Project Rosie #1 - Quest for more power

[GazHyde]

I mentioned a while back that I'm keeping Rosie and going to run a few different projects on her (poor thing!).

The first of these relate to a quest for squeezing more power from the M54B22 engine. I can hear a few people mumbling already that "I should buy a 2.8/3.0/M if you want more power", but to be honest that's a little bit unimaginative.

This thread at the moment is a research project until I identify the direction I want to take. I'd hope that members will jump in with ideas and thoughts as I bumble my way through and post up general ramblings and half witted ideas.

I've spent a bit of time Googling certain items and I'm fairly confident that it's possible to eke out some reasonable gains. I haven't really found anyone who has posted up any really useful information, or definitive guides for tweaking the M54B22. Sadly most threads descend in to the usual "buy a car with a bigger engine" diatribe.

As a project I have no expectations of gains, or any evidence to show what may be achievable (or even sensible). I'm willing to just throw some money at it and see what comes out.

Hoping that the majority of work can be done in #ZedShed, but there will obviously be some work needing to be outsourced. First off I shall be taking Rosie and getting a baseline dyno run so I know the point at which I'm starting from. If she comes back with a healthy result then I'll proceed as soon as I know what the final plan is.

I've broken the project down in to various areas to investigate & possibly implement. This is the bit where you can chip in with ideas - but keep your bigger engine comments to yourself

1 - Exhaust system
I've already freed up the exhaust system to some degree already. The standard system has the main cats built in to the exhaust manifolds so I couldn't get rid of them. I don't really want to pay for custom exhaust headers to be made, but I think I can find headers from a different engine which don't have the cats attached to them. This will allow further improvements to my system including sport cats.

2 - Air intake system
This is the easiest to achieve. Big cone filter, custom heat shield to be built, ensure maximum air flow from outside to cone filter. Job done.

3 - Engine/drivetrain
It looks possible to get uprated cams suitable for the M54B22. Need to do some more investigation on what's available and then if I can get some a suitable mechanic to fit them.

Alternative flywheel
Fan delete mod (remove air con?)

4 - Remap
Duh. Obviously need one of those!

5 - Dealing with more power
Uprating the brakes when I hit 400bhp... lol
Blowing the engine up... double lol

6 - Any other ideas.
Suggestions? There are turbo options available, but rather expensive and I'm not a rich man! Perhaps a diet for the driver to increase the power to weight ratio?

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

Will be following with interest mate, good luck.

 

[littlefeller]

cheapest and simplest mod - nitro yehhh

 

[pgunter]

It's going to be fun and I will help where I can Gary.

 

[5harp3y]

Bang per buck will be forced induction

Turbo or supercharger.

Possibilities are endless with those.

I wouldn't bother trying to get more power out of the block.

Na tuning is very expensive and the whole buy a 2.8 / 3 litre would be better than cams / remaps etc

Ultimately it all depends on how much power you want

 

[t-tony]

I mentioned a while back that I'm keeping Rosie and going to run a few different projects on her (poor thing!).

The first of these relate to a quest for squeezing more power from the M54B22 engine. I can hear a few people mumbling already that "I should buy a 2.8/3.0/M if you want more power", but to be honest that's a little bit unimaginative.

This thread at the moment is a research project until I identify the direction I want to take. I'd hope that members will jump in with ideas and thoughts as I bumble my way through and post up general ramblings and half witted ideas.

I've spent a bit of time Googling certain items and I'm fairly confident that it's possible to eke out some reasonable gains. I haven't really found anyone who has posted up any really useful information, or definitive guides for tweaking the M54B22. Sadly most threads descend in to the usual "buy a car with a bigger engine" diatribe.

As a project I have no expectations of gains, or any evidence to show what may be achievable (or even sensible). I'm willing to just throw some money at it and see what comes out.

Hoping that the majority of work can be done in #ZedShed, but there will obviously be some work needing to be outsourced. First off I shall be taking Rosie and getting a baseline dyno run so I know the point at which I'm starting from. If she comes back with a healthy result then I'll proceed as soon as I know what the final plan is.

