N55 E88 First Mods!

[tjswarbrick]

I got the replacement knobs installed to hold down the floor mat. Much better:



Here's some magic the audio shop worked:








Oh, and I finally snapped a couple shots of the ER charge pipe:





Took her for a run down some local twisties on Saturday. (Had everything but the ZHP knob installed.) What a joy! Responds immediately to input, gives feedback without getting rude, acts like a willing partner and friend - and just flows. I've been searching for this car all my life.

Never put a tire wrong or broke anything loose - actually, even though I took a few of the bends (where visibility and runout warranted) stupid-fast i never felt the dread understeer or any tail-happiness. But I did upset the rear end a couple times. I see RSFB's in my near future.

[tjswarbrick]

If you are interested in seeing how the front sub and stealth amp rack got in there, the build log is up on Do It Yourself Mobile Audio:

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...morel-ads.html

[tjswarbrick]

Does "improving" the oil count as a mod"?

Swapped in GC 0w-40 with the LL-01 approval.
While I was down there, I got a bunch of stones out from underneath the heat shield, and re-aligned the (modified) CDV wire clip. It wasn't leaking or anything, but it didn't go in straight before, and was sticking up a hair.

[dbronnik]

Interesting audio setup, I'd love to hear it sometime!

[tjswarbrick]

Originally Posted by dbronnik

Interesting audio setup, I'd love to hear it sometime!

I gotta say - it sounds pretty awesome. Are you anywhere near the Bay Area?

[dbronnik]

Yep I'm in the bay area. I'll check it out when I see you make your way to BMWCCA autocross?

Originally Posted by tjswarbrick

I gotta say - it sounds pretty awesome. Are you anywhere near the Bay Area?

[tjswarbrick]

Originally Posted by dbronnik

Yep I'm in the bay area. I'll check it out when I see you make your way to BMWCCA autocross?

You got it!

[tjswarbrick]

Well, I've been ignoring this thread - but not ignoring my car!
I have, sitting in the garage - awaiting a full suspension upgrade and switch from RFT's to MPSS:
Dinan camber plates,
E92 M3 FSB,
PowerFlex Race Black RSFB inserts.

Did I mention the 12mm RENN spacers all-round?
That was a couple months ago:



And I got tired of my squeaking clutch. Ordered the AKG Delrin clutch pivot bushings.
I did a new thread on "squeaky clutch." It didn't gain much traction, but there's more info in there.
Long story short:
5 hours under the dash for "under 1 hour" job. Still in pain!
Factory Dead-Pedal is NOT removable.
AKG flanges are too thick. Couldn't get pivot e-clip back on.
Over-center spring is a bear.
Trying to get the spring pin back in, cracked the doggone stock pedal.

Ordered up a UCP, and drove it for a week.
Actually held fine, except the outer bushing fell out one evening. I replaced it with one of the stock ones, and got the e-clip to sit (somewhat) tight.

Since the UCP was on order, I figured why not get Performance (actually, slip-on SS/rubber 335is) pedals. (Using denatured alcohol trick, easy-peasy swap. Brake pedal pad was hardest part; accelerator was a cinch.)

This one went in in under 2 hours. Still fought with the spring following UCP instructions. Real trick is install that one BEFORE the master cylinder bolt (or pin with stock pedal) so the pedal can articulate fully forward and relieve tension on the spring. From there it's kinda a piece of cake.

I chose the middle "sport" location for the spring mount, and put one of the BMS clutch-stop pads under the UCP clutch stop. I tried 2, but the car wouldn't start (didn't think the pedal was down.)

Love the new position, short throw, and improved feel. I thought driving an M-B slushbox for 5 years I had forgotten how to use a clutch. Nope! BMW just forgot how to make 'em! Shift are smoother, rev-matching is easier, and running through the gears is even more of a delight than before.
While not squeaky or bad, bronze bushings do exhibit a bit more NVH that lubed-up delrin. But much better than dry stock ones!

