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08-12-2017, 03:49 PM | #199 |
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Which ones did you decide to go with!?!?
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08-14-2017, 10:23 AM | #200 |
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But what's the fun in spilling the beans with no pictures? They're still about a month from shipping, but as soon as they arrive I'll give the new hardware a dedicated shoot.
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08-14-2017, 08:42 PM | #201 |
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Fair point, I know I would want to hold on on the news until I could make a proper video!
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chadillac20001227.50 |
08-29-2017, 04:22 PM | #202 | |
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I've got the same brake light overlay waiting to go on and I recently did the valve cover gasket as well (video coming very soon). Good to see your original cover was still in good shape, mine looked to be as well after just under 160k.
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Monaco Blue/Coral Red | MHD BE Flash | RI M1 Bumper | VRSF 7" FMIC | aFe DCI Intake | AR Catless DP | ER CP & Tial Q BOV | H&R Springs | VMR 18" | Black Gloss Grills | aFe Air Intake Scoops | MFactory SMFW | 335is Clutch | Blacked Out Side Markers | Carbon Fiber Deck Spoiler | LUX LED Angel Eyes | BMW Aluminum Pedals | BMS OCC | Mishimoto OCC | RB Turbo External PVC Kit | JB4 w/ Wireless | PR Stage 2 Fuel Pump | BMS SSK
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09-10-2017, 07:05 PM | #203 |
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For most of 2017, I've been researching, ordering parts, and pinching pennies to put towards the inevitable turbo upgrade that many of us N54 owners embark upon. Some of us upgrade by choice, others are forced due to failure. I fall somewhere in between. While my turbo seals are more than likely shot and smoke when coming to a stop while still in gear, at 85,000 miles, they still spool quickly and pull hard on 20+ PSI off the shelf E40 maps with inlets.
When I first won the $1000 discount contest from Vargas Turbo Technologies back in March, I had loftier power goals--goals that could only be achieved with more fueling than my Fuel-IT! Stage 2 LPFP could provide. That's when I gathered the pieces to add a full JB4 incorporated port injection system. As I continued to read stories of trashed motors thanks to port injection related misfires, the more I began to second guess my build strategy. After all, keeping the daily drivability and reliability was of upmost importance considering how much attention I paid to maintenance. The thoughts of 650HP were nice to imagine, but dealing with tons of boost and timing, a less than desirable SMFW clutch setup (that will rattle unless idle is brought up to nearly 1000rpm), and the constant fear of misfires and consequently ruining a cylinder with port injection did not sound like something I wanted for my road warrior daily driver. After carefully considering all possible options, I unloaded the port injection setup to a fellow forum member and let go of the idea of installing a Spec Stage 3+ clutch and SMFW flywheel. Instead I would keep my power goals modest, but employ larger than necessary hybrid turbochargers to keep stress on the system to a minimum. This is the final collection of parts that I've stockpiled, as well as an unboxing of all of the beautiful VTT components that showed up earlier this week. The entire box was around 50 pounds and fairly large, but came well packaged with plenty of bubble wrap and packing peanuts. Right on top were the VTT intake components of the kit which included: 2" silicone inlets, silicone hot side charge pipe (outlets), dual cone filters, the "C" FMIC modification so everything will mate with my 7" VRSF intercooler, and the appropriate connections/clamps. And the snails I ultimately decided to pull the trigger on: GC Lites. Along with the turbos and associated silicone piping, I'll also be tackling a ton of other things while everything is torn down; mostly maintenance items that will be easy to access. Fresh oil, oil filter, NGK plugs, and new vacuum hoses all around are a given. Heeding the advice of fellow forum members, I picked up this feeler style gauge to gap the plugs this time at .022 instead of the less-accurate coin style gauge I'd been using prior. I went ahead and gapped these so I wouldn't have to worry about it later. For what it's worth, I didn't had any misfires with the plugs that I gapped with the coin style gauge at the same .022 measurement. In addition to the basics, I have a large pile of plastic wrapped replacement parts to install once the subframe is removed and everything is thoroughly cleaned. Included is a new turbocharger install kit from VTT, new v-band clamps, downpipe gaskets, oil pan gasket, all new oil pan hardware, oil level sensor o-ring, water pump and thermostat aluminum bolts, and a gallon of OEM coolant. The last area to address would be the OEM N54 clutch/flywheel that I'm currently running. I do not launch the car and drive modestly for the most part aside from some rolling pulls through 3rd and 4th gear, so I haven't experienced any slipping or negative things to report at my current FBO levels, but with much more power I know I will--especially when surpassing the 500HP threshold. Since I am not willing to deal with the chatter and vibrations associated with the