Salutes from Mexico

[M3_Mexico]

First of all salutes from Mexico City.

New in the forum and as I see maybe I am the first mexican here.

I switched a few months ago from VAG big turbo track tuning to BMW. I hope I can learn a few things from you experts in the M3 area.

Any suggestions for better track handling and power for a 98' M3 EVO? (S50B32 engine). Right now the car is in last exterior and interior detailing to make the new toy look as new.

In handling-power aspects I have in mind installing the Racing Dynamics sway bars (as I understand the strut brace for this body is quite unnecessary for torsion matters) and maybe Konis, Bilstein HD's (with stock springs), or directly Billstein PSS9's if there's nothing cheaper with those rebound-stiffness results.

In power aspects I wanted to install a screw type SC as it's a lots easier to manage the power at the track, but in here Vortech centrifugals seem to be the only option available.

Any advice from you will be highy appreciated, maybe a complete list that you would consider would achieve the best handling-power relationship possible would be just fine.

I definately don't have an illimited budget for this toy, so the best cost-effective options would deffinately best fit my needs.

The car is intended to be street driven (not a daily driver though), but intended to be prepared speccially for track days and some regularity tarmac rallies.

Thank's again and hope to have a car enthusiast visiting this side of the pond sometime.

[BigFas]

Ola amigo!

Can't help with your issues as I'm not the performance guru but welcome and enjoy the forum :)

[adood84]

cool Mexico :) welcome to the forum .......[jam

[Dirty Black]

Ariba! Must be the 1st mexican in ere... welcome!

[Chaos]

Hola y recepción a nuestra casa de la locura ;)

PSS9s would be a fine choice for springs, sway bars are almost a given for what you're doing tho I wouldn't dismiss the strut bar so easily - it's not that expensive and every little bit helps.

For SC advice, Roy (550 Nm) is your man, I'm sure he'll be along when he's finished his morning's sunbathing. :p

[mysticm3]

welcome, Mexico rocks in worldcup :D

[InvIs Inc]

:eek: mexico :cool: welcome dude

get some pics up :)

[GeorgeUK]

Welcome to the forum! [hiya

How's the BMW modding scene in Mexico?

[CA Automotive UK]

Buenos dias my amigo !! esta tudo bien ? ...and welcome

Chaos , you know I have no time for sun bathing as too busy looking after you lot :p

Are you sure your engine code is correct ? If its Evo car then should be S52 , the S50 B2 was the version used in the Z3M , at least in UK , might be different there :)

regards your upgrades M3 mexico ( I have a turbo M3 evo , you can see on website ) , our suggestions would be :

- Eibach pro street S or bilstein pss9 cpilovers... the Pss9 is still king and offers adjustable damping as well , but the Eibach is unbelievable value for money and well up for track days . Coilovers win out every time over shocks and springs due to their adjustability and reduction in unsprung weight which gives the car quicker and more precise steering and handling .
- upgrade to powerflex bushes and Rogue rear shock mounts too
- Upgrade the sway bars yes , but forget R. dynamics because they are over priced and will take you a year to receive them ..i am not kidding . Go with Eibach ARB s , they are adjustable also
- Strut braces front and rear DEFINATELY help , not sure why you were advised other wise :confused:
- twin screw charger will give you lots of mid range for sure , however the only kit around is the active autowerke one twin screw , but this is made for the US engines which are modified M50 not S50 / 52 , so you would have to make a few modifications to the brackets and pipework , and re map the DME . robably of no interest to you , but I am selling my turbo kit , PM me if you do want more details.

- as a lesser alternative you can go naturally aspirated of course , you can gain some +40 - 50 bhp by using cams , pulleys , csl style airbox , alpha N management etc .

Hope this helps , all the best

[benny boy]

Hi there welcome aboard

[M3_Mexico]

Buenos dias my amigo !! esta tudo bien ? ...and welcome

Chaos , you know I have no time for sun bathing as too busy looking after you lot :p

Are you sure your engine code is correct ? If its Evo car then should be S52 , the S50 B2 was the version used in the Z3M , at least in UK , might be different there :)

regards your upgrades M3 mexico ( I have a turbo M3 evo , you can see on website ) , our suggestions would be :

- Eibach pro street S or bilstein pss9 cpilovers... the Pss9 is still king and offers adjustable damping as well , but the Eibach is unbelievable value for money and well up for track days . Coilovers win out every time over shocks and springs due to their adjustability and reduction in unsprung weight which gives the car quicker and more precise steering and handling .
- upgrade to powerflex bushes and Rogue rear shock mounts too
- Upgrade the sway bars yes , but forget R. dynamics because they are over priced and will take you a year to receive them ..i am not kidding . Go with Eibach ARB s , they are adjustable also
- Strut braces front and rear DEFINATELY help , not sure why you were advised other wise :confused:
- twin screw charger will give you lots of mid range for sure , however the only kit around is the active autowerke one twin screw , but this is made for the US engines which are modified M50 not S50 / 52 , so you would have to make a few modifications to the brackets and pipework , and re map the DME . robably of no interest to you , but I am selling my turbo kit , PM me if you do want more details.

- as a lesser alternative you can go naturally aspirated of course , you can gain some +40 - 50 bhp by using cams , pulleys , csl style airbox , alpha N management etc .

Hope this helps , all the best

Thanks a lot for you all for the help!!

Roy (same name as mine is), the engine code is S50B32 (3.2 liter 321 bhp). As I undersand this engine code is European. My car is not from US, not to bother but US versions are rubbish against the European ones (worse brakes, dumb engines...).