Pic!:


Next project isn't really a mod. My CHMSL / 3rd stoplamp has had a crack in the middle of the lens since I bought the car last summer. Yesterday the left side decided to fall out.

One dealer wants $160 labor and $212 part; other says $152 part but ~$200 labor.
Yeah, so, $100 to ECS gets me the light, all the hardware, and some other stuff I had forgotten about. But it doesn't ship for 5 days.

Gonna do oil change # 2 this weekend or next, and do tranny oil to Redline D4 at the same time. More under-the-car fun!

[tjswarbrick]

Completed the oil change and swap to D4.

Tranny oil was a bit of a pain - I read a thread that said 1/2" tubing. They must have meant OD. I got 1/2" ID and it was too large for the fill hole. I trimmed the end down with a knife and got it to fit. Didn't got all the way in, but matched up well enough that it only dripped slightly.
But routing the tubing around the exhaust and into the fill hole, there was always a bit left in the tube - even when tranny had room, and I held the funnel up over my head.
So I couldn't tell when it was full.
In the end, I put about 2.5 quarts in, but when I pulled the tube a whole bunch drained out. Since the front was on stands, it wasn't level, and I really don't know if it's over, under or okay right now.

Feels good. Didn't really change much. Feels a little notchier when cold, and very similar when warm. Not heavier , lighter, smoother, or notchier - just feels a tiny bit "cleaner" when each gear engages. Detents are clear, and action is positive.
I like it, but honestly, if I hadn't changed it myself I'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference.
But at least it's pink and not slimy, sludgy gray. Ugh!

[tjswarbrick]

Finally installed said E92 M3 FSB.
Took it to a shop for the Sports, Spec-R's and RSFB inserts. And alignment.
All went well except forward lower inserts didn't fit. So six are in and 2 are in my garage, covered in grease.
But it drives so nice!

Needs an oil change next week. Bought it at 45k, and ad 60 now, so I'll be doing plugs and cabin filter. And I figure - might was go JB Stage 1. So that's on the way, too!

[tjswarbrick]

Upgrades complete.

Changed the oil and filter. Fairly uneventful. 6.5 quarts of Castrol Edge 0w-40 Euro brought the green line to the "max" marker on the iDrive.

Changed the cabin air filter. Easy-peasy. Looked kinda like the other one was original! Dust, grime, plants/seeds, all kinds of nastiness.

Cleaned and re-oiled the K&N panel filter. Got the squeeze oil so it took a little while, but I had time...

Since I had no air filter, and was supposed to keep the car cold and dead for a while before messing with the ECU, I lifted it off the ramps with the jack, slid 'em out of the way, and dropped it to the ground for the rest.

Spark plugs were a bit of a pain. So many covers, so little time... Lovely Assistant nearly dropped one of the cowl screws - her loose and wrinkly latex glove saved the day. I asked her to be a little more careful with the next one. Therefore, she proceeded to drop it underneath the ECU box behind the giant power cable. So that was fun. By the time I fished it out with a 60 year old magnet-on-a-spring tool, it was time for her to get ready for bed.
Proceeded on my own.

Nothing was actually "hard" but everything was just more difficult and time-consuming than you'd think it ought to be. Unclipping wires, sliding covers off, accessing coils. They really bury it all in there. Then the time spent kludging together specialty tools...

Couldn't find a DIY on our cars, but don't have the "free" time or photography skills to make one of my own. Between the E82 N54 and F30 N55 ones I was able to figure it out.

Once I figured out what they were talking about, flipping up coil caps to remove plug wires wasn't bad. Only 1 (#2 I think) really doesn't have adequate clearance to make it happen.

I have pretty strong hands, but was only able to get one coil to release with my bare hands. Used a socket extension on one - then decided that a wall-hook clamped in some vice grips would be great for that. It was.

