N55 charge pipe - beef up before it fails

[PA135i]

Originally Posted by Marlbombs

I've never seen someone advocate so strongly for a stock plastic tube before.

You have now.
And I've never seen so many people advocate for a non-stock tube before.
Besides.. I like my stock plastic tube. It has never let me down.
You live long enough you see everything huh. lol

[Marlbombs]

Originally Posted by PA135i

You have now.
And I've never seen so many people advocate for a non-stock tube before.
Besides.. I like my stock plastic tube. It has never let me down.
You live long enough you see everything huh. lol

For sure. LOL I have spent a lot of time on car forums, but this is my first BMW and I have to say it's a different experience. (not in a bad way. Just different.)

[PA135i]

Originally Posted by Marlbombs

For sure. LOL I have spent a lot of time on car forums, but this is my first BMW and I have to say it's a different experience. (not in a bad way. Just different.)

Yeah, you disagree with a fellow modder and you can see the "mileage" (pardon the pun) you can get out of a tube.

[decaturdad]

I am replacing mine tonight after it broke with 41,000 stock miles. But I have a problem. I cannot fond the o-ring. It is not on the old part or on the car. I have been looking in the engine bay and will keep looking. Anyone found one in there? Where do they end up? Or where can i get one?

[PA135i]

Originally Posted by decaturdad

I am replacing mine tonight after it broke with 41,000 stock miles. But I have a problem. I cannot fond the o-ring. It is not on the old part or on the car. I have been looking in the engine bay and will keep looking. Anyone found one in there? Where do they end up? Or where can i get one?

Just order a new one through Mike@X-ph. $195 for the VSRF direct fit.
They ship them out within 24 hours so you should have it quick.

[jhipp]

Originally Posted by decaturdad

I am replacing mine tonight after it broke with 41,000 stock miles. But I have a problem. I cannot fond the o-ring. It is not on the old part or on the car. I have been looking in the engine bay and will keep looking. Anyone found one in there? Where do they end up? Or where can i get one?

If you can't find it inside of the old charge pipe where it connects to the throttle body, you should be able to buy it separately from a dealer or online. I believe it's part # 13717568031

Here's the realoem diagram where you can see that it is #26: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=13_1357

[The Wind Breezes]

You could probably find one at an auto parts store. They carry O-rings.

[decaturdad]

I replaced my original charge pipe last night. It broke on Sunday on a stock engine. Somehow, the original o-ring was no longer around. (I guess it is somewhere in the engine. It would be nice if the replacement charge pipe had come with a new one. I ended up going to the local auto parts store and buying an oil filter and used that o-ring. Car seems good :-)



And my son gets his 328 back. (I needed to get work....)

[Solo_M_Tech]

Originally Posted by decaturdad

I replaced my original charge pipe last night. It broke on Sunday on a stock engine. Somehow, the original o-ring was no longer around. (I guess it is somewhere in the engine. It would be nice if the replacement charge pipe had come with a new one. I ended up going to the local auto parts store and buying an oil filter and used that o-ring. Car seems good :-)



And my son gets his 328 back. (I needed to get work....)

I would take the chargepipe and throttle body off and see if you can find that o-ring. Worse case it just fell out when the charge pipe broke and is laying on that undertray. Worse case it somehow gets into an intake port and bends a valve. I wouldn't risk it. It's too easy to investigate.

[tracer bullet]

Originally Posted by PA135i

There have been how many 135's produced between 2008 and 2013?
How many have had a failed chargepipe?

Agreed. It seems to be one of the more likely components to fail, and it happens under any boost level, but there's no certainties that it will fail, in fact even at a couple percent chance it's still highly unlikely.

Doesn't mean it's not "worth" it to people, just not something to be scared of.

That said I have indeed changed mine out, hah.

[stangman]

I wanted to add an alternative twist to this conversation. Certainly it seems all parties have merit in their positions, but what has not been considered is the variability in the manufacturing process for the component itself. I come at this from a raw materials/resins and part production perspective. The stock charge pipes are mass produced likely with a blow molding process that inherently has variability to the final outcome. Variability in melt temperature, parison hang time, blow pressure, wall gauge, etc. all play a role in the integrity of the part. Ideally molded and as OEM validated the stock pipe might do just fine for the life of the vehicle even under non stock loads ( read boost). Now consider that you lost the lottery and have a CP that was molded on the low end of the "spec", and factor in that polymers degrade with temperature over time, you role the dice. Failure mode will be accelerated with boost pressure regardless of tune because the plastic does not "know" how the pressure was generated, only that it must contain it. You can be certain that stock OEM components are selected with cost in mind, so going aftermarket adds a measure of security. This isn't about who is right or wrong as are most debates, only that if you are comfortable with the risk and potential failure, stay stock. Is piece of mind worth $200 to you?

