Is their a difference between afe intake and bms dual cone intake

[SV Concepts III]

Check out the photo, it uses the OE plastic inlet to channel air to the filters.

[thez99]

Ok, performance wise, I cant see how there'd be a diff with the $300 more expensive aFe's seeing as yes theres a heatshield on the left of the filters however the right side would still allow heat thru to the filters. Secondly, as others have said, the aFe's have more bends and slimmer tubes with more restriction. Also the filters on the BMS set have the open heads to them to allow even more air. Honestly if I was gonna go with a DCI which I may, id go with BMS. The INJEN is sweet looking but also has more bends and also the intake piece only uses air from one grill and really only hits one filter, the other gets leftovers like the aFe's.

More info on the MS DCI would be nice, i have the MS dropin, works nicely. But i would like to open it up a bit. And I dont live in arizona or something so Im not too worried bout heatsoak.

[SV Concepts III]

Well again, I am not sure if you have had a chance to see the aFe intake in person and the above photo is a tad dark on the right side but it is fully enclosed. The plastic base on the filter sits over the metal heatshield and provides a firm seal with the hood closed. Again, the intake is designed to be fully enclosed with the hood closed.

As for the air flow and restriction, aFe puts all of their intake systems through a peak flow meter that measures turbulence as well as changes in air flow over the factory system. This is used to design their plastic and metal couplers as well as their Pro5R Oiled and Pro DryS filters.

In addition, all intake systems are designed and tested first via rapid prototype before being sent to production. This allows them to test and make revisions to the design to ensure air turbulence is minimized and flow is maximized.

For the filter elements, they are put through an additional level of debris tests which throws sand at the filter element to measure how well the filter does its job. Having visited and toured their facility, I can say it does an awesome job. I've run this on two N54 cars and have been very happy with the power output. It continues to be one of our most popular performance upgrades for the N54 and for good reason.

With that said, we do carry the BMS product for those that are more budget conscious. If you are simply concerned with replacing the factory restrictive airbox, the BMS is a great alternative. It's not complete but it's not priced to be complete. It's a cost effective way to improve flow.

I'd encourage you to take a look at our tour of aFe. It's pretty amazing to see what goes into these systems.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285101

Anyways, that's my morning .02, enjoy

[Jeef Beef]

So...airflow reaching the aFe cones is still restricted by how much the factory scoop can feed it?

[Hind]

Originally Posted by BahamaBart

Clearly BMS does not win a beauty award but its straight forward design makes it highly functional. AND once again BMS delivers without the BMW tax.

Well Said...

I have drooled over the Injen for 2 years, but never could justify $400. I just got my box to my BMS DCI. Even though I think bms is kind of bland, and sort of ugly compared to injen... I like my money better. Injen needs to compete with some of the market if they want to sell more of them.

[pixelblue]

of all the intakes out there the only viable one IMO would be stett's. it does have a few bends but it sucks cold air from the bumper ducts. of course dinan's looks viable and pretty but who wants to pay $1k for intake

[kc_skyrider]

Originally Posted by Nick@Jlevi SW

Well again, I am not sure if you have had a chance to see the aFe intake in person and the above photo is a tad dark on the right side but it is fully enclosed. The plastic base on the filter sits over the metal heatshield and provides a firm seal with the hood closed. Again, the intake is designed to be fully enclosed with the hood closed.

As for the air flow and restriction, aFe puts all of their intake systems through a peak flow meter that measures turbulence as well as changes in air flow over the factory system. This is used to design their plastic and metal couplers as well as their Pro5R Oiled and Pro DryS filters.

In addition, all intake systems are designed and tested first via rapid prototype before being sent to production. This allows them to test and make revisions to the design to ensure air turbulence is minimized and flow is maximized.

For the filter elements, they are put through an additional level of debris tests which throws sand at the filter element to measure how well the filter does its job. Having visited and toured their facility, I can say it does an awesome job. I've run this on two N54 cars and have been very happy with the power output. It continues to be one of our most popular performance upgrades for the N54 and for good reason.

With that said, we do carry the BMS product for those that are more budget conscious. If you are simply concerned with replacing the factory restrictive airbox, the BMS is a great alternative. It's not complete but it's not priced to be complete. It's a cost effective way to improve flow.

I'd encourage you to take a look at our tour of aFe. It's pretty amazing to see what goes into these systems.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285101

Anyways, that's my morning .02, enjoy

Wow all that work and BMS is still better and selling far more, for a couple tubes strapped to K&N's I'd hate to be AFe but that's what you get for charging $400 for a couple pieces of plastic a couple tubes and some filters.
R&D means nothing if you don't deliver power. The fact remains the difference between AFe and BMS is $300 and good looks. If you want to really compare, pull temps after the turbo. That's when you learn all the intake should do is filter with as little restriction as possible. Then get an intercooler when you want cold air going into your engine.

