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Hans Freikit View Drop Down
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Points: 143 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: That M50 manifold on a 328 again...
    Posted: 29-March-2004 at 09:49

Just read the April issue of "Fast Road & Track Car" magazine, which has a detailed description of fitting a M50 intake manifold and larger bore TB to the 328's M52. http://www.fastroad-mag.com/

Looks very interesting, and the dyno plots they show indicate decent bhp AND torque increases. The parts were sourced from Alpine527, I recall seeing his name elsewhere on this forum.

Two details bothered me though: firstly, the dyno run for the standard car was done with an air temp of 10 degrees. The run for the modified engine was done at 5 degrees. Secondly, the restrictive gauze within the MAF sensor housing was removed for the modified run. Not exactly fair, surely ?

That said, it looks like a simple conversion using standard (or at least standard-looking) parts. I'm seriously interested in this, but will need to find out whether my 328 automatic is compatible.

The magazine - as usual - omitted any details of how the modified car drives after the work was done. Anyone here done it ?

HF
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Points: 5245 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-March-2004 at 10:05
A couple of folk on E36coupe.com have done this and are delighted. One, logging on as T1000 (I think), has posted a good looking dyno plot on his own website.

Alpina 527 receives good feedback throughout and when I have contacted him direct, he has been helpful.
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Points: 6484 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-March-2004 at 12:44

There is a guy who uses this forum username Barf who has fitted these in conjuction with a cat back exhaust, induction kit and chip. He says his car makes about 230bhp. Why not send him a personal message.
Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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Points: 130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2004 at 17:22

hello everybody,barf here... short for barford! the feature in fast road & track day was actually me! fame at last eh. the dyno runs where about 12 months apart. the first when the superchip was fitted and the second obviously after the conversion.

now to answer some questions about the conversion.

1st, the car had fitted a miltek cat back system, greencotton air filter and with chip upgrade produced 208.5 bhp@ 5610rpm. the air temp, well i cant really answer that one ( i'm no boffin) but the gauze was removed to aid air flow through the system. apparently, the m3 system runs without a gauze fitted and so it seemed ok to go ahead with this mod. this detail is mentioned in the fitting instructions supplied by ALPINA 527

the car runs as normal now but at first, the idle took its time to settle properly but that only lasted a few days. the motor runs great and feels especially strong all the way to the redline. any body at Rockingham last month will have seen that this car is not to be overlooked!

one thing though, i have noticed a dip in ecconomy, returning around 260 miles per £40 of unleaded.

if anybody wishes to Know more, then send me a pm with your tel number, and i will get back to you

regards, barf

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Points: 143 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2004 at 20:08

Barf - thanks for posting, it was a great feature, and I was well pleased to actually find the mag in the shops this month !

Think I'll be removing the gauze on my 328, already got a panel filter installed. Will seriously consider the manifold swap once cash allows.

HF
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Points: 130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-March-2004 at 22:39

my mate adie was well chuffed to see his balding scalp in print!

he wanted to get his new snap-on roll-cab in the shots. it cost him £6500.....................for a fffffffffffff..........flamin toolbox. no wonder his hourly rate has gone up!

anyhow, glad you liked the feature, the cars not what you'd call "concours" but hell, if i spent a mint tarting it up, i'd be worried taking it out anywhere

would i recommend (how do you spell "recommend") the conversion?

                

       OHH YES!

   JUST CANT STOP THRASHING THE ER... PANTS OFF IT

 

GLAD YOU LIKE THE MAG. BARTON (THE EDITOR,PUBLISHER AND OWNER) IS A TOP BLOKE. NOT MET HIM YET, BUT NEXT TIME HE'S UP OUR WAY,WE'LL SHOW HIM THE SIGHTS OF SUNNY BURNLEY. WE'LL BE WELL P----D BY THEN, THEN ROUND TO BIBI'S FOR A KEBAB.    NICE.



Edited by barf
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Points: 304 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31-March-2004 at 22:36
Was yours N8 ARF by any chance?

