M3 euro vs M3 US - M3 Forum

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E36 M3 (1991-1999)

M3 euro vs M3 US

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Author	Topic: M3 euro vs M3 US
Derek Member Posts: 43 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 10-23-2001 01:04 AM What makes the euro M3 so much more powerful? Is it the emissions? Is there a way to convert my US 3.2 liter M3 engine into a Euro M3 engine? IP: Logged
jerky1280 Junior Member Posts: 4 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 10-23-2001 11:08 AM Euro-spec M3's have used BMW's VANOS intake system for quite a few years, while the US-spec M3's received VANOS for the 1st time in the 2001 model - hence the bump from 240 to 333 bhp. VANOS is a variable intake system - I don't know the specifics of it. IP: Logged
Derek Member Posts: 43 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 10-23-2001 10:44 PM So is there a way i can convert my US M3 engine into a euro one by changing the intake manifold? IP: Logged
DVOTHECC Junior Member Posts: 2 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 10-26-2001 02:30 PM I think the euro spec m3's have individual throttle bodies. IP: Logged
Rich unregistered	posted 10-26-2001 02:38 PM I don't know about the E36 M3 Euro, but the E46 M3 has six throttle bodies, one for each cylinder. The E36 M3 US has only one throttle body. Maybe the multiple throttle bodies is part of the VANOS system. IP: Logged
DVOTHECC Junior Member Posts: 2 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 10-26-2001 02:51 PM I worked at a bmw dealership during the summer and I saw a yellow E36 with individual throttle bodies....I dont know if it was a euro spec for sure but im just guessing it was cause I know the us spec dont have ITB's. IP: Logged
Derek Member Posts: 43 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 10-27-2001 02:23 PM ok thanks for your guys help. IP: Logged
///Mark - UK unregistered	posted 10-28-2001 05:28 PM The US / EURO engines are completly different to each other, the Euro engine fron 1996 onwards has dual VANOS and separate intakes producing 321BHP. The engine block is is made from Iron also, I beleave the US block is Ally? could be wrong. There is no way to adapt a US M3 engine to Euro specification, the US also uses OBD2 which we don't use in Euro. ///Mark - UK IP: Logged
guc32 Junior Member Posts: 3 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 10-29-2001 05:11 PM The individual throttle boddies dont make the 80 hp or so jump. I believe the higher compression on the euro engine has to be most of its power increase. They also redline at 8200 rpm i think. The obd-2 regulations brought the power down from the euro spec. Sucks ------------------ IP: Logged
eduardo unregistered	posted 10-30-2001 04:24 AM I own an euro M3 and the car has six throttle bodies, vanos and some other diferences from US. The vanos changes the position of the intake and exhaust cams in high or low rpms to produce an ideal powerband for every situation. The vanos has it`s own electronic like the one that controls the engine. The vanos electronic is also chipable to produce more power in the rpm`s you want, similar like v-tec from honda. Do you know who produces the vanos system for euro M3? Rolls Royce. Eduardo G. performancem3@net.sapo.pt IP: Logged
dmc4cc Junior Member Posts: 4 Registered: Nov 2001	posted 11-11-2001 08:05 PM Nope, US version has VANOS, of course it does, Euro enginen is alloy too. I think the differences are exahust, cams, Euro may have dual vanos like new M3's, and a number of other differences such as larger intake and exhaust ports. IP: Logged
eduardo gon�alves Member Posts: 74 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 11-12-2001 05:05 AM Euro cars from 1992 to 1995 are 3.0 engines five speed with only one VANOS at the intake. 1996 to 1999 cars are 3.2 engines with six speed and double VANOS (intake and exhaust). 286hp for the first and 321hp for the second. Eduardo. IP: Logged
Type H unregistered	posted 12-01-2001 03:31 PM Key Features of & Mods for E36 Euro M3s: Cylinder head design same as one bank of McLaren F1 BMW V12!! So Euro 3.0L & 3.2L engines are considered "half" McLaren V12! Compression Ratio is 11.3 Max Power @7400 RPM, Redline @7600 RPM Aluminium Head, Indestructable Iron Block 6 Butterfly Flaps (2x3 Throttle Bodies) Main power restriction is mainly due to winding path of symmetrical style M Power airbox with long runners favoured by E30 M3, E36 M3 & E34 M5 alike. Ram air style airbox with shorter runners alone causes NA 3.2L to pump out 350HP! With bolt-on airbox, matching vanos chip & free-flow exhaust, NA 3.2L can pump out 365HP; all this with stock cams & engine!! This setup (unchanged drivability) can overtake mildly supercharged US M3s & almost catch up with unmodified 911 Turbos & Ferrari F355!! Power gained by E46 Euro M3 (343HP) IMHO is due to better airbox, free-flow exhaust, computer management & even higher revs with lighter/low friction engine components. Comments? IP: Logged
eduardo gon�alves Member Posts: 74 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 12-03-2001 05:17 AM Dear type h, are you from europe? Have you already seen an euro 3.2? Did you know that 3.2 engine was dynoed at 299hp? Nobody found the lost 22hp yet. Even race teams consider the 3.0 engine better than 3.2. In fact, all M3`s racing here are 3.0 engine. Theres is no way that the factory airbox causes some kind of restriction in power, in fact, this is the best system proven for power. In a 3.2 engine to reach 350hp you need cams, special carbon airbox (like HAMMAN for ex.), free flow exhaust(with stock catalytic converter), and diferent engine management. This is proven by top teams. Check AC SHNITZER CLS2 M3 and you`ll see. It is true that a good euro M3 can be equal to a porche turbo or ferrari but to reach the end of the speedometer (175mph) you will need a modified software to reach 8.000rpm.(7300rpm stock). IP: Logged
