Stock 330i ZHP Dyno Results [Archive] - bimmerfest

Andy

10-24-2004, 01:28 AM

I had the car dyno’d again today (1/8/05). Last month I made the following modifications and put over 1,000 miles on the car to let the computer adapt.

The mods :

- Conforti Cold Air Intake
- UUC TSE3 Exhaust
- UUC Underdrive Pulleys
- 15 lb 17 x 8 SSR Comp Wheels (wheel/tire combo is 9lbs lighter then stock)
- 3.07 Limited Slip Differential (same final drive gear ratio as stock, would make no diff on dyno)

Dyno results :

The biggest gain was at 2,300 RPM. I gained about 8 horsepower and 18 ft lbs of torque. Peak horsepower went from 207 to 209 (2 HP gain). Peak torque went from 200 to 207 (7 ft lb gain).

Based on how the car accelerates and by my own butt dyno, I was expecting to see larger gains. I’m not quite as concerned with horsepower as I am torque and the torque is where I saw the most improvement. I’m really happy to see that huge torque gain at such low RPMs… that’s what I’ve been feeling on the butt dyno!!

I still have one mod left… I plan to get the Stage II ECU Flash from Oscar Velez (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81439) next month. Oscar tells me the Stage I is good for an 8 HP gain and the Stage II is good for 12 HP. I plan to dyno the car again after the software upgrade and will post the results here.

2003 BMW 330i ZHP w/ mods (mileage : 22,500)
HP : 209
TQ : 207

I was hoping for bigger gains, but then who wouldn't. ;)

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=42504

FenPhen

10-24-2004, 02:28 AM

Care to share stock 0-60 and quarter-mile times? ;)

doeboy

10-24-2004, 02:33 AM

Hmm... that's interesting... looks like you have pretty good stock numbers.

A previous dyno from a stock 330i with ZHP that I saw was like this:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=685404&postcount=1
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26984

Now the ambient temp conditions weren't as cool as when you did yours... but could the ambient temp/humidity differences make that big of a difference here or are we seeing normal variance....

Andy

10-24-2004, 03:10 AM

Care to share stock 0-60 and quarter-mile times? ;)

I haven’t had my car to the drag strip (I prefer the tracks w/ turns ;) ), so I can’t share any of those numbers. However, I remember seeing a post over on bimmerforums.com (in the track forum) a while back that showed some stock ZHP quarter mile times.

Andy

10-24-2004, 03:12 AM

Hmm... that's interesting... looks like you have pretty good stock numbers.

Yes, I was pleasantly surprised. I was hoping to get at least 200 RWHP... so to say the least I am quite pleased. :)

Now the ambient temp conditions weren't as cool as when you did yours... but could the ambient temp/humidity differences make that big of a difference here or are we seeing normal variance....
It could even be a variance in the dyno machines too. :dunno:

MicahO

10-24-2004, 03:35 AM

Nice chart - good to see some decent numbers. 12% loss to the driveline isn't too bad at all. I'd think some of the variance in car-to-car results have to do with break-in and mileage and useage patterns. You run your car like it's meant to be run, and have for a while. Coming up on 20K miles, it's probably all loosened up and putting out the way it should.

(Speaking of driving it like it's meant to be driven - I finally had a driving school up at Lime Rock last week - what a blast - there's going to be a lot more of that!

http://www.teamdfl.com/events/lrp_10_16_04/pages/IMG_2002.htm

http://www.teamdfl.com/events/lrp_10_16_04/pages/IMG_2051.htm

http://www.teamdfl.com/events/lrp_10_16_04/pages/IMG_2112.htm

Look what else showed up for the day? But not on the track.... (http://www.teamdfl.com/events/lrp_10_16_04/pages/IMG_2066.htm) )

Of course, giving the car a real workout made me think of future mods. There's a lot more driving that I want to do before I get into racing tires or anything truly track related. But a wee bit more power is always appreciated at the top end, and while the front brakes held up very well with all that airflow from the M-Sport nose, the rear pads took a real beating - may have to change them just to get my brake feel back for daily driving.

What sort of mods are you looking at to increase power, and what's your schedule?

TIA--

--Micah O'C

RandyB

10-24-2004, 09:00 AM

Good results! Have you noticed an increase in performance with more miles on the odometer? If so, at what point did you start to notice? Thanks for posting your results. :thumbup:

What is that dip, double-VANOS?

I wonder if a regular 330i 6-speed would be good for 200rwhp?

stylinexpat

10-24-2004, 09:50 AM

Run? Those numbers are great numbers for a stock ZHP. The weather must have been quite cold when you pulled that run or you have a strong car from the factory? What kind of gas is available in Ohio? 91 92 or 93 Octane?

Kaz

10-24-2004, 10:42 AM

It could even be a variance in the dyno machines too. :dunno:

I've run my car on 2 different Dynojets by 2 different operators on different types of days (probably 10F difference in the test rooms) and got 99% identical numbers. I was very surprised by how consistent it was.

Andy

10-24-2004, 10:51 AM

(Speaking of driving it like it's meant to be driven - I finally had a driving school up at Lime Rock last week - what a blast - there's going to be a lot more of that!

Nice pics Micah!! I’m looking forward to my next driving school (it probably won’t be until next year though :( )

Have you noticed an increase in performance with more miles on the odometer? If so, at what point did you start to notice?
I can’t say that I’ve noticed it, but I’m sure the engine has loosened up quite a bit over the last 20k miles. I auto-x and track my car quite a bit, and agree with Micah, that I bet that has helped to loosen it up. ;)

What is that dip, double-VANOS?
Yep, all M52 and M54 engines have that dip.

I wonder if a regular 330i 6-speed would be good for 200rwhp?
The local BMWCCA was having a dyno day when I got mine done. There were several 330s there, but not sure what their runs were. Chris from understeer.com will be posting everyone’s run on his site here shortly. I'll try and provide a link as soon as I find it.

Run? Those numbers are great numbers for a stock ZHP. The weather must have been quite cold when you pulled that run or you have a strong car from the factory? What kind of gas is available in Ohio? 91 92 or 93 Octane?
It was 71 degrees during the first run and 70 degrees during the second. I have run nothing but 93 octane in the car (other then the few times I’ve put in 94). I had 93 octane in the car when it was dyno’d.

FenPhen

10-24-2004, 11:21 AM

I haven’t had my car to the drag strip (I prefer the tracks w/ turns ;) ), so I can’t share any of those numbers. However, I remember seeing a post over on bimmerforums.com (in the track forum) a while back that showed some stock ZHP quarter mile times.
Yeah, SilverStreak posted a quarter-mile time of 14.0 s @ 97.5 mph. Just wondering out of curiosity if you had gathered your own numbers. Anyway, the dyno data you have is promising. :thumbup:

FenPhen

10-24-2004, 11:27 AM

http://www.teamdfl.com/events/lrp_10_16_04/pages/IMG_2112.htm
That is a sweet picture. Are you catching up or being passed...? :)

MicahO

10-24-2004, 11:47 AM

That is a sweet picture. Are you catching up or being passed...? :)

I'm the pass-er in that picture ;) There were some really fast cars there. Lots of e30 M3 track cars. That one was a daily-driver M3, but the track cars that were lapping were mooooooving.... My run group was pretty pedestrian, One Dinan M Coupe that was pushing pretty hard, an e36M3 that was moving well, an old M6 that was moving HARD (and was up on stands at the end of the day :( ), an EVO and e46M3 that could not have been pushing near as hard as they could (evidenced by the fact that I passed them one or more times each session ). Other cars were pretty tame.

The real fun was in the instructor's group.

doeboy

10-24-2004, 02:54 PM

It was 71 degrees during the first run and 70 degrees during the second. I have run nothing but 93 octane in the car (other then the few times I’ve put in 94). I had 93 octane in the car when it was dyno’d.

Interesting... could 2 octane points make that big a difference... hmm... the one I referred to was running in slightly warmer temps with 91 octane....

Maybe I should redyno with some octane boost and see what happens... :eeps:

wheel-man

10-24-2004, 03:03 PM

thanks for putting up the dyno plot :thumbup:

that's exactly what i've been looking for someone to do...

what mods are you thinking of doing?

i'll be keeping my on this thread with great anticipation... thanks again :thumbup: :)

Andy

10-24-2004, 03:15 PM

Maybe I should redyno with some octane boost and see what happens... :eeps:
I too would be interested to know. Let us know if you do.

what mods are you thinking of doing?

During the winter I plan to install the following:
- UUC TSE3 exhaust
- AFE cold air intake
- Rogue underdrive pulleys
- Lightweight wheels
- Software (if/when it becomes available for the ZHP)

wheel-man

10-24-2004, 03:21 PM

Now the ambient temp conditions weren't as cool as when you did yours... but could the ambient temp/humidity differences make that big of a difference here or are we seeing normal variance....

many factors are involved in hp/torque numbers from a dyno...

the first being differences in dynos themselves. andy was on a dynojet, which notoriously gives a lower hp/torque rating than most. as do 'mustang' dynos. interestingly, andy got better number than your dyno showed for a zhp...

second, dyno outputs are very sensitive to ambient temperature and humidity. ideally, any comparison should be performed the same day. that goes for comparing car to car, or power increases after mods. otherwise, barometric and temp variability my exagerate or minimize the gains from mods, or bragging rights.

third, all cars are not the same. a 330i is not a 330i. independent of other factors such as miles on an engine, maintanence, gasoline octane in the tank (which i still think makes a difference when your goal is peak performance, not anti-knock), cars within a model range, e.g. the 330i zhp, aren't created equal. some owners luck-out with an engine that is almost blue-printed from the factory. by random probability, they get a car with almost perfectly weighted and machined rotational parts... pistons, valves, etc. and make more power than someone who probability did not bless.

my car was actually blessed by g-d and came with a perfectly blue-printed motor :rofl: :D

so, at the end of the day, the dyno really is most useful when looking at one specific car, like andy's zhp, and seeing the gains with modification to the engine. of course other zhp drivers will rightfully extrapolate to their car, but the gains may be less impressive, or more so. just depends on the car.... and the day, and the dyno...

obviously, if a car relative to another car has a statistically significant increase in output, say 50hp or above (guess, don't know the standard deviation for repetitive dyno runs), than it really doesn't matter car or day, that car is making more power.

hope this helps...it definitely was verbose enough. sorry. :D

wheel-man

10-24-2004, 03:26 PM

During the winter I plan to install the following:
- UUC TSE3 exhaust
- AFE cold air intake
- Rogue underdrive pulleys
- Lightweight wheels
- Software (if/when it becomes available for the ZHP)

sweet. are you going to dyno, mod, than re-dyno the same day?

step-wise mods, right? so you can see the gains from each change?

hope so.

how did you choose the parts you're changing?

which shop are you having the install, dynoing done by?

man, i'm totally stoked to see the results... awesome. i think i'm as excited as you are about your mods. :thumbup:

doeboy

10-24-2004, 03:51 PM

many factors are involved in hp/torque numbers from a dyno...

the first being differences in dynos themselves. andy was on a dynojet, which notoriously gives a lower hp/torque rating than most. as do 'mustang' dynos. interestingly, andy got better number than your dyno showed for a zhp...

second, dyno outputs are very sensitive to ambient temperature and humidity. ideally, any comparison should be performed the same day. that goes for comparing car to car, or power increases after mods. otherwise, barometric and temp variability my exagerate or minimize the gains from mods, or bragging rights.

The dyno I refered to was also a dynojet....

and as Kaz mentioned... he has dynoed his car on different days with different temps, on two different dynojets and got nearly identical results...

:dunno:

But yes... lots of variables come into play here.

Andy

10-24-2004, 04:57 PM

sweet. are you going to dyno, mod, than re-dyno the same day?

step-wise mods, right? so you can see the gains from each change?

hope so.

I would like to do it that way, however the shop charges $75 for three pulls. If they let me spread those three pulls over an entire weekend then yes, I would do one dyno run per mod.

how did you choose the parts you're changing?
SCCA Solo II rules for Street Prepared (http://moutons.org/sccasolo/Rules/sp.html#s14) and Street Touring (STX) (http://moutons.org/sccasolo/Rules/street_touring.html#Street%20Touring%20Category). I want my car to be legal for both classes so I have the option to run in either one. I selected the brands by reading reviews and which ones would produce the most HP/TQ gains and/or weight reduction.

which shop are you having the install, dynoing done by?
I did my dyno run at Passen Motorsports (http://www.passenmotorsports.com). They are a performance shop that do a lot of work on BMWs, however I’ll be doing the mods myself … heck, that’s half the fun. :D

Iniquity

10-24-2004, 06:58 PM

That is a sweet picture. Are you catching up or being passed...? :)

i know he said he was the passer.. but..

