My first 135 :p

[1three5e82]

Hey guys

New to the forum! and its my first post lol
Ive been trying to read all the forums but since Im completely new to this thought I would ask for some friendly advice (my apologies for being a noob)
Just bought my first bmw 135, transitioned over from a completely different car

This car will be a daily user, I absolutely love how much power it has but want to add a bit more kick in the pants haha.
Decided to go MHD tune after doing alot of reading so Ive got a tune sorted.
Going to do intake and upgrade the chargepipe because I have been told they can blow after ahwile but again guys please forgive me as I am new, if I do downpipes do I HAVE to upgrade my intercooler?
As it is just a daily driver would you guys just suggest to maybe do a tune intake chargepipe and just do a full exhaust system without upgrading the downpipes and intercooler?

Thanks guys!!

[Simonnn]

Welcome

You don't have to upgrade your intercooler if you do downpipes, you'll see in MHD there are tunes for DP only and also DP + FMIC.

Chargepipe is recommended as the stock one tends to crack after you crank the boost up. Downpipes is where you will make most of your power gains but not necessary as its plenty quick even with a stage 1 tune without them for street use IMO.

Look into an axleback exhaust if you are just looking for extra sound, or maybe even the "golf tee mod" with the stock exhaust flapper as that might keep you happy for a while.

[vtl]

No point in doing downpipes without intercooler, its important. It'll heatsoak so quick you won't get much benefit out of the the downpipes. The ECU will keep pulling timing from the high IATs. On the dyno day people only got 1 run before it heatsoaked immediately.

Chargepipe- upgrade it if the model is Jan 2009 or greater. Otherwise the older models had a different design charge pipe that isnt prone to failure. The earlier ones have a rubber elbow, the later ones are a single piece flexible plastic charge pipe that stresses the throttle body join and cracks easily. Older version is made out of a solid plastic that is pretty reliable.

[1three5e82]

Originally Posted by Simonnn

Welcome

You don't have to upgrade your intercooler if you do downpipes, you'll see in MHD there are tunes for DP only and also DP + FMIC.

Chargepipe is recommended as the stock one tends to crack after you crank the boost up. Downpipes is where you will make most of your power gains but not necessary as its plenty quick even with a stage 1 tune without them for street use IMO.

Look into an axleback exhaust if you are just looking for extra sound, or maybe even the "golf tee mod" with the stock exhaust flapper as that might keep you happy for a while.

Thanks Simon

I just saw what VTL posted back to me and said it was no point so now im confused haha
I'll definitely look into a axel back exhaust as the stock exhaust does sound good but wanting it to sound a little more raspy

[1three5e82]

Originally Posted by vtl

No point in doing downpipes without intercooler, its important. It'll heatsoak so quick you won't get much benefit out of the the downpipes. The ECU will keep pulling timing from the high IATs. On the dyno day people only got 1 run before it heatsoaked immediately.

Chargepipe- upgrade it if the model is Jan 2009 or greater. Otherwise the older models had a different design charge pipe that isnt prone to failure. The earlier ones have a rubber elbow, the later ones are a single piece flexible plastic charge pipe that stresses the throttle body join and cracks easily. Older version is made out of a solid plastic that is pretty reliable.

Hey VTL,

Thanks for that mate.
So no point in doing the downpipes then I guess.
I wanted to just do downpipes and leave intercooler or just upgrade a few months down the track but if there is no benefit, I may just do a tune and exhaust.

My car is an 08 but thanks for letting me know, Ive purchased one anyway just to cover myself just in case haha

[The Wind Breezes]

Originally Posted by 1three5e82

So no point in doing the downpipes then I guess.

No, there is absolutely a point to doing downpipes with no intercooler. You'll still make power, it'll just be for a couple pulls before the intercooler needs to cool down. The real point here is if you haul ass it won't be long stock, tuned, or tuned + DP before the intercooler heats up too much--so replace it. Better yet, get water / meth. You can use it with a stock intercooler with spectacular results.

If you actually drive the car hard, you need an intercooler or water meth, period.

[Simonnn]

I think it also depends on your intentions for use of the car, as a daily driver with a few squirts here and there I wouldn't think it would be essential to have an intercooler matched up with the downpipes.. If you're planning on tracking it then its probably a different story.

[7smurfs]

DPs is the exhaust system which changes the piping to 3" = more boost/response
Intercooler allows for more consistent power (lessens the heat soak)

In my previous cars I've always gone the DP route first prior to intercooler (usually an upgrade during summer) as it has always been the most noteable increase in power next to a tune.

