Turbo 318i's??? - BMW Forum

TopZecret · 12-20-2004, 02:48 PM

i am new to the forum, but i can say that this will most likely not be my last post. I have a 1993 318i and am in the early stages of a turbo set-up. I am currently buying all the stuff to piece it together and make it tuneable. One problem though; no-one sells aftermarket turbo headers for this model... If anyone knows a good place to look for turbo exhaust manifolds -- it would be a huge help. I gave up searching weeks ago and decided to go with a custom fab. I really would like to buy a bolt up. The turbo is a MHI td-04/19, upgraded with a larger compressor housing and bigger impeller blades. I really dont care what type of flange the header has (on the turbo side of course), i have a special flange to match up anyway. I am very eager to begin, there is much to do before auto-x season begins. Thanks for any input, and keep up the good posts, i enjoy browsing this forum.

PS: i have a holset hx-35 with spare parts if anyone's interested...

bigred318 · 12-20-2004, 03:19 PM

hey welcome to the forums! sounds like you are starting the project good... what stuff you got in the way of suspension? also any pics of the car? and some pics of the turbo etc? keep us updated on the progress. i would like to see one of these turbo 318 stories actaully go through!

David

jrhaile · 12-20-2004, 04:24 PM

custom fab.. I looked around for you and found nothing as far as a 4 banger turbo headers. sorry... and welcome. would love to see a vid when you're done..

TopZecret · 12-20-2004, 04:25 PM

Thanks, i hope i can get it finished as well. I will post some pics as soon as i get my camera back... As far as suspension, for now it will probably be all tokico HP struts and shocks, and most likely springs too. Their kits cost around $470 for everything, does anyone happen to know any comprable (and maybe cheaper) kits? Nice 318 Bigred, mine is the same color, but it has a set of Roja wheels on it. I am buying new rubber this week; i owned a set of Potenza RE950's on a previous car and i fell in love them, but i can get a set of Yokahoma Prada-spec2's for cheap -- any testimonies, comments, or suggestions?? Pics will be up soon...

bigred318 · 12-20-2004, 05:25 PM

thanks dude ive been meaning to update my sig, i still have the 318 but she sits in the garage, i now drive a 1995 white 325i

David

thekid · 12-20-2004, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TopZecret@Dec 20 2004, 04:25 PM
Thanks, i hope i can get it finished as well. I will post some pics as soon as i get my camera back... As far as suspension, for now it will probably be all tokico HP struts and shocks, and most likely springs too. Their kits cost around $470 for everything, does anyone happen to know any comprable (and maybe cheaper) kits? Nice 318 Bigred, mine is the same color, but it has a set of Roja wheels on it. I am buying new rubber this week; i owned a set of Potenza RE950's on a previous car and i fell in love them, but i can get a set of Yokahoma Prada-spec2's for cheap -- any testimonies, comments, or suggestions?? Pics will be up soon...

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Stay away from tokico if you can. A friend of mine had a 93 MR2 Turbo that he auto-x. He blew out 3 sets of tokico's in one season. The next season he switched to Koni Adjustables and he ran two seasons on those before he sold the car. Pay the little bit extra and get Bilstiens or Konis You won't be sorry.

Autotechnica · 12-20-2004, 09:04 PM

Yes please do avoid Tokico. Pure ricer junk. It's not a performance shock.

Russell318i · 12-21-2004, 11:03 AM

I made the mistake of buying the slowest BMW ever, I have a 1993 318i. I want desprately to make it fast but have the same probs as the guy who started the thread, I cant find an exhuast manifold for the 318i. So i considered a c1 procharger, with superchargers you don't need and exhaust manifold and you get more power off the line. I don't even know if i have enough horsepower to turn the supercharger, so I am considering a rebuild (put in new cams and stroke it to a 2.2 litre) but all this is pricy. Why fork out all that money when i could just get a stock m3 and run 14's, I'd be lucky to ever run 14's in a 318. I have to friends with trans ams and I want to show them up, I think I should give up now, unless someone has an Idea on how to make a fast 318i. I need your help everyone!!!

TopZecret · 12-21-2004, 01:22 PM

I know exactly what you mean about owning what is possibly the slowest bmw ever. I had a 98 Trans Am a while ago, which i also put to rest a while ago, and they are great cars. Even buying an M3 wouldn't be enough power, stock anyways, to show up an LS1. If you want to piss off your friends with the pontiacs just stick with the 318. Dont worry about a stroker kit, just upgrade to higher tension valve springs, replace the valve's, get some forged piston rods, and make sure the 318's bottom end is at least balanced. Then get a small turbo with the capability to boost about 10-12 psi. With this set up and minimal tuning, 14 sec et's will be within your reach. Personally, i would rather have some v8 muscle bowdown to my lowly little 318i, as opposed to a M3. Besides, BMW's make much better track cars than drag cars, who cares about the quarter mile??? Turbochargers are a dime a dozen these days, they get more inexpensive all the time. Although turbo exhaust manifolds seem to be nonexistent for the 318, it is an easily overcome obstacle. Try talking to any exhaust/muffler garage to see what they might charge to fab up a header if you can bring in 1 or 2 old manifolds from a junkyard. Or just start calling any tuner shops around your state. You never know what you might find. Or you could fork out the $14,000 for a M3 with 140,000 miles on it that may or may not turn a fast et. I love having 4 doors now, and my 318.

bigred318 · 12-21-2004, 02:00 PM

the downing atlanta supercharger for the 318 is a great one! that gives you pretty good power... go search for it either on the site or google. anyways rather than spending all that money get a 325 or up?

David

Shudogg · 12-24-2004, 02:38 PM

when your done turboing the 318, if you wouldnt mind, list the places and brands of the stuff you had to get.

that would be really helpful i have a kit started i just dont know were to get most of the stuff.

earthwormjim · 12-25-2004, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Russell318i@Dec 21 2004, 11:03 AM
I made the mistake of buying the slowest BMW ever, I have a 1993 318i. I want desprately to make it fast but have the same probs as the guy who started the thread, I cant find an exhuast manifold for the 318i. So i considered a c1 procharger, with superchargers you don't need and exhaust manifold and you get more power off the line. I don't even know if i have enough horsepower to turn the supercharger, so I am considering a rebuild (put in new cams and stroke it to a 2.2 litre) but all this is pricy. Why fork out all that money when i could just get a stock m3 and run 14's, I'd be lucky to ever run 14's in a 318. I have to friends with trans ams and I want to show them up, I think I should give up now, unless someone has an Idea on how to make a fast 318i. I need your help everyone!!!

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Think your 318 is slow? How about the sohc 316 sold in europe. Now that's slow. Just buy a DASC, they can be had for around $3500 or less and give you near stock M3 speed coupled with nick g's ehancements.