...kinda funny if you look at the picture a wee bit more closely.. i'm not sure if it's because his car is out of focus or whatever.. but his car seems to have more motion blur than the car he's passing.. which would indicate he's going faster.. hehe. ;) :rofl:

FenPhen

10-24-2004, 07:09 PM

...kinda funny if you look at the picture a wee bit more closely.. i'm not sure if it's because his car is out of focus or whatever.. but his car seems to have more motion blur than the car he's passing.. which would indicate he's going faster.. hehe. ;) :rofl:
The camera's angular rotation speed matches the E30's speed, which is why the E30 is fairly sharp. Micah's car could be going faster or slower than the E30 and we'd see the same effect on camera (the blur comes from relative speed difference between the object and camera, not from the ground-speed of the cars). Micah is probably blowing by the E30 in that picture. :)

Iniquity

10-24-2004, 07:25 PM

I too would be interested to know. Let us know if you do.

During the winter I plan to install the following:
- UUC TSE3 exhaust
- AFE cold air intake
- Rogue underdrive pulleys
- Lightweight wheels
- Software (if/when it becomes available for the ZHP)

nice selection of modifications...

i noticed you chose the AFE.. as it so happens.. i recently inquired the local superchips/eurobahn dealer for AZ about the MS45 chipset.... he said they have cracked/hacked the ecu and expect the software at the beginning of next year.. and the superchips/eurobahn tune their software for the AFE.. (they've already done it for the e46 M3).. which i'm guessing you know already since you've done research..

oh yea.. and great stock numbers.. i plan to dyno next month..

although it won't be stock.. it'll be AA gen 3 and RE pulleys as my power mods... my gruppem is gone ...:cry: .. still need to update my sig.. :angel:

Moderato

10-25-2004, 06:25 AM

Does the regular 330i have that power dip at 4K or is it just the ZHP's?

Andy

10-25-2004, 06:50 AM

Does the regular 330i have that power dip at 4K or is it just the ZHP's?

Yes, all 330s. It's caused by the double-VANOS.

MicahO

10-25-2004, 07:18 AM

Yes, all 330s. It's caused by the double-VANOS.

Page 38 here (http://www.bimmernut.com/~micah/images/330zhp/9%20part1%20engine%20management.pdf). The resonance system on the e46 M54 motors opens at ~4100 RPM (temperature influenced), which presents a temporary disruption in the smooth flow of air.

The airflow disruption is there on all M54's, so the dip is there on all M54's, and I think that system is carried over from the M52. It's not terribly significant, and may not be noticed on many cars and under many driving conditions. But it's there. It's a fact of the intake system.

It's not a special ZHP option - even 325 owners could probably feel it! Yay! I'm NOT special!

The newest BMW motors have gone to a continuously variable system to eliminate the burp in airflow that happens when the resonance system switches over. There is no 'software' fix for a two stage intake like ours, so I am very interested to see what the service bulletin posted about last week actually says. Until you get an E90 with the next generation motor, this issue will be present.

ClubSpec330i

10-25-2004, 10:58 AM

I had my dynoed at Church Automotive in Torrance.

HP: 208.8
TQ: 207.9

From ~3200-4100 it was over 200 and drop down to about 195 at ~4200 and climbed to 200 just before ~5000 and dropped off steadily after that.

Give us upgrade on your next mods.

I expecting to see very minimal gain from exhaust+intake. The most gain might be from software.

Good luck Andy,

mack

Andy

10-25-2004, 11:52 AM

I had my dynoed at Church Automotive in Torrance.

HP: 208.8
TQ: 207.9

What mods did you have on the car at the time? Do you still have the print out that you could post online?

Andy

10-25-2004, 12:05 PM

Chris from understeer.com posted a few pictures from the BMWCCA dyno day on his site. Here are a few of me and my baby. He still doesn't have all the dyno runs up on his site yet. More pics here. (http://www.understeer.com/dentfest2004/index.shtml)

http://www.ohiomotorcycle.com/understeer/dentfest2004/p15.jpg

http://www.ohiomotorcycle.com/understeer/dentfest2004/p18.jpg

http://www.ohiomotorcycle.com/understeer/dentfest2004/p19.jpg

* I'm the dork in the blue shirt. :)

bimmer95

10-25-2004, 01:29 PM

Chris from understeer.com posted a few pictures from the BMWCCA dyno day on his site. ..... He still doesn't have all the dyno runs up on his site yet.
I'm waiting on Passen to email the dyno data to me. After that I'll see if I can edit some video clips together with the dyno graphs at the end of each clip :eeps:

Andy

10-25-2004, 01:51 PM

:wave: Hi Chris. I didn't know you where on here.

I'm waiting on Passen to email the dyno data to me. After that I'll see if I can edit some video clips together with the dyno graphs at the end of each clip :eeps:

Sweet!! :thumbup:

bimmer95

10-25-2004, 01:57 PM

I didn't know either... someone posted a link to this thread from bf.c and I tried logging in :)

Iniquity

10-26-2004, 01:05 AM

(the blur comes from relative speed difference between the object and camera, not from the ground-speed of the cars[

uhh... yeaaa... i know... i'm an engineer with a couple optics courses under my belt..

it also has to do with shutter speed as well.. which is what I was more or less joking about... i was indicating he was going so fast that the shutter speed was too slow.... but the e30 was too slow for the shutter speed..

but also i wasn't sure if it could have been juts out oif focus, which is mostly likely the case because the picture is centered on the e30.. and the DOF of the camera for that resolution is just out of range..

but i realize my post was brief and kinda blah.. which is why i hate IM and stuff.. I can never get things across correctly..

stylinexpat

10-26-2004, 02:58 AM

Nice pics Micah!! I’m looking forward to my next driving school (it probably won’t be until next year though :( )

I can’t say that I’ve noticed it, but I’m sure the engine has loosened up quite a bit over the last 20k miles. I auto-x and track my car quite a bit, and agree with Micah, that I bet that has helped to loosen it up. ;)

Yep, all M52 and M54 engines have that dip.

The local BMWCCA was having a dyno day when I got mine done. There were several 330s there, but not sure what their runs were. Chris from understeer.com will be posting everyone’s run on his site here shortly. I'll try and provide a link as soon as I find it.

It was 71 degrees during the first run and 70 degrees during the second. I have run nothing but 93 octane in the car (other then the few times I’ve put in 94). I had 93 octane in the car when it was dyno’d.

Us better fuel for the future.. 94 and up would be nice..

ClubSpec330i

10-26-2004, 08:42 AM

Andy,

I posted the dyno sheet here a long while ago. If I remembered correctly, I only had K&N replacement in at the time. At one point I had exhaust but the noise was unbearable at certain rpm plus I have a 7 months old in the back seat so out it went. Now the car is back to stock and running much better. I should have dynoed with exhaust but I have a feeling that my mid-range HP will be lowered and increased only on upper-range.

