[tdavis42]

It seems like the two best upgrades to this engine without dropping 5K are these two mods.

My question is.....is there anything else to do to this engine to see HP gains for reasonable money?

The tune will come once both items are installed. I am planning on AA unless BPC can come up with a way to tune a car in AZ while they are in SC.

Since ESS is local to me I might consider them for a tune but I really haven't heard much about what they have to offer.

[Mike.]

sounds like you hit the nail on the head

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by Mike.

sounds like you hit the nail on the head

Has there been any better tune offered than AA's? I am leaning towards them 80% because I know they have had it for a while and I haven't heard of anyones car blowing up. I want the best of both worlds performance/reliability.

Any word on ESS and their tune? I have been reading all the dyno and shop specific threads and really can't tell if they are worth the extra few hundred.

[Mike.]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Has there been any better tune offered than AA's? I am leaning towards them 80% because I know they have had it for a while and I haven't heard of anyones car blowing up. I want the best of both worlds performance/reliability.

Any word on ESS and their tune? I have been reading all the dyno and shop specific threads and really can't tell if they are worth the extra few hundred.

maybe BPC but who knows. Check the dyno thread for AAs results, they speak for themselves.

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by Mike.

maybe BPC but who knows. Check the dyno thread for AAs results, they speak for themselves.

Believe me I have read that entire thread!

So now the golden question.... That I assume the answer is no but I have heard conflicting answers.

Will the disa valves be active before the tune? I know our cars are run by computers but I just can't understand how the ECU would know to start using disa's without being told to. Especially on a car that shouldn't be programmed for them in the first place.

[Mike.]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Believe me I have read that entire thread!

So now the golden question.... That I assume the answer is no but I have heard conflicting answers.

Will the disa valves be active before the tune? I know our cars are run by computers but I just can't understand how the ECU would know to start using disa's without being told to. Especially on a car that shouldn't be programmed for them in the first place.

hassmaschine

[hassmaschine]

All n52s are mapped for disa valves - but on single stage cars, they are basically disabled. I think only the 1st stage works without a tune.

[tdavis42]

That explains the answers I'm getting. Thank you for the quick response.

[rick100]

There isn't much besides headers, tune , 3 stage intake

Maybe charcoal delete, air intaker ( k and n , or any other) , pe exhaust , they may add some power but you probably won't even notice

If you go ESS forget about headers as they believe headers make you loose power , even though it has been dyno proven to gain powers. Very few people have their tune and they seem to be happy . Most here are running AA tune and I believe most of us are happy with it

Next route would be supercharger , but to be honest with you , I m not sold on the supercharger. For starters is not making more power than a stock 335 and the tuning is questionable . It seems to much of a headache

[Tom Droze]

If you are considering headers at all, I would go with the AA tune and the 3im first, then if you do get the catless headers the updated tune to support the headers is fairly inexpensive from what I recall. The ESS tune will not support catless headers so if you go that direction, catless headers will be out of the question, unless you pay for a complete new tune from AA. AFE catted headers are an option but buyer beware, after one year and two track days, I fried one of the cats and had to have the stock exhaust manifolds reinstalled.

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by rick100

There isn't much besides headers, tune , 3 stage intake

Maybe charcoal delete, air intaker ( k and n , or any other) , pe exhaust , they may add some power but you probably won't even notice

If you go ESS forget about headers as they believe headers make you loose power , even though it has been dyno proven to gain powers. Very few people have their tune and they seem to be happy . Most here are running AA tune and I believe most of us are happy with it

Next route would be supercharger , but to be honest with you , I m not sold on the supercharger. For starters is not making more power than a stock 335 and the tuning is questionable . It seems to much of a headache

Charcoal delete is done. K&N seems pointless as does the PE. Those are all for show and not for go. Supercharger is still not 100% figured out and I really question if it ever will be without proper fuel injectors(?) from what I've read.

I like a noisy car as much as the next guy but it needs to be car appropriate and a 328i should not be loud. M2/3/4 should be crackin' and poppin' not a 328.

