» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | | | | 03-12-2011, 07:43 AM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: KY Posts: 15 | m42 vs m44 low end torque I have a m42 318i sedan (Turner chip, Ansa Sport exhaust); my dad has a m44 318i sedan (completely stock), both 5 sp, both same 3.45 open diff, almost identical cars. Anyway, what I noticed having had the chance to drive my dad's car a little more lately is that his car pulls like a freight train in the lower revs compared to my car. My car seems rather .. dead in comparison, below about 3000 rpm. Above that (and this could be because of the chip), I really don't think his car could touch mine. Does this sound about right or is something wrong with mine (or does my dad have a freak of nature m44)? edit: 205k miles on the m42, 162k on m44 Last edited by slocar; 03-12-2011 at 08:47 AM. | | | 03-12-2011, 10:35 AM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | Sounds sorta right, my M42 seems to have its power band about 500 rpm higher than the M44 that I've ridden in.. Either the ECM programming or the cams of combination it seems like the M42 wants to be flogged a little more... Dave __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | 03-12-2011, 05:00 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gulfport, Florida Posts: 3,208 | It could also be if your M42 has the DISA valve missing. The M44 DISA would tune the manifold for lower RPM and I've seen DISA delete plates on the M42 motors. Just a thought | | | 03-12-2011, 07:12 PM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bremerhaven, Germany Posts: 977 | From some marketing propaganda introducing the M44 in the 1996 model year: [The] dual resonance intake system [DISA], which provides two intake-pipe lengths to the cylinders according to engine speed, continues but has been refined to improve serviceability and match the new engine. It now changes from low- to high-speed setting at 4200 rpm, 600 rpm sooner than before and a good indicator of the engine's improved torque characteristics. I'm tempted to add an LED indicating the change. Last edited by John Firestone; 03-12-2011 at 07:19 PM. | | | 03-12-2011, 07:21 PM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,464 | That ANSA exhaust might also be a minor contributor- when I took the aftermarket exhaust off of my M42 and replaced it with an OEM Eberspaecher, performance actually seemed to increase! Regardless, I'll take an M42 anyday over an M44. | | | 03-12-2011, 09:15 PM | #6 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: KY Posts: 15 | Still got the DISA on my m42 and it's in working order. I took the stocker off and put the Ansa on myself ... cant' say I noticed the difference aside from sound. Either way, like I said, the m42, overall seems to pull better up top, but I was just wondering about the low end. John Firestone, yeah, that would be kinda cool to have. VTEC just kicked in yo! If you do decide to do it, let me know what you have it wired up to. | | | 03-15-2011, 06:44 PM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | The DISA funtion on my 95 is unmistakable, at about 4200 it lunges forward when it opens. Feels like a 4 barrel opening on mechanical secondaries... (I know I know, you young punks are thinking,,, Whats a 4 barrel?) LOL Dave __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | 03-15-2011, 10:32 PM | #8 | That's not Millpoint Blue Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: BNA Posts: 3,161 | Quote: Originally Posted by pdxmotorhead Feels like a 4 barrel opening on mechanical secondaries... (I know I know, you young punks are thinking,,, Whats a 4 barrel?) LOL | Perhaps a more familiar analogy would be "feels like teh V-TEC kickin' in, yo!" LOL __________________ Real men know how to SEARCH! THIS IS A MILLPOINT BLUE INTERIOR Mods 'n' stuff: Star Spoke 43 wheels - X-Brace - Mason Engineering front strut brace - CF gauge overlay - ZHP shifter knob - Racing Dynamics cat-back - Doubled brake lights - M-tech rear spoiler From Page 68 of the 1997 Owners Manual: "Vehicles equipped with ASC+T remain subject to the laws of physics." | | | 03-15-2011, 11:15 PM | #9 | NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 | I've owned 3 318ti's and my avus '96 and Schwarz '97 both ran smoother and pulled harder than my clubsport and my '91 318i(euro e36). I let youngnikolai and HuGo drive my '97 and both were impressed by how well it ran. Nikolai had a '95 and HuGo had a DASC'd '96. On top of that, I've driven quite a few of other members ti's and the M44 always felt smoother/solid compared to the M42. Forged internals or not, M42's just felt janky to me. | | | 03-15-2011, 11:33 PM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | I think the feel is partially the sound, the M42 has a much more metallic sound when revved, Probably because the forged crank is stiffer and does not absorb the power impulse as much. I noticed this when I did a rebuild on a chevy V8 and dropped a forged crank in, the engine was louder....Sortof.. I know my M42 is way happy up near redline, compared to mid range, I wish it was easier to adjust the DISA setpoint, I think if it hit at 3800 and WOT it would be way cool. __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | 03-16-2011, 04:41 AM | #11 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: KY Posts: 15 | Quote: Originally Posted by cooljess76 I've owned 3 318ti's and my avus '96 and Schwarz '97 both ran smoother and pulled harder than my clubsport and my '91 318i(euro e36). I let youngnikolai and HuGo drive my '97 and both were impressed by how well it ran. Nikolai had a '95 and HuGo had a DASC'd '96. On top of that, I've driven quite a few of other members ti's and the M44 always felt smoother/solid compared to the M42. Forged internals or not, M42's just felt janky to me. | Pretty much confirms what I've experienced too. I will say, near redline, I love everything about the m42, but as an engine in a car that spends most it's time below 4000 rpm in traffic, the m44 feels much nicer. edit: ANyone think the longer intake piping on the m44 could be giving it a few ft-lb extra down low? Last edited by slocar; 03-16-2011 at 06:14 AM. | | | 03-16-2011, 09:21 AM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bremerhaven, Germany Posts: 977 | That's what you see in the torque curves. I'll see if I can find them. | | | 03-16-2011, 02:20 PM | #13 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Northern Wisconsin Posts: 21 | Spec. sheet on the engines show the same horsepower with the M44 developing three more ft lbs of torque. I don't know if that would make a seat of the pants difference. | | | 03-16-2011, 04:03 PM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 2,525 | Spec sheets just look at maximum hp/tq. It does not take into consideration how the power is made, what the power curve looks like, how long the engine stays at the maximum tq. A stock m42 E36 with DISA has a definite hole in the powerband right around 4500 to 5100RPM. My car makes great torque down under 4800, but makes crappy tq after 4800rpm. Horsepower goes up dramatically after 5000RPM. | | | 03-16-2011, 06:22 PM | #15 | NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 | I remember letting Hugo drive my car around the parking lot at one of the meets. He was trying to spin the tires and thought something was wrong with the car until I informed him the ASC+T was on | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |