E30 M3 Track upgrades

[Freewheeler]

Morning everyone,

First time to post over on this forum but was hoping for a bit of advice. Just bought an early M3 Coupe (non cat) which will be used solely for track days. Presently, the engine is standard with the exception of a K&N induction kit, it has Bilstein suspension, Hi Spec brakes, adjustable top mounts etc. etc. If I wanted slightly more power, what would you guys recommend? I was thinking Milltek exhaust, carbon airbox and maybe Motronic ECU? Any ideas?? Thanks

[weed]

For power, the most popular upgrade is to bin the factory mass airflow sensor with its restrictive barn door in favour of an alpha N based system with a piggyback ECU or an entire engine management sytem.
The Alpha Maxx system or Motec seem to be the most popular.

The main benefits are superior throttle response and an improved midrange to upper end power.Optional extra on these systems is the use of a carbon fibre intake in place of the heavy aluminium intake plenum, for the fantastic sounding intake growl at full chat.

once an alpha N system is in place, you can add lairy cams, or go up in displacement to 2.5 litres.

The benefits of an aftermarket exhaust system seem to be in weight savings rather than any solid power gains, but you have to be careful with noise,stay away from any of the USA manufactured systems.

Imo, the dynamicism of the chassis is where the rewards are to be found, then the power to help keep the point and squirters behind you until the next corner.

m

[kiko]

weed said:

For power, the most popular upgrade is to bin the factory mass airflow sensor with its restrictive barn door in favour of an alpha N based system with a piggyback ECU or an entire engine management sytem.
The Alpha Maxx system or Motec seem to be the most popular.

The main benefits are superior throttle response and an improved midrange to upper end power.Optional extra on these systems is the use of a carbon fibre intake in place of the heavy aluminium intake plenum, for the fantastic sounding intake growl at full chat.

once an alpha N system is in place, you can add lairy cams, or go up in displacement to 2.5 litres.

The benefits of an aftermarket exhaust system seem to be in weight savings rather than any solid power gains, but you have to be careful with noise,stay away from any of the USA manufactured systems.

Imo, the dynamicism of the chassis is where the rewards are to be found, then the power to help keep the point and squirters behind you until the next corner.

m

Well said!


If you're in the South go to Bexley Motor Works, tell them Francisco sent you there and ask for tuning package (cams,re-map).

Personally I'm staying away from non-OEM managements to avoida electrical gremlins.

[taffyracer]

Work on the chassis 1st then go for power, much more gains to be found in set up and suspension than power, some decent shocks would be my priority

[stevesingo]

kiko said:

If you're in the South go to Bexley Motor Works, tell them Francisco sent you there and ask for tuning package (cams,re-map).

Personally I'm staying away from non-OEM managements to avoid electrical gremlins.

I have been running a non-OEM management for 2 years without any gremlins. If you fit cams you will loose some low end power and you won't get the best from them if you keep the OEM management and air flow meter. It depends on budget but, if I were you I'd have Emerald or DTA engine management fitted mapped properly. Add to this the carbon airbox set up and you will be looking at a 15BHP improvement (about the same as a pair of 284 cams) throughout the rev range without sacrificing any torque low down.

If you decide to go for cams later you will be able to get the best from them.

Steve

http://board.s14power.com/

[taffyracer]

Sorry, totally disagree, you don't need low down torque in a track car, you need it mid and top end, cams are superb for this and if you were going to do anything to the engine, cams will make the biggest difference, a CF plenum and standalone management should also be hand in hand with this, but are IMO intehral to the whole package, without cams it's a huge outlay for not alot but with cams it's HUGE power and driveability hike for not a huge amount more, with a nice set of cams, DTA would also be my choice, cracking ECU

Edited by taffyracer on Sunday 10th June 20:02

[stevesingo]

taffyracer said:

Sorry, totally disagree, you don't need low down torque in a track car, you need it mid and top end, cams are superb for this and if you were going to do anything to the engine, cams will make the biggest difference, a CF plenum and standalone management should also be hand in hand with this, but are IMO intehral to the whole package, without cams it's a huge outlay for not alot but with cams it's HUGE power and driveability hike for not a huge amount more, with a nice set of cams, DTA would also be my choice, cracking ECU

Edited by taffyracer on Sunday 10th June 20:02

You will struggle to run any more than 284/284 cams on the stock ECU/AFM as the AFM will not flow enough air, the 238BHP Evo3 used a larger M535i AFM. An early s14 engine with 26.5mm inlet ports will make, at the most, another 15bhp with 284/284 cams running through a standard induction system, whereas you will gain that and more from an ECU and airbox and you will have better throttle response to boot.