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by Tom Droze

If you are considering headers at all, I would go with the AA tune and the 3im first, then if you do get the catless headers the updated tune to support the headers is fairly inexpensive from what I recall. The ESS tune will not support catless headers so if you go that direction, catless headers will be out of the question, unless you pay for a complete new tune from AA. AFE catted headers are an option but buyer beware, after one year and two track days, I fried one of the cats and had to have the stock exhaust manifolds reinstalled.

Do you know if Parts Score can do an AA tune? I know they have the dyno and are an AA authorized dealer but on AA's website they don't list them as official tuners.

[Tom Droze]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Do you know if Parts Score can do an AA tune? I know they have the dyno and are an AA authorized dealer but on AA's website they don't list them as official tuners.

Yes, Parts Score can do the AA tune, in fact, they are the ones who will be installing the ESS supercharger on my car. And with respect to the ESS supercharger, the latest dialogue you've read, the owner of that car had AA headers installed and ESS tried to tune for the the headers without success. The tunes ESS had been sending him to fix the bog did not work because his MAF has been covered in oil. The Gen2 supercharger comes with larger fuel injectors and ESS has sold many of these kits around the world, which is why they are currently on back order. Also, I will be reinstalling the stock tune prior to the supercharger install so ESS does not have to overwrite the AA tune.

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by Tom Droze

Yes, Parts Score can do the AA tune, in fact, they are the ones who will be installing the ESS supercharger on my car. And with respect to the ESS supercharger, the latest dialogue you've read, the owner of that car had AA headers installed and ESS tried to tune for the the headers without success. The tunes ESS had been sending him to fix the bog did not work because his MAF has been covered in oil. The Gen2 supercharger comes with larger fuel injectors and ESS has sold many of these kits around the world, which is why they are currently on back order.

I am interested to see how your car holds up to the heat out here with the SC. I know you track your car are you doing anything about cooling?

Are you getting your headers removed when you get the SC since you are getting a ESS tune or just going to clean your MAF?

[Tom Droze]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

I am interested to see how your car holds up to the heat out here with the SC. I know you track your car are you doing anything about cooling?

Are you getting your headers removed when you get the SC since you are getting a ESS tune or just going to clean your MAF?

Per my previous post, I had my stock exhaust manifolds reinstalled after I fried a cat in one of the AFE headers.

As for cooling Parts Score installed an Evolution Racewerks oil cooler.

To keep the MAF clean, I'm also having a BMS oil catch can installed.

[tdavis42]

Are you going with an aftermarket header setup or staying stock?

What causes the MAF to get oil on it in the first place?

What is the labor/hour charge at parts score?

[Tom Droze]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Are you going with an aftermarket header setup or staying stock?

What causes the MAF to get oil on it in the first place?

What is the labor/hour charge at parts score?

I'm staying with the stock exhaust manifolds as that is what the ESS tune supports.

Either too much oil on the K&N air filter or crankcase blow by, but more than likely crankcase blow by.

$95 per hour.

[rick100]

Originally Posted by Tom Droze

Yes, Parts Score can do the AA tune, in fact, they are the ones who will be installing the ESS supercharger on my car. And with respect to the ESS supercharger, the latest dialogue you've read, the owner of that car had AA headers installed and ESS tried to tune for the the headers without success. The tunes ESS had been sending him to fix the bog did not work because his MAF has been covered in oil. The Gen2 supercharger comes with larger fuel injectors and ESS has sold many of these kits around the world, which is why they are currently on back order. Also, I will be reinstalling the stock tune prior to the supercharger install so ESS does not have to overwrite the AA tune.

regarding ess supercharger the customer you are referring to did removed the headers and the car is still not running properly. Furthermore we are just speculating in regards to the maf sensor , as he has cleaned and monitor the temperature and it does not look like that is the problem. It may be but we still don't know. What we know is that the headers are out and the car still does not ran properly

Furthermore , it is not the first time a car is not running well with the ess supercharger, I recall reading a few members with that kit also having issues related to the tuning .

