[Carey816]

I just picked up a 335xi with a rod knock mainly as a parts car because someone ran a red light and smashed my front end. So I plan to change that. But inwas also thinking why not swap the turbos and exhaust over to my car while I'm at it. My 328i is standard and the 335 is auto. Is there anyway to use the engines ecu from the 335 on the 328 so i dont have to worry as much about tuning. And should I swap the whole top end while I'm at it? I'm just not to sure what the main differences with the engines are. I'd love to just fix the 335 but honestly i didn't intend on buying it to drive and I'm still making payments on the 328 anyway.

[Taskmaster]

None of that will work. What are you trying to accomplish?

[Elias_E90]

If you put a new ecu in your car, all the electric modules needs to be reprogrammed or relearned (dsc for example..) also if i remember correctly the n54 manifolds (exhaust) do not bolt on n52 head, i remember the heads are different. It needs some modifications to bolt on

[nsjames]

the main difference is the pretty much everything.

you can't just bolt the n54 stuff to an n52.

[LucasAry]

Originally Posted by Elias_E90

If you put a new ecu in your car, all the electric modules needs to be reprogrammed or relearned (dsc for example..) also if i remember correctly the n54 manifolds (exhaust) do not bolt on n52 head, i remember the heads are different. It needs some modifications to bolt on

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[Carey816]

Originally Posted by Elias_E90

If you put a new ecu in your car, all the electric modules needs to be reprogrammed or relearned (dsc for example..) also if i remember correctly the n54 manifolds (exhaust) do not bolt on n52 head, i remember the heads are different. It needs some modifications to bolt on

Thank you for the reply. The ecu thing isn't to big of a deal. I can definitely take it to get tuned after putting the turbos on rather then swapping ecu.

[Carey816]

Originally Posted by Taskmaster

None of that will work. What are you trying to accomplish?

Mainly just a slightly simpler twin turbo rather then buying a ridiculously expensive kit online when I have majority of the parts, turbos intercooler etc. If I have to change the headers at all then that's fine. Also curious if anyone knows the max horsepower the stock internals can handle

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by Carey816

Mainly just a slightly simpler twin turbo rather then buying a ridiculously expensive kit online when I have majority of the parts, turbos intercooler etc. If I have to change the headers at all then that's fine. Also curious if anyone knows the max horsepower the stock internals can handle

BPC is putting over 500hp through their n52 turbo. I don’t think the motor will be your issue... the transmission, differential, axle shafts, etc is what I would be concerned about. Basically the entire driveline lol.

The 328i manual transmission is rated for a max input torque of about 260ft/lbs. The differential is smaller than the 335 manual diff it won’t handle shock loads nearly as well so more likely to go boom. The axle shafts smaller in the 328i so they also more likely to break a shaft if you are horsing around and get any wheel hop.

If you are looking to go to 300hp or so it’s *probably* fine. But if you think you want to max out the engines internals... well expect driveline issues.

This is all hypothetical assuming you could overcome the hurdles of installing the N54 turbos lol

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Carey816

Thank you for the reply. The ecu thing isn't to big of a deal. I can definitely take it to get tuned after putting the turbos on rather then swapping ecu.

yes it is.

the n54 uses a completely different ecu to handle the DI injectors.

you're better off reusing your msv70 and having it remapped to deal with the boost.

Personally I feel that if you're willing to remake the manifold, then you ought just make it for a better turbo than the stock twins. They are actually kind of shit.

and swap out all of the donor 335 bits in the driveline. brakes are bigger, diff and shafts are bigger. All of that stuff is an upgrade from 328 stuff.

[Noir]

If the idea was doable, I think it would've been done a long time ago..

Go peep BPCs video on YT discussing the n52 n54 heads

[Carey816]

Originally Posted by nsjames

yes it is.

the n54 uses a completely different ecu to handle the DI injectors.

you're better off reusing your msv70 and having it remapped to deal with the boost.

Personally I feel that if you're willing to remake the manifold, then you ought just make it for a better turbo than the stock twins. They are actually kind of shit.

and swap out all of the donor 335 bits in the driveline. brakes are bigger, diff and shafts are bigger. All of that stuff is an upgrade from 328 stuff.

Yea that's basicly what i figured with swapping out the suspension and brakes and stuff. And tuning the ecu for boost. I'm not looking for crazy power just a bit extra so I don't mind having to remake the manifold.

