M10 M20 M30 M42 M50 - S50 Engine Tuning Manifolds/ Systems Other Products Suspension
                 

Engine Tuning

 

Ever since we started taking an interest in things fast and BMW, I don't think that anything, other than our own developed exhausts, have made more of an improvement in engine power and performance, than the current generation of "stand alone" engine management systems.

 

The main gain seems to be linked with the elimination of the airflow or flap meter, from the standard inlet system.

 

Removing this accursed component rids the intake of a "bottle neck”, which restricts the amount of air that can pass into the engine, releasing considerable power without any other modification!

 

These systems may be applied to your “stock" engine, naturally more air means more air-fuel mixture through too small valves, and more waste gases going out through an inadequate exhaust system so they really come into their own when installed to serve a modified power unit.

 

With improved management, comes other benefits. We have found that if you substitute coil pack ignition for the distributor-coil system, you can eliminate the vague, old fashioned, spark generating apparatus, from the equation, thereby getting rid of an source of ignition system faults.

 

 

You now have TOTAL CONTROL of the engine management system, giving micrometer-like precision to fuel supply and spark occurrence, throughout the entire rev range of the engine. This ensures that you have the means to control, through a lap top computer, the exact moment that combustion takes place, allowing optimum tuning with long dwell cam set-ups, turbo and supercharged set-ups. These advanced systems will take most anything that we can throw at them. 

The motronic system, as originally fitted has 'holes" in the mapping, and of course built in restrictions, to limit the performance, and no amount of re-chipping would have any great effect, other than push the power band further up the rev range. Now however things are very different we can 'map-in" smooth power ramps all the way up the rev range, well beyond the motronic limit. The problem now is to live with the extra strain that must be exerted on the engine and drive train as a result.

 As an aside to this" those people out there who went for the idea of using a 2.7 525e crank and pistons in their 2.5 block, as a way to extra bhp, and were thoroughly disappointed with the results, may be interested to know that with the use of this advanced technology, all your dreams of greatness may yet be realised. It seems that

much of the lack of extra go was and still is, mainly down to trying to use the ECU from the 2.5, which of course is not designed to cope with the longer stroke of the 2-7 crank This can now be mapped into the control system, and HEY PRESTO, superfast E30!! 

Obviously these advanced systems need professional installation, with the use of specialised equipment to effect the mapping procedure for the stand alone ECU. We are now able to provide these facilities, in house. We can supply, install, set-up, and map these installations on up to 1000 bhp vehicles using our rolling road. 

Power runs, tuning, and diagnostic services are also available with this machine, please telephone for further details of this and other facilities at your service!!

The heart of any car, the bit we mostly lust after, the talk in any bar, is the ‘lump’. But to get the ‘lump’ to work at peak efficiency and keep it there is no mean feat. At Fritz’s we take this bit most seriously, for there can be no car without its engine and the engine is the bit that usually absorbs most of our time and energy.  

 

Its funny how things go full circle, a few years ago 2002’s only had 4 cylinder engines then there were sixes, eights, twelve's, but our collective interest seems to be refocusing on the ancient and venerable four once more. Small, light, and efficient for its basic design, easy to work on, cheap to run.  

 

What more do you need?

Yes I know, more cubes, right? More revs? More power? How? Leave that to us. Want to go bigger? No problem.

The range of engines we cover is known as the M10, M20, M30 series.

That is: 8 valve 4 cylinders Or 12 valve 6 cylinders

The M10 starts at 1600cc and can be extended to about 2100cc.

The M20 starts at 2000cc and goes to 2500cc without strain as standard (I know about the 2.7 but that’s another ball game)

The M30 overlaps at 2500cc and goes to 3500cc but is much heavier in the lower capacities than the M20. So that’s the basic range we cover.

 

The interest always lies in the larger capacities, but there are other considerations such as rev per min and torque. These two are related but only vaguely. A modified two litre six will rev until it wails like a wolf at full moon, but its not a lot of good for towing the family caravan to Minehead!!

The 3.5 big six, however, as used by the forestry commission to pull tree stumps out of the ground, will tow the caravan but takes some waking up at a track day, the moral being, its horses for courses. Although this section is about engines and the appropriate tuning of them, the rest of the chassis suspension, brakes, wheels etc must be borne in mind, its easy to cram a big cube lump into 315 and head for the local strip, only to find its OK to go, but won’t corner or stop, that’s why we take the holistic approach. The fight is always for the balance, that is the balance between revs and torque. We tend to tune for the best of both, this makes for an engine that performs well and lasts a reasonable time, that both revs and pulls but not to the limit or loss of either.  