To tell you the true my wife's 330i SP feel stronger than my car. That car is the one I need to dyno. It still puzzle me how come it pull away from my ZHP on the onramp, her brother was driving.

Good luck,

-mack

Andy

01-08-2005, 12:47 PM

Updated with mods and new dyno numbers. See post #2 in this thread.

01-08-2005, 01:05 PM

which mod gave the bulk of the gains?

Jeff_DML

01-08-2005, 01:11 PM

good job , nice increase in torque :thumbup:

I wanted to do the same thing with my wrx, dyno all my mods, darn awd dynos are hard to find though :mad:

01-08-2005, 01:12 PM

nice numbers Andy :thumbup: . One question though, is there a particular reason you stuck with the same ratio on the lsd?

RSPDiver

01-08-2005, 01:18 PM

The cost to gain ratio is mildy disconcerting, but then again you did start with a factory freak, it seems. I believe it was Iniquity that came away with lower stock numbers, but saw pretty significant gains (10whp/11wtq) from simply an intake upgrade (the aFe).

All in all, I think you are in good shape, and only hope to have similar numbers when I dump a few dollars under the hood. I just got an aFe myself, so that's a good start.

Andy

01-08-2005, 01:26 PM

which mod gave the bulk of the gains?
I didn’t get the chance to dyno between mods, but here’s what my butt dyno told me (this is also the order I installed mods).

1. UUC TSE3 Exhaust : Nothing registered on the butt dyno. However this shaved about 40 lbs from the car. The sound at 5k RPM and up is absolutely incredible!!

2. UUC Underdrive Pulleys : The difference felt very similar to doing a 0 to 80 MPH run with A/C on and then with A/C off. I felt it, but it was very minimal.

3. Conforti Cold Air Intake : No doubt about it, I could feel this!! I honestly had low expectations on a CAI, but it more then exceeded them. I could really feel the difference in the higher RPMs. The car pulls a lot harder from 5k RPM to readline.

4. 15 lb 17 x 8 SSR Comp Wheels : Yep, this was a big improvement too. The car seems to accelerate a lot quicker from a dead stop.

So to answer your question… I would say it would be a toss up between the intake and the lightweight wheels.

01-08-2005, 01:34 PM

I didn’t get the chance to dyno between mods, but here’s what my butt dyno told me (this is also the order I installed mods).

1. UUC TSE3 Exhaust : Nothing registered on the butt dyno. However this shaved about 40 lbs from the car. The sound at 5k RPM and up is absolutely incredible!!

2. UUC Underdrive Pulleys : The difference felt very similar to doing a 0 to 80 MPH run with A/C on and then with A/C off. I felt it, but it was very minimal.

3. Conforti Cold Air Intake : No doubt about it, I could feel this!! I honestly had low expectations on a CAI, but it more then exceeded them. I could really feel the difference in the higher RPMs. The car pulls a lot harder from 5k RPM to readline.

4. 15 lb 17 x 8 SSR Comp Wheels : Yep, this was a big improvement too. The car seems to accelerate a lot quicker from a dead stop.

So to answer your question… I would say it would be a toss up between the intake and the lightweight wheels.
thanks! :thumbup: hmmm.... the lighter exhuast sounds interesting. i don't care for the improvement and believe that's claimed by most exhause companies' but i would go for the less weight

Andy

01-08-2005, 01:36 PM

One question though, is there a particular reason you stuck with the same ratio on the lsd?
I'm modding the car for a particular class (STX) in SCCA Solo II, therefore I must stay with the stock final drive ratio.

All this stuff is legal in STX, right?
Yep. :thumbup:

Combine these mods with 3 or 4 evo schools and you might do some real damage in STX. :thumbup:
Exactly!! :thumbup: I plan to run even more Evolution schools this year then I did last year (which was 3).

TeamM3

01-08-2005, 06:50 PM

I may be looking for a codrive :eeps:

Andy

01-08-2005, 09:05 PM

I may be looking for a codrive :eeps:
What about the M3? I thought you were preparing that. :dunno:

Mark, you can codrive with me anytime you want. You’re just not allowed to beat me in my own car!! :) Seriously though, I would like to return the favor from the Z4 ride at Peru, so just let me know.

She’ll have her first shakedown in Ft. Mill, SC on Feb 5th and 6th (see myautoevents.com (http://www.myautoevents.com/pls/mae/frmEventDetail.Show?psevent_id=2412&psrnd=.26483111774071895211052978672252391989)). You’re welcome to codrive that event with me if you want… I could actually use your help getting this thing dialed in, so let me know.

adc

01-09-2005, 08:13 AM

- 3.07 Limited Slip Differential (same final drive gear ratio as stock, would make no diff on dyno)

Andy, you may have posted this a;ready, and if so I apologize. Where did you get the LSD, and how much was it?

adc
03 330 ZHP

Andy

01-09-2005, 10:34 AM

Andy, you may have posted this a;ready, and if so I apologize. Where did you get the LSD, and how much was it?

adc
03 330 ZHP
I purchased the limited slip diff from Jim Blanton at PerformanceGearing.com (http://www.PerformanceGearing.com). Jim comes recommended by some of the best BMW racing teams... Turner Motorsports, TC Kline Racing and Bob Tunnell from BimmerHaus. Jim can give you just about any final drive ratio that you want. His diffs are a little pricey but you really do get what you pay for in this case. He also offers an unlimited three year warranty on the unit. The cost for an E46 diff is the most expensive, at around $4,000.

Of all the things I've put on the car, the limited slip diff has got to rank #1 on my best mods list!! :thumbup:

FenPhen

01-09-2005, 01:15 PM

Hey Andy, do you host any videos of your competition performances? I, for one, would like to see your car in action. :)

KrisL

01-09-2005, 01:20 PM

Hey Andy, do you host any videos of your competition performances? I, for one, would like to see your car in action. :)

Come to a BMWCCA Autocross! I won my class last season in my ZHP :).

www.ggcbmwcca.org. First event is March 12th (I can't make that one, I'll be @ a wedding). Next one is April 17th. I'll give you more information as we get closer to the date if you want.

