Don't think I've heard of anyone tuning the stock ecu, not sure if its even possible...I believe the term is a "locked ecu" i heard someone call it. Just about everyone is on standalone or piggyback, or converted to the stock GTE ecu for modest power goals.

ARPs would be a good choice, with or without changing the gasket. I would suggest looking up the thread about the ARP washer issues before you go installing them.

450 is definitely possible without a thicker gasket and will have better low end, but doing so will be more reliant on a healthy motor and a good tune to get there, lower compression would be more forgiving imo...if your planning to not open it up, do some testing to make sure its healthy, compression, leak down, ect

That walbro might be a bit overkill, 400 lph is 6600 cc/min, enough fuel for 6x 1000cc injectors at 100% duty cycle.

 

I recommend atleast tt headgasket and arp studs and you can get a apex afc and you can get by

 

Like recommended above, definitely Arp studs and GTE head gasket. And the GE bottom end will not hold a high amount of power with out being built. Something else to consider before bigger problems arise

 

I agree with your other inputs but could you please just clarify what you consider "high amount of power"? I have seen stock GE blocks make over 7-800hp just as with the GTE block. Both GTE and GE on stock internals over 800hp are on limited time. (depending on how the motor is used of course.) There are plenty of threads that can be found with this crazy GE/GTE block debate so will stay on subject. I just don't want a new Na-T'er member get the wrong idea thinking there block cannot hold some serious power..

OP, push that stock block as high as you can, GE blocks can be had for cheap...

Like KBprice said, you need to plan for the transmission as that would be your weak point..

OP, you ask if you can daily the car but at the sametime you are going with cheaper quality parts "budget build". Nothing wrong with a budget build but when it comes to reliability that's another animal. If you do everything correctly and do not go cheap where it counts there is no reason why you cannot daily the GE motor being turbo'ed.
I personally have had 3 Na-T GE mkiv's and the only time I was left on the side of the road was due the original clutch master cylinder with 138k miles failed.

 

at this power level your bottom is more then enough
use search and you can find out for yourself that bottom is not a problem
good luck

 

What BMW are you swapping in to? I think 1200 is pretty ambitious for a turbo kit, he'll I have more than that in my 4" intercooler set up for my e36. I think for a e36 you might need a ffim, as I don't know that there is room for the cross over intake manifold/throttle body.

As mentioned you need to convert to a get ecu or a standalone/piggyback.

 

I don't see any budget for a transmission or clutch? You will need something to control 600cc injectors, either a good piggyback or full standalone. Engine mounts, coolant lines, fuel lines, intercooler and custom piping. I think your $2200 is way under budget.

 

yea $2200 is a bit low, i am already over $2500 putting a na-t setup in my jeep and i still have to buy injectors and bov. Most of my parts are used also.

 

Head gasket and arp is recommended definitely. The turbo kit for 1200 include an intercooler , piping, waste gate , bov, boost gauge and afr gauge? I would double your budget to be safe. Lots of little things add up quickly.

 

Yes that was the motor I had. Which comes in any Is300, so that is where the confusion must be

 

Its pretty well known that vvti rods are weak.

 

I have heard this but since I do not have personal experience I try not to mis inform without facts.

 

Yeah if you come from the is300 world then the vvti motor pretty much is terrible that is why they give them away, the bottom end cannot hold 450+ reliably and will most likely throw something out the side of the block sooner or later.
you want an older non-vvti version, they are bulletproof as a gte and have the same crank and everything, pistons are different but same material and compression ratio is different.
Like everyone else stated I run the same TT headgasket and ARP headstuds. larger injectors and a walboro pump. to be honest the fuel pressure regulator is not needed the stock one works great. I would only fit one when changing to a larger fuel rail which for your goals you wont need to do. you can do that with 550cc injectors and some have come close with the 440's.

you can DD these motors the most important thing in that regard is the engine management and tune, the engines are reliable and a good clean install can go a long way I daily drove mine for a few years without major issues, except starting in the cold was hard on the aem ems. driving around it was great though.
either run a 2jgte ecu via the tt ecu mod or just get an aem ems standalone and plug it in for simplicity. I would recommend pro-efi but the wiring will need to be done for it, in a swap it might be a good option look at those also.