I've broken the project down in to various areas to investigate & possibly implement. This is the bit where you can chip in with ideas - but keep your bigger engine comments to yourself

1 - Exhaust system
I've already freed up the exhaust system to some degree already. The standard system has the main cats built in to the exhaust manifolds so I couldn't get rid of them. I don't really want to pay for custom exhaust headers to be made, but I think I can find headers from a different engine which don't have the cats attached to them. This will allow further improvements to my system including sport cats.

2 - Air intake system
This is the easiest to achieve. Big cone filter, custom heat shield to be built, ensure maximum air flow from outside to cone filter. Job done.

3 - Engine internals.
It looks possible to get uprated cams suitable for the M54B22. Need to do some more investigation on what's available and then if I can get some a suitable mechanic to fit them.

4 - Remap
Duh. Obviously need one of those!

5 - Dealing with more power
Uprating the brakes when I hit 400bhp... lol
Blowing the engine up... double lol

6 - Any other ideas.
Suggestions? There are turbo options available, but rather expensive and I'm not a rich man! Perhaps a diet for the driver to increase the power to weight ratio?

Good for you mate, I might have to consider step 6.

Tony.

 

[Grumps]

Pleased to see your keeping her @GazHyde. I shall watch with interest. Those 2.2 are not a deal behind to be honest mate. I recall @Mint chasing me down the road in his and was suprised how he kept up. May have been down to the driver tho!

 

[EnthuZiaZT]

Paint it Pink Gaz, it'll go faster then.

Mike

 

[Rha]

Remap then take some load off the engine Gaz, smaller pulley wheel conversion, delete air con (saves a bit of weight) frees up a couple of ponies and IMO is not really needed in this country, get rid of HT if you own one saves a bit of weight, look at what top speed you really need and maybe change diff for better performance, you could probably pick up a diff for less than some cams, chuck out the seats for some used light weight ones ( big weight saver) and fit fibreglass bonnet/get rid of spare +carrier. Last but not least get yourself a boot spoiler, good for at least 15hp. at least you'll be busy and no doubt be happy trying like the rest of us who can't afford big bucks and hanker for "M" performance. I've now decided to live with what I can get from the 2.8 and enjoy driving it instead of being unhappy, after all it can give a lot of other cars a run for their money as can the 2.2, and don't forget it's looks.
Roy.

(Be taking some of my own advise ref Remap/pulley wheels and air con and spare, I'd love to change the diff, who needs 140mph anyway)

Roy.

 

[Althulas]

What kind of realistic power gains do you expect to achieve Gaz on a limited budget? All the big gains I can see is are from expensive turbo or super chargers unless you can get lucky on a secondhand unit but saying that this is kit does not appear to bad of an option http://www.laurent-motors.com/en/turbo-kit/174-kit-turbo-bmw-standard-20l-a-30l-24s.html

From what you state a cat delete, cams and say route the air intake to get more colder air combined with a remap might achieve ? How much bhp gain. Just looking out there myself for you I came across this http://www.tmchiptuning.com/en/vehi...p-210nm-2000-2002-r6-24v-m54b22?aid=2000-2002 There web site states a 15bhp increase on just there step one 'chip' without mods I think but would you notice that much gain?? They mention five steps they offer it might be worth an enquiry to see what they offer and might give you some added direction.

I had a Google about headers and saw this on bimmer forums might be a lead but you proberly already read it http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1731156-M50-52-headers-on-an-M54

Would you consider the single mass mass flywheel mod as per @zedonist?

Well whatever route you take I look forward to your progress if only it was this easy http://www.tuning-wizard.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69_180_973_978&products_id=999

I hope this is helpful for you.

 

[GazHyde]

Ultimately it all depends on how much power you want

What kind of realistic power gains do you expect to achieve Gaz on a limited budget?

I have no expectations at all. I either get some or I don't, but as no one really seems to have tried this with a 2.2 I just thought it would be fun to run through it.

take some load off the engine Gaz, smaller pulley wheel conversion, delete air con (saves a bit of weight) frees up a couple of ponies

Forgot to add the fan delete mod to the list. I'd rather keep the air con if I can, but I'll add it too.

Would you consider the single mass mass flywheel mod as per @zedonist?

I'll consider anything, so will add that to the list.

I had a Google about headers and saw this on bimmer forums might be a lead but you proberly already read it http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1731156-M50-52-headers-on-an-M54

That's exactly the investigation I'm working through at the moment, but not read that particular thread so thanks for the link!

 

[5harp3y]

It sounds like a fun project.

Have you looked into itbs?

Coulld build an awesome, low mass, high revving screamer Na engine.

Might not be big power but would sound insane

 

[Dino D]

Wash it more often.
Seriously it feels quicker after a wash.

Add 10bhp if you get it done at a grit, sorry hand car wash.
20bhp if you do it yourself.
30bhp if you wax/polish it.

100bhp for the first mile after the leaving said hand car wash is added by liberal use of tyre slick. My car can never seem leave the car wash in a straight line, especially on a busy day there....can get wheelspin right through 3rd after that treatment. Not even an M can do that!

 

[Dino D]

Now seriously I think the best bang for buck after forced induction is a shortened final drive (and 6speed conversion if you do motorway work) provided you can get the diff and gearbox cheap enough.
I'd love to do this.

A guy in the US has managed it on an S54 quite easily in fact using BMW parts - so much for the story they couldn't fit a 6speed box into the Z3 transmission tunnel...

 

[Rha]

All seems a lot of work to me Gaz, the easiest are the very small gains and cheap in comparison, the expensive are big gains but are a lot of money unless you can do them yourself, so many things have been tried on these engines over the years and I'm thinking unless you've got at least £3500 to spend the gains are gonna be small, having said that I did purchase a chip box from Austria which fools the computer into thinking it's getting more air and so gives it more fuel, claims were in the region of (flywheel) 15-20hp and wasn't at all surprised when it felt just a little bit more eager which was maybe 8-12hp, but I must confess since fitting it and running it on full power setting then returning it to full ECO there is a very noticeable differance, this is however not proven unless you can believe the seat of my pants cos it's never been Dyno'd. Cost about £90 few years back, loath to take it off in case my pants are telling me the truth, but when I've finished all my mods I'll then go down RE MAP ROUTE then see if the chip is making anything at all. 2min to fit,same to take off but then the computer takes miles to reset itself.

Chip box lower R/H corner set to max power of course, defiantly works for ECO,engine becomes very lethargic but gains about 5-6 mpg but terrible to drive in this mode if in a hurry. Worth £90??? Only a Dyno will tell.
I think the truth might just hurt me. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
Rha.Roy.

 

[pgunter]

Eco... Did you say Eco..... With a zed.. Lol.. @Rha ... It's smiles per gallon ... Not miles per gallon... Come on keep up....

 

[GazHyde]

All seems a lot of work to me Gaz

Yeah, but it's fun and at the very least an interesting discussion.

 

[zedonist]

I find that most people that tell you not to do something or buy a 2.8 / 3.0 have never modified a car or understand the reason to modify one.

For me it is a hobby, it gives me something to and satisfaction that I have done it myself. With regards to the modifications, yes it might be cheaper to buy a 2.8 or 3.0, and yes you may have a slightly more powerful car, but it will still be the lethargic barge it always was. What you actually get from modding, is a more exciting version of Z3, more responsive, better handling, more fun to drive. I have nearly finished all the performance mods on mine, and I have to say I am content, maybe it won't out drag an //M, but on proper roads with bends it certainly holds it own.

Gaz go for it, happy to help at any time...

 

[Dino D]

Even if you have a 2.8 or an M there are still mods to be made, it's not all about the result but the hobby too and getting it just the way you like it.

Just wish I had more cash for mods, gets expensive fast as you slide ever faster down the slippery but fun slope!

 

[t-tony]

Just a word of advice if you went the turbo route,

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/...in-america/ar-BBoRva0?li=BBoPJKX&ocid=U207DHP

Tony.