Andy

01-09-2005, 04:22 PM

Hey Andy, do you host any videos of your competition performances? I, for one, would like to see your car in action. :)
I’m thinking of getting a ChaseCam (http://www.chasecam.com) (in car camera) to tape all HPDE and Solo II events this year. I don’t have any video yet, however keep your eye on the track forum, I’ll be posting some clips there during the season.

doeboy

01-10-2005, 01:29 AM

I’m thinking of getting a ChaseCam (http://www.chasecam.com) (in car camera) to tape all HPDE and Solo II events this year. I don’t have any video yet, however keep your eye on the track forum, I’ll be posting some clips there during the season.

I have their CruiseCam camera mount and for $45 I'm happy with it... :)

shizat63

01-12-2005, 03:57 PM

Great post :thumbup: And thanks for the updates.

Are you running the 39.2 DME update or is that stock?

Andy

01-13-2005, 06:17 AM

Great post :thumbup: And thanks for the updates.

Are you running the 39.2 DME update or is that stock?
Yes, 39.2.

Bronzee

01-13-2005, 04:09 PM

Yes, 39.2.

It's going to be a fight to get my dealership to install 39.2 on mine... :mad: :(

Where did you get the limited diff. installed?

Thanks for the #'s!

Andy

01-13-2005, 07:02 PM

Where did you get the limited diff. installed?
I did it myself. It's actually a fairly easy install.

al2134

01-14-2005, 08:43 PM

Would be cool to see what it looks like. Do you know what the old wheels tend to sell for on the internet?

Andy

01-15-2005, 07:58 PM

Would be cool to see what it looks like. Do you know what the old wheels tend to sell for on the internet?
I should have some pics up in the next week or so.

You should be able to sell a set of 135Ms for $900 to $1000, if they are in good condition. If they have tires on them maybe a couple hundred dollars more.

RSPDiver

01-15-2005, 09:44 PM

Andy

01-16-2005, 03:17 PM

Andy, I just installed an aFe today and took her for a spin (or two). Unfortunately I don't have a dyno readily available, but my heino measurement seemed to indicate some nice power increase. I don't know if it feels like 18 ft/lbs (at max), but there is a greater sense of urgency in acceleration, and the RPMs seem to really sing even through the "dip" area. If I were a betting man, I would say my gains were more inline with the ones Iniquity saw (10hp/11tq) than huge torque and minimal HP. Coincedentally, I put the same model intake on as he did.

On another note, I to notice a bitt of intake noise seemingly reflecting off the passenger window. I hear an off-idle hiss, and then the glorious lung opening of full honk, but can't hear it as much if I actually put my head toward the passenger seat. Realizing you also have a different exhaust, do you notice this to any extent?
Cool!! The “kick in the pants” you are feeling is most likely that low end torque gain. I noticed a difference after it was first installed. Give the computer some time to adapt and you’ll notice it pull even harder.

Yeah, I almost went with the AFE, but couldn’t pass up the deal on the Conforti. Yeah, I do get a bit of a whistle from the intake at about 20% throttle, but it’s not too loud and barely noticeable… of course, that could be mostly covered up the exhaust note.

bluetree211

01-17-2005, 08:16 PM

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=42504
How much of the gain do you think could be attributed to the ~5 degree lower ambient temp on the 2nd run? Does the dyno correct for air temp, barometric pressure and humidity? I'm thinking of doing a dyno before/after CAI, and to have a baseline for any future changes, but if I can't compare accurately across days then it isn't as helpful.

jetstream23

01-17-2005, 09:23 PM

Relative newbie questions here....just ignore if this isn't the right thread to throw these questions around.

Because the wife has to occassionally drive the car I am getting the Steptronic tranny on my '05 330i ZHP. I haven't performed modifications on any of my previous vehicles but I'm already entertaining the idea of some basic mods (chip, CAI, exhaust) to see if I can "reclaim" some of the lost performance from the manual tranny. I have a few questions...

1) Are there specific chips, CAI's, exhausts that work well or better with a car that has an automatic transmission? If so, which ones?

2) Do you lose significant fuel economy (MPG) by adding these mods?

3) If you were in my position and wanted to improve the performance of this vehicle for roughly $2,000 to $2,500 what would you do? Keeping the fuel economy desire in mind. Another requirement is that I don't want to significantly change the sound of the car...I'm not looking for a loud car....just a fast one :D

Much thanks, fellas.

FenPhen

01-17-2005, 09:38 PM

If you were in my position and wanted to improve the performance of this vehicle for roughly $2,000 to $2,500 what would you do? Keeping the fuel economy desire in mind.I'd invest the time to teaching her how to drive stick and pocket the money spent on the Steptronic. I mean, seriously, get back on the diplomacy phone. :)

Iniquity

01-18-2005, 12:11 AM

How much of the gain do you think could be attributed to the ~5 degree lower ambient temp on the 2nd run? Does the dyno correct for air temp, barometric pressure and humidity? I'm thinking of doing a dyno before/after CAI, and to have a baseline for any future changes, but if I can't compare accurately across days then it isn't as helpful.

I don't think 5 degrees would make much, if any, of a difference. Other things to consider are oil type, wheel weight and tire pressure (cause he's using different lighter ones), and octane rating.. those will probably make more of a difference than 5 deg change..

a bit off topic to your question.. but something for others to consider who might be looking for the "BEST" parts...

one thing I'm pretty sure about.. i'm positive that massive low end torque gain can be
attributed to the UUC TSE3. I was curious about that because that's a very very nice change.. sooo did some searching. Based on overall curves, NOT peak numbers, of the individual components he has.. which fortunately there are many dyno plots around... i'm convinced the UUC tse3 gave him that low end gain... and is the cause of the "leftward shift"

i could explain how i got to this conclusion.. but it would take awhile and be really wordy.. but i'm fairly certain the tse3 is the cause of that torque gain.. confident enough that it's tempting me to sell my AA and buy a tse3.. :yikes:

bluetree211

01-18-2005, 06:12 AM

I don't think 5 degrees would make much, if any, of a difference.
If it didn't make a difference, why would SAE have a correction factor based on temp, humidity and barometric pressure? On the first day, hotter and more humid, the correction factor was 1.02, and on the second day it was 0.98, which means that even if you changed nothing, a 200 HP car would show an 8 HP difference between the two days. This leads me to believe that Andy's numbers are not measured but corrected, because using the SAE factor would make the post-upgrade numbers lower than stock numbers, which I doubt.

