SQUEEZING n/a POWER FROM A BMW E36 328i M52b28 We talk tuning and how did I make 251hp!

[@Voges2023]

Thank you for adding to the ever growing 3er e36 community

[@HardlyExotic]

Thanks for the comment 🙂👍

[@ravisidhu1667]

Great vid, I think you have answered questions for a lot of us ** subscribed**

[@HardlyExotic]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@ravisidhu1667]

@@HardlyExotic I am also going on a similar journey, and I learnt a few bits from the video, future video could you cover engine swapping, what mount bolts, auxiliary pipes to undo etc. Loving the channel as I think what your showing most E36 owner have to address on their motors. Keep it up.

[@HardlyExotic]

@@ravisidhu1667 thanks buddy. If you watch my earliest 3 or 4 vids(they aren't great I must say 😂) I do cover engine removal and Refit on an E36 6 cylinder

[@ravisidhu1667]

Quick question, could one use the s50b32 itb on a m52b28 engine? Thanks again

[@HardlyExotic]

@@ravisidhu1667 yes you can, some modifications are required, it's not quite as simple as bolting on an m50 manifold to an m52, but it can be definitely done.

[@fvresonanator]

I also think diff ratios are often forgotten. I had a 323i with a 318is diff. The in gear acceleration improved massively

[@HardlyExotic]

Yes good shout. I will do a vid on diff ratios

[@fvresonanator]

@@HardlyExotic I am also restoring my e36 328i sport. Great videos 👍

[@Vgk36]

@@HardlyExotic please and thank you

[@Hawky.Henrik]

Great video, with 251 BHP / how is your performance now / Topspeed and acceleration/ How much do it improve to do these mods ??😊

[@HardlyExotic]

Well it feels and drives absolutely great, so much more engaging than a standard 328i. I will try and do some 0-60 videos etc in the near future 🙂

[@aescuadrarinaldi]

👏👏 nice video mate!

[@CSI_tuning_solutions]

Agree with the stock air box being best,.. tested various cais and they all messed the maf reading and didnt gain anthing other than sound....

[@HardlyExotic]

I understand the 4.4 m62 maf can be utilised when you are running bigger air intakes etc, but not tested that myself.

[@idokwatcher2062]

Tuned 2.8 is good consolation prize for never attaining an M3. But the math only works with good deals of large marketplaces (UK, USA) and a friendly mechanic. Buying brand new quality parts and paying professionals to drill the block and install camshafts it gets out of control. Once you reach the limit around 270bhp you are still far behind M3 engine power so now final option is add lightness - bucket seats, titanium exhaust, forged wheels, aluminum brake calipers. But now you have spent more than a price of an M3. It can be a road filled with regret.

[@HardlyExotic]

Yes I understand some places worldwide it makes more sense to buy an m3. So agree there. However, consider the fact than an s50 can be a fragile engine, many suffer issues with only 100k. Most m50 and m52 will do 200k+, and even if blow it up, another engine can sourced for £1000 or less. S50 is £5000. So from a budget and longevity point of view, I still think the M5x are superior choice for the average Joe. Plus also the build and tweaking process is hugely fun as a car enthusiast. M3 is great no doubt. But my preference is a tuned m5x 🙂.

[@fab_s5467]

I agree with you. Spare parts for S50 engines are excessively expensive now. If you want to have fun on a non-F1 circuit for a reduced cost of tires and brake pads, a well prepared 328i E36 is more than enough .

[@dudeandre1726]

good video mate ! But for these shown wrapped headers you can go with schmiedmann headers, as for theyre exactly the ones youve showed ! And youll get them for under 250 bugs.

[@HardlyExotic]

Thank you dude! Yes those headers are a great shout value vise, and do definitely look similar. The don't work off the shelf on a right hand drive car though so worth remembering if you are uk based.

[@dudeandre1726]

Ahh ! Totally forgotten you uk guys have them lhd cars ! Schmiedmann do have nother ones. Ill get one of em for my e28. But there ill have to make them fit cause there are some space issues when it comes to the downpipes..

[@KurumaDesigns]

Great video! I just bought an e36 323i and I would love to eek out some more power from the 2.5 down the road

[@HardlyExotic]

Good stuff! Very tunable engines in both n/a and boosted format

[@mikesphoenix_e46m3]

⁠ yes totally mate and they great solid engines when looked after think mines comming upto 160k now n runs so smooth 👍 yes bring on summer and them winding roads n views 😎👌

[@HardlyExotic]

Lovely motors those 46 m3. There is a phoenix yellow coupe local to me that's I've seen being daily driven for years. Always loved it

[@mikesphoenix_e46m3]

⁠ oh really ive not really seen any around my area now you lucky to see a e36 and e46 now days phoenix yellow i was keen on when first came out infact i wanted a laguna seca blue but seen this one pop up in wales and kept looking thinking thats growing on me and here i am in the 7th year ownership 😅

[@sheldup9924]

getting mine in a few weaks cant wait

[@boedhiman]

Hey man thanks for the very helpful vid. if i will only be doing an m50b25 manifold and custom exhaust and tune for my m52b25 engine, do you think i should upgrade to pink injectors?

