Can You Tune a BMW e30?
Our 40-year-old BMW e30 318i project car is equipped with an electronically controlled fuel-injected 4-cylinder engine better known as the M10 and we plan to MODIFY it.
BMW 318i M10 L-Jetronic ECU
The fuel management of the BMW e30 m10 is controlled by a Bosch L-Jetronic system, which is also found in other fuel-injected cars like the Datsun 280Z/ZX, Alfa Romeo, Fiats, and even Toyota Supra Mark 1s. The Jetronic system reads data from various sensors, including the temperature sensor, throttle plate, and air flow meter to control fuel. The system is tuned at the factory and is not intended to be modified.
If you decide to keep your M10 and modify it, the L-Jetronic system leaves a lot to be desired. While you can install larger injectors, increase fuel pressure, and modify some sensors, there are limits to this approach. Moreover, finding replacement parts can be difficult and costly. Ultimately, our goal was to achieve improved tuning, the ability to use newer parts, and better visibility of sensor information.
Our search for a fully plug and play system like the ECUMaster with a pre-made harness for the e30 M20 engine was unsuccessful. As a result, you will need to use a different standalone ECU. Fortunately, there are multiple options, but this will involve creating your own wire harness and adding/swapping some sensors.
E30 M10 Standalone ECU Upgrade Options
All of these standalone ECUs for the e30 are compatible with a variety of different motors. Therefore, if you decide to do an engine swap, you can reuse the same ECU as long as it matches the number of cylinders in your new engine. Additionally, when it comes to tuning the fuel map all of these standalone ECUs are supported by the same software, Tuner Studio.
Tuner Studio is a tuning application that allows you to configure your standalone ECU. It also offers customizable gauge displays and other data that can be shown on an LCD screen. Additionally, you can use a Raspberry Pi to connect to your standalone ECU and attach a digital display to create your own customizable HUD. Tuner Studio offers both a free lite version and a paid version, depending on the level of customization you require.
If you are using an M10 engine or any other motor that utilizes L-Jetronic, you will also need a crank sensor. Ireland Engineering Motorsports sells a conversion kit for the M10 that also includes the necessary sensor to connect to your preferred ECU which will run you $230.
Since we are on a budget, we decided to purchase a Speeduino v0.3.x board. You have the option to order the board unassembled, which requires soldering but is slightly cheaper. Additionally, we are in the process of sourcing the necessary parts to replace the BMW e30 analog cluster gauge with a digital dash display, which can be controlled by a Raspberry PI which you can read more about here.
