BMW E46 tuning
Bmw E36 318 OLX.ro.
Wednesday 19th March 2014
I was thinking of buying an E46 BMW 318i, however I wish to improve its power as much as possible. I was thinking an OEM exhaust and having it remapped, then other engine parts to match.. what kind of power can I expect from doing these modifications and what modifications would you suggest? I have searched these forums before and see replies like 'get a 325d instead' or 'why don't you do an engine conversion?'... however I am wanting a 318i and just want some help with what performance parts would be useful and the power gains I can expect
Wednesday 19th March 2014
Wednesday 19th March 2014
Hi chap,
I know this isn't going to be an incredibly helpful post to you... sorry for that...
As you've probably already been told several times, the 318 engine is not exactly BMW's finest hour.
In a full size 3 series it'll feel sluggish, even in the compact it is hardly world-altering.
You can tune the engine like you would any other, but I think tuning parts are probably harder to come by than for the six-pot.
I do believe a guy on here actually had a supercharged 318 and with a shedload of mods and money he only just about got it to the performance of a 330 (his words).
Remapping may help the throttle response on your car, smooth it out a bit, but it won't unleash lots of power like a diesel or turbo petrol remap. Even with my car, an optimistic remap figure says I'll get approx 30bhp, and I'm starting with a 4.4l V8.
It might help us help you, if we understand the reason you're using the 318?
I know this isn't going to be an incredibly helpful post to you... sorry for that...
As you've probably already been told several times, the 318 engine is not exactly BMW's finest hour.
In a full size 3 series it'll feel sluggish, even in the compact it is hardly world-altering.
You can tune the engine like you would any other, but I think tuning parts are probably harder to come by than for the six-pot.
I do believe a guy on here actually had a supercharged 318 and with a shedload of mods and money he only just about got it to the performance of a 330 (his words).
Remapping may help the throttle response on your car, smooth it out a bit, but it won't unleash lots of power like a diesel or turbo petrol remap. Even with my car, an optimistic remap figure says I'll get approx 30bhp, and I'm starting with a 4.4l V8.
It might help us help you, if we understand the reason you're using the 318?
Thursday 20th March 2014
Thursday 20th March 2014
If you're buying the N42 (16 valve 4-cylinder), which is much more powerful (although not as reliable) than the earlier 8-valve M43, I would have thought you could probably add another 10-20hp to the car before it starts getting ludicrously expensive? That might be an optimistic figure.
Thursday 20th March 2014
just as a side note, i had a custom stainless exhaust put on my 325 and mapped it.
then dyno'd it.
then took the map off.
it was really that pointless.
then dyno'd it.
then took the map off.
it was really that pointless.
Thursday 20th March 2014
318 as I know I can insure this car as a first car, but not tell the insurance companies about any mods which is a bit naughty but you know.. I like the 318 shape and want to eventually do an engine swap and build this up to keep for a long time and use as a project car, I know people will say start with a different car but the BMW e46 318 is the car I wish to start with.. and thanks for the advice guys, didn't expect replies this soon
Thursday 20th March 2014
Have you checked the insurance price difference between a 318 and 325? I suspect you's spend a lot of £££ tring to get 20 BHP more out of a 318, more than the insurance difference would cost, and the 6 cylinders are soooo much nicer
Thursday 20th March 2014
318 as I know I can insure this car as a first car, but not tell the insurance companies about any mods which is a bit naughty but you know.. I like the 318 shape and want to eventually do an engine swap and build this up to keep for a long time and use as a project car, I know people will say start with a different car but the BMW e46 318 is the car I wish to start with.. and thanks for the advice guys, didn't expect replies this soon
Assuming you're having insurance problems because of age (only guessing).I found when I was younger (and to an extent now, although not as bad) they tend to go on CC. If that's still the case, the 318 is actually a 2l, and some of the early 320s are also 2l (the later ones being 2.2). So, you might find insurance is not as bad as you say. Also, all e46s look largely the same from the outside (I am generalising massively here, there are differences) but when you say you like the 318 shape, are you talking about the compact by any chance - 318Ti?
In any case, I really can not stress enough how awful the regular 318 engine is. The six cylinder is infinitely better and to be quite honest I am sure ANY real mod is going to cost you a lot more than the insurance difference between the two, for nowhere near the power gain - plus the 6 cyl sound!
I don't really want to get into the morals of not declaring things to your insurance company, but it isn't an incredibly wise policy...
Thursday 20th March 2014
not the compact shape no, cant stand that shape, with the insurance I wasn't going to do anything too significant like supercharger systems but more things like exhaust mods and subtle tunes that wouldn't stand out or gain too much attention
Thursday 20th March 2014
obviously the e46 isn't a wise choice, so could anyone else suggest a car between 120-130bhp that would be easily tuneable
Friday 21st March 2014
obviously the e46 isn't a wise choice, so could anyone else suggest a car between 120-130bhp that would be easily tuneable
How about you just enjoy having your first set of wheels and save more performance and tuning for your second car once you've got the hang of the whole driving thing?Jumping straight into a 3 Series and tuning it up without telling the insurer as your first car just sounds like a really daft idea.
Buy something small and fun and underpowered, keep it for 18 months, then buy a 325i, be happy.
Piese Auto Tuning Bmw 318i
Friday 21st March 2014
E46PERFORMANCE. Forget it, it's a bad idea. There is a reason why everybody older and wiser than you are saying buy something else. With the mods you're describing, you'd be lucky to notice any improvement at all, it'll literally be a waste of time and money. There's not even any sense in doing an engine swap when there are thousands of perfectly good and relatively cheap 328i and 330i out there.
Oh and insurance fraud? Yeah that couldn't possibly end badly.
Oh and insurance fraud? Yeah that couldn't possibly end badly.
Friday 21st March 2014
P.S. Why are you choosing your first car based on some arbitrary BHP target? A diesel Octavia has 130bhp, is it fun?
Friday 21st March 2014
The E36 328i is also a really great car and you can probably pick up a nice one of those for less money than a lot of e46 318s.
They are a lot of car - more like 200bhp (BMW's figures are notoriously conservative).
The e46 was the best 'driver's car' of all of its contemporaries.
If you're looking for a good car on the cheap, I hear very good things about the MGs of the early 00s. My friend has a ZR and whilst the fit and finish are obviously worlds away from the BMW, it is quite rapid for a 105bhp car (something like 400kgs lighter than the equivalent BMW!) and there are hotter versions too. The ZS (their 3-series equivalent) also got rave reviews and has a few engines to choose from. If you're really desperate to tune something, I think the K-series is massively tuneable as it was the engine of choice for both Lotus and Caterham until they stopped making them.
Parts will be much cheaper than the BMW too I am sure.
They are a lot of car - more like 200bhp (BMW's figures are notoriously conservative).
The e46 was the best 'driver's car' of all of its contemporaries.
If you're looking for a good car on the cheap, I hear very good things about the MGs of the early 00s. My friend has a ZR and whilst the fit and finish are obviously worlds away from the BMW, it is quite rapid for a 105bhp car (something like 400kgs lighter than the equivalent BMW!) and there are hotter versions too. The ZS (their 3-series equivalent) also got rave reviews and has a few engines to choose from. If you're really desperate to tune something, I think the K-series is massively tuneable as it was the engine of choice for both Lotus and Caterham until they stopped making them.
Parts will be much cheaper than the BMW too I am sure.
Piese Auto Tuning Bmw 318 Convertible
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