Went down the line. Was afraid that "between 15 and 20lbs" on my torque wrench was going to be a little vague. #1, 2 & 5 plugs came out with just a little tug on the ratchet. # 3 was only finger tight. 4 & 6 I nearly needed a breaker bar to release. I KNOW I did better than that!
New plugs don't say BMW but are the "-S" version. After hitting up 4 shops, the consensus was leave the gap as set by Bosch. So I didn't even check it.
Old plugs were definitely used, but didn't look bad. Some deposits. Mostly white, with a little tan. And a little black on the threads.

Forgot to vacuum out hole # 1 prior to reinstallation, so went back and redid that.
Took a large PVC coupler, stuck in a smaller PVC coupler, fitted a PVC pipe, and put a sprinkler-extension on the end (threads wrapped with pipe tape.) Wrapped the large coupler with enough gaffer's tape to make it a snug fit in the shop-vac, then taped over the joint. Worked surprisingly well! Vacuumed out the airbox, drains, and a few other things while I was in there.

Inside all the coils was pristine. I wiped off the outside of each, and blew a puff of compressed air into each for good measure. Nothing came out.

Negative battery terminal easy to remove. Held away from post with handy nylon shopping bag. TMAP was easy enough to disconnect. For some reason the MAP really got me, but when I figured it out it was actually a cinch. No USB end, no tiny screwdriver. Just squeeze tabs together and pull connector off.

Once I got that figured out (and understood that I needed the MAP, and not the MAF!) the JB installed in moments. But much of that is because I had already pulled off the cowl and opened up the ECU box.

Going back together was pretty straightforward. At first I didn't align the right part of the cowl with the lip under the windshield. Once I got that sorted the filter cover and end-caps were a breeze.
Lower rear cover was a pain, especially with one more wire in the way. But got it handled.

When the rat followed the coolant leak into my engine compartment and ate my MAF wire, I wrapped the splice up with gaffer's tape "because it's easy to remove." Well, let me tell you, not after it gets hot! What a mess.
Took it all off, wrapped with hi-temp electrical wire, and covered most-exposed portion with shrink-wrap. Still not beautiful, but much better. But it took over an hour to remove that sticky hot mess.

Fired it up. Top-down, it seemed a tiny bit louder and deeper than before, with new pops and snaps (though not really any enhanced burbles.) Drone (1800-2300rpm exhaust resonance) - which is not bad, but just barely noticeable to me - seemed a tiny bit more pronounced. Power is very good! But engine was cold, ECU was adapting, and I hadn't verified oil level yet - so took it easy.
No CEL, and very happy.

Top wouldn't go down, but that seems to be related to the passenger side window being a little sticky and not going with the full-auto function. Individual switch moved window, and top did it's thing like a champ.
Whew!

[tjswarbrick]

This morning, roof closed, sounds completely stock. Whatever pops, rumble, wastegate hiss, turbo whine I heard last night is completely masked.

Power seems more insistent.
Delivery is smooth, smooth, smooth. Smoother than stock. Rev-matching is easier than ever.

Not very scientific, but a passing maneuver which usually gets me up to the low 90's (pokey Toyota in fast lane; keep in 6th - no downshift; couple seconds WOT) had me darn near 100. Whoops!

Between traffic on the onramps and misbehaving apps I wasn't able to time any "before" runs - so performing any "afters" will be kinda moot.
But so far I'm very impressed with the JB Stage 1 paired with fresh spark plugs.

[tjswarbrick]

Here are the old plugs and the tools I "created" to make the work a little easier:



And here is the filthy filthy old cabin filter. Yummy!

[tjswarbrick]

128i BMWP short-shift lever on the way.

Pulled the JB Stage 1 when the HPFP's were going out. Now I miss it; going to install again. Thinking of yanking the Cowl and getting the small filters at the same time.