There are folk that have picked up 20+ bhp@wheels on a earl 195 engine bored to 2.5 fitted with kk290/290 cams when fitted with a carbon airbox. The reason, the engine was being choked by the AFM.

A set of 284/284 will make +15bhp on a stock induction, +20-25bhp on a carbon plenum after market ecu equipped engine.

But, a set of 284's come in at less than £700, you are looking at the thick end of £2000 for an ECU and airbox.

Steve

[taffyracer]

So if you get 15bhp for £700 isn't that a better option than spending 2k on a plenum and ECU to get the same 15bhp, personally I think the 2 are inextricably linked, higher lift cams need more air and fuel to make full use of them. It's not all about bhp, driveability is what cams give you in the mid and upper range, I would never do one without the other, pointless unless you have budget constraints IMO.

[R5Gttgaz]

Speak to Will at Geoff Steel racing, they have been racing the E30 M3's for yonks and also run in BTCC.

http://www.geoffsteelracing.co.uk/

[stevesingo]

taffyracer said:

So if you get 15bhp for £700 isn't that a better option than spending 2k on a plenum and ECU to get the same 15bhp,

If you have £2k no, because like you say...

taffyracer said:

It's not all about bhp, driveability is what cams give you in the mid and upper range

The airbox/ecu route gives you better drivability everywhere, better throttle respose and gets the best out of what you have mechanically. I don't see the point of changing the oily bits if you are not going to make the best out of the engine. If you had a car fitted with a restricter you wouldn't put cams in it before you remove the restricter.

taffyracer said:

personally I think the 2 are inextricably linked, higher lift cams need more air and fuel to make full use of them. , I would never do one without the other, pointless unless you have budget constraints IMO.

Too true but if you only have £700 then you are limited to your options, so cams would be the choice and maybe a 535 AFM with a remap.

Steve

[Freewheeler]

Thanks guys, I'll do my best to work my way through the above and will let you know the outcome!! Thanks once again

[RLK500]

Got to agree that cams are the way to go if you want the best upgrade for a track car on a budget. I have cams in mine and still run the AFM, on track it's pretty good. One other thing to bear in mind is that if you are going to do a lot of track work, and go down the carbon airbox route, noise can be a big issue.

[taffyracer]

Cams are the best bang for buck if that's what you're after, a CF plenum is only good if you can make use of all that extra air, so like I said, it really should be considered as integral to doing cams and preferably with a decent ECU to boot, but on its own and if you're on a budget, do the cams and then the rest, standard cams really do not offer anything on track

[jamesrose]

having gone down this route myself, without a doubt sort of the handling out first...I went for Leda coilovers and from my experience this got me round the track far faster than the power upgrades...

I then went for schrick cams, Alpha N, Carbon Airbox, supersprint exhaust, rebuilt gasflowed ported head at Bexley's. Had a few teething probs but now the engine is good for 240 bhp.

Finally had bucket seats and a half cage installed.

Im too scared to add up the bills but it makes a pretty acomplished track machine.

Edited by jamesrose on Monday 11th June 21:00

[taffyracer]

taffyracer said:

Work on the chassis 1st then go for power, much more gains to be found in set up and suspension than power, some decent shocks would be my priority

Wise words, Leda are good, i ran a set on the E30 and the E36 before swapping to Moton

[RLK500]

Absolutely, I had Leda's and Kmac's, coupled to R Compound tyres on mine long before the cams went in. Then you realise how much more power you can deal with, once it handles.

[Freewheeler]

Thanks for all the good advice. It should handle reasonably well (I hope!!) as it has Bilsteins, adjustable top mounts, KW springs and Hi Spec 4 pots so...... will let you know, first track day booked for Saturday!!

[falkster]

jamesrose said:

having gone down this route myself, without a doubt sort of the handling out first...I went for Leda coilovers and from my experience this got me round the track far faster than the power upgrades...

I then went for schrick cams, Alpha N, Carbon Airbox, supersprint exhaust, rebuilt gasflowed ported head at Bexley's. Had a few teething probs but now the engine is good for 240 bhp.

Finally had bucket seats and a half cage installed.

Im too scared to add up the bills but it makes a pretty acomplished track machine.

Edited by jamesrose on Monday 11th June 21:00

Arent we all James?? I think thats why most of us will hold on to them forever.....you havent lost any money until the car has gone!