FYI for an M50 intake manifold DIY

[Jed]

On our team.BAR website, we have a DIY section that has a step by step install of an M50 intake manifold on John's 98 M3.

http://www.team-bar.com

Go to the DIY section and click on the text for the M50 install.

[jrsp]

John's writeup is nice, but if you've got the money I HIGHLY recommend the Eurosport adapter kit. Great directions (not perfect, but very good), well thought out and very, very clean looking and working results.

I've done the M50 install 3 times now (don't ask, I don't want to go there <g>) and this was by far the easiest way.

[GT]

John's writeup is nice, but if you've got the money I HIGHLY recommend the Eurosport adapter kit. Great directions (not perfect, but very good), well thought out and very, very clean looking and working results.

I've done the M50 install 3 times now (don't ask, I don't want to go there <g>) and this was by far the easiest way.

Did you keep the M50 manifold setup, or did you go back to the stock one? I've heard that you lose a bit of bottom end with the M50 setup...your thoughts?

[AlfaEric]

John's writeup is nice, but if you've got the money I HIGHLY recommend the Eurosport adapter kit. Great directions (not perfect, but very good), well thought out and very, very clean looking and working results.

I've done the M50 install 3 times now (don't ask, I don't want to go there <g>) and this was by far the easiest way.

Actually on the last page of John's writeup even he says if he had to do it again he would probably just buy the install kit from Eurospeed.

---Eric

[Doby]

I need to do some updating on it. Eurospeed doesn't sell kits anymore because they just packaged up what I listed in the write up.

The Eurospot CNC'd Aluminum block makes things so much easier... easier on AND off if you choose to go back.

And Glenn, what's lost on the bottom end of the 3.2L is really made up at the top end.

[jrsp]

John's writeup is nice, but if you've got the money I HIGHLY recommend the Eurosport adapter kit. Great directions (not perfect, but very good), well thought out and very, very clean looking and working results.

I've done the M50 install 3 times now (don't ask, I don't want to go there <g>) and this was by far the easiest way.

Did you keep the M50 manifold setup, or did you go back to the stock one? I've heard that you lose a bit of bottom end with the M50 setup...your thoughts?

Yes, you lose torque around 4000-4500 but gain quite a bit of power from 5800 on up. It all depends on where you need it. I waffled back and forth a couple of times and really wish I could get a little more low end grunt but I think all things considered even for autocross this setup works best.

Um, just re-read your question - I swapped the stock M52 and have the ODBI M50 in place now. Again.

[1996 328ti]

Um, just re-read your question - I swapped the stock M52 and have the ODBI M50 in place now. Again.

How do you run through emissions with OBD-I?

[Doby]

Steven, it's not an OBD conversion, it's just the manifold that's being used. The runners on the M50 Manifold are much larger then the M52. The M52 pulls the HP/TQ curves to the lower end of the RPM range, while the M50 moves the power to the top.

Here's a picture of the 2 next to each other (M52 top, M50 bottom):


Look at the inside diameter of the runners. You can see how much larger the M50's are.

And ignore the red circle. It was just to show how I plugged that hole... with a cut off wheel bolt and some teflon tape. :-p