Iniquity

01-18-2005, 04:11 PM

If it didn't make a difference, why would SAE have a correction factor based on temp, humidity and barometric pressure? On the first day, hotter and more humid, the correction factor was 1.02, and on the second day it was 0.98, which means that even if you changed nothing, a 200 HP car would show an 8 HP difference between the two days. This leads me to believe that Andy's numbers are not measured but corrected, because using the SAE factor would make the post-upgrade numbers lower than stock numbers, which I doubt.

but now you're changing your question... now you're asking about humidity and pressure in addition to temperature..

at first you just asked if 5 deg temp change would affect the gain.. then you asked if dynos correct for pressure, humidity, etc.. maybe I was being too direct in reading your question..that's why in my original reply I stated that other factors would affect the results more than just a 5 deg temp change.. cause I guess you weren't inquiring about other factors, but just temperature..

but yea.. dynos are typically corrected to SAE standards..

bluetree211

01-18-2005, 05:37 PM

but now you're changing your question... now you're asking about humidity and pressure in addition to temperature..

at first you just asked if 5 deg temp change would affect the gain.. then you asked if dynos correct for pressure, humidity, etc.. maybe I was being too direct in reading your question..that's why in my original reply I stated that other factors would affect the results more than just a 5 deg temp change.. cause I guess you weren't inquiring about other factors, but just temperature..

but yea.. dynos are typically corrected to SAE standards..
If you read my first post you'd see I mentioned humidity and pressure as well as temperature. Your response was completely subjective, and you went on to suggested oil type (???) and tire pressure (???) as factors? No offense but I dont get the sense you know what your speaking about. The exhaust is responsible for the leftward shift? Can you substantiate any of your claims? Can someone with ACTUAL dyno experience please respond?

Iniquity

01-19-2005, 06:43 PM

If you read my first post you'd see I mentioned humidity and pressure as well as temperature. Your response was completely subjective, and you went on to suggested oil type (???) and tire pressure (???) as factors?

Yes.. i did see that and i meantioned other things because those affect dyno results as well as ambient surroundings. However, dynos can't correct for car anamolies. I was giving examples of other factors that can affect results as well. For example, an extreme case a car with completely flat tires will dyno slightly lower numbers than one with overinflated tires due to friction. There's also dyno calibration as well.. anyway, this is what you asked as seen below:

How much of the gain do you think could be attributed to the ~5 degree lower ambient temp on the 2nd run? Does the dyno correct for air temp, barometric pressure and humidity?

Two different questions. The first asks if temperature affects power gain. This relates to the car and I said that 5 deg wouldn't make much of a difference to the car. Now your second question is where you mention humidty, pressure, temp etc. However if you read the 2nd question it relates to the measurement device, the dyno, not how they will affect the gain in power. That's how I answered it and why I mentioned other things that affect dyno results as well as power. And in my second reply to you I even apologized if I had misread what you meant.

The exhaust is responsible for the leftward shift? Can you substantiate any of your claims?

Yes I can. Such a significant change in the powerband needs an equally significant change in the cars characteristics. If you analyze plots of the individual components, you can see what they do to the cars characteristics and its affects on the powerband. No matter what intake you have, they all show similar changes on the dyno plot. Despite the brand, any equivalent mod will show similar changes to the power bands. For example, comparing a dyno of my AA with a similar mod (aka. another muffler like remus) will show nearly the same changes. Even comparing to a DMS may not be fair because the DMS is more than a muffler. And then there's the TSE3 which is a full replacement.... and so on and so on..

Intakes and pulleys won't cause such a large change in the power band. Typically, intakes shift the entire torque curve straight up. As for the HP plot, intakes typically show a tilted, more steep plot. However, that's the key. They appear as shifted "stock" plots. You can lower the tq plot and "untilt" the hp plot and they will very nearly be a trace of the original stock powerbands.. This is why I eliminate the intake as the cause of the shift and huge change in low end torque characterstics.

Pulleys typically show high end gains only. The reason is based on the nature of their design. Pulleys typically show a minor upward shift in the low end, and then from mid to redline the hp curve shows a non-linear upward increase.

This leaves one mod left. The TSE3 is a complete change of the exhaust system, not just the muffler. It is the only mod that warrants such a significant powerband change because it is an equally significant change to the car. Additionally, you can see from dyno plots of the TSE3 that it does indeed cause a leftward shift in the power and tq bands. Furthermore, you can also see in TSE3 tq plots that it also causes that "inverted hump" in the low end, which is the second major change to the powerband (and the one I really like)

Now, you can argue that mods in conjuction react differently. This is also true and a valid point. However, as said earlier pulleys, for the most part have no effect on the low end, this is due to the nature of their design and purpose. So now you're left with the intake and TSE3. To keep things short, you can compare dyno plots of similar cars (I'm using 330s) with just the TSE3 vs one with a TSE3 and an intake. Comparing the two plots they will look nearly identical. The difference is that the one with the intake shows more peakiness. Which, mathematically, makes sense based on how intakes additively affect powerbands. This is the short version, which is why i didn't want to explain cause it's taking a long time. I don't have plots saved on my computer and don't feel like scanning any of mine in and I don't have links to any, but you can easily search yourself and make comparisons to see what I'm talking about.

Can someone with ACTUAL dyno experience please respond?

Yes, I already have. I have my own car dynod and I talk and analyze the results with the operators and tuners. In fact, next weekend there's a dyno day and I'm planning to examine the effects of 91 vs 93 octane on the powerband on similar cars with equivalent mods, as well as my own car.

Also, I was agreeing and confirming with you on the standards. You can even read them off his dyno plot. SAE smoothing and like you mentioned before, the SAE correction factors. I agreed with you and said most dynos are corrected. I'm not sure why you got somewhat offensive/defensive/whatever against me. But I may have misinterpreted your reponse. If I'm wrong about stuff, I always welcome correction and opinions because I could be wrong and with a post as long as this, i'm bound to mistype what I mean to say, so don't take everything I typed here as exact, cause I make mistakes. I'm pretty sure I never said anything to upset you either. If I did I'm sorry and hope there's no hard feelings. Anyway.. I'm off to eat dinner and watch some basketball.

jetstream23

01-19-2005, 08:14 PM

I'd invest the time to teaching her how to drive stick and pocket the money spent on the Steptronic. I mean, seriously, get back on the diplomacy phone. :)

Appreciate the advice FenPhen but no can do. I'd still appreciate if anyone can answer my questions. Thanks.

bluetree211

01-20-2005, 09:13 AM

...Two different questions. The first asks if temperature affects power gain. This relates to the car and I said that 5 deg wouldn't make much of a difference to the car. Now your second question is where you mention humidty, pressure, temp etc. However if you read the 2nd question it relates to the measurement device, the dyno, not how they will affect the gain in power....
You're still splitting hairs. And overanalyzing... couldn't the leftward shift just be caused by a slightly different wheel diameter? or change in calibration from the first to the second dyno?