 

However

We can build grenade motors if you want them, but going fast is an expensive business both in time and hardware. M10 the basis of all tuning is to make the engine “breath”. If you put in more air/fuel, you have to be prepared to expel more waste gases. The standard induction can supply more air fuel mixture than your engine can use at full revs, the governing factor is usually the size of the valves.  

 

 

An example

The E21 315 (yes 5) is a 1600cc engine with a small single choke carb mounted on it, for economy. Change the carb for a twin 38mm choke Webber, you’ll spin wheels in first and second, change the head for the one with 1800cc valves fitted, you’ll do the same in third as well. Fit a four branch flowed exhaust manifold, a longer dwell cam, twin 45mm Webber carbs, an induction kit and you’ll be cooking with the gas, and lots of it, cos now the thing goes pretty well and the idea of the original economic nice little car has gone right out of the window. Now of course it won’t handle on those 13” wheels, won’t stop with those un-vented disks on the front, and bounces all over the road on those clapped out shocks,

So what do we do? We think holistically that’s what, we take it step by step, and spend money wisely, in logical progression, right? No, we fit a two litre and start all over again. Or fit a stainless four branch and flowed system, high lift/dwell cam, multiple carbs, gardener head, etc, etc.  

 

 

Another example

M20 engine

Designed to produce silky smooth power this engine uses a tooth belt to drive the cam, is quiet in operation, and good to drive, coupled to a five speed manual or to an automatic it delivers good performance in a range of sizes and guises. Introduced into the E21 range the two litre came with 4 barrel carb whilst the 2.3 was supplied sporting fuel injection. With the development of the E30 came electronic fuel injection right across the range two litre, two point three and two point five.

 

The later range (E30) engines breaths better, it has larger valves in the head. The two litre can be made to rev to the roof and back but lacks torque the two point three is the middle ground and the two point five has bags of torque but relatively low revs. Guess which is our favourite engine?

 

Take the big valves from the two point five, install into the two point three head, slap on top of the two point three bottom end, triple Webers, long dwell cam, six branch, You see where this is going, can’t you?

 

Yes, but what about the ETA lump, the fabled two point seven, the big capacity gift from the God’s? Well, there are a number of different views, and several ways to look at this subject. On the upside, yes a large capacity, on the downside, its not done through bore size, but by stroke increases the torque but does the reverse for the revs it may be that the pistons could be used on shorter con rods, if so, great but then, the pistons will be half way down the bores, and likely to touch the crankshaft, which means “decking” the block to get some compression. I wonder if boring out a 2.5 by a few mills might achieve the same effect for a lot less bother. Fit out your M20 with stock goodies such as stainless six branch and flowed system, especially 2.5’s (see page 3) bigger throttle body, bigger injectors, high lift, long dwell cam or chuck away the injection and fit multiple carbs, fit one of our modified head (road or race to your spec) use high spec ignition parts, whatever it takes to satisfy  THE NEED FOR SPEED.

 

 

M30 engine

Big capacity, heavy engined 2.5 Bigger capacity, heavy engined 2.8 with potential Bigger, bigger, capacity heavy engined 3.5 with bigger potential. We sat down at coffee break the other day with an off road fanatic who told us he wasn’t getting enough power from his bog stock Rover V8. Junior said “dump it, put a Bee M 3.5ltr 12 valve in it, it’s more powerful than the Rover anyway” and do you know, he’s right, it is, with a lot more potential for tuning, and doubtless a lot tougher and cheaper. But its heavy about 450lbs soaking wet, a big, ugly, pushed over to one side hunk of German iron, designed as an aeroplane engine around 1913; but it does go, and with a little encouragement goes bloody well.

Here we go again, all stages of tune from mild to wild.

 

Unlike the small six, forged pistons, and steel cranks are fairly easily found, long tract induction manifolds are also available, as are enlarged throttle bodies. All stages of cam tuning can be obtained we have six branch headers and flowed exhaust systems in stock. Triple Webbers on custom built manifolds are available if required, modified head (your choice of tune) can be installed along with heavy duty main and big end bearings plus HD oil pump.