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Lets build a MS43-turbo system! Specs etc...

42K views 78 replies 23 participants last post by  cosmos328Ci 
#1 ·
Hello guys,

anyone interested in developing/building a turbosystem for M54 based engines?

I´d like to start a build next year with hopefully a 325ti@M54B30 and as i want/need it absolutely stealth, i was thinking of doing something like a group-concepted build. It seems to be working good at headers and that stuff, why wouldn´t it work at chargers.

I know theres already a kit available, but in europe its not that easy and honestly i´m to much engineer to just buy a kit.

So, what do we need to build a turbocharged system? Which components are known to be working? whats the performance looking like?

A few of these questions i´m going to answer in the next days, but be aware i´m not directly into uber high performance figures! If someone is interested in 500+hp, that definately need better parts.

Is anyone interested in that topic and are there some folks which already want to give some input? :clap:
 
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#12 · (Edited)
Lets say around M3 equivalent?

Daniel, can I suggest you invite GeorgeG to this thread, his knowledge and yours combined on this subject could get very, very interesting. Only person I know of who has done both rhd and lhd turbo non m.
All your input is very welcome :hi: Who´s that GeorgeG and how to find him?
(edit) Aahh, GeorgeGG? I´ll have a look at this thread.
 
#13 ·
GeorgeGG is kind of on a different path, his path is more along the lines of a e36 into a e46 body, using a standalone iirc

I think Daniel's goals are to turbo a m54 with ms43!

my input on the topic...

timecerts! I use 11mm certs but if you really want to do the extreme, contact "bluejeansonfire" he had steel slugs custom made instead of certs.
I wouldn't recommend turboing without doing this.

the spa manifold has worked really well for the e36 crowd and fits fairly nicely in the e46 (the one im using)

also as far as tuning on the ms43 we will need to overcome the issue with having 2 banks of exhaust gas going into 1 bank, nick g figured out a way to make the ecu read bank 1 02 sensor only. unless you decide to try and twin turbo the e46.

PEI330Ci has some really good info on the m54 also, maybe he can add some stuff.
 
#15 ·
No offence to Daniel, because I believe his intentions are genuine, but I'm just not motivated to comment on this stuff anymore.

Most of what I suggest is disregarded, or criticized. I don't take it personally, but it is a trend that doesn't encourage continued participation.

My son in contrast, follows 90% of what I suggest with Lego....so that's where my time goes. :D

I still answer all direct questions as best as I can.
 
#21 · (Edited)
In general I think Hobbit 382 has the right idea. With the tuning options available now, use the cheaper aftermarket stuff that has been available to the e36 crowd for some time. With a little bit of research, components with decent quality are readily available for very little money. I'm actually toying with the idea of picking up a 325 winter beater/grocery getter or something in the next year and slapping an ebay turbo kit on it for kicks.
 
#22 · (Edited)
now that tuning is becoming avail. it shouldn't be a problem to slap on some ebay kits and make decent power... The issue has always been tuning.
 
#28 ·
Ebay kits are generally garbage. Start with good hardware. Good manifold (SPA cast is well proven), good turbo (garrett GT30 or GT35 depending on goals), Tial wastegate, Tial or Synapse BOV.

Everything else is "easy" depending on your area of expertise. There is a reason the good brand name kits work and the DIY hobbist stuff usually ends in tears. The DIY stuff that "works" is usually a "hobby" build by someone with resources to do it right.
 
#30 ·
How do you plan to modify the manifold to get it to fit?

I wish those turbos weren't integrated into manifold, it's gonnna be a pain in the ass getting in and out. Also the flange for the exhaust isn't a normal off the shelf size iirc, so make sure you grab the cat section too. If not I may have one laying around I could send you.
 
#31 ·
Well, i don´t know actually :) We´ll see when it arrives, hopefully tomorrow. I have a spare head laying in my shop, waiting for a nice porting and some measuring how to fit the turbo. At least i hope in manifoldinlets are big enough so i don´t have to weld and re-machine the exhaust ports.

The exhaust flange is nothing i´m to worried about, i´ll have a friend of mine machine me the flange out of stainless and do some tig welding. That shouldn´t be a big deal.
 
#34 ·
the inlet runners should be plenty big enough compared to the small exhaust ports on the m54. the problem with the flange is the round (not oval) ports protrude past the flange, so they would have to be cut/grinded down. then the flange itself is a completely different bolt pattern but may be able to be redrilled.

as far as porting the head look up some of pei330ci post, a lot of research and design went into port work, top notch stuff:thumbup:
 
#35 ·
I´ve worked at the biggest european camshaft manufacturer for quite a while and i got the chance to work at their awesome expensive flow bench and did some testing of portwork i had done to some VW heads back in the days. I have a flow bench waiting at work and some nice 3D scanner and printers to calculate and reproduce almost everything i want :) I could even cast my own head if i wanted in my foundry at work :) I just can´t do steel as the temperatures are to high.
 
#38 · (Edited)
Man that charger is really huge :yikes: And really heavy, haven´t thought its that heavy.

Good news is, the fitment is not that bad. Cylinder liner distance seems to be the same as M54 and the exhaust ports are really tiny compared to the manifold intakes. Shouldn´t be to difficult to machine them round shape and weld a different mounting plate to that manifold. Shaftplay is good, as i was hoping as the charger should be 40k miles. :thumbsup:

I´ll do some measuring and machine an adapter plate to see how the exhaust ports need to look like. :clap:
 
#41 ·
I totally respect what you are doing :hi:

I know the limits of my transmission so i know what the limits are and as the trans already needed a rebuild, i know i´m not going to break the limits .

I just want something with good low-end torque to help that fat car (almost 1800kg!) get a bit faster.

N55 charger should be a good decision, its developed for 3l displacement, it has the power rating i´m after, and it should have an awesome spool up as the torque figures are somewhat awesome :thumbsup:
 
#42 ·
i went for twin Garrett T22 on my wife's drift E30, it delivers low end power on 2.5 liter like a V8 i really love it.


N54 N55 torbochargers have wastegate actuator controlled by vacuum not by boost so in case of those turbos u will need different actuator adjusted ideally same way on both turbos and flange mod should not be a big problem

just intake fitment is a nightmare on E92 and not sure how it goes on E46
should be fun :)
 
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