With the car making more power, these gains came without compromises. In fact, the car's now lighter, sounds better and is more fuel efficient!
We tested these parts in the order we thought most commonly added. If we did it over again, we'd test the ignition coils first because we feel it would have improved the accuracy of the test results, which were blemished by 135k-mile factory coils that struggled at higher rpm.
The fun isn't over, and we'll be testing more bolt-ons before the thought of more ambitious upgrades overwhelms us. Stay tuned.
| AT A GLANCE: | POWER (HP) | TORQUE (LB-FT) | PEAK HP GAIN | PEAK LB-FT GAIN | PRICE | LABOR (HRS) |
| baseline | 226 | 215 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| UUC Corsa exhaust | 229 | 217 | 7.4 at 5800rpm | 6.6 at 5800rpm | $899 | 1 |
| UUC pulleys | 231 | 217 | 5.5 at 6300rpm | 4.6 at 6300rpm | $199 | 1.5 |
| Riot Racing throttle body | 236 | 220 | 5.4 at 6900rpm | 5.5 at 5000rpm | $200 | 1.5 |
| Bavarian Auto ignition coils | 236 | 220 | 3.6 at 5200rpm | 3.6 at 5200rpm | $450 | 0.5 |
Dyno testing was performed...
Dyno testing was performed at Modified By KC Performance on its four-wheel Dynojet 424x
Dyno Testing Tips
We would like to share some tricks we use to test parts more accurately. We say "parts" because if you just pay a shop to dyno your car and never return, that's a different story. However, testing several parts to show a chronological increase, needs to be approached rather systematically.
A baseline run on an E36 M3 can yield anywhere from 200 to 220whp, depending on the dyno, climate and the particular car. So using the same dyno is crucial for consistency.
Using the same dyno correction factor (SAE or STD) each time will allow the gains to be the same. The SAE correction factor will yield lower numbers, since it corrects for an ambient temp of about 77F, where STD is corrected to about 60F with higher air pressure.
The SPA technique digital...
The SPA technique digital dual temp gauge from BimmerWorld allowed us to monitor water and oil temps. Aside from dyno testing accuracy, it's a good gauge to have in any high performance car
Using large dyno fans and placing them in the exact same location during each test will also aid accuracy.
While the above is common knowledge in the dyno-testing world, some of the variables that can crucially affect performance by the amount of oxygen there is to burn (colder air is oxygen) are frequently overlooked. These include oil, coolant, ambient and intake air temps. It's important to ensure these variables are the same before each run. And try not to make the car's computer affect the most important variable - ignition timing - by attempting to avoid detonation caused by excessive heat, etc. And you might think a simple 5-10min cool down between runs is the answer, but this doesn't always do the trick. You need to check what's happening in the engine to ensure all the readings have settled down.