Also considering M-Design intake and Agency Power axle-back.
Partly because they look quite affordable right about now, and mostly because they aren't as much louder than stock as most alternatives, and none give a particularly mind-blowing performance improvement.
Anybody with experience on one or both?
Volume? Sound? Performance? Quality? Ease of installation?
Any reason to expect AP exhaust to not fit the convertible? (Willing to add spacers to driver's side cross-brace, if necessary. Unwilling to remove it.)

[tjswarbrick]

Last week, pulled the cowl, installed BMS Cowl Filters, and re-installed the JB Stage 1.
Difference doesn't seem as great as it was the first time, but a little more pops/burbles, and somewhat more insistent pull through the upper midrange.
I do like hearing a little turbo spool without the cowl. Not much difference, noise wise, otherwise.

Did some before/after 54-74mph pulls (20mph passing, based on 120kph range of my acceleration app.)
6th gear: 8 seconds, before and after.
5th gear: 7 seconds, before and after.
4th gear: 6 seconds before, 5.5 seconds after.
3rd gear: 4.2 - 4.3 seconds, before and after.
Before's were taken at about 95 deg F ambient temp. It was 105 degrees out by the time I got it installed and started doing the after's. Was running 96 Octane that day.

This week, sitting in the garage awaiting my "free" time:
e60 550 SSK lever,
MDesign Performance Carbon Cold Air Intake,
Agency Power Axle-back Exhaust.

Expect to have time over the weekend to tackle installations. Have Friday off, and use of wife's car, so may even start tomorrow night.

I do wonder if I'll want to switch the UCP to "Race" configuration after installation of the SSK lever. Maybe remove the helper spring. Perhaps I'm beginning to forget what a ridiculous bear it was to get that thing in place.
I'll do my best to take pictures, but generally get so involved in the install that it doesn't happen.

[135ivert]

Originally Posted by tjswarbrick

Last week, pulled the cowl, installed BMS Cowl Filters, and re-installed the JB Stage 1.
Difference doesn't seem as great as it was the first time, but a little more pops/burbles, and somewhat more insistent pull through the upper midrange.
I do like hearing a little turbo spool without the cowl. Not much difference, noise wise, otherwise.

Did some before/after 54-74mph pulls (20mph passing, based on 120kph range of my acceleration app.)
6th gear: 8 seconds, before and after.
5th gear: 7 seconds, before and after.
4th gear: 6 seconds before, 5.5 seconds after.
3rd gear: 4.2 - 4.3 seconds, before and after.
Before's were taken at about 95 deg F ambient temp. It was 105 degrees out by the time I got it installed and started doing the after's. Was running 96 Octane that day.

This week, sitting in the garage awaiting my "free" time:
e60 550 SSK lever,
MDesign Performance Carbon Cold Air Intake,
Agency Power Axle-back Exhaust.

Expect to have time over the weekend to tackle installations. Have Friday off, and use of wife's car, so may even start tomorrow night.

I do wonder if I'll want to switch the UCP to "Race" configuration after installation of the SSK lever. Maybe remove the helper spring. Perhaps I'm beginning to forget what a ridiculous bear it was to get that thing in place.
I'll do my best to take pictures, but generally get so involved in the install that it doesn't happen.

N54 vs. N55, but I found the CAI to add noticeable turbo noise. Interested to hear what you think once you get it installed.

[tjswarbrick]

Thanks for the info. I'll keep you posted!
I haven't seen a ton of reviews on the MDesign CAI, but one guy said it was a lot louder, and someone else sold theirs because it wasn't loud enough!
Personally (as far as sound goes), I'm just hoping for a little more aggressive induction noise, and a little additional volume, but not intrusively loud when I'm not "on" it. That, and avoiding heat soak, are my reasoning behind getting a "sealed" system.
Mostly, going for personalization and hoping it'll improve low-end response and top-end flow. Though I don't expect it to provide a terribly significant performance increase.

