[Skywagon]

I gained 14 HP by pulling off the primary catalytic converters. I own a 09 328i sedan and no one on this planet makes headers for that car. If one looks closely at the exhaust manifolds one may agree the engine is being choked. I'd bet anywhere from 20-25 HP gain if one goes from a totally stock set up to headers.

[Digitalinkartist]

Originally Posted by UdubBadger

I doubt trying to turbo this car with OEM parts of an N54 would work because the engines work very differently.

I was under the impression that the engines were in fact very similar. I am almost certain that the block shape is identical leading me to believe that you could retrofit the turbo manifold from the n54 (the need for custom manifold manufacturing was always a big hangup for us e46 guys who wanted to explore FI).

A quick search turned up these results.

N54
3.0 liter
Compression: 10.2:1
6 cylinder inline DOHC 24v
Direct Injection Turbocharged
Double VANOS
aluminium/cast-iron petrol engine


N52
3.0 liter
Compression: 10.7:1
6 cylinder inline DOHC 24v
Valvetronic
Double VANOS
aluminium/magnesium petrol engine

We know that the intake design is different between the 2 engines.
I suspect that the internals on the n54 (335) are made of stronger materials and that the compression is a little bit lower than the n52.

I think the hurdle lies in the fact that the N52 uses Valvetronic not found in the N54.

Any more info regarding differences/similarities would be helpful

BTW I am almost certain that a $3000 price-point for any BMW FI solution is unrealistic regardless of the power output. The cost of the blower and tubing alone should be as much.

[UdubBadger]

Originally Posted by Digitalinkartist

I was under the impression that the engines were in fact very similar. I am almost certain that the black shape is identical leading me to believe that you could retrofit the turbo manifold from the n54 (the need for custom manifold manufacturing was always a big hangup for us e46 guys who wanted to explore FI).

A quick search turned up these results.

N54
3.0 liter
Compression: 10.2:1
6 cylinder inline DOHC 24v
Direct Injection Turbocharged
Double VANOS
aluminium/cast-iron petrol engine


N52
3.0 liter
Compression: ????
6 cylinder inline DOHC 24v
Valvetronic
Double VANOS
aluminium/magnesium petrol engine

We know that the intake design is different between the 2 engines.
I suspect that the internals on the n54 (335) are made of stronger materials and that the compression is a little bit lower than the n52.

I think the hurdle lies in the fact that the N52 uses Valvetronic not found in the N54.

Any more info regarding differences/similarities would be helpful

BTW I am almost certain that a $3000 price-point for any BMW FI solution is unrealistic regardless of the power output. The cost of the blower and tubing alone should be as much.

10.7:1 compression on the N52

I think because the engines aren't identical and most importantly they ECU's are programed differently it would be pretty tough to do (if you swapped an identical ecu to your car it might work but that seems like an awful amount of work).

Unfortunately, I think you'd be better served just paying the $3000-$4000 upgrade to a 335i instead in that case.

I do still think that you could make a supercharger kit for $3k, the old Comptech superchargers for the Acuras were only about $4000 and put up about 60hp on the 3rd genTL's. Don't see why VF or someone could do it too.

[Metal*07*328i*Head]

If they made a S/C For my 328i I would hop on that shit like a drunk girl at a frat party lol

I dream about the sound and power of something like that stuffed into my hood, PLEASE MAKE IT SOMEONE!!!!!

[dro325]

Anything is possible with tons of money and free time. Turbo and Supercharged E90.

http://www.carbon8mag.com/car/featur...5i-000341.html

[GregL]

Originally Posted by e90David

isn't that fi'd e90 fake?

It works, but barely. The owner was a member here at the time. If I'm not mistaken the supercharger came out of an Isuzu truck or something to that effect.

[UdubBadger]

thats what the magazine said.

[TSM330i]

I spoke to Dinan about a supercharger. They had one for the E46 M3 and it costs $10K. There is a ton of R&D that goes into these systems (not just a bolt on and be done with it). The reason he told me that they develop the M3 rather than the standard cars is that they've found that the M crowd is more likely to spend that kind of money. They won't develop something that costs that much for our cars.

That being said, I still think the STS system will be more cost effective. There is a bolt-on system that could possibly work. No, as I stated above, it's not going to have the R&D behind it and it's a choice one is going to have to make if we want to go FI. Plain and simply, someone is going to have to go out on a limb and do it by their self.

Maybe VF will be willing to engineer it, but as far as getting more than a hand full of people to put up $5k or more is not good.

This is my opinion, but I hope that someone can do something for this crowd for a decent price.

P.s. That carbon 8 car is a total fake. I emailed him and he never responded. I watched the video of the engine when it was running and it was very apparent that the pulley on the supercharger was set-up like an airconditioning clutch. The outside of the pulley was spinning, but the inside or the part that is connected to the shaft of the supercharger was not spinning so that means - NO BOOST.