[@HardlyExotic]

No problem! I don't think you will max the stock injectors out unless you add cams and ecu tuning

[@veselinmarinov8787]

The budget cam mods work, both cams need machining. The inlet cam of e46 330ci the spline of the vanos engagement needs to be machined down. The exhaust cam is used of a m50b25 non vanos inlet cam to go as exhaust. That needs machined by 1,9mm where the chain sprockets meet the cam face. Other mod worth mentioning is bbtb best option of US m3. Also what dyno did you use as readings vary quite abit on different makes and types of dynos?

[@HardlyExotic]

This is some great info 👌 sure this will. Prove useful to people. This was done on a dyno dynamics dyno. This particular day I was on with 10 other friends cars and most cars made around the power as expected, so no reason to particularly doubt the 251 hp I saw.

[@veselinmarinov8787]

@@HardlyExoticI asked about the dyno make as where I live we only have one dyno available to the public and every car that goes on there comes with lower number in the range of 5-10%. I believe it is a Dyno Jet. Didn’t mean to question your figures, more so for ppl to be aware that if they do go and get runs done figure may vary based on which dyno brand they use.

[@HardlyExotic]

@@veselinmarinov8787 yes you are right, all dynos are somewhat different in the power figures they provide. Really dyno numbers are just that, a number. Real world performance and drivability is more important for the average owner 🙌

[@kaxlene9732]

At this point I think each slap added an extra 1hp

[@HardlyExotic]

More slaps available

[@jerseytim100]

You forgot to mention that to get the engine to go much faster you can put it in a compact ;)

[@HardlyExotic]

Yes, Tim, a compact with a 2.8 is a hoot!

[@mikesphoenix_e46m3]

you know your stuff mate its like how far do you want to take it then times you done you might aswell buy n m3 but having said then sometimes its the acheivments in chasing the power thats fun i guess but keep up the great work this is someone who drives a e36 320i m52 daily and e46 m3 summerweekend toy i am missing driving that m3 at the minute though 😆

[@HardlyExotic]

The m3 definitely makes more sense for the average car guy but like you say, if you're a petrol head we do enjoy the build process! Won't be long mate an those sunny bright days will appear

[@KenStOnge-vg4fi]

Great tips. Question: Is it worth modding an automatic? I have a 328 convertible with 4-speed automatic. I'd love a little more power, but not sure it's worth it without a 5-speed.

[@HardlyExotic]

Well the power mods will still increase the engines power, but the torque converter will do its best to sap its power still. Also these old automatics do not like being driven hard and are fragile old units by now. Personally if you want performance gain, the best thing you could do is switch in a manual! Otherwise leave the auto alone unless you want issues with it in my opinion.

[@KenStOnge-vg4fi]

That’s what I figured. Appreciate it! I’m loving this whole series, btw. Watched em all so far - keep em coming!

[@HardlyExotic]

@@KenStOnge-vg4fi glad you're enjoying it buddy. Thanks for the views 👍

[@christopherfarley4504]

Great video! Im looking to buy an e36 328i for track use. How can I tell if the car has a TU engine or single vanos 2.8? Assume I want single vanos?

[@HardlyExotic]

Thanks buddy. The TU engine is just as robust as the single vanos 2.8, and out the box is a better smoother engine really. However, it has a slightly more complex intake system and therefor more room for issues. Also less tuning options for bolt on power mods. Personally I'd prefer a single vanos in an e36 as its just fits right and looks oem, but a good TU engine is still a solid unit in 2024. To the untrained eye the rocker cover is the easiest way to tell them apart. Single vanos engine has a step out at the front part of the rocker cover, see here - images.app.goo.gl/bib2t43Yx816t9PL6 this is a single vanos e36 lump.

[@emrikhjelstad6520]

Hey! Good vid! Do you think it’d gain any power by using m50 inlet on m52b20? I’ve heard they’re breathing well with the stock inlet, and I wonder if it would do any improvement by swapping to m50 inlet?

