have a few options:

1/ Mini Supercharger. This should increase output by around 50%.

2/ Turbo. Power can reach beyond M3 power, however most kits are US based meaning a lot of work has to be custom. I.E. The exhaust manifold.

3/ Engine conversion. It may weigh 30kg more, but the 328i engine (M52) will offer you 193bhp as standard.

Forgetting about power for a moment though, what suspension and brake set up are you planning to run?

 

[bmw178]

The holy grail as much power as possible.

Was hoping to get in the mid 200bhp's as cheap as possible with just doing exhaust, bigger injectors, induction kit and a bit cylinder head work before remap or chip.

 

[bmw178]

I have weitech springs already on so was going to read up on Coilovers but am very tempted just to put a complete rear axle from M3 with LSD, racing coilovers and new anti roll bar.

OPen to any ideas.

 

[HDi fun]

3/ Engine conversion. It may weigh 30kg more, but the 328i engine (M52) will offer you 193bhp as standard.

The 330i engine (M54) is 231bhp in standard tune. Should do the job well in your car. That would be my starting point.

Or derv - 330d perhaps? Tuning possibilites abound with these

 

[stamford]

I would start by stripping the car of all unnecessary weight, that will be cheaper than buying horses for starters! You may be surprised how much that will weigh.

 

[Prince]

The holy grail as much power as possible.

Was hoping to get in the mid 200bhp's as cheap as possible with just doing exhaust, bigger injectors, induction kit and a bit cylinder head work before remap or chip.

You'll have to 6 pot for this really. An M52 (2.8 - found in the 328i) can reach those sort of figures quite nicely by doing the following:

M50 manifold conversion
BBTBs
Induction Kit
Exhaust
Remap

I have weitech springs already on so was going to read up on Coilovers but am very tempted just to put a complete rear axle from M3 with LSD, racing coilovers and new anti roll bar.

OPen to any ideas.

You'll definitely want more than springs. The LSD idea is a good one, some 328s came with LSDs as well. Eibach offer ARBs at good prices. Thet also come with new bushes as well so no need for polys there. It's also adjustable.

I've got HSD coilovers on mine. They were £800 and worth every penny. They are fuly adjustable (height, camber and castor). They are probably one of the best coilovers available at that price. I think Bilstein PSS9s are around £1400 as are KW v3s.

You'll also want poly bushes all round. I've got purples but if this car will be used purely on track then you could go for black.

You need to think about your brakes as well. A 330 conversion will be enough, but then you need a decent set of pads, s/s hoses and some good fluid.

 

[HDi fun]

The M50 manifold conversion will see about 225bhp from the M52TUB engine. The 193bhp was a German insurance special.

If you go down the 24v six route make sure to get a post 1999 engine. Earlier ones had problems with Nikasil bore liners.

Sorry - I'm wrong _ i meant the M52 BEFORE the TU (Technical Update)

 

[T9 man]

The M50 manifold conversion will see about 225bhp from the M52TUB engine. The 193bhp was a German insurance special.

If you go down the 24v six route make sure to get a post 1999 engine. Earlier ones had problems with Nikasil bore liners.

Sorry HDi, Nikasil bore liners! what is this exactly?

 

[Prince]

The M50 manifold conversion will see about 225bhp

Only if combined with BBTBs.

 

[Prince]

Sorry HDi, Nikasil bore liners! what is this exactly?

It was a coating used on the bores that bascially ate away at the block. There was one cure... A new engine. All *should* have been replaced by a recall. It was only the M52 that was effected. It was due to high sulphar content is some fuels (I.E. Cheap (supermarket) fuel). This reacted with the nickel lining on the bores and wore away until the engine failed.

 

[T9 man]

It was a coating used on the bores that bascially ate away at the block. There was one cure... A new engine. All *should* have been replaced by a recall. It was only the M52 that was effected. It was due to high sulphar content is some fuels (I.E. Cheap (supermarket) fuel). This reacted with the nickel lining on the bores and wore away until the engine failed.

Blimey :amazed: sounds like some sort of metallic car cancer! :sad2:

 

[HDi fun]

It's a nickel and silicon composite which apparently can be prone to corrosive damage in places where high sulphur fuel has been used. Such as Western Europe. My car has the TUB engine, which means steel liners so I'm safe.

Most, but not all cars were recalled by BMW (I think it's only pre 2000 cars which were thus afflicted) so there shouldn't be a problem but it's a case of caveat emptor I'm afraid.

 

[bmw178]

just found a local listing for a alpina B3 engine in a half completed car. Anyone know if these engines are any good?

 

[HDi fun]

just found a local listing for a alpina B3 engine in a half completed car. Anyone know if these engines are any good?

Grab it without hesitation if it's working properly. The Alpina engines are based upon a factory engine which been dismantled, modified and then re-assembled by hand and balanced throughout.

Like any engine regular servicing is important, so if this is in place then buy with confidence - they're very durable, equally as much as are the engines upon which they are based but the Alpina treatment does wring significant torque gains.

Sounds like quite a find to me - good luck

 

[bmw178]

What is the bare minimum that you need to do for a track day so that I can get a feel for it.

 

[pgarner]

depending on the regs you might need a helmet.

also worthwhile looking at at insurance for a trackday as your road insurance wont cover you

 

[stamford]

Take a look at the Club MSV website, they offer taster sessions for as little as £25 and you can get a feel for what you need. For the typical track day you can rent a helmet for the day. All cars must be road legal, have an MOT and pass the circuits noise test. No need for bucket seats or harnesses or racesuits. Track day insurance is a waste of time unless you have a supercar. The level of excess is normally more than any typical damage incurred in an 'off' and if not collecting another car whilst out there.

You can quite easily use a standard road car for the novice run outs as long as the brakes and tyres good. Once you get a taste for it then you will need to start beefing the car up in alot of areas to prolong your enjoyment.

 

[bmw178]

cheers.

 

[Maxy]

To be fair to change the color of the car is not really a good thing to get all the bits you see when you open the doors in the trunk under the hood ex. but if you want the door under the hood, but not the engine compartment after searching around 1700.

 

[stamford]

To be fair to change the color of the car is not really a good thing to get all the bits you see when you open the doors in the trunk under the hood ex. but if you want the door under the hood, but not the engine compartment after searching around 1700.

:blink: say what? Have you posted in the wrong thread my friend?

 

[Prince]

just found a local listing for a alpina B3 engine in a half completed car. Anyone know if these engines are any good?

You would need everything to go with the engine as well. Gearbox, ECU, all the loom. I don't think it's a straight forward swap. But if you're willing to get it in what ever the costs then I don't see why not.