Appreciate the advice FenPhen but no can do. I'd still appreciate if anyone can answer my questions. Thanks.
You might be better off starting a new thread, people generally don't ask their own questions in someone elses thread, so nobody will know to look here.

jetstream23

01-20-2005, 01:04 PM

You're still splitting hairs. And overanalyzing... couldn't the leftward shift just be caused by a slightly different wheel diameter? or change in calibration from the first to the second dyno?

You might be better off starting a new thread, people generally don't ask their own questions in someone elses thread, so nobody will know to look here.

Thanks. Will do.

dynosor

01-22-2005, 01:31 PM

Because the wife has to occassionally drive the car I am getting the Steptronic tranny on my '05 330i ZHP. I haven't performed modifications on any of my previous vehicles but I'm already entertaining the idea of some basic mods (chip, CAI, exhaust) to see if I can "reclaim" some of the lost performance from the manual tranny. I have a few questions...

The cheapest mod that makes a world of difference is simply selecting Sport mode, as in "4" rather than "D". This uses first gear for even gentle pull-aways and uses more revs before upshifting - all shifts are crisper and there is less perceived slip in the torque converter. Downshifts are much more responsive without needing to jam the throttle open.

Fuel consumption will be higher if you use more power (accelerate harder) all the time. Just using more revs with lower gears doesn't mean you will use a lot more fuel.

Simply keep the car in "4" until you are on the highway at speed. Then use Drive for greater economy.

FenPhen

01-22-2005, 06:11 PM

Simply keep the car in "4" until you are on the highway at speed. Then use Drive for greater economy.A Steptronic in Sport Mode will still go to 5th on the highway.

Sport Mode also has the benefit of downshifting as the car slows, as opposed to coasting all the time.

SpeedFreak!

07-12-2005, 09:52 AM

bimmer95

07-12-2005, 10:01 AM

Does the dyno correct for air temp, barometric pressure and humidity?
Yes, that's all factored in to the SAE correction values.

Andy

07-13-2005, 10:54 AM

I found this little gem while looking for in car camera mounts... :D GREAT thread! I would be curious to here from any of those who have since moved on with other mods. Hmmm... anybody? :dunno:

:thumbup:
I finally got the Stage II ECU Flash from Oscar Velez (http://www.oscarvelez.com). In case you don’t know, Oscar does all of the ECU programming for TC Kline Racing. Here are the results…

The blue line shows the base line run I did when the car was stock. The green line shows the run I did after I installed the Conforti Cold Air Intake, UUC Underdrive Pulleys, UUC TSE3 Exhaust, and SSR Comp light weight wheels. The red line shows the run after the ECU was re-mapped.

It looks like the ECU flash gained me about 5 horsepower at the peak. A gain of about 1 ft/lb of torque at the peak, but it looks like I’ve gained about 3 ft/lbs of torque from about 4500 RPM on.

But the biggest gain is the 7 ft/lbs of torque at 2300 RPM. :thumbup:

So to answer everyone’s question… yes, there is an ECU flash for the ZHP that actually results in more power!! ;)

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=53778

ClubSpec330i

07-13-2005, 11:13 AM

How much was the reflash, Andy? I am thinking of doing the same thing too.

Thanks,

Mack

doeboy

07-13-2005, 11:31 AM

I finally got the Stage II ECU Flash from Oscar Velez (http://www.oscarvelez.com). In case you don’t know, Oscar does all of the ECU programming for TC Kline Racing. Here are the results…

The blue line shows the base line run I did when the car was stock. The green line shows the run I did after I installed the Conforti Cold Air Intake, UUC Underdrive Pulleys, UUC TSE3 Exhaust, and SSR Comp light weight wheels. The red line shows the run after the ECU was re-mapped.

It looks like the ECU flash gained me about 5 horsepower at the peak. A gain of about 1 ft/lb of torque at the peak, but it looks like I’ve gained about 3 ft/lbs of torque from about 4500 RPM on.

But the biggest gain is the 7 ft/lbs of torque at 2300 RPM. :thumbup:

So to answer everyone’s question… yes, there is an ECU flash for the ZHP that actually results in more power!! ;)

Sweet. Was it pretty expensive? Are there minimum AKI requirements for fuel?

bmw330pp

07-13-2005, 11:37 AM

What sucks is that it seems like you've wasted about 2 grand or more to gain about 10hp and 10lbs. of tq. :thumbdwn: Is your BMW warranty/scheduled service voided? :dunno:

Andy

07-13-2005, 12:05 PM

What sucks is that it seems like you've wasted about 2 grand or more to gain about 10hp and 10lbs. of tq. :thumbdwn: Is your BMW warranty/scheduled service voided? :dunno:
Depends on what you’re using the car for. This is a race car built to win races that’s measured in 1000ths of a second. 10 hp and 10 lbs of tq is worth a heck of a lot more then $2k to me. :)

Are there minimum AKI requirements for fuel?
With this software you need to run at least 93 octane or higher. The dyno run was made with 93 octane in the tank but it seems to run even stronger with 94.

How much was the reflash, Andy? I am thinking of doing the same thing too.

Thanks,

Mack
$500 plus tax and shipping

hugh1850

07-13-2005, 12:23 PM

Depends on what you’re using the car for. This is a race car built to win races that’s measured in 1000ths of a second. 10 hp and 10 lbs of tq is worth a heck of a lot more then $2k to me. :)

With this software you need to run at least 93 octane or higher. The dyno run was made with 93 octane in the tank but it seems to run even stronger with 94.

$500 plus tax and shipping

Andy,

Do you use her as your daily driver too?

Andy

07-13-2005, 12:26 PM

Andy,

Do you use her as your daily driver too?
Yes, but not for long. She makes a better race car then she does a daily driver.

hugh1850

07-13-2005, 12:31 PM

Yes, but not for long. She makes a better race car then she does a daily driver.

Do you keep all the decals on when not on the track? Get some weird looks? :eeps:

Andy

07-13-2005, 12:34 PM

Do you keep all the decals on when not on the track? Get some weird looks? :eeps:
Most of the decals come off. I still get the weird looks though, just not sure if it’s me or the car. :D

hugh1850

07-13-2005, 12:34 PM

Most of the decals come off. I still get the weird looks though, just not sure if it’s me or the car. :D

:rofl:

SpeedFreak!