[Solo_M_Tech]

Originally Posted by stangman

I wanted to add an alternative twist to this conversation. Certainly it seems all parties have merit in their positions, but what has not been considered is the variability in the manufacturing process for the component itself. I come at this from a raw materials/resins and part production perspective. The stock charge pipes are mass produced likely with a blow molding process that inherently has variability to the final outcome. Variability in melt temperature, parison hang time, blow pressure, wall gauge, etc. all play a role in the integrity of the part. Ideally molded and as OEM validated the stock pipe might do just fine for the life of the vehicle even under non stock loads ( read boost). Now consider that you lost the lottery and have a CP that was molded on the low end of the "spec", and factor in that polymers degrade with temperature over time, you role the dice. Failure mode will be accelerated with boost pressure regardless of tune because the plastic does not "know" how the pressure was generated, only that it must contain it. You can be certain that stock OEM components are selected with cost in mind, so going aftermarket adds a measure of security. This isn't about who is right or wrong as are most debates, only that if you are comfortable with the risk and potential failure, stay stock. Is piece of mind worth $200 to you?

To me, yes. I don't want my car jumping into limp mode while on the track or driving down the hyway because i didn't change it out. It's just insurance, and when you consider the cost of a tow truck, and the inconvinience factor, $200 is acceptable insurance money. I agree that the failure rates of the stock charge pipe seem random, and this would point to manufacuring variances. Would you risk the stock charge pipe breaking 300 miles from home and having to pay that rediculous tow bill? ( the tow bill may be negated by insurance or AAA, but not everyone has that option)

[shawnj]

Mine just failed yesterday. I was able to put it back on with another clamp until I get the other one in.

vr-speed site doesn't seem to be working...

[shawnj]

Installed my VRSF Chargepipe last night. Easy install, snug fit. great service from x-ph.

[135TX]

Catastrophic charge pipe failure last weekend at the track! I had purchased one from @mike@xph and hadn't installed it yet. My n55 with 38k was running stage 2 Cobb OTS map ~16.5 lbs boost and have tracked the car multiple times. I was blown away that the car threw no codes. Any way 2 hours of travel time later and a bloody knuckle and she made more laps

[geeyore]

Originally Posted by PA135i

They have tuned many 535's 135's 335's and have not seen any stock charge pipes fail.

My OE charge pipe failed yesterday on the track, so I'd say that's not correct. Third track day since tune.

[PA135i]

I got one, just for insurance reasons. At $195 including shipping why not.
So we can put this one to bed guys. I'm 10 days into this new tune and still getting it to adapt, but I have no worries of cracking the "c-pipe".

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Originally Posted by geeyore

My OE charge pipe failed yesterday on the track, so I'd say that's not correct. Third track day since tune.

Upgrading to a quality aftermarket charge pipe is important on the N55 E-series. They fail a lot.

Mike

[GabeQ]

Originally Posted by PA135i

I have 93K miles on my car. It has been under stock boost until 2 years ago when I got BMW PPK1, which is more boost.

Mine has not failed in 93K miles. For my application, I will take the advice from both the tuner and in the indy shop I use. Must not be a weak point on my car.

I guess we disagree.

I know this is old but my charge pipe exploded and when I took it to BMW, they said it's common

[Jason135i]

I don’t think these break from boost pressure. They just become brittle and crack from vibrating. It would probably take way over 100 psi of air pressure to crack the pipe, which is nowhere near even what a boosted turbo would produce.

[N54Yankee]

Originally Posted by Jason135i

I don’t think these break from boost pressure. They just become brittle and crack from vibrating. It would probably take way over 100 psi of air pressure to crack the pipe, which is nowhere near even what a boosted turbo would produce.

They sure do go from boost pressure. Most often they blow soon after a boost increase tune is installed. Mine on its first maiden drive after installing Cobb with 15 lbs it gave up. When I installed the VRSF replacement you can easily see the very noticeable expansion of the heavy duty silicone hose section when looking underhood when the throttle is applied. Even on an old excessive underhood heat aged pipe with stock turbo pressure is enough to do its damage.

Air pressure like water pressure will easily find the weak points of a piece of equipment, in the case of stock charge pipes it's usually at the mounting section where it attaches to the manifold.

[WindUp]

I wish I had seen this post and replaced it before it failed on the way to work today. My drive home is 65 miles. Too far to drive with a cracked charge pipe?