I live at 2,500 meters above sea level, so air density makes this place take away almost 25% of the engines power in normally aspirated engines. For that reason I deffinately want to go FI where I can just remap and get a few extra psi of boost to compensate.

I'm really interested in your turbo kit if it's still reliable and in a fair price. (I would appreciate if you tell me all the details of it). About remapping there's no problem, since my engine builder is precialized in that area (remaps F2, F3, Touring and other cars, and helps in developments for Garret in here). He's Gerardo del Río, maybe you know him. If I'm not mistaken he won the most powerful car in the latest European Car Magazine 1.8t Challenge.

The only reason I wanted a screw SC was for soft power delivery and avoid too much wheel spin at turns, but to be sincere I love turbos (I still miss my 350 bhp Jetta GLI, but it was FWD and I wanted to go RWD).

About the sway and stress bars, I appreciate your advice. I'll try with Eibach coilovers and Sway bars and then fine adjust at track. The bushings were going to be changed for Prothane, but I'll check if I can find the ones you tell me.

Thanks a lot again for all your help and please don't hesitate in giving me more and more feedback, since I'm quite a newbie in the M Power scenario. [cool

[M3_Mexico]

:eek: mexico :cool: welcome dude

get some pics up :)

Pics you want, pics you get.

This first ones are of the car I sold to buy the M3.

Fully track built (street driven also) 2004 Jetta GLI 350 bhp in race gas.
Some pics of the car in process and others at Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez (F1 approved track here in Mexico City, maybe you remember it in Formula 1 races).

My ex girl friend in one of the pics. (a little bit of Mexico :D )

(I cant upload the pics in groups of five, I'll try with a few less each post)

[M3_Mexico]

Sorry, that was another friend. My ex girlfriend is the blond one in here. :D

[M3_Mexico]

Another ex-car that I liked very much. 2002 Focus SVT, Similar to the Focus ST170 in the UK.

[M3_Mexico]

And finally , the M3. Sorry about the crappy cel phone pictures. In this pictures the car is still in detailing process, I post some later as the car sits now.

[CA Automotive UK]

No problem ( Rui or Ruiz ??)

the S50 / 52 / B issue causes us headaches , because different european coutries seem to have different nomenclature for these engines . In UK teh 3.2 evo is know as an S52 .....:)

forced induction can definately be tailored to high altitude use as you know.

You make an intersting comment on the TScrew issue and spinning out of corners etc ...to my mind it is the opposite because TS produces max boost relatively early in the rev range , whereas centifugal chargers produce max boost right at top of rev range , where you would not normally be at mid bend...whereas you stamp on the throttle mid bend with a TS set up and all that torque is immediately "there" , possibly causing oversteer . Do you see my point ?

regards the Turbo kit , it has been very reliable for me ( over 25 000 miles and 3 trans - europe trips ,one of them featured in magazines last year ;)

Pm me your phone number if you want and we can talk about it :)

adios [ok

[M3_Mexico]

And finally, myself. (sorry, but I copuld only find pictures of partys) :rolleyes:

[M3_Mexico]

No problem ( Rui or Ruiz ??)

the S50 / 52 / B issue causes us headaches , because different european coutries seem to have different nomenclature for these engines . In UK teh 3.2 evo is know as an S52 .....:)

forced induction can definately be tailored to high altitude use as you know.

You make an intersting comment on the TScrew issue and spinning out of corners etc ...to my mind it is the opposite because TS produces max boost relatively early in the rev range , whereas centifugal chargers produce max boost right at top of rev range , where you would not normally be at mid bend...whereas you stamp on the throttle mid bend with a TS set up and all that torque is immediately "there" , possibly causing oversteer . Do you see my point ?

regards the Turbo kit , it has been very reliable for me ( over 25 000 miles and 3 trans - europe trips ,one of them featured in magazines last year ;)

Pm me your phone number if you want and we can talk about it :)

adios [ok

My name is Rodrigo, but here Rodrigo = Roy = Rod

We can keep in touch via e-mail or MSN Messenger for now if you want, just for me to know all the specs of your kit and required and suggested extra mods to the car to handle the boost it's turbo is designed for.
Anyway, my office number is (55) 55-38-38-65, and my cel phone (55) 54-33-46-26 in México City, México. Since chatting via telephone will be quite expensive is why I suggest first to stay in touch via e-mail/messenger. Afterwards I would appreciate the phone call to close the deal.

My e-mail and Messenger is rodrigozuloaga@hotmail.com

Cheers!!!

[M3_Mexico]

Welcome to the forum! [hiya

How's the BMW modding scene in Mexico?

Not too much BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati, etc tuning over here. We have representatives of almost every aftermarket manufacturer, but tuning in Mexico focuses primarily y mid/low budget cars, specially VAG, Ford, Nissan and GM. For this cars you can get everything you want in every modding way you want. We are very influenced by the US market so you can find very similar modded cars here. for VW /SEAT / Audi you can find everything imaginable.

For BMW we have Hamann, AC Schnitzer, Hartge, etc, but not too many heavy modded cars, not a very safe city to drive in an eye catching car to be honest. Anyway there are several of us that don't let that aspect avoid our hobby and try to mod in dynamics and power without getting very aesthetically impressive. There are lots of people that go to the aesthetical side without entering dynamics though.

[M5 SC]

Welcome to the forum mate... enjoy! :D

[444bhp Ray]

missed this one last night :eek: Welcome and enjoy!