[@HardlyExotic]

Hello! I have not tried it. But maybe some small gain? Maybe the m50b20 would be better suited for that engine as the b25 will flow too much for the smaller 2.0l? If you bring in some supporting mods, decat, and some cam work I'm sure it'll be happy

[@alenkazalac3542]

Hi can u help, Im owner of 1997 e36 but its swapped with m52b25 from 1998 e39 523i, when i first got it the car started normally but it wouldnt past 3500rpm, after I chnaged oil and ignition sparks it went wild he was starting really fast and it had full power, I also disconnected and reconected the maf sensor. Now when im done with bodywork i had an inncident where i forgot to close the front haube and it was raining and engine was on rain but after rain it started normally and had full power, my friend and I went to test the car bcs we replaced the suspension and when i wanted to crank the car it cranked like it wanted to die but it had power and when we drove it was wild like an animal but all of a suden when engine got to work temperature it didnt wanted to pass 3500 rpm and from then i can barely crank up the car and it also doesnt want to pass 3500 rmp The things missing is the full exhaust, so the manifolds are first and last what i got for exhaust, i dont have air filted but kn sport filter

[@HardlyExotic]

Could be a failed/ failing crank sensor. You need to scan the ecu for fault codes. If the crank sensor has failed, omly replace with oem bmw part

[@filipceremidzic2681]

Is it true with an m50b25 manifold on a b28 that the low end torque is compromised for the high end gains? Given that its on a stock tune.

[@HardlyExotic]

Yes a small amount is lost from low down. It doesn't make the car un drivable but a remap is required to correct the power drop off. Once remapped, you probably couldn't tell the difference low down.

[@rjamesmoore1869]

Question: Would a m54 Inlet work aswell? ive got one lying around and wanna know if its plug and play or not worth vs the m50

[@HardlyExotic]

I've not tested it personally, I know the m54 runs secondary air valves and Disa flaps etc so it'd a bit more complex. I believe you can run an m50 manifold on the m54 engines though so I guess the m54 should work on the m50. I do have a few m50 manifolds myself that I am happy to part with. If you're interested drop me a message on Instagram at hardly Exotic

[@gixxerhoff7502]

So the 2.8 doesn’t have the oil pump nut issue?

[@HardlyExotic]

Keep the rpm limit to 7000 and you will minimise the risk.

[@drewdavis239]

They all have the same oil pump nut issue. The s54 has less of a issue but it's still present.

[@cannedspace412]

weld it or buy a safety wired nut. most of the m5x and s5x have the issue

[@keidicko]

What dyno did you do 251hp on ?

[@HardlyExotic]

Surrey Rolling road, Dyno dynamics. We dyno'd around 12 cars that day and all other cars (e39, e36, e46) all make expected horsepower so I'm pretty confident in the 251 being realistic.

[@ChaseBeadleContent]

1:33 no I want drift car…..

[@HardlyExotic]

Everyone wants a drift car

[@charlienzl]

@@HardlyExotic picked e36 328i drift car up for 4.75k nzd today, super fuckin exciting

[@HardlyExotic]

@@charlienzl buzzing. Good job. Manual?

[@charlienzl]

​@@HardlyExotic yupp 2.8L manual msport. welded diff and coilovers. such a milestone having two of your favourite chasis at 17.

[@HardlyExotic]

@@charlienzl great Job buddy 👌

[@themayrio4028]

at that point you might as well just throw a s50, s52 or even a s54 in it

[@HardlyExotic]

In the UK. S50 and s54 are 5k+ before any maintenance. Doesn't make sense for most people getting into these cars with a low budget. I don't know what s52 cost in the USA though?

[@DarkSide-ds6rk]

there's no chance, with all of that crap you mentioned you barley get the car to 235-240, just get some 318 is pistons 6 pieces m50b25 135mm rods m54b30 crank, decompression plate and boost it to a bar 1.4 and then you have 400 up at the wheels

[@HardlyExotic]

You've missed the point here. It's pretty obvious you can make more power on any engine with a turbo, but not everyone wants a turbo, nor the reliability issues that can appear with a boosted application. 250hp is easily achievable from a 2.8, Infact 300 crank hp is the absolute limit but requires serious mods and work. Not every application is better for boost.

[@DarkSide-ds6rk]

@@HardlyExotic I have not missed the point i have done an m52b28 stroker with cams ITBS barely hit 300 at the flywheel... its a waste of time and money as for turbo its more cost-effective for BHP per GBP and if you do it properly there is no issues if you go with ebay parts then you will have issues without opening the engine, i have been doing this with bmw for over 10 years now, a set of ITBs is 1000 pounds minimum to get it working as it need adapters and so forth and thats if you find itbs and everything else for 500 and thats not happening, then good cams are around 1200 to stroke the engine is a couple of grand at least if you are not able to do it your self and then you have spend 4 grand at least to get 270-280 at the crank when for around 5k you can go 400+ or even better if you want N/A just buy an s54 or m62b44tu with some parts from the m60 and a remap and you would still have more power.... and you can sell your m52 and get back some money either turbo or engine swap

[@richardgg2889]

@@DarkSide-ds6rk You just proved you still didn't get the point. To some people, its worth to spend extra money for NA tune.

[@drewdavis239]

Turbo is the answer. Dark side knows what's up

[@MajdMggtgt]

Why 318is pistons?