BMW

We have worked with BMW tuning for many years and have extensive experience with, among others, BMW E30, E36, E46 and E60. This means that we know many of the popular BMW engines that are often used for tuning and turbo builds, including M20, M30, M50, M52, M54 and S54.

We have built both engines and turbo kits from scratch ourselves and know which parts are typically needed to create a strong and reliable setup. We can therefore also help with advice on building your BMW tuning kit, as well as choosing and purchasing the right tuning parts.

Also read our BMW M50/M52/M54 tuning guide.

Tuning of BMW M20 engine

The BMW M20 engine was one of the first engines we worked with for tuning. We have built everything from supercharger kits and throttle bodies to complete turbo kits on the M20 platform.

The M20 engine is known for being very durable and can typically handle around 0.7 bar of boost pressure without internal engine modifications. If you want more power, the engine can be upgraded with ARP head studs and a reinforced head gasket. With this type of setup, you can typically run around 1.1 bar of boost pressure.

A popular setup is to use a 2.7-litre ETA engine together with an M20B25 cylinder head. At higher power levels, the cylinder head should be welded at the water channels, often already around 400 hp. With this type of setup, power figures of up to around 500 hp have been achieved.

If you want even more power and greater reliability, the engine should be built with forged pistons and H-beam connecting rods. In addition, an M21 oil pump can be used, as it provides approximately 30% more oil flow. The oil pressure can also be increased by installing washers at the spring.

Tuning of BMW M50

The BMW M50 engine, which is found in BMW E36 among others, is one of the most commonly used BMW engines for tuning. It is a strong and reliable engine that is very well suited for turbo builds.

Like the M20 engine, the M50 engine can typically handle around 0.7 bar of boost pressure without internal modifications. By changing to a reinforced head gasket and stronger head studs, it can often be run with around 1.1 bar of boost pressure.

A very good choice is an M50 engine without VANOS, combined with an original cylinder head, as these engines and cylinder heads are known for high durability.