[benrappaport]

i have had them both stick with bms its cheaper and sounds better and as far as performance i didnt notice i difference with either one. the bms intake is way more pratical and so worth the money.

[desty]

Originally Posted by Jeef Beef

So...airflow reaching the aFe cones is still restricted by how much the factory scoop can feed it?

So fucking true, i was about to say the same thing!

[scmartin]

Originally Posted by maxnix

Naw, they both suck!

Then what would you suggest?

[FORCED AIR]

aFe has been tested several times and shown to heat soak due to placement.


The difference between intakes is this only a) look b) price

there are some well designed "true" cold air intakes that due produce more hp but you didn't list any so.....plus it isn't much more until you are really moving some air

[pixelblue]

Your choices are Stett or Dinan. Look them up

[thez99]

Originally Posted by FORCED AIR

aFe has been tested several times and shown to heat soak due to placement.


The difference between intakes is this only a) look b) price

there are some well designed "true" cold air intakes that due produce more hp but you didn't list any so.....plus it isn't much more until you are really moving some air

Wasnt this discussed earlier in this thread or um a hundred others??

HEATSOAK as you so put it is not mainly caused by the temps thru the intake system, it is caused primarily by the air running thru the turbos not being cooled well nuff by whatever intercooler setup the car has and how efficient and fast that cooling takes place. The DCI intake has very minimal effect on "heatsoak" if any unless you're POUNDING your car in 110 degree weather, then it would cause additional problems, which 9.9/10 times isnt the case.

If you're worried about heatsoak my friend, do yourself a favor and grab a sexy IC like HPF's or AA's. THOSE will greatly reduce chances of heatsoak due to larger cores with solid tubing, etc. which all around cools the air going thru the turbos faster and with more efficiency. Doing so you will notice your oil temps drop a bit as well.

Anyhow, like i said, unless ur out in 100 degree weather beating the shit outta ur car, you will see very minimal performance decrease due to the DCI's, if anything you'll notice an increase obviously because there's a hell of a lot less restriction from the intake air, the engine is receiving ALOT more air faster, giving more breath of power, less area the air travels with more open tubing as well, etc.

I know this shit has been discussed elsewhere, just figured Id humor you with the knowledge. However, if you simply switch to a DCI and run some heavy driving and run into limp modes and much higher oil temps, etc. only after that installation, lemme know.

[Jeef Beef]

Originally Posted by thez99

Wasnt this discussed earlier in this thread or um a hundred others??

HEATSOAK as you so put it is not mainly caused by the temps thru the intake system, it is caused primarily by the air running thru the turbos not being cooled well nuff by whatever intercooler setup the car has and how efficient and fast that cooling takes place. The DCI intake has very minimal effect on "heatsoak" if any unless you're POUNDING your car in 110 degree weather, then it would cause additional problems, which 9.9/10 times isnt the case.

If you're worried about heatsoak my friend, do yourself a favor and grab a sexy IC like HPF's or AA's. THOSE will greatly reduce chances of heatsoak due to larger cores with solid tubing, etc. which all around cools the air going thru the turbos faster and with more efficiency. Doing so you will notice your oil temps drop a bit as well.

Anyhow, like i said, unless ur out in 100 degree weather beating the shit outta ur car, you will see very minimal performance decrease due to the DCI's, if anything you'll notice an increase obviously because there's a hell of a lot less restriction from the intake air, the engine is receiving ALOT more air faster, giving more breath of power, less area the air travels with more open tubing as well, etc.

I know this shit has been discussed elsewhere, just figured Id humor you with the knowledge. However, if you simply switch to a DCI and run some heavy driving and run into limp modes and much higher oil temps, etc. only after that installation, lemme know.

You talk sense my friend. An intercooler upgrade is the best step towards preventing heatsoak. Intake temperature is only truly relevant to NA engines

[ErvGotti]

Originally Posted by pixelblue

Your choices are Stett or Dinan. Look them up

Or a DIY Mr 5 intake, same concept as the dinan intake but $1k cheaper

[ozzie135i]

i'll lend a afe intake I don't use to whoever wants to dyno both and settle this once and for all..

i'm in sydney..

[pixelblue]

^ that or either someone with an obd datalogger can measure air temps reaching the intake. I disagree with the previous post that the intercooler will offset any higher temps from the heat under the hood. I am sure there would be a difference in temp variations prior to the intercooler. e.g. If the temps reaching the fmic from the dci is 50 deg higher than normal then we can't argue the fmic will offset the extra temps from dci

[thez99]

Originally Posted by pixelblue

^ that or either someone with an obd datalogger can measure air temps reaching the intake. I disagree with the previous post that the intercooler will offset any higher temps from the heat under the hood. I am sure there would be a difference in temp variations prior to the intercooler. e.g. If the temps reaching the fmic from the dci is 50 deg higher than normal then we can't argue the fmic will offset the extra temps from dci

My point wasnt that an aftermarket intercooler would lower temps under the hood, the point was heatsoak causing limp modes in higher outside temps. Someone earlier had said DCI's were the main cause for heatsoak with this car which is invalid, I was pointing out the intake temps have very little to do with that effect on our cars, yet moreso with NA engines. Our cars will cool the air flowing thru the turbos faster and more efficiently with a better intercooler, and THAT is what allows for better performance in higher temps, even with an open intake. The main plus with the open intake such as the BMS is it's very little restriction as opposed to stock or AFE's which has bends, slimmer piping and the filters are pointed in an indirect way which doesnt allow the full amount of air thru as does the BMS or even the Injen.