1996 N Montreal blue 328i saloon 45k / 01 Y Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat.
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Points: 130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-April-2004 at 03:26

ERM, yes (he says sheepishly) am i in trouble?

also, some low life raided my garage last night, and thouhgt it necessary to haul my track day wheels, moutain bike and numerous other bits & bobs up and over the bonnet, roof and boot area! as you can imagine,   N8 ARF looking a little sorry at the moment. a quote for the bonnet alone was £300. im not looking to make a claim on the insurance, so i will have to dig deep and fund the repairs myself. and as for the wheels, there not covered on the household or the car policy. might give motorsport wheels a call................. always fancied some BBS LE-MANS!
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Points: 68 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-April-2004 at 20:42

Hi There.

I am pleased to see that my conversion is getting some recognition. It really is the best thing that you can do to a 328 or 323 to gain some real horsepower. The standard engine is restricted to 193bhp because of the German insurance regulations.

This kit will release the power that the 328 was designed to put out. (about 220bhp)

Fuel economy should be no different to the standard engine once the ecu has settled down (unless you thrash it}

Feel free to email me if you need more info. I would also like to know if anyone is selling an old 2.5 litre M50 manifold. They need extensive modification to fit, so don't think you can just bolt one on. I can also sell you the throttle body on it's own if required.



Edited by alpina527
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Points: 451 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-April-2004 at 23:02

Wasn't there a forum comment a few months back concerning the reason for the guaze meshes in the AFM ?

I seem to remember it mentioned the guaze was there to protect the engine from sucking in lumps of the metering film if the AFM went bang.

Ouch

Just a thought for the tuners out there.

Andy  (Harbinger of Doom)   West Midlands
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Points: 6484 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-April-2004 at 09:23

The gauze in the airflow meter is so course that I doubt removing it makes much difference to the airflow anyway.

Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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Points: 130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-April-2004 at 16:55

i had a look through the schnitzer brochure today, and they offer essentially exactly what ALPINA527 is doing. they quote an increase of 25 bhp over standard. i did'nt get a price though, but knowing schnitzer, it will not be cheap. their kit is available for 328 and is also featured on their 3.2 conversion. (this 3.2 conversion is based on the M52 328). im not sure if they modify the throttle body. as for my car, it seems to be getting better on fuel now, the e.c.u must have settled down a bit!

can anyone remember the Total BMW feature of the black schnitzer touring s 3.2 ?  i have the copy here somewhere, under all my junk.



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Points: 5245 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-April-2004 at 17:14
Originally posted by barf barf wrote:

I had a look through the schnitzer brochure today, and they offer essentially exactly what ALPINA527 is doing. they quote an increase of 25 bhp over standard. i did'nt get a price though, but knowing schnitzer, it will not be cheap.


Rossiters can arrange for you to go to Germany to get this done







For £4k!!!
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Points: 130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-April-2004 at 10:22

hell fire, 4 grand would buy plenty of nappies in our house. I like Chris Rossiter, and i even had the honour of frightening him around Donington last year but, im not prepared to skint myself by lining his pocket when i know a man that does the same job for a few hundred quid!

p.s  if anyone gets the chance to ride with Chris in his E30 sport evo, then grab it with both hands. He's a very talented driver. And Chris, if you read this, i look forward to seeing you at cadwell park BDD
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Points: 5245 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-April-2004 at 11:48
Originally posted by barf barf wrote:

when i know a man that does the same job for a few hundred quid!


To be fair, it's not the same job... I never did get to the bottom of exactly what the 'engine kit' was. When I stopped investigating, I had come to the conclusion it was at least an HFM, Exhaust and remap with maybe another couple of bits guddled with.

And the 4k included travel and accomodation to go over to ACS themselves to get the work done.
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Points: 130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-April-2004 at 13:19

still...........................4 grand!
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Points: 835 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-April-2004 at 13:13
Hans,

Could scan this article in and post them here?, or e-mail them direct to me, as I've looked for the mag but can't find it. As I'm interested in this mod!!!
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Points: 5245 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-April-2004 at 13:28
You read http://www.328sport.dsl.pipex.com/ yet?
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Points: 835 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-April-2004 at 15:40
Yeah, seen that.

Just wanted to see the feature.

Is that your car? If not are you going to do the M50 mod?

Nearly done the cold air box, its turned out pretty much the same as the one on that link you gave.
got a nice big sheet of aluminium to make it out of, and maybe more if anybody is interested.

By the way, do you know prices of the cold air boxes?

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