Turbocharging

[kearnyme]

This may be a stupidly obvious question. It would probably be a good idea to get your high-mileage engine taken apart, cleaned, repaired, and re-sealed before bolting up a turbo right?

[e36_m3_Turbo]

Originally posted by kearnyme@Apr 30 2004, 04:10 PM
This may be a stupidly obvious question. It would probably be a good idea to get your high-mileage engine taken apart, cleaned, repaired, and re-sealed before bolting up a turbo right?

depends how many miles we are talkin bout.

[kearnyme]

lets say over 150,000

[dutchbmw]

Yes, you're right. Overhaul your engine if you want fun for longer time!

[jllphan]

I would slap on a T44 and drive it like it's stolen....

then when it blows, you really have a reason to rebuild the engine!

[Furious]

at around 150k and a decent boost, you might be lucky if you get away with good milage off that engine but chances are your gonna have a short life.... but a good rebuilt, some lower compression pistons are a good idea as well. do your homework first before you go ahead with your decision.

[bigred318]

yeah once you get up there with all the extra stress it puts on the engine a rebuild would be nice for the car, but not neccassary, would it be a primary driver or a car that you drive say 2 times a week?

David

[kearnyme]

Yeah, Dave this car is definetly a daily driver. I had a distinct feeling ( on old seals especially ) it might go totally with out a re-build. I've had the timing chain, oil pump, water pump, fuel pump, tank, tank sender and level sensor, radiator and clutch replaced on this car. This was all preventative maintenance, (except for the gas tank). It has 185,000 miles on the clock with no problems period. 1992 318is.

[jllphan]

OK, so no one is having fun with this, let me retract my last statement and offer a helpful one....

If you are very attached to the car due to certain upgrades, sentimental reasons, or you RECENTLY performed the aforementioned preventive maintenance, than ignore the rest of this.

I might recomend selling the car and moving up to a larger displacement e36. Turbocharging a car that was designed to be normally aspirated makes me cringe. I owned a german high performance force inducted four cylinder sports coupe for many years prior to my present sled, and while it was a blast to drive (literally), the car was very expensive to maintain.

The added stress and heat a turbo adds to a car that is designed for it is expensive. Adding one to a car that was not designed for one may be fatal.

BTW, it has been done to the e36 many times over, but that doesn't make it a good idea.

[bigred318]

Originally posted by jllphan@Apr 30 2004, 09:43 PM


BTW, it has been done to the e36 many times over, but that doesn't make it a good idea.

it also doesnt make it a bad idea though!

David

[jllphan]

No, everything before that statement does...

[007ben]

depends on what your looking for if it makes it a good or bad idea.

a good crazy ass fast car then its a good idea

longevity of engine = bad idea.

[jllphan]

Exactly.

I am not saying it wouldn't be fun, I'm merely saying it could be expensive over time.

It won't blow up in two weeks, however, parts will degrade more rapidly, creating the need for more maintenance, more often.

[e36_m3_Turbo]

i would get a turbo and turbo it until it blows. then transplant it to a s50b32 and then slap the same turbo on the 3.2l

[kearnyme]

okay guys, thanks for the imput!