A build for the budgeters

[m3saloon]

Much has changed.. Budget and turbo rarely go together.
if you think you can do it good luck.. i failed with a dollar value somewhere 7-9K range and that does not include trans/clutch/diff/ continued mods & maitanace.
read through if you wish; its a laugh. I started this one night at like 2am after drinkin with the guys, and ended 2 years later with a 300+hp money pit. i love it though.

I plan to come through and show everyone out there it can be done!

today i've already pulled the intake and got right down to getting the head off in about 3 hrs.
the head is gong to be rebuilt and set up for boost which is the only part that i'm not going to make w/ the exception of the manifold.

I will keep everyone updated.... some crappy cell pics for now


Pre carnage!

Post carnage

[mars3554]

If you haven't, read some of urinemachine's earlier posts. (be4 alchol and naawz) I think he budgeted somewhere around 2000 on a m50 motor. There's even a parts list somewhere.


Good luck!

[raoke]

tag!

[BMuu]

So did you get the head off? In the pic only the valve cover is removed.

What are you "rebuilding for boost"? Having the head rebuilt alone is a lot of $$ depending on what you do.

Most usually just mill the head to make it smooth for an MLS gasket, this can be done for $30-$100 at most machine shops.

[bennyfizzle]

So, you've pulled the intake mani and valve cover


That's insanity man, pure insanity!

[wushucivic]

So, you've pulled the intake mani and valve cover


That's insanity man, pure insanity!

so the question on a lot of people's minds is what are you doing for tuning?

[Geno325is]

400wheel for less than 2500 ? on what turbo? this should be interesting

[SiGmA]

This sounds interesting already! 3 hours to take the stock intake manifold and valve cover off, oh snap, thats barely flat rate time! So, exactly what are your plans here?

[BMuu]

I guess I am a "hater" that says it can't be done but I did a little run down for you of parts you will need and their cost. I think I have stayed pretty conservative on the cost of these parts.

-Walbro 255hp, you will need this for 400whp $100
-Tial 44mm WG, you may be able to get away with a 38mm but I personally had creep issues. $340
-Tial BOV, again you may be able to save some money by going with a cheaper one. $220
-Charge piping is going to be around $200 even if you can cut/weld it yourself. Those little silicone connectors and T bolts get expensive quick.
-Intercooler, any decent intercooler even used should be around $100, most likely more.
-Exhaust will be at a minimum of $250 just to buy the piping and muffler. I spent closer to twice that but I went with V bands and a magnaflow muffler and SS. This was with doing all the welding myself.
-Headgasket, you mentioned to me you do not want to buy a used HG so a new MLS is about $250
-ARP's, again you want new. Cheapest I have seen them is about $160 shipped.
-Injectors will be a minimum of $200 used.
-Tuning, pretty much no matter what you go with will cost a minimum of $500. What do you plan to tune this with?
-Turbo, any decent turbo that will make 400whp will be at least $500 and have more lag than your higher priced turbos.
-ebc, you will need at the minimum a manual boost controller, but an ebc is a much better option and will hold your boost better. $200
-Milled head, most likely it will cost more but I can get mine done for $30.
-Manifold, even a cheap ebay manifold is $200
-Gauges, used boost gauge $30
-Used Wideband $250

That alone is $3,530 for used parts and I'm certain I am missing some details. This is if you do every bit of work yourself. You are already $1,000 over your budget. You may be able to take that down some by using knock off parts, but when your cheap WG sticks shut and you over boost you should budget in a new set of pistons and rods and a block.

[Matt]

How much to have you build me one the same way?

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...31&postcount=2

[bennyfizzle]

How much to have you build me one the same way?

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...31&postcount=2

[SiGmA]

lol

[ReiheSechs]

The real question here is whether you know how to weld or not...

[BMuu]

The real question here is whether you know how to weld or not...

Even with knowing how to weld my rundown of $2500+ still applies.

[niks325i]

You guys sure know how to encourage someone! That being said, it would be tough to do. I'm trying to keep my build as low as possible, but not sure how it will go. The best way to save money for any project is to do the work yourself (obviously) and to give yourself lots of time to accumulate the parts, that way you can wait for the really good deals. If you are in a rush, you will end up paying full price for most things.

