Review: JB3 + RR Catless DPS + BMS Dual Cones on 135 (v81)

[E82tt6]

I'm happy to report that I've been running this setup for just about 3 weeks and 3,500 miles logged with ABSOLUTELY no problems, codes, limps, or strangeness. Stability has been absolutely flawless, as has smoothness and performance. Gains have been staggering.

The only Dyno I had done after the changes was before adaptation (actually picked up 20hp from one run to the next), and in high temperatures. The car was only boosting to 12psi, and dumping fuel to get to as rich as 10.5:1 due to the extreme high temperatures, and it STILL made more 340rwhp. I'm going to get the car dynod again under proper conditions and now that it's fully adapted, as well as take a trip to the track. If Dynolicious numbers are accurate, the 1/4th mile performance will be EXTREMELY impressive!

On the street, the car is transformed. Part throttle response and smoothness is considerably improved from stock, with absolutely no turbo lag over 2,000 RPMs. I mean none at all. Feels like an NA car. The TPS based boost logic of JB3 makes controlling power delivery at part throttle easier than stock, which is a lot of fun in situations where you want to steer with the throttle! The power curve is also transformed, completely different feeling from stock. From 1500-3,000 boost hangs around 8psi, scales up from 10-12 between 3,000 and 4,500, and from 4,500 up to 6,000 will hold 13-14 psi, with boost tapering down above 6k. The result is incredible top end pull, and the kind of power delivery one might expect from a V8, rather than a turbo I6.

I really can't speak highly enough about how much JB3 has improved power delivery and drivabilty. IMO, it's worth it for this ALONE, before one even considers the power gains. It feels like this is how BMW SHOULD have tuned throttle and boost response from the factory. It now feels more like the engine in a sports car should.

Acceleration is fantastic. With 245 RE01Rs out back, first gear is FUN! The power is right on the ragged edge of what those tires can contain, which makes tail out antics easy! It's also easy to deliver JUST the right amount of torque (thanks to TPS based boost control) to keep the tires squealing, but not spinning, through all of first gear to yeild maximum possible acceleration and traction. Keep an eye on the tach though, first and second go by FAST. 25-70 in second gear happens about twice as fast as stock. Yeah, that means about 3 seconds flat.

Third gear pull from 60mph and up is incredible, you continue to gain AT LEAST 10mph a second (more from 60-90) up to 100mph in third gear. You WILL get to 100mph from a dead stop in under 10 seconds, even if you don't launch the car, and even if you don't flat foot shifts. It's just that quick. Fourth feels like it pulls harder than third did stock. 100-130 goes by in a flash. I'd rather not give you my recorded 0-120 times, as I don't want too much speculation on trap speeds until I get to ATCO or ETown, but it does it fast enough that the car will indubitably trap over 110mph on street gas.

To put this into real world terms, say comparisons against the "big boys":
You WILL stay within about 8 car lengths of a 997TT from 40-140.
You WILL absolutely outpace considerably cars like E46 M3, S6 (V10), RS4, 997, and of course Evo/STi.
You will be able to keep RIGHT up with the like of C6 Corvettes, that's a driver's race.

Quite simply, the 135i goes from being a fairly quick car, to an astoundling quick car with a couple basic bolt ons. Very few cars will pick up this kind of power from down pipes and tuning.

Pinout installation was simple. I think anyone with basic electrical or mechanical experience could do it comfortably. Instructions are straight forward, and I did it in under 10 minutes once the cover to the ECU box was off, and I was taking my sweet time and triple checking everything. If you can count, have some semblance of manual dexterity and the abilty to follow directions, Pinout is NOT intimidating, I promise.

I gtive this 5 stars, two thumbs up, and my seal of approval.

You'd be SILLY not to get this setup for your car. Smoothness and response is better than factory, with an amount of power on tap that is out of this world. At about $1,500, this should be a mandatory buy for every enthusiast 135i driver! :thumbup:

It's proven to be completely V81 safe and reliable for me, and I've done HARD driving under hard conditions, including 100+ degree weather with 90%+ humidity.

[imported_mega]

how hard is undoing the pinout install? Ie going into the shop for service

[Riss Racing]

Pin Out is very easy to install/uninstall. If you need help shoot us a call our techs will walk you through it. I know Terry is very helpful and always available as well.

Very nice review glad your happy!!!!!

[TunedM2C]

Great review. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Kris]

+1, JB3 is fantastic!! And I'm not running intake, exhaust, IC or DP's. The pull is great!

[I-One-Da?]

Can the JB3 be detected? Or is it undetectable at this point like the SSTT is?

Great review:thumbup:

[Riss Racing]

Originally Posted by Kris

+1, JB3 is fantastic!! And I'm not running intake, exhaust, IC or DP's. The pull is great!