If you install a DCI like the BMS in hot temps, you will notice VERY little if any performance decreases due to the temps, obviously you will notice the most increases in temps between 50-75F for such a mod but you will not heatsoak due to the DCI unless your driving in very hot temps, however any car would experience issues like that regardless of it's intake. The INTERCOOLER will cool that air that largely results in heatsoak otherwise, and do so faster which will lower internal temps and usually result and slight drop in oil temps, all bettering performance as a whole.

If these points are still not understood, not sure how else to lay them out.

[pixelblue]

^ heat soak not withstanding, the dci does improve flow but at a cost of higher intake temps and that means your fmic has to cool down the extra higher temps. Also, if you have noticed most people racing their 1er have gone back to the factory closed air box. I think that alone should serve as the final argument on this matter. Don't you think?

[thez99]

Do you know what the usual internal temps are for an engine like ours running at normal operating speeds at around 80 degrees F outside temp? The engine will run hot whether you have a closed intake or open, once it reaches optimal running temps, which for the 135 is around 230F, and you are driving normal to high speeds, the temps under the hood will be generally HOT. Most times when Id be out driving around for a little while during the spring or fall even with my stock airbox, id come home, park it and open the hood and the engine is hot, that is just the way it is, and also due to it still having the stock IC. If I install a DCI, this will not change anything about how hot the engine runs or how hot the air running thru the turbos will be because the IC controls that. Like I said, unless you're driving in 110+ degree outside temps, those air intake temps will no where near match that actual temps the engine reaches under normal driving regardless of the intake. The INTAKE is to allow air into the engine to supply combustion in a FI scenario. With a naturally aspirated engine that does not have a Intercooler to cool air that is running thru the engine and turbos, the engines temperature and overall performance is much more reliant on the temps of intake air, hence why most high powered V6's like the 350-370Z's, Mustangs, etc. have a CAI that draws air lower down and farther from the engine to catch air at its coldest and take it thru a single pipe directly to the engine, you hardly ever see CAI's for factory turbo engines because it is not necessary, it is more necessary to have a less restrictive intake allows more airflow and faster rather than colder air thru longer and usually more restrictive piping.

This is the whole reason for discussions like this, alot of people think all engines NEED COLD air intake and if it doesnt, you end up with shit performance. With our turbo's, the performance comes with the temp of the air running thru the turbo's and inevitably the engine, it is forced induction, the engine gains power from the turbo's, and therefore gain extra power thru cooler air running thru them. The end point being that the air that first hits the turbo's will be hot due to it's operation, if there was no intercooler, the air entering the engine via the turbo's would be insanely hot, whether you were using an open intake or CAI, etc. it wouldnt matter, turbo operation makes HOT air thru the spool. Thus the intercooler cools the turbocharged air and further powers the engine. Again like i said before this is why you hardly ever see CAI intakes as a popular mod for turbocharged cars as opposed to a wide array of different aftermarket Intercoolers that will give you a much larger and broader performance gain.

Yes I am long winded but Im trying to get this point across. Ive been driving turbo engines for quite a few years now and it's sunk in more n more as I go, as I too thought earlier on that a CAI was most important for engine performance, whereas really it isnt, it's the intercooler and dp's that will gain you most power (tunes notwithstanding), an open unrestricted intake will not gain much noticeable power, however it will allow better flow and better breath for the engine thru faster spooling, etc.

If anyone still doesnt understand this shit after all this, o well

[pixelblue]

Can you explain why people racing have reverted back to the factory closed box? Wouldn't they still be using the dci if your argument was correct? Don't you think they should know this better than anyone else?

[thez99]

Originally Posted by pixelblue

Can you explain why people racing have reverted back to the factory closed box? Wouldn't they still be using the dci if your argument was correct? Don't you think they should know this better than anyone else?

Well you sure do use "people racing" and "they" in a very broad and general way. I sure as hell know ive read on many different threads on here where loads of 1er drivers list the reasons why they love having their DCI versus anything else while "racing", etc. Although I think you mean those who track their cars often, I guarantee you most who are very serious bout tracking their 135i likely has some kind of open intake, and lots also probably have some kind of aftermarket intercooler, because that is the way to go