[tjswarbrick]

Installed the MDesign Performance Carbon Cold Air Intake for N55:



http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...9#post22118929

[tjswarbrick]

Installed the Agency Power AP-135i-170 exhaust with Ti tips on my N55 135i!

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...4#post22123384

[tjswarbrick]

Turbo response was getting worse and worse.
Wouldn't start pulling hard until 4500rpm.

Yesterday morning, fairly cold engine, accelerating up to expressway speed; big misfire and exhaust"Pop."
Backed off. Took it easy until fully warm. Response felt sketchy, but she got me to work.

On the way home, after warm up (and ambient was 95F) attempted a full throttle 6th gear pass from 60mph.
Threw a DSC warning and went into limp mode!
Showed the "half engine" icon, and said it was okay to continue under reduced power. But it felt like the overheating 2k rpm 1/4 throttle max limp mode, not the sending-all-your-boost-to-the-heavens limp mode.
Pulled off, shut down for 3 minutes, started on my way. Had lots of errands to run!

Took it easy the rest of the afternoon, and had no more issues. But it felt funny and I never went into boost. (Still faster than local Camry's and Corollas.)

After she cooled down I pulled the JB Stage 1.
Let her warm up, then did a couple strafing runs.
Ambient was down to 65F, but she felt like her usual self - with a little better breathing, and some extra burbliness.

Not sure if the JB S1 has gone bad, if it just doesn't get along with the MDesign intake and AP axle back, or if it giving a preview of some upcoming deeper issue. But that thing us staying off.

[tjswarbrick]

Terry at Burger confirmed that the JB Stage 1 is not malfunctioning and performing as designed. Also noted that those with bolt-ons should really consider a JB4.

Intake really isn't much louder than stock. Tiny bit, I suppose. But pulling the cowl made much more of a difference than installing the CAI did. And, frankly, even that wasn't much difference.

Exhaust is more noticeable. It's always there, but not in a bad way. Additional blattiness coming from the left side of the vehicle. Sounds nice. Doesn't Drone, but can be heard on the freeway at 80mph. Pretty quiet at 70 in 6th. Throaty at low RPM; doesn't have much to say above 5k. Not quite what I was hoping for. But, better than stock, and more than I could reasonably expect for the minimal $ outlay.
It came with coarse bolts, but the weld-nuts on the flange are fine.

Installed, removed, bent, re-installed E60 550i SSK lever.
Actually, I straightened out the kink.
As supplied, it was very far forward and my knuckles would go into the cupholder in 5th.
After un-bending, I flipped it 180 degrees and re-installed. It's great in the forward-most gear positions. Rear-most (2nd, 4th, 6th) are nearly inline with factory Neutral position. But the shift throw went from 70mm to 58mm (measured at the base of the ZHP knob.) Feels great.
Interestingly, not intuitively, it also RAISED the shift knob location nearly an inch. So it falls easily to hand, and does not LOOK like a short shifter.
Factory boot no longer goes all the way to the knob. So a leather one from Redline is on the way.

New, corrected, 5th gear location:


UCP, CDV Delete, SSK lever, and AP exhaust sing a wonderful, coherent, synchronized tune every shift. Guys, I think I'm finally there!

[tjswarbrick]

Not much of a mod, but I got a coolant flush, fuel system flush, and Diff fluid replaced last weekend at 96k mi. Don't notice a difference, but I think they needed to be done. Coolant surprised me since I got a new water pump and thermostat last summer, but the SA said there was excess water so I had 'em do it.
15% off due to a couple inspection offers, but still kinda steep at the dealer.

He couldn't accurately diagnose the leaky oil pan gasket. Thought it was the OFHG.
That was done 2 years ago; then last year a cheapo WIX filter spilled its guts at 4k mi.
Had my indy who did the OFH and OFHG pop in a Genuine BMW filter then. Apparently he didn't clean it up much.
Only using BMW filters from now on.

Not losing any oil in the last 10k+ mi, so still holding off on oil pan.