M52 328i Engine upgrade options

M52 328i Engine upgrade options

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Discussion

SidewaysSi

Original Poster:

10,742 posts

234 months

Thursday 19th October 2017
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I have an E36 328i and am looking to upgrade the engine. Know about the M50 manifold but hoping to get an induction kit etc as well.

Alpina507 used to be the man but think he no longer supplies - anyone know what are the current options and where is best to source parts and fit?

4rephill

5,040 posts

178 months

Friday 20th October 2017
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SidewaysSi said:
I have an E36 328i and am looking to upgrade the engine. Know about the M50 manifold but hoping to get an induction kit etc as well.

Alpina507 used to be the man but think he no longer supplies - anyone know what are the current options and where is best to source parts and fit?
You mean Alpina527 wink

He used to be the best man for the job, but I suspect the work eventually dried up as the E36's gradually disappeared, and it wasn't worth his while making the kits any more.

There's an "alpina527" selling BMW wiring harnesses on ebay who I suspect is the same guy ( https://www.ebay.ie/sch/alpina527/m.html?item=2826... ) , so it might be worth getting in touch with him to see if he still does the kits or can offer any suitable advice on the subject.

There's this site in the USA ( http://m50manifold.com//index.php?option=com_front... ), but I'm not sure if they're still making the kits or not.

iguana

7,036 posts

260 months

Sunday 22nd October 2017
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Remap to suit the m5O - enda & then an m3 manifold & exhaust = big gains, nowt from the induction but a great noise.

5harp3y

1,942 posts

199 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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My M52 (albeit in a Z3) made 205.8 bhp using just my home brew induction kit (190bhp standard)

M50 manifold is the next logical step to do, they are getting increasingly hard to find the manifolds for decent money. loads of kits available to fit the parts

Then cams and exhaust + remapped ECU and limiter raised to 7200

iguana

7,036 posts

260 months

Wednesday 25th October 2017
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5harp3y said:
My M52 (albeit in a Z3) made 205.8 bhp using just my home brew induction kit (190bhp standard)

M50 manifold is the next logical step to do, they are getting increasingly hard to find the manifolds for decent money. loads of kits available to fit the parts

Then cams and exhaust + remapped ECU and limiter raised to 7200
I think the induction did nothing, guess you didn't dyno it stock? I dyno'd 2 high mileage bog standard 328s & got 21O bhp out of both, is a pretty bang on dyno figure wise too judging from the other cars I've had on.

5harp3y

1,942 posts

199 months

Monday 30th October 2017
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iguana said:
I think the induction did nothing, guess you didn't dyno it stock? I dyno'd 2 high mileage bog standard 328s & got 21O bhp out of both, is a pretty bang on dyno figure wise too judging from the other cars I've had on.
The chap that dynoed them said they usually make 195+ but over 200 is rarer in his experience.

But yeah probably not much in it.

MiggyA

193 posts

100 months

Monday 30th October 2017
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iguana said:
I think the induction did nothing, guess you didn't dyno it stock? I dyno'd 2 high mileage bog standard 328s & got 21O bhp out of both, is a pretty bang on dyno figure wise too judging from the other cars I've had on.
They do go well stock, a bit better than you'd think based on the book numbers. Haven't dyno'd mine but it managed 6.6s to 60

Anyway, another mod you can do is fitting the crank and pistons from an M54 3 litre which'll give an extra 200cc. The restrictive stock manifold gives a boost in the midrange vs the M50 one, so I suppose in theory stroking the motor should give you back that fat midrange with lots more top end from the free flowing manifold.

nosuchuser

837 posts

216 months

Wednesday 1st November 2017
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Simota (Gruppe-M clone) induction kit? Probably won't add any bhp but the noise lick

Alpina527 is still in business with the M50/bbtb kits. My plan, (once I know how bad the rust is..) M50/bbtb from Alpina527 then remap and Simota induction kit

iSore

4,011 posts

144 months

Wednesday 1st November 2017
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MiggyA said:
They do go well stock, a bit better than you'd think based on the book numbers. Haven't dyno'd mine but it managed 6.6s to 60

Anyway, another mod you can do is fitting the crank and pistons from an M54 3 litre which'll give an extra 200cc. The restrictive stock manifold gives a boost in the midrange vs the M50 one, so I suppose in theory stroking the motor should give you back that fat midrange with lots more top end from the free flowing manifold.
I drove a US market 240 bhp M3 in Canada once - iron block 3.2 M50 with spiky cams and what looked like a standard 328i manifold. Bog standard, it felt like it would pull a tree out of the ground it had so much torque. I preferred it to the 321 bhp Euro version. It would eat a 330i for breakfast and that's before you started modifying it. I daresay an M50 manifold and a good remap would get it way over 250 bhp - closer to 260 - not to be sniffed at.