Nik

[RJ's325ITS]

I think even if you buy all parts used you might still go over $2,000.00 and the tab will keep going up once you get some minor issues for using used parts.

*IF* you buy used parts it should go like this:

1. turbo: $400
2. Dynotime $200
3. wideband A/F gauge: $200
4. manifold: $250
5. WG: $100
6. injectors: $200
7. IC: $100
9. Materials for exhaust, charge pipe, wG $150.

and this will be a half put together kit using old parts and that will hardly get up to 300whp amd the tab passed $1400, hoping you can do all fab your self.

Document your build here so ppl will learn from you.

[PedroBMW]

its doable if you are willing to use quite a bit of used parts, take your time searching and if u are obd1 already and know how to tune the stock dme, or know someone that will tune it for you for free.

I am aiming for 400whp as well. As of now it looks like my build will cost about $4000 when its all said and done but that also includes a tec3 (or else u could subtract $1700 from that) and a 3" exhaust and I am NOT using a used turbo, wastegate, wideband or intercooler. So u can see where the cost savings is available. Its doable but won't be easy and u will have to search long and hard for the deals on the parts in decent condition. Please post up when your done, it will be very intersting to see.

[cheechthechi]

I would imagine that for 2500, the only economical way to control fuelling would be a begi rrfpr, or maybe a used greddy e-manage?

[m3saloon]

400hp is a high number, i like to aim high it gives me something to strive for but anything over 300-350ish is where i'm most likely going to land. I'm going to get as much as possible for what i can so we'll see where the HP lands when its done.
haha yes 3 hrs to pull just the intake and valve cover. this was not a constant working time, it was seperated by numorous beer breaks a meal and other b/s like lighting things on fire with the propaine heater.
Yes i can weld, quite well i may add.
The head is coming off to get redone. i'm not budgeting on that part at all.
Tuning isnt included into my "budget bracket" because i dont want a crap tune. most likely i'm going to stick with the stock DME and get a remote tune done by ICS or AA.. or from someone on the fourm..
so we'll see how it goes over the next few months.

[camshaft]

Tuning isnt included into my "budget bracket" because i dont want a crap tune. most likely i'm going to stick with the stock DME and get a remote tune done by ICS or AA.. or from someone on the fourm..
so we'll see how it goes over the next few months.

A remote tune from Karl will be half your budget.

[BMuu]

I forgot to add a clutch to my list, that can be anywhere from 300+

A tune from AA or ICS would cost around 1k, sometimes more.

A "turbo build" that doesn't include tuning isnt really a turbo build.

[camshaft]

I forgot to add, that based on your dme (not sure which your car uses), Mccoy (techno550) might already have a shelf tune.

Austin

[Sexymeatball]

400hp is a high number, i like to aim high it gives me something to strive for but anything over 300-350ish is where i'm most likely going to land. I'm going to get as much as possible for what i can so we'll see where the HP lands when its done.
haha yes 3 hrs to pull just the intake and valve cover. this was not a constant working time, it was seperated by numorous beer breaks a meal and other b/s like lighting things on fire with the propaine heater.
Yes i can weld, quite well i may add.
The head is coming off to get redone. i'm not budgeting on that part at all.
Tuning isnt included into my "budget bracket" because i dont want a crap tune. most likely i'm going to stick with the stock DME and get a remote tune done by ICS or AA.. or from someone on the fourm..
so we'll see how it goes over the next few months.

Why stop there? Take everything but the turbo out of the "budgeting bracket" and you'll have a sub $500 turbo build right?

[m3saloon]

I forgot to add a clutch to my list, that can be anywhere from 300+

A tune from AA or ICS would cost around 1k, sometimes more.

I already have a New trans and clutch that will be going in. so thats accounted for.
as far as tune goes like i said its not part of my budget price b/c i dont want a crappy tune. same goes for the head. all othger parts will be hand made or bought used/discount with the some exception.

i will actually ask techno if he would be able to help me.
Thanks for the info!

[BMuu]

In this case I'm not so sure you are doing a budget build. My build probably didnt cost much over 3k if you dont include tuning, building the motor, and head stuff or the clutch ect..

Id did every bit of fab work on my car, welding ect.. The only thing not done by me was honing the block, milling the head and drilling and tapping the block for 11mm studs.