Type H unregistered	posted 12-03-2001 01:14 PM I come from Hong Kong & Australia. Yes, many racers in UK & USA are driving 3.0L, they confirmed that 3.0 is making real 286HP & 3.2 is close to making 300~310HP by way of driving & testing. But UK & Germany sell airboxes that restore the missing power to 320~330HP; "rice" HP figures I quoted before came straight from BMW handbook & aftermarket info in the web, I hope 3.2L is not a rice car!! :P While stock 3.0 cannot beat a stock 3.2, 3.0 can always catch up with 3.2 without too much problem, this confirmed that power difference between 3.2 & 3.0 is much smaller than 35HP! 3.0 is revvy punchy whereas 3.2 is torqy. My 3.0 friends can no longer catch up with my 3.2 once I put in exhaust mods except one 3.0 with airbox that runs faster. He switched back to stock airbox & you can guess the result... Which car do you drive? Any interesting experience? I have a difficult time choosing right upgrades for street, as I need good reversible & effective mods so that I can import car to Australia w/o problem. Lightening the car can be as good as putting in more power if done correctly, I just want my 321HP & aluminium doors back. Of course no mod is better than a good driver IP: Logged
eduardo gon�alves Member Posts: 74 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 12-04-2001 05:17 AM I am from portugal and my car is a 3.0 five speed manual. My car has an interesting story. My country`s dealer ordered a few cars to create an M3 trophy for private teams. My car didn`t had sunroof, leather seats, not even A/C. I managed to buy the car directly from a bmw dealer. The car hadn`t seen racetracks in his life thanks to me. Even the body colour is rare in M3`s, white with black interior. I installed factory A/C. My mods are supersprint complete inox exhaust, superchips, tar-ox brakes, short shift from a Z3M, vanos chip, modified exhaust cam, custom ram-air intake, koni sport adjustable suspension with lowering springs and speedline magnesium wheels. The car is very similar to the one wich is presented in bmwclub.org.hk. By the way, wich airbox system do tou use? Thanks. Eduardo. IP: Logged
Type H unregistered	posted 12-04-2001 09:54 AM Hola! So your car is probably rarer & lighter than M3 GT! This must be exciting for a BMW lover, do you have your own site or have posted photos of your car(s)? What other cars do you like? I got fewer mods than you, I have: Supersprint Euro resonator, Hamann muffler, small 4-pot Brembo front brakes, UUC goodies, IFG A5 wheels, H&R coilovers, X-brace, buffer stop, M strut Brace, E46 rear shock tower mount + Z3 rear shock tower reinforcement, RD sway bars, Superchip & stock airbox with replacement foam filter. Does your ram-air intake include HFM? Did Superchip provide you with a custom program that can run without HFM for airbox or just standard program? I'm thinking of many airbox systems... Moseley, EVO2, MK, Hamann & Schirmer, not easy to choose, what do you say? The car you find at bmwclub.org.hk is Chairman's silver M3 3.0 sunday club racer, mine is estoril blue IP: Logged
eduardo gon�alves Member Posts: 74 Registered: Oct 2001	posted 12-04-2001 10:37 AM Unfortunatly i dont have my own site but it will be out soon. Stay tuned. As for the airbox i am planing to get one myself. I can tell you that the AC SHNITZER system is no longer available. I am thinking one from HAMMAN or from EVOLUTION 2 in U.K. They are expensive because it is only available in carbon fiber. As for the chip, that was my worst problem. I started to call superchips in U.K. and they told me that they could provide more hp and torque, get rid of the speed limiter and raise the revs. Now this is the problem, the car doesn`t make more revs, only 7.300 as stock. I called back and now they told me that they could do nothing more. I got furious because i needed more rpm`s because my car reaches the rev limiter in fifht gear very easy at about 270km/h (169mph). Then i tryed SKN chiptuning in germany and the mod was great, more revs (7.800) and 280km/h max. But again, more major problems. With this chip when i drive in fourth or fifht gear at about 3.000rpm if i press the clutch pedal, the engines goes dead and i have to start it again. I instaled superchips again and the problem was solved, so i left superchips in engine manegement and a custom SKN made for vanos management. The car runs great with lots of torque but for max speed it isn`t that good because the premature rpm limit. Nice to hear from you. Eduardo. IP: Logged
gmonsen Member Posts: 6 Registered: Dec 2001	posted 12-04-2001 10:33 PM I bought an e36 lightweight with the understanding that they could get me a euro motor for it , tom milner had one in england he said he'd get me. he didn't and i sold car upon delivery. if i remember right, the biggest differences between the us and euro versions are the heads, cams and pistons. the euro version has 24 valves, different hemi head design, better porting, longer duration intake cams, and different headers. but, according to bmwna and milner, its mainly the 4 valve heads. they didn;t think americans would pay for the more sophisticated heads. i got very angry with bmw. i had had 13 bmws, including an e30 that i raced. as a result, although i did buy a 540is later, i bought a new 95 rx7 instead if the lightweight. -gordon IP: Logged

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