Im not saying the kit is bad , but its hard to justify paying over 5k for a kit that does not ran well and it gives so many headaches, reliability is still suspect and it does not produce more power than a stock 335 ... To each its own , personally I would not get the kit unless I was driving a wagon or something I put a lot of money into it ( m3 conversion or something like that)

[rick100]

Originally Posted by tdavis42

Charcoal delete is done. K&N seems pointless as does the PE. Those are all for show and not for go. Supercharger is still not 100% figured out and I really question if it ever will be without proper fuel injectors(?) from what I've read.

I like a noisy car as much as the next guy but it needs to be car appropriate and a 328i should not be loud. M2/3/4 should be crackin' and poppin' not a 328.

the pe exhaust is not too loud , neither is the k and n filter. Again the n52 is not a platform to go crazy. Once you realized that then you are going to be more open to small mods, sure they don't make much power but it all adds up at the end of the day. Unfortunately with the n52 you need every little mod to make some type of power

From experience I can tell you that headers work well with k and n filter, the power delivery and response is a lot better. I m suspecting with PE exhaust it would even be better. It may not show in the dyno as much but on the street you definitely feel a more responsive car.

At the end of the day I want my car to feel quick because I m not winning any races again the bigger boys ( STI's , 335 , IS350, G37, mustangs, camaro's , Golf R, etc ,etc ,etc)... At least I can beat a civic SI now

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by rick100

the pe exhaust is not too loud , neither is the k and n filter. Again the n52 is not a platform to go crazy. Once you realized that then you are going to be more open to small mods, sure they don't make much power but it all adds up at the end of the day. Unfortunately with the n52 you need every little mod to make some type of power

From experience I can tell you that headers work well with k and n filter, the power delivery and response is a lot better. I m suspecting with PE exhaust it would even be better. It may not show in the dyno as much but on the street you definitely feel a more responsive car.

At the end of the day I want my car to feel quick because I m not winning any races again the bigger boys ( STI's , 335 , IS350, G37, mustangs, camaro's , Golf R, etc ,etc ,etc)... At least I can beat a civic SI now

The PE with headers is pretty loud and raspy. I wouldn't mind more of a low growl but I am still looking into what will get me there. I will probably do PI before PE. I think PI, 3IM, headers, and a tune will get me at the point I'm happy with maxing out the engine. I know that PE sounds good but I'm not sure I could live with it everyday knowing my car isn't as fast as it sounds.

[Taskmaster]

Don't do any of the BMW Performance mods for power, you're better off with the Super Sprint section 2, headers (brand of choice) and a good muffler (Stock and PE is very restrictive.

I know the AFE Si makes power, as does the Dinan+ silicone elbow/carbon delete.

As for tunes...AA AND BPC are solid choices, I chose BPC because of the ALFA N option, as well as potential for 'upgrades' in the future. Regardless BPC is a AA dealer, and they do stock AA tunes, so you talk to them regardless.

[tdavis42]

Originally Posted by TheAxiom

Don't do any of the BMW Performance mods for power, you're better off with the Super Sprint section 2, headers (brand of choice) and a good muffler (Stock and PE is very restrictive.

I know the AFE Si makes power, as does the Dinan+ silicone elbow/carbon delete.

As for tunes...AA AND BPC are solid choices, I chose BPC because of the ALFA N option, as well as potential for 'upgrades' in the future. Regardless BPC is a AA dealer, and they do stock AA tunes, so you talk to them regardless.

What muffler would you recommend? I'm looking for a lower tone minimal rasp if any.

BPC is a little out of the way for me so I think I'm sticking with AA for now unless they figure out a cross country tune.

When you say Dinan+ elbow are you talking about the Rev Motoring elbow equillevent? I already did carbon delete and am thinking about this.

What about scoops in the kidneys.....are they really only good for a slight boost at higher speeds on our cars? Not worth it.