Question about a custom long tube intake

[longhorn zhp]

Hey guys, a friend of mine had a 330 that he had a long tube intake that he built. It is wrapped in carbon fiber and seems to be really good quality. I should state that he has been a BMW tech for 15 years and syas this thing worked great. It is a copy of a Dinan he says. Anyway, does anyone here have any experience with a long tube set up? He is gonna let me have it cause it is just sitting around his garage. Would it be worth trying?:fingerscrossed

[acontzhp]

yes. try it. i cant see it hurting any

[Mtnman]

Where does it pick up the air from? Is it a Cold Air Intake or not?

[328ioc]

A friend of mine did the same thing and it pics up air from the brake duct in the bumper. He has had it on for a year and has had no problems including with rain and water.

[kaboom]

Funny thing is I spent all day with my car on the dyno. With the bixenons, there is not room to get anything larger than a 2.5" tube down into the brake duct. I tried several combos of short filter, big filter, 3.5" tubing, maf close, maf far, and every single one lost power repeatably on the dyno. If anyone is local and whats to try different combos, I'm happy to provide the dyno. The stock intake is incredibly well designed. I'd be interested to see if the BMW performance intake picks up over the oem. To give you an idea of the stock intake's efficiency, panel filter in or out, 0whp difference over 3 runs back to back. Same car, same day, same dyno, 5 min between runs.

[danewilson77]

Funny thing is I spent all day with my car on the dyno. With the bixenons, there is not room to get anything larger than a 2.5" tube down into the brake duct. I tried several combos of short filter, big filter, 3.5" tubing, maf close, maf far, and every single one lost power repeatably on the dyno. If anyone is local and whats to try different combos, I'm happy to provide the dyno. The stock intake is incredibly well designed. I'd be interested to see if the BMW performance intake picks up over the oem. To give you an idea of the stock intake's efficiency, panel filter in or out, 0whp difference over 3 runs back to back. Same car, same day, same dyno, 5 min between runs.

I believe the claim is 6-8Hp with BMW Perf.

Location would come in handy.

[JohnnyGraphic]

ESS tuning which makes superchargers for the E46 promotes using just the stock air intake and filter since it's such an excellent design.

[328ioc]

Just had an idea any one with more engineering know how than my self please tell me if its good or not, but what if you almost combine the two and cut a hole in the bottom of the stock air box and run that down into the brake duct so that it directs more cold are up into the panel filter but still retains the heat shielding of the stock box?

[danewilson77]

I would say...if cutting an extra hole in the bottom of the stock air box was going to help....BMW engineering would have done it. I dunno though...

[zj96sc]

I believe the claim is 6-8Hp with BMW Perf.

i'm pretty sure i've seen dyno charts showing less, but now I (of course) can't find them. I was pretty sure I saw numbers proving 2-3 at the wheels. Regardless, we're talking 6 or less HP.


cut a hole in the bottom of the stock air box and run that down into the brake duct

You realize the factory airbox draws air from the kidneys right? There is no fresher/colder source of air available.


I would say...if cutting an extra hole in the bottom of the stock air box was going to help....BMW engineering would have done it. I dunno though...

This.

It has always been my understanding that BMW did not leave much on the table for the ZHP M54 in the way of intake or exhaust flow. The problem is the head.


panel filter in or out, 0whp difference over 3 runs back to back. Same car, same day, same dyno, 5 min between runs.

That says it better than I can.

[328ioc]

I would say...if cutting an extra hole in the bottom of the stock air box was going to help....BMW engineering would have done it. I dunno though...

I figured, lol was just kinda thinking out loud which I probably shouldn't do anyway. lol

[328ioc]

You realize the factory airbox draws air from the kidneys right? There is no fresher/colder source of air available.

I do, it was just an idea, but oh well. haha

[kaboom]

I'm located in socal. I think everyone in this area should bring their intakes and we can test them all back to back on my car on the dyno compared to stock. I'm guessing very little to no horsepower gain.

Ian

[zj96sc]

I think you need to give the ECU time to adjust to the increased airflow. Back to back runs aren't going to show you much without remapping or at least allowing it some time to adapt on its own.

[328ioc]

I think you need to give the ECU time to adjust to the increased airflow. Back to back runs aren't going to show you much without remapping or at least allowing it some time to adapt on its own.

You might be on to something I think I have heard something like this before.

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[longhorn zhp]

it picks up from the lower front, through one of the vents or air ducts that feed to the brakes.thanks

[longhorn zhp]

The guy that gave it to me, actually cut out a half moon shape to allow the tube to fit. He said that the area he cut was not structurally affected. From what I have read , the long tube design is the best way to make sure the air is cold because it travels up the tube and is not affected so much by the engine heat. I spoke to Dinan and they said they c=basically had to stop making a long tube because BMW kept changing the light housing and it wasnt worth it for them financially to keep altering the long tube design. But, he did say their long tube designs produced the most gains. I guess I am going to try and install this bad boy and see what happens! Thanks for all the responses!