SMFW and on/off clutch feel in a car I deal with in traffic on hills every daily, I'm capping myself power output wise at the limitations of the OEM 335is/550i clutch; whether that be from DMFW related misfires or actual slippage. While the transmission is out, I'll be replacing the existing setup with the 335is/550i clutch upgrade (with clutch disk, throwout bearing, clutch fork lever, pressure plate and pressure plate bolts), LUK DMFW, new flywheel bolts, transmission to engine bolts, pilot bearing, clutch alignment tool, manual transmission service kit with new drain/fill bolts, two quarts of Redline D4 ATF; a fluid that I've loved for the past 15,000 miles. I'm also hoping that the rear 2" VTT inlet will be somewhat easier to install with the transmission removed. Even the 1.75" MMP inlets I have installed now were nearly impossible with the transmission and turbos in place. The sheer amount of parts to install is intimidating, but I'm also very excited for the experience. I have the engine support bar sitting in my basement that I'll need for the install, so at this point the only thing I have left is to decide when would be most convenient to tear the car down. With how well the car is currently running, this is a very involved tear down that I'm in no hurry to start. My 135i just turned 85,000 miles on the odometer, and I'll do my very best to make it to 100,000 miles before installing any of this unless I'm forced to do so because of clutch or turbocharger failure. Plenty of breathing room by utilizing the GC Lites at lower boost levels, the stock-like feel of the 550i clutch and DMFW flywheel, taking care of A TON of hard-to-reach maintenance items, and being able to give the subframe and everything hiding underneath a bath sounds like something I'm going to enjoy very much! Most customers that upgrade to hybrids of this size are chasing horsepower numbers or do roll races for fun, but I'm a little different. I don't street race and don't go to organized racing events. I enjoy backroads, long sweepers on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and getting my blood pumping on certain on-ramps. This will be more of a test of how long these puppies will last at moderate boost levels with proper fueling, larger free flowing pipes bringing air in and out, and all maintenance completely up to date. Thanks to Vargas Turbo Technologies again for helping me save some coin! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In other news, I installed a set of 21" OEM Porsche Sport Plus 2 wheels, 295 width Continental rubber, 15mm and 20mm ECS spacers and bolts, and painted the calipers red with new Porsche decals on my 958 Cayenne. Absolutely loving the look and drives even better than it did with the original 18 wheels. Car life is good! |
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09-11-2017, 10:30 AM | #204 |
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Holy shiz man that looks great!
Unrelated - I'm not sure which one of your build threads to keep up with
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09-29-2017, 09:38 AM | #207 | ||
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If wanted anything more than a somewhat reliable 525-550HP, I'd probably be forced into the SMFW + a beefier clutch combo (and all that comes with it with noise and engagement). The more and more research I do on the Spec Stage 3+ option, the more it seems the quality is hit or miss, and the last thing I want to after installing all of this hardware is to have to go back in and repair something due to quality control issues from a manufacturer. |
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09-29-2017, 11:55 PM | #208 |
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After just registering as a member of this forum, I'm stoked to have found this build thread.
Hats off to you for an all around stellar job; both on the car and documenting it for the community. I look forward to absorbing more knowledge and hope to see more pictures of Winston! Last edited by Rundskop; 10-01-2017 at 02:31 PM.. |
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10-12-2017, 03:20 PM | #209 |
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Keep the updates coming Chad. Such an awesome build and thread. This was my 3rd time going through it and I took a lot of notes
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Monaco Blue/Coral Red | MHD BE Flash | RI M1 Bumper | VRSF 7" FMIC | aFe DCI Intake | AR Catless DP | ER CP & Tial Q BOV | H&R Springs | VMR 18" | Black Gloss Grills | aFe Air Intake Scoops | MFactory SMFW | 335is Clutch | Blacked Out Side Markers | Carbon Fiber Deck Spoiler | LUX LED Angel Eyes | BMW Aluminum Pedals | BMS OCC | Mishimoto OCC | RB Turbo External PVC Kit | JB4 w/ Wireless | PR Stage 2 Fuel Pump | BMS SSK
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11-05-2017, 08:45 PM | #210 |
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Since my last post, I've continued to make my 135i work hard nearly every single day. I've made this car live up to the road warrior name, putting nearly 700 miles on it each week and enjoying every second along the way. Each morning with the clutch in and a push of the ignition button, the engine fires right up with no hesitation, releases a quick roar, then quickly settles down to idle because of the Quiet Start mode embedded within the MHD tune. I continue to find this coupe practical, comfortable, quick as hell, and an absolute blast to drive through a number of different driving situations.