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by Carey816

Yea that's basicly what i figured with swapping out the suspension and brakes and stuff. And tuning the ecu for boost. I'm not looking for crazy power just a bit extra so I don't mind having to remake the manifold.

You can swap over the suspension and brakes - nothing from the engine will work but the intake manifold and TB - any "turbo" will be custom. If you have the capability to do it, you would be already.

[6ixSpd]

It would make far, far more sense to sell both and have a 335i to begin with. The sheer amount of labour and programming involved would make this futile, and in then end you'd have a Frankenstein 328i worth next to nothing because it'll be some mash up of parts and wiring...

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by LucasAry

Like

The studs are in the wrong spots.

[rick100]

Im sure that if you put enough money into it , it is doable. However it would be 10 times easier and cheaper to just fix up the 335xi you purchased and still keep the 328 , you would at least have 2 serviceable cars

To be able to do that type of swap you would probably need to own a shop where you have a lift , fabrication tools. Then you would need someone with extensive programming knowledge and tuning knowledge to make it work, which would be pretty hard to find since it has never been done. As far as i know there are 2 shops running turbo chargers , bpc and digidon ( who owns a shop) and they have put so much time and money to make it work , although they are not even running 335 turbo's

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by rick100

Im sure that if you put enough money into it , it is doable. However it would be 10 times easier and cheaper to just fix up the 335xi you purchased and still keep the 328 , you would at least have 2 serviceable cars

To be able to do that type of swap you would probably need to own a shop where you have a lift , fabrication tools. Then you would need someone with extensive programming knowledge and tuning knowledge to make it work, which would be pretty hard to find since it has never been done. As far as i know there are 2 shops running turbo chargers , bpc and digidon ( who owns a shop) and they have put so much time and money to make it work , although they are not even running 335 turbo's

^^^
Taskmaster said it best.

Originally Posted by Taskmaster

You can swap over the suspension and brakes - nothing from the engine will work but the intake manifold and TB - any "turbo" will be custom. If you have the capability to do it, you would be already.

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by Taskmaster

If you have the capability to do it, you would be already.

^

[Carey816]

Originally Posted by desertman123

^^^
Taskmaster said it best.

I have a lift and such. All a car needs to run turbos in a time is to have enough fuel to match the air ratio without being to lean or to rich. I'm just curious as to how much work is needed in mounting the turbos onto the car like do they sell turbo headers for the 328. I'm just in hawaii rn so trying to get as much details before digging in when I get home

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Carey816

I have a lift and such. All a car needs to run turbos in a time is to have enough fuel to match the air ratio without being to lean or to rich. I'm just curious as to how much work is needed in mounting the turbos onto the car like do they sell turbo headers for the 328. I'm just in hawaii rn so trying to get as much details before digging in when I get home

understatement of the year.

you also need an oil feed and drain for the turbo.
custom intake piping, an intercooler, custom exhaust manifold
some sort of boost control.
and a bunch of little stuff.
This literally is one of those times when if you have to ask the questions, you likely don't have the skills.
Hell, I have the skills and I wouldn't attempt it because it's just not the most cost effective way to get horsepower.
if you want a turbo car, buy a turbo car. You'll spend more money doing a turbo on an n52 than it will cost you to upgrade to a 335, and you'll still be limited by the stock block and components because they weren't intended for boost.
so my suggestion is buy a 335, flash MHD on it and go rip.

[Noir]

yeh... the exhaust manifold will be the biggest bitch to accomplish... the clearance issues are very much real... If you look at the BPC turbo thread, you'll see how many twists n turns are implemented to make it work... then deleting A/C as well, as it is in the way, as per BPCs R&D/findings.

AFAIK they utilized a lot of oem 335 stuff for sure. I think that includes the intake, intercooler, some other bits... but in my initial paragraph, the exhaust manifold is 100% custom. maybe take a look at digidons thread.... It's been a hot minute so idk if he has pics of the whole build process or not.

I honestly don't think it's worth... but I also bought an ESS kit. My opinion might be invalid. But if you're well versed in fabrication, more power to you! You can view both known threads and make it happen. but keep in mind, both BPC and digidon used aftermarket turbos IIRC.

And I know it took BPC quite a while to figure out the exhaust manifold then determining the A/C needed to be deleted.

I think you should really weigh the time and cost effectiveness of this endeavor...

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by nsjames

the main difference is the pretty much everything.

you can't just bolt the n54 stuff to an n52.

Lol

[Noir]

https://bimmerperformancecenter.com/pages/bpc-n52-turbo

read this, fren!