[totti84]

Catless downpipes alone will net you 20-30hp, you'd be crazy not to replace them!

[vtl]

I reckon to do it properly you'd need to do both intercooler+downpipes to get your moneys worth.

Downpipes will probably cost you around $800-$1000 AUD once you've sourced the pipes and got someone to fit it for you. To run the higher boost and just hit a wall with IATs (with no intention of getting an intercooler) is a bit of a waste in my opinion. Our ambient temps in Australia really need it.

You don't even need to do a lot of hard driving. Last years dyno say we saw stock intercooled cars go from 240kw->230kw->225kw over three consecutive runs (was like a 20degree day). In the real world this will translate to frustration where the car just doesn't give you consistent power.

Not saying downpipes aren't worth it, they're great. Reduced backpressure and frees up the exhaust to make more power, producing more flow at the same wastegate duty cycles. But without the supporting mods you won't get full benefit.

[kprocivic]

You may wanna keep some money set aside for unforeseeables. Water pump, injectors, turbos. I modded my 08 let me tell you how it went. Intake, with jb+ more power awesome. Tires wore out 3x as fast= expense. Brakes wore out a little faster= expense. Got beat by a scat pack charger decided to go with cobb and downpipes. With the increase in boost my oem turbos started shaking like a stripper. After about 10k@stage 2 time for a new turbo, so I swap out both expense. Got tired of the car heating up quick so upgraded the intercooler expense. Awesome the car is running good. 2k later water pump is going to the graveyard= expense.

I really love my car but I was punched in the nuts when things started breaking faster cause the car is modded. I'm all for modding the 1, just be ready when shit starts breaking, it absolutely will.

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

You may wanna keep some money set aside for unforeseeables.

I guess we could consider them "foreseeable"

[1three5e82]

Originally Posted by The Wind Breezes

No, there is absolutely a point to doing downpipes with no intercooler. You'll still make power, it'll just be for a couple pulls before the intercooler needs to cool down. The real point here is if you haul ass it won't be long stock, tuned, or tuned + DP before the intercooler heats up too much--so replace it. Better yet, get water / meth. You can use it with a stock intercooler with spectacular results.

If you actually drive the car hard, you need an intercooler or water meth, period.

I don't really drive the car that hard, I mean the occasional so far a few hard pulls from the lights but again its just a daily car, never going to take it for track use.

[1three5e82]

Originally Posted by totti84

Catless downpipes alone will net you 20-30hp, you'd be crazy not to replace them!

I would love an extra 20 30hp! and from what I have been reading the downpipes really do help a lot with the boost but call me crazy haha it really is just going to be a daily driver car, a few hard pulls here and there.
I guess you never know, I may take the route down the road with downpipes and intercooler, but I guess for now Im happy how the tune has come out

[1three5e82]

Originally Posted by vtl

I reckon to do it properly you'd need to do both intercooler+downpipes to get your moneys worth.

Not saying downpipes aren't worth it, they're great. Reduced backpressure and frees up the exhaust to make more power, producing more flow at the same wastegate duty cycles. But without the supporting mods you won't get full benefit.

Yeah I would rather do it properly or don't do it at all!
I would have loved to just get the downpipes and do the exhaust at the same time but if its not going to benefit me, might as well wait it out.
I got the car tuned last night with MHD and really happy with the power.
Got an exhaust lined up and I will see how I go for a month or so and see if I crave that extra power haha

[1three5e82]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

You may wanna keep some money set aside for unforeseeables. Water pump, injectors, turbos. I modded my 08 let me tell you how it went. Intake, with jb+ more power awesome. Tires wore out 3x as fast= expense. Brakes wore out a little faster= expense. Got beat by a scat pack charger decided to go with cobb and downpipes. With the increase in boost my oem turbos started shaking like a stripper. After about 10k@stage 2 time for a new turbo, so I swap out both expense. Got tired of the car heating up quick so upgraded the intercooler expense. Awesome the car is running good. 2k later water pump is going to the graveyard= expense.

I really love my car but I was punched in the nuts when things started breaking faster cause the car is modded. I'm all for modding the 1, just be ready when shit starts breaking, it absolutely will.

HAHAHA! thanks for the heads up! I'll keep that in mind, a little scared now though haha I hope nothing like this happens anytime soon to me

[questionable]

save your pennies modify the car all at once, keep the labour costs down. remap the car with a new tune when your done. if its a daily you'll see a massive improvement from

Intake
Intercooler
Full exhaust
Tune

the car will be plenty, if your chasing more after that look at fueling, turbos, etc etc