I know my driving experience would be greatly enhanced by installing the GC Lite and other mods I have sitting in my spare room, but I still haven't been able to pin down an exact time to start this tedious teardown. In the meantime, my mileage is continuously increasing and that means more maintenance. Not only was it time for an oil change with fresh Motul, but also time for a new set of NGK plugs as its been about 18,000 miles of E40 and 20psi since they were last changed. Before we get to that, I wanted to share a few purchased I've been meaning to pull the trigger on. I've become less and less satisfied with the hodgepodge of different jacks and jack stands that I have access to at the shared garage I use, so I wanted to grab some new hardware that would be more suited for my setup. For jack stands I went with Esco 10498 low-profile units with the included large circular rubber jack pads. For the jack, I went with the Sunex 6602LP 2 Ton, Low Rider Service Jack, which I picked up off Amazon for $217.99. I chose this because of the 2.75" to 24" height range, which would allow me to use it on the 135i and my Cayenne. Regarding the turbocharger replacement that I'm about to undertake, this should allow me to get the car high enough off the ground to comfortably work for a week or two. Aside from the extreme weight (close to 100 pounds), this jack is impressive and looks phenonemal. Unfortunately, it arrived with no upper handle. Because of the hassle of returning such a heavy item, Amazon instead gave me a 50% refund. I was able to easily replace the upper handle with one off an old jack laying around the garage. The finishing touch for the Esco stands were these Pivot-Top posts made specifically for the BMW jack pad by Reverse Logic. Now I'll no longer need jack pad adapters or worrying about breaking the pads themselves by destroying them with y-shaped jack stands. I was a little disappointed to see that the Sunex jack wasn't long enough to fully reach the middle jack point under the engine by itself, but it got impressively close considering this car is lowered with a front lip. Using a smaller jack on one of the front jack pads using an adapter would still be necessary to get the new Sunex jack deep enough under the front bonnet. I was very satisfied to see the Pivot-Top posts slide smoothly into the jack pads. This height provided ample room for an oil change and the jack stands still have plenty of upward range; range that I'll utilize when swapping turbos. Sticking to the 5,000 mile oil change interval I've been adhering to lately, the old Motul X-Cess 5W40 oil was drained and replaced with 7 quarts of new Motul X-Cess 5W40, a new Mann oil filter and o-rings, and both catch cans were emptied. Since I drive this car so often, it only takes a few weeks before my Mishimoto OCC + RB external PCV needs dumping. As expected, after emptying the can a few weeks ago, today it was half full again. After 10,000 miles I checked the BMS OCC to find less than a teaspoon of oil coating the inside. I may get rid of that OCC altogether when replacing turbos. After addressing oil concerns, I then turned to the ignition. Eventually the old NGK plugs were out and looked pretty good from front to back. This came as no surprise however, as they've had zero misfires over their life. In addition to taking out the spark plugs, I also disconnected the injector electrical connections in preparation of performing a compression test--just to ease my mind about my smoking when coming to a stop. I'm fairly positive that the issue stems from leaking turbo seals, but I wanted confirmation there wasn't something more serious going on before I went through the trouble of upgrading to higher flowing turbochargers. For this, I utilized the OTC Deluxe Compression Kit. This was easy to use, had the correct insert, and worked perfectly. With the engine warm, but not hot, I left the spark plugs out and one by one hand tightened the compression tester in cylinders 1-6. Each time I would go inside the car, depress the clutch, and let the car turn over 10 times. When it was all said and done, my 92,000 mile N54 passed with flying colors. Afterwards, 6 new NGK plugs were installed and shouldn't need replacing until closer to 110,000 miles (or when I upgrade turbos), whichever comes first. And while I reinstalled the stock coils with around 25,000 miles of use on them because they were working perfectly at current power levels, reinforcements have arrived for the increased power right around the corner. I'll probably hold on to these and just install everything all at once closer to Spring. |
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11-05-2017, 09:32 PM | #211 |
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amazing update, always a pleasure to read!
