After a swap, how's the handling?

[318ti_Portugal]

Hello...

I'm just curious about how the handling of a Ti is affected by swapping a 6 cylinder engine. For me, the TI has a great handling! Even with stock suspension. For me, one of the main reasons for this is weight and it's distribution.
Thanks to the hatch and the small 4 cylinder engine, there is almost no weight in front of the axles, wich makes the ti have less momentum and better turn in capabilitie than any other E36. I'm just curious on how the handling turns out after adding the weight of the 6 cylinder in the front of the car. Do you think the added power is worth the sharp handling loss?

Regards!

[1996 328ti]

Originally Posted by 318ti_Portugal

Do you think the added power is worth the sharp handling loss?

I do not find any handling loss. If anything it is easier to handle. With the extra hp it's easier to transfer weightfrom front to rear. The extra weight is insignificant.

[J!m]

I concur with Steve. with the stock suspension and the big motor it was fairly scary. Once I up-graded to the M3/M Roadster suspension/brake set-up (see full details in my post in the Compact6 section) the handling is actually BETTER than the original ti was.

The engine is moved back an inch further that the four (relitive flywhel position), and another easy mod moved the front wheels forward about an inch, effectively moving the engine back another inch AND increasing the wheel base an inch at the same time.

As Steve pointed out, once the right foot can also be used to 'steer' the car, not only is it easier, but a but-load more fun to drive.

[318ti_Portugal]

J!m, can use an M50 2.5 engine and the M3 front suspension?
Another thing, for me to swap, it would be best to go with an M50 OBDI single vanos engine, since I have an OBDI ti, correct?

Thanks for the help!

[J!m]

I am hesitant to make suggestions for your particular car, as it is not a US model. As far as I know they are all the same, but BMW did make changes along the way, sometimes with no 'apparent' rreason.

The four cylinder engines are too light for the M3 springs, however I could see M3 struts and sways working with 4-cylinder springs quite nicely perhaps. On the E36 M3 the sway bar acts on the strut housing rather than the lower control arm for a more positive control of the movement. On the E46, all the front sways act on the strut housings. (but not sure about the E46 ti)

[Silver00spike]

with m3 front suspension its fine