E46 330d as a tuning platform?

[300bhp/ton]

I'm sure this has been asked before so happy to pointed to other info regarding this. Although Google seemed to turn up only companies and 3/4 year old threads.

Btw I'm asking for two reasons; one I genuinely don't know the answers and two I find it interesting and somewhat facinating. So it's all for fun rather than for doing.


As prices of 330d's seem to have dropped to quite affordable levels and there's a healthy habit of mapping the newer 335d and other diesels in general. How does the e46 with a manual box stack up to being turned into a Tarmac tearing runaway?

I guess areas of interest are:


-what sort of power can be leveraged from the engine and by what means
-how stout is the engine, at what point does it fail and how
-what sort of upgrades are a available
-how does the drivetrain, specifically the manual gearbox and clutch hold up and can they be upgraded
-any other weak points?


I'm guessing that such a motor should be good for 300hp or so. But no idea of the stock turbo, injectors and fuel system are capable of this. We're there any major changes specifically to the e46 330d during its production run?


Thanks in advance.

[roofer]

I'd sort the diff first personally.

[Fox-]

You wont get an original 184bhp 330d anywhere near 300bhp without spending so much money as to render the entire thing pointless.

[300bhp/ton]

roofer said:

I'd sort the diff first personally.

Are they a bit chocolate? Does an M3 use a different rear end?

[300bhp/ton]

Fox- said:

You wont get an original 184bhp 330d anywhere near 300bhp without spending so much money as to render the entire thing pointless.

Honestly I don't know much about these, would love to know more. I know things like a 2.5 Td5 from a Landy is good for 200hp, maybe 220. And most Yank diesels are pretty good for 80-100bhp/litre when tuned.

[Gusbang]

If you want to tune a big german diesel google 'mercedes OM606', they are are great for tuning huge HP.

[MattOz]

You can get a comfortable 250bhp with 370ft/lbs from an E46 330d with the M57N (204bhp) unit with just a remap. Once you consider a FMIC, 335d injectors and even a hybrid turbo, 300bhp and 500ft/lbs is achievable. You then reach the limit of clutches and gearboxes (both auto and manual) and definitely need bigger brakes and an LSD.

It's the law of diminishing returns after the remap to be honest.

[TheEnd]

A 330d clutch is close to the limit with a regular remap, so anything above and beyond that, you might want to think about a single mass flywheel and fancy uprated clutch.

[anonymous-user]

Intercooler also - http://www.ca-at.co.uk/products-Y2FyX21ha2U9Ym13Jm...

There was a vid somewhere I cant find it of a 330d that was pretty much on par with an E46 M3. Obviously for £££ of work though.

Also these guys are good for decat, etc:

http://www.ecotune-scotland.co.uk/

[Art0ir]

Here's some inspiration http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=8194...

There were also two British guys that entered the Gumball rally a few years ago with a 300hp 330d with similar mods.

[300bhp/ton]

Thanks. So does anyone know the differences between the 184 and 204 versions of the engine?

[benny 61]

Some of the main differences are the ECU
184 bhp has the EDC 15 and the 204 bhp has the EDC 16 which is much more up to date The 184, 5 speed manual, 204, 6 speed manual which I believe is much stronger

Edited by benny 61 on Saturday 11th August 12:46

[anonymous-user]

Considering how little you can now get an E46 M3 for, i can't really see why you'd want to bother tuning a 330d, either virtually or Actually?? Especially when the M3 comes with all the bits that make >300bhp work (suspension, brakes, diff, etc etc)

[300bhp/ton]

Max_Torque said:

Considering how little you can now get an E46 M3 for, i can't really see why you'd want to bother tuning a 330d, either virtually or Actually?? Especially when the M3 comes with all the bits that make >300bhp work (suspension, brakes, diff, etc etc)

Quite a big price difference by the looks of it still. I know mods cost but I'd think you'd need maybe double the money plus for the M3. And it'll then use more fuel.

[4rephill]

SPEED IS JUST A QUESTION OF MONEY! -HOW FAST DO YOU WANT TO GO?

[300bhp/ton]

True. But some cars are cheaper to extract it from, more usable and more affordable to run.

For instance of I'm reading this right:

-remap
-fmic
-filter
-injectors
-clutch


Is likely to give you 280-300hp good mpg and not really that much cost. Slap a 100 shot of nitrous on there too and I suspect rather a giggle for not really a huge sum of money.

[4rephill]

300bhp/ton said:

True. But some cars are cheaper to extract it from, more usable and more affordable to run.

For instance of I'm reading this right:

-remap
-fmic
-filter
-injectors
-clutch


Is likely to give you 280-300hp good mpg and not really that much cost. Slap a 100 shot of nitrous on there too and I suspect rather a giggle for not really a huge sum of money.

All depends on what you call "much cost" and "a huge sum of money", I guess.

You'd have to do the remap last, after fitting a all those parts and having a diesel nitrous system fitted, in order to get the whole of it working correctly (which ideally should also include a decent rolling road session to fine tune it all and keep it all usable), which is all going to start to add up.

[300bhp/ton]

4rephill said:

300bhp/ton said:

True. But some cars are cheaper to extract it from, more usable and more affordable to run.

For instance of I'm reading this right:

-remap
-fmic
-filter
-injectors
-clutch


Is likely to give you 280-300hp good mpg and not really that much cost. Slap a 100 shot of nitrous on there too and I suspect rather a giggle for not really a huge sum of money.

All depends on what you call "much cost" and "a huge sum of money", I guess.

You'd have to do the remap last, after fitting a all those parts and having a diesel nitrous system fitted, in order to get the whole of it working correctly (which ideally should also include a decent rolling road session to fine tune it all and keep it all usable), which is all going to start to add up.

Well the filter and FMIC you could fairly easily fab up I'm sure. Exhaust £300-500. Injectors I don't know, but you could fit them yourself I suspect. Clutch is a cost you'd have to consider on any used car. Remap I'd have thought £200-500. Shouldn't need a map for nitrous. Nitrous costs but is huge hp/£ ratio and you can remove the kit and use on something else should you want.

A cost yes, but probably possible to still be a fair bit cheaper than buying an M3 and of course modding means you can do it over months rather than in a one off hit.

[4rephill]

300bhp/ton said:

Shouldn't need a map for nitrous....

Nitrous oxide systems alter the fuel/air ratio though so ideally you would need the correct engine mapping to make it work properly, especially on a turbo charged engine.

Also, as I understand it, adding nitrous oxide to diesel engines is a little more involved than for petrol engines due to the way diesels operate and ignite their fuel.

[Art0ir]

Propane injection would offer considerable performance and efficiency gains.