I have the exact same jack and jack stands, However I bought my jack from harbour freight and I'm pretty sure its the same jack made in the same factory somewhere overseas, just re-branded as the harbour freight model. If I recall correctly, I bought it for around 110$ with a coupon in store! Also, I bought the esco jack stands from a site online they frequently drops the price on them. I paid about 32$ per jack stand as well! I made a youtube video about these a very long time ago in the beginning of my build thread but it didnt get much traffic, so I thought it would be good to mention this info here for anyone reading! Here is a link to the jack for those interested: https://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-...ump-68050.html Here is a link to the esco stands for cheap! (they are currently 70$ but price changes on them constantly, keep an eye out and they will eventually drop to around 33$ per stand) http://www.coastaltoolsupply.com/product/ESC-10498.html Also about jacking up the 135i, A really easy and simply way to get the 2 and 3/4 inch jack all the way to the front center jacking point, is to have 2 good old trusty 2x4's handy, each one about 2-3 feet long, and just drive the front tires onto them! This will effectively lift your front bumper 2 inches higher and then jack slips right under and the way to the jacking point! Ive found this to be way than messing around with another jack on one end oh and lastly, you'll be glad you have the esco stands and 24" max height jack when it comes time to installing the turbos. I put my car on level 5 on the esco stands one time just for fun, and it was very satisfying to see how much room there was under the car. Even on a creeper a couple inches above the ground I had plenty of breathing room under there!
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Matticus913503.00 chadillac20001227.50 |
11-06-2017, 08:47 AM | #212 |
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Great update chadillac2000 - I've been searching for some new stands and jack since I'll be lowering my car soon and these look great. Those pivot mounts are brilliant as well!
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chadillac20001227.50 |
11-06-2017, 11:02 AM | #213 | |
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The stands and the pivot mounts are an excellent combo and I'd definitely recommend them. Unfortunately it seems like multiple steps will always be necessary when raising a lowered 1er unfortunately, whether it be utilizing another jack or pulling up on pieces of wood. |
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11-07-2017, 10:53 PM | #214 |
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Where's the Chadster? Just when I thought you were slagging off!
ianc P.S. Good news on the comp test BTW. I always approach that with a good degree of trepidation... |
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11-08-2017, 11:05 AM | #215 |
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Not a big update, but ordered a dedicated bracket directly from Mishimoto to secure my OCC connected to the external PCV. I ran it closer to the firewall next to the BMS OCC for a while, but eventually moved it closer to the front headlight. I'd rigged up my own homemade bracket, but liked Mishimoto's in-house polished design better. When installed as originally intended I had some interference with the front inlet, but flipped over and it works perfectly. It gives the can just enough clearance around my inlets, headlights and chargepipe to empty without messing with any of the screws or brackets. Looks loads better too.
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11-08-2017, 11:05 AM | #216 |
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Ditto, haven't done my 1 yet
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12-09-2017, 04:13 PM | #218 | |
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---------------------------------------------------------------- In other news, Asheville got its first snow of the winter months, around 8 inches or so. The 1er, still sleeping outside every night, took it like a champ. This isn't her first time being frozen in place until the snow melts. Wheel arch shaped icicles. |
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12-10-2017, 12:35 PM | #219 |
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Wondered what had happened to Chad. Anything planned over the xmas break? Going to try to get strut mounts done myself...
Happy hols! ianc
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12-10-2017, 03:35 PM | #220 | |
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My Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 tires are also reaching the end of their life and one (or more) of my TPMS sensors have went out. Knowing I'll need them soon, I went ahead and secured a full set of the highly recommended Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 XL and some new TPMS sensors. Besides that, just continuing to drive, enjoy, and doing more research on the DIY turbo install I'll soon be embarking on. |
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