07-13-2005, 01:18 PM

I finally got the Stage II ECU Flash from Oscar Velez (http://www.oscarvelez.com). In case you don’t know, Oscar does all of the ECU programming for TC Kline Racing. Here are the results…

The blue line shows the base line run I did when the car was stock. The green line shows the run I did after I installed the Conforti Cold Air Intake, UUC Underdrive Pulleys, UUC TSE3 Exhaust, and SSR Comp light weight wheels. The red line shows the run after the ECU was re-mapped.

It looks like the ECU flash gained me about 5 horsepower at the peak. A gain of about 1 ft/lb of torque at the peak, but it looks like I’ve gained about 3 ft/lbs of torque from about 4500 RPM on.

But the biggest gain is the 7 ft/lbs of torque at 2300 RPM. :thumbup:

So to answer everyone’s question… yes, there is an ECU flash for the ZHP that actually results in more power!! ;)

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=53778

How does all of this stuff compare with Dinan? Have any of you tried their software for ZHP with the Bigger Throttle Body?
:dunno:

bluetree211

07-13-2005, 01:49 PM

Depends on what you’re using the car for. This is a race car built to win races that’s measured in 1000ths of a second.
So when are you gonna strip out the interior and sunroof? Seems like there must be a good bit of weight to reduce in that area? I'd be curious to know just how much...

Andy

07-13-2005, 01:59 PM

So when are you gonna strip out the interior and sunroof? Seems like there must be a good bit of weight to reduce in that area? I'd be curious to know just how much...
I've got the car down to 3,150 lbs. with seats, exhaust and battery. The class I run doesn't allow me to strip the interior out, but I could get rid of the moonroof by installing the OEM non-moonroof roof (since it was an option in 2003). The moonroof delete is the only mod I have left... just not quite ready to rip the roof off yet if you know what I mean. :(

bmw330pp

07-13-2005, 03:33 PM

I've got the car down to 3,150 lbs. with seats, exhaust and battery. The class I run doesn't allow me to strip the interior out, but I could get rid of the moonroof by installing the OEM non-moonroof roof (since it was an option in 2003). The moonroof delete is the only mod I have left... just not quite ready to rip the roof off yet if you know what I mean. :(
No, what do you mean? :dunno:

doeboy

07-13-2005, 03:58 PM

Iniquity

07-15-2005, 01:53 PM

Andy

07-15-2005, 01:57 PM

Don't suppose you have AFR plot do you?
It’s a little hard to read...

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=53864

SpeedFreak!

07-15-2005, 02:16 PM

I have seriously searched and searched this site (I got 240 threads... :yikes: ) for info on the Dinan stuff as a point of comparison with this thread... can any one help me out here...? :dunno:

Essentially I'm trying to determine whether or not I'm going to use the Dinan stuff or ???

For Stage 1... I will be doing a CAI, software, exhaust, pullies, & Throttle Body... IF I can find some real world experience that proves that this is actually going to produce results....

HELP!!! :D

Iniquity

07-15-2005, 06:48 PM

ANDY:
THat's a pretty nice and flat AFR.. but i think it's a bit too lean.. i do know supposedly, leaner = more power.... up to a certain point...

my car SEEMS like it should run closer to a 12:1 AFR for best power.. according to my last dyno that is... although my AFR was oscillating between 12 and 14...my best run had an AFR plot that spent the most time near 12:1...

Your afr seems to be hanging between 13.5-14:1....too lean can cause detonation I believe???? i think that's the issue with M3 owners and the K&N intake.. latest dyno comparo on m3forums was showing 14:1 and everyone was concerned.. granted, the m54 and s54 are very different engines... it's probably less of a concern for our cars because we have a lower compression ratio.. i think.. i could very well be wrong though..

I have seriously searched and searched this site (I got 240 threads... :yikes: ) for info on the Dinan stuff as a point of comparison with this thread... can any one help me out here...? :dunno:

Essentially I'm trying to determine whether or not I'm going to use the Dinan stuff or ???

For Stage 1... I will be doing a CAI, software, exhaust, pullies, & Throttle Body... IF I can find some real world experience that proves that this is actually going to produce results....

HELP!!! :D

Honestly, I would stay away from Dinan.. most people get it for the warranty.. but seriously, every time I read a story about dinan, it's about how they can't get any dealership to fix their cars under the Dinan warranty... it's always the same story.. dealer says call dinan.. dinan says go to dealer... true, not all the dealers are dinan authorized.. but even those that are, are still refusing warranty work..

You're plan sounds good.. however, I would skip the throttle body.. unless you do headers and full cat back exhaust.. throttle body is poor performance/$$ purchase.. instead of a throttle body, you're better off purchasing a used 3.38 or 3.46 diff... that is probably the best bang for the buck..

as for brands i would recommend:

intake: afe, conforti, ecis
software: powerchip and andy's oscar program seem to be the only ones that provide power (and are available) for 7/03+ e46s..
pullies: any brand will do, just not crank shaft..
exhaust: full Catback = supersprint....non-catback (subtle) = supersprint, Active Autoworkes, remus, eisenmann........ non-catback (louder) = triflo, rogue dms, rogue ikon (probably best bang/$$, most stock looking)..

SpeedFreak!

07-15-2005, 07:16 PM

...
Honestly, I would stay away from Dinan.. most people get it for the warranty.. but seriously, every time I read a story about dinan, it's about how they can't get any dealership to fix their cars under the Dinan warranty... it's always the same story.. dealer says call dinan.. dinan says go to dealer... true, not all the dealers are dinan authorized.. but even those that are, are still refusing warranty work..

You're plan sounds good.. however, I would skip the throttle body.. unless you do headers and full cat back exhaust.. throttle body is poor performance/$$ purchase.. instead of a throttle body, you're better off purchasing a used 3.38 or 3.46 diff... that is probably the best bang for the buck..

as for brands i would recommend:

intake: afe, conforti, ecis
software: powerchip and andy's oscar program seem to be the only ones that provide power (and are available) for 7/03+ e46s..
pullies: any brand will do, just not crank shaft..
exhaust: full Catback = supersprint....non-catback (subtle) = supersprint, Active Autoworkes, remus, eisenmann........ non-catback (louder) = triflo, rogue dms, rogue ikon (probably best bang/$$, most stock looking)..

Thank YOU very much for the advice... I was leaning towards Dinan BECAUSE of the throttle body. Sounded like a really great idea... I can't understand why it wouldn't make a pretty big difference. I can get one through my dealership for $500-600 (can't remember exactly how much off the top of my head) and figured if I was going to do the throttle... I should use their other stuff too. I thought their software would be designed to make better use of their throttle body. I wish there was some one in here that had done what Andy has done with the dyno before and after. I would really love to see some sort of substantiation. :thumbup: