Need Hp Modifications suggestions for 99 540i!

I have a 99 540i6 with a performance muffler and COSMO CAI. I want to take the next step for more horse power. What would be the best Modification for the money?? I know Dinan software is only recommended if the rest of mods are Dinan. So if a ECU chip is the right move which one should I use??

Also my mechanic say's he has a BMW software program upgrade that adds around 30 hp and costs around 7-800 but first i would have to do the basic ECU update which is the newer factory settings which is another 150-300. He said there is no chip installed with this upgrade as well.

Can anyone point me in the right direction and tell me what my options are???

nitrous

Originally Posted by fullthrottle540

nitrous

What he said, or SC, and the is no way just a software is going to give you that much Hp.

Hi

Have a read up on options such as a re-map, exhaust headers, changing for more aggressive camshafts, etc etc. Give Dinan a call, you don't have to have other Dinan mods in order to use their ECU upgrade, they'll most likely have a file for your year/model car/ECU. Nowadays, there's no 'chipping' that goes on - technology has moved on from requiring ECU's to be opened up and computer chips removed and replaced. It's know known as 'Re-mapping' where the chip in situ, is flashed with modified settings. That said, there may well be 'some' ECU's which need the actual physical chip changed.

If you do an ECU upgrade, you can expect the actual real gain to be around 10-13 HP increase, so look for a specialist who will do a rolling road before and after the remap is done. You will not gain 30HP on your car - the 'marketing' figures for normally aspirated cars is optimistic. Other benefits to normally aspirated cars when re-mapped is smoother torque delivery, removal of dead/flat spots in the rev range and optional raising of the rev limiter by 250-500 rpm. You might notice a marginal better fuel economy reading as well.

Also keep in mind, that if you install bolt on mods, you can't 'add up' the claimed HP figures and say that your car is now producing the added amounts of HP - the rolling road will give you a much better idea of the kind of levels of power being made.

If you are looking to take your 540i from 286 bhp (that's what its rated at - depending on how good condition your car is, it'll be somewhat less than that or quite near) to 400+ then you'll need to look at forced induction. With keeping it normally aspirated, if you were to purchase high quality headers, a full stainless steel exhaust, ECU re-map, induction kit, power pulleys, a more aggressive camshaft, you'd perhaps see 350-370 ish HP on the rolling road - for perhaps an outlay of perhaps $8000-$10000 plus.

Cheers, Dennis!

I am not looking to drop any where near that much cash. I would like to do do some headers and re-maping though and maybe the pulley's, I guess doing some thorough research will be the best way to find the best combination for my 540i.

Fuggedabout!! These engines are so well optimized, you'll get precious little from anything other than supercharging or nitrous.

Your mechanic is trying to give you a smoke test (look up insufflation (medicine)).

In case you didn't know what a "rolling road" was, it's a chassis dynamometer. Thanks, DennisCooper! I'll add that term to "boot," "bonnet," and "scuttle," not to mention "spanner." Oh, and "rudge nut."

Don't forget the term used when working on a BMW is "futzing".

You want power? See Signature...
And "wanna go faster" and "No money" never go together.

///M badge = +50hp

Not for nothing but these threads do get repetitive...