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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
2011 320i E90 Turbo Kit
- Thread starter GAVz96
- Start date
Thanks gents, yes will do that, spoke to a dealer now as well and advised the same when it comes to the shortfall, cause trading in will push my payments to about R5k so will keep you guys posted, I hope I get to meet some of you guys at a car meet one day 🙌🏻🔥
DarrylvanNiekerk
Active member
I did the absolutely unforgiveable and rebuilt a Pre LCI e90 320i after the engine died.
Despite many comments suggesting the car should be tossed etc. I took the plunge and decided to embark on a very steep learning curve as I was not even a hobby DIYer at the time.
It took a long time of watching YouTube, reading forums such as this and figuring out where to get parts from at the best price without compromising the build or longevity of the engine.
The full rebuild of the engine cost around R25k but the additional work added on a whole lot more:
New clutch
New shocks
New tie rod ends
New engine and gearbox mounts
New bushes
New brake lines and hoses
Cleaned and rebuilt brake calipers
Any gasket or o-ring was replaced
The final list was truly very comprehensive
I learned so much in the process and became so much more confident that I readily tackle almost any repair work now. Seeing how badly components were treated and a lot of more delicate items broken I will not send my car to anyone else for repairs.
The engine was a greasy mess before, was eating oil and leaking water like crazy. Now I know all the weak spots, the engine is super clean and uses almost no oil.
I've done almost 30 000km since the rebuild and the are still one or two small items to sort out as actual mileage on the car is 200 000km. I really love how it drives as it has the sport pack and it's a manual, there is no slop anywhere and I get around 7l per 100km on a trip to Durban and back going up to 10l per 100km when I drive harder in town.
Oil changes are done at 7500km using 5W30, compression is sitting at 13bar across all cylinders and the interior looks many years younger than it's actual age.
I was really impressed with the design and build quality of the engine itself and do believe it could handle a fair bit more power. It is absolutely hamstrung by certain components as well as the software so without upgrading extensive parts and most likely have to design and build others there aren't really any gains to be found which I have made peace with.
Despite all the hate and comments of how anaemic it is with just myself in the car it keeps up with a Polo Tsi to 100kph where it starts to actually gain a bit of a lead.
Despite many comments suggesting the car should be tossed etc. I took the plunge and decided to embark on a very steep learning curve as I was not even a hobby DIYer at the time.
It took a long time of watching YouTube, reading forums such as this and figuring out where to get parts from at the best price without compromising the build or longevity of the engine.
The full rebuild of the engine cost around R25k but the additional work added on a whole lot more:
New clutch
New shocks
New tie rod ends
New engine and gearbox mounts
New bushes
New brake lines and hoses
Cleaned and rebuilt brake calipers
Any gasket or o-ring was replaced
The final list was truly very comprehensive
I learned so much in the process and became so much more confident that I readily tackle almost any repair work now. Seeing how badly components were treated and a lot of more delicate items broken I will not send my car to anyone else for repairs.
The engine was a greasy mess before, was eating oil and leaking water like crazy. Now I know all the weak spots, the engine is super clean and uses almost no oil.
I've done almost 30 000km since the rebuild and the are still one or two small items to sort out as actual mileage on the car is 200 000km. I really love how it drives as it has the sport pack and it's a manual, there is no slop anywhere and I get around 7l per 100km on a trip to Durban and back going up to 10l per 100km when I drive harder in town.
Oil changes are done at 7500km using 5W30, compression is sitting at 13bar across all cylinders and the interior looks many years younger than it's actual age.
I was really impressed with the design and build quality of the engine itself and do believe it could handle a fair bit more power. It is absolutely hamstrung by certain components as well as the software so without upgrading extensive parts and most likely have to design and build others there aren't really any gains to be found which I have made peace with.
Despite all the hate and comments of how anaemic it is with just myself in the car it keeps up with a Polo Tsi to 100kph where it starts to actually gain a bit of a lead.
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Quick question guys, if I decide to use 93Unleaded in the 320i rather than 95Unleaded as per the user manual, what sort of damage would I be doing. (Keeping in mind I have been putting 93 in when the petrol prices were insane) I have gone back to putting 95 in and I swear I can feel a slight difference in the drive of the car, is this just my mind playing tricks or have I really just been neglecting my poor car 🤦🏻♂️
Spanky
Well-known member
Bud are you for real? Saving a few cents per litre? Then asking this in the same thread about turbo retrofitment? Make it make sense.
Greenz
///Member
Don't do that.
@Spanky 😂😂😂 I kind of asked the question as if I just woke up and decided to save a few cents on fuel 🤦🏻♂️ but it was actually more that people I know were telling me that paying for 95 on a N/A motor was pointless, hence I moved over to 93 (I know not a wise move) but so we live and learn, like I say I’ve gone back to 95 but does it really play such a big role in a Non-Turbo motor?
Look I’m by no means a mechanic, I recently grabbed myself an OBD reader and BimmerLink, so I can start learning and seeing what to look out for, if you feel where I’m coming from (Note: My Errors are actually insane) and I was hoping I had fewer issues since I put the newer motor in 🤷🏻♂️
Look I’m by no means a mechanic, I recently grabbed myself an OBD reader and BimmerLink, so I can start learning and seeing what to look out for, if you feel where I’m coming from (Note: My Errors are actually insane) and I was hoping I had fewer issues since I put the newer motor in 🤷🏻♂️
osiris
///Member
If you can log using any of those pieces of software you will quickly learn why BMW recomends 95 over 93. Our "95" octane in SA is the equivelant of Americas 91 octane. Our fuel quality is really bad. A bmw motor revs reletively high and is happy revving high, most other car manufacturers in the same category as a 320i E90 will feel very stressed revving to 6.8k - 7k RPM. Putting a lower octane fuel in the car than our already crappy octane fuel is going to introduce the potential for the motor to have a knock event if it's a nice hot day and you floor it. If you could log the car and do a 3rd gear pull all the way to redline with both 93 octane and then 95 octane you would see tons of agressive timing corrections with the 93 octane fuel. All you need is a super knock event to take place and it's tickets. you will be rebuilding the motor again.
That's my 2c on the matter.
That's my 2c on the matter.
@osiris thanks man, that clears quite a bit up for me, because I have noticed that the car isn’t happy at high revs. It’s kind of hard to explain, the car gets to red line but after 5.5k rpm the car seems to be very laggy, almost as if there isn’t enough fuel being fed to the car. Dno if that could’ve been the 93 fuel that’s caused that problem.
Kyle
///Member
Normal for an N46..
Jokes aside, could very well be, especially at altitude. Chuck some 95 in there with a good octane booster for tank or two and let us know.
@Kyle I’ll give that a shot and let you guys know, because yeah it didn’t do that when I first got it, and even then it wasn’t in the greatest condition. I know my last visit to the mechanic he said my fuel pump was staying on a little longer than what it should, but he didn’t say that it was a major issue, unless it’s getting worse really fast 😅
I’m starting to think that the MW in BMW just shows us how much of a rollercoaster ride the repairs on these cars are 🤷🏻♂️
I’m starting to think that the MW in BMW just shows us how much of a rollercoaster ride the repairs on these cars are 🤷🏻♂️
DarrylvanNiekerk
Active member
As per the advice above the computer will adjust timing, valve lift and fueling to suit the driving conditions including altitude.
93 only makes sense in older cars that can't adjust settings on the fly.
Our petrol is bad and regularly gets mixed at the storage facilities so you can never be completely sure what brand you are putting in.
Saving a few cents here and there can definitely cost you in the long run.
There are fuel injector cleaners as well as engine flushes to add to your oil but these can only do so much and can't undo any long term damage done.
The N46 is a bit of a lazy motor but the low down torque is pretty decent for most town driving. If you do decide to drive it hard it will rev cleanly through to 6500rpm, any higher doesn't really make a big difference - it starts to pull properly from about 3200rpm.
Interestingly I have worked out that in 6th you get 42kph per 1000rpm.
My car sits happily at 160kph still averaging 7l per 100km.
I topped out at 210kph.
93 only makes sense in older cars that can't adjust settings on the fly.
Our petrol is bad and regularly gets mixed at the storage facilities so you can never be completely sure what brand you are putting in.
Saving a few cents here and there can definitely cost you in the long run.
There are fuel injector cleaners as well as engine flushes to add to your oil but these can only do so much and can't undo any long term damage done.
The N46 is a bit of a lazy motor but the low down torque is pretty decent for most town driving. If you do decide to drive it hard it will rev cleanly through to 6500rpm, any higher doesn't really make a big difference - it starts to pull properly from about 3200rpm.
Interestingly I have worked out that in 6th you get 42kph per 1000rpm.
My car sits happily at 160kph still averaging 7l per 100km.
I topped out at 210kph.
@DarrylvanNiekerk yeah I’m going to try look at all the options I can, because I noticed on Sunday after work when I was on my way home when BimmerLink showed that Cylinder 2 had a misfire, I didn’t notice it while driving though, so it started making me think of fuelling issues or maybe injection issues.
So just to give you guys an idea of the things I’m watching, if it even helps me are on the attached photos.
1st photo is the logs I’m going to look at when I leave work today.
2nd photo is the dashboard
If anyone knows of more important items to look at on BimmerLink please let me know 🙏🏻
1st photo is the logs I’m going to look at when I leave work today.
2nd photo is the dashboard
If anyone knows of more important items to look at on BimmerLink please let me know 🙏🏻
DarrylvanNiekerk
Active member
Eish, trying to find a miss is like searching for a needle in a haystack as it can be so many things.
After my rebuild I had a misfire and it took ages to find the fault.
Good luck.
I can believe so man, but I mean it’s the first misfire with the newer motor, so will just keep an eye on it man.
DarrylvanNiekerk
Active member
See if you can watch individual injector durations and check your long term fuel trims, this might help start pointing you in the right direction.
You'll hopefully be able to see if the car is pushing or pulling fuel which will then show if it is tending towards leaning out or running rich on any cylinders.
You'll hopefully be able to see if the car is pushing or pulling fuel which will then show if it is tending towards leaning out or running rich on any cylinders.
Hi Guys.
So I did a pull with my BMW in 3rd gear, from about 2k RPM. I did the pull with the above mentioned values being looked at, now it gives me the file .csv format, and I kind of understand the table, I should’ve probably put the RPM range in as well. But I’ll attach the file if anyone would be keen on helping me understand a bit more of the info going on there 😅
What I did notice was the Ignition Timing on all 4 cylinders picked up and then all of a sudden dropped a bit.
Thanks in advance 🙏🏻
So I did a pull with my BMW in 3rd gear, from about 2k RPM. I did the pull with the above mentioned values being looked at, now it gives me the file .csv format, and I kind of understand the table, I should’ve probably put the RPM range in as well. But I’ll attach the file if anyone would be keen on helping me understand a bit more of the info going on there 😅
What I did notice was the Ignition Timing on all 4 cylinders picked up and then all of a sudden dropped a bit.
Thanks in advance 🙏🏻