[new2the3]

Did you install all 3 parts at once or did you do them at different times? How does the car sound with intake and downpipes? Is it just right or a little too loud? Compare it to stock if you can. Thanks. Btw, that is the exact same setup I want except the PNP version.

[E82tt6]

I did all three at once. I love the way it sounds. Turbo spool is much more peominant and slightly louder and deeper especially at wot. Actaully not quite agressive enough IMO.

Originally Posted by slm95

Did you install all 3 parts at once or did you do them at different times? How does the car sound with intake and downpipes? Is it just right or a little too loud? Compare it to stock if you can. Thanks. Btw, that is the exact same setup I want except the PNP version.

[TT1351]

Just took my car with the JB3 out for it's first test run, E82TT6 said it all. Thing goes like stink! I have a BMW performance exhaust and it has changed the sound, no longer do I have the snarl from 3K on up, to me it seems quiter, but the JB3, damn, i don't know where you can buy cheaper horsepower! Next will be my catted Riss Racing DP's, will keep you posted.
Fran

[Jaymz]

Excellent review and write up. Looks like JB3 might be for me!

[WAY]

Nice review E82TT6! I have been saying all along that this car needs a downpipe (especially the RR catless one!), and I was very much against the JB3 initially due to Terry saying that it can't handle the mid range torque of a DP. DP is very important for anyone that tracks their cars as it allows the car to continue to breath and pull at high RPM. I have an AA tune with the RR catless DP and it pulls all the way to the red line with no letting up - thanks Riss Racing! Is your tune a DP tune or just a standard JB3 tune? I am going to try AA's downpipe tune next and when I am brave enough, I will go for the race tune with ELF race fuel.

Have you track this car? Or do you know of anyone with JB3/V81 who has tracked their cars? That is the only unanswered question for me. I would like to know if there are any issues at all when running hot. There has been many tunes out there that has gone to limp mode on the track. Given this is primarily a track car for me, that is a very important consideration.

[Upgrade+]

Good to see your running safe. And your a post march build? Terry has mentioned issues of downpipes for post march builds losing on torque. Run another dyno soon and see how the numbers fair. This is what I wanted to do until I heard about the torque issues since I'm a june build. Feel free to correct me if i'm wrong. I think he was working on a map or something to run a downpipe set up with JB3.

[GQ 135i]

Nice write up and review.

[marcus]

Thx for the write up. I have a noob question though. Once you have the JB3 installed, you are ready to go right or do you have to tue it somehow due to PSI? thanks

[TunedM2C]

^ Ready to go bro...

[135-CS]

Originally Posted by TT1351

Just took my car with the JB3 out for it's first test run I have a BMW performance exhaust and it has changed the sound, no longer do I have the snarl from 3K on up, to me it seems quiter,

Anyone have any idea why this is happening, I thought it should sound much louder with the JB3.

[Kris]

My car is also quieter..

[E82tt6]

Yea I have v81. I played guinea pig for Terry. Torque loss is relative. You still make more than you would with just jb3, but not quite as much as a v80 car. HP will be the same between v80 and v81.

Originally Posted by UpGrade+

Good to see your running safe. And your a post march build? Terry has mentioned issues of downpipes for post march builds losing on torque. Run another dyno soon and see how the numbers fair. This is what I wanted to do until I heard about the torque issues since I'm a june build. Feel free to correct me if i'm wrong. I think he was working on a map or something to run a downpipe set up with JB3.

[RiXst3r]

Great review!

[Riss Racing]

OP, Anymore feedback with the added miles??? Thanks!

[E82tt6]

Originally Posted by anthony@rissracing

OP, Anymore feedback with the added miles??? Thanks!

Still haven't made it to the track. Work has been rough on my lately.

I'm closing in on 4,500 miles with Jb3 on the car now, and still not ONE issue. Power continues to be smooth, getting even better with time, and the car feels absolutely natural and easy to control. No issues with your catless DPs and Terry's sims in combination.

HOPEFULLY I'll be able to make it to the drag strip next week. I anticipate some good trap speeds, though I don't think I'll be able to get below 12.5 without DRs. We shall see though.

I've also done a couple tanks of straight Sunnoco 100 Octane, just to see how it runs. It runs well! :thumbup: The power at full boost (4500-6000) is insane at this point. Big seat of the pants difference.

I'm now thinking about adding either your exhaust, or an IC. Honestly, the car is very easy to control at this power level, it feels like it can handle a lot more. I may do some suspension tweaking first though, as the stock setup is a bit too squishy for my liking, and I think it'll handle the power even better.

I'm anxious to see what Terry has in store as far as the tune goes. He mentioned something on N54tech about working on something a bit more agressive, to see if we could get a bit more power out of DPs. I know a race gas map is also in the works.

Really, I couldn't be happier. The car has been completely problem free, which is great given that I installed it expecting to have some considerable tune issues that needed to be ironed out, running v81+catless DPs.