S54 na power

[bigjae46]

I’d also expect e85, and corn in gas in general, to go away over the next decade, so may not be a great idea to build your car around it.

I'm probably taking this thread way off topic but ethanol is here to stay until the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is eliminated or significantly modified. The RFS is heavily lobbied for by the large oil companies. I don't see them changing their position ever, it basically ensures an oligopoly.

[davidf]

The simplest formula is headers, bimmerworld race exhaust, epic motorsports tune. Got me to 337whp. It will be loud.

LOL, my son and I just removed similar parts and went back to 100% stock. When my son purchased the car, it was stupid loud to the point of embarrassing. Parts we removed: headers, muffler section, CSL tune, cold air intake, SMG (this system is really destroyed the enjoyment of the car). Parts we put back: OEM muffler, exhaust manifold (with cats...no more smell), air filter box/intake/MAF.

Car is still fun, runs as it was meant to be, is quiet, and probably more reliable.

[ac427]

At 204k miles it's just run in. Time for a stroker kit :-)

More seriously, a standard well maintained engine with the mullet tune will probably give you a lot more joy than spunking thousands for little power gain.

[332]

ebay headers, no cats, intake, MAP tune... my car is making considerably more hp now. This is the most affordable way to make good power.

[CrisSilberGrau]

ebay headers, no cats, intake, alpha N... my car is making considerably more hp now. This is the most affordable way to make good power.

Ay yooo, 2015 Windows 7 or XP. The old ways are always best.

[Obioban]

ebay headers, no cats, intake, alpha N... my car is making considerably more hp now. This is the most affordable way to make good power.

The problem is you've made a car that stinks every time you come to a stop... a smell that pretty quickly ruins the interior of the car, similar to being a smoker.

I'd add a used section 1 to the "value" setup. And, intake isn't doing much for power and alpha N doesn't have any power benefit over retaining the MAP (assuming you're not doing something that forces you to lose the MAP, ala CSL intake)-- I'd do a non Alpha-N tune if I possibly could. Avoiding Alpha N allows the car to run better over a variety of environmental conditions, and doesn't have any power penalty vs Alpha N. Nor should a good MAF tune cost any more than a good Alpha N tune.

[332]

The problem is you've made a car that stinks every time you come to a stop... a smell that pretty quickly ruins the interior of the car, similar to being a smoker.

I'd add a used section 1 to the "value" setup. And, intake isn't doing much for power and alpha N doesn't have any power benefit over retaining the MAP (assuming you're not doing something that forces you to lose the MAP, ala CSL intake)-- I'd do a non Alpha-N tune if I possibly could. Avoiding Alpha N allows the car to run better over a variety of environmental conditions, and doesn't have any power penalty vs Alpha N. Nor should a good MAF tune cost any more than a good Alpha N tune.

My experience is different from yours. I don't mind the smell, its a non issue to me. My car doesn't have any interior so to speak. With headers, deleted cats, the car wasn't making power without an intake. (elbow, intake routed down to the bottom of the bumper) I use an oiled filter.. MAFs go bad MAPs don't, less things to replace. This car was dyno tuned, by Jordan. To each and their own, every setup has its pros and cons. If you want to make cheap power, this is the way.

[Obioban]

My experience is different from yours. I don't mind the smell, its a non issue to me. My car doesn't have any interior so to speak. With headers, deleted cats, the car wasn't making power without an intake. (elbow, intake routed down to the bottom of the bumper) I use an oiled filter.. MAFs go bad MAPs don't, less things to replace. This car was dyno tuned, by Jordan. To each and their own, every setup has its pros and cons. If you want to make cheap power, this is the way.

I don't believe you that the intake was necessary for power, assuming you're comparing to the stock intake (not some downgrade aftermarket one).

... I also think oiled filters should be avoided when possible, but, yes, they do ruin MAFs.

Are you MAP based or Alpha N? Certainly MAP is less compromised than Alpha N, agreed. But, you said Alpha N, so... that's what I assumed you had.

[332]

After headers and cat delete, the stock intake made no power on the dyno. The car was on the dyno for almost 2 days, I can't count how many pulls were done. 100% confirmed. MAP, based my apologies on the alpha N. I will remove that from the post, to not mislead others. The best intake that I've found after testing many, many setups. Is a combo from Non M e46 and m3. Any Elbow: https://vortex-performance.com/produ...ilicone-black/ ($45) Long Tube:https://cosmoracing.com/en/bmw-e46-3...on=true&page=3 ($155) Velocity stack: https://www.blackopsautoworks.com/products/blox-racing-3-5inch-composite-velocity-stack-black?srsltid=AfmBOopBdKqOr9zBnreFdZDE40g5rBV2GO0A zfzn90gOu-4wA4lM8Z5D ($30) add a filter. Coming from an e46 m54 sedan to a s54 sedan swap, this made the best power for the money on both platforms. Headers: https://prestigeautolab.com/products/megan-racing-stainless-steel-header-exhaust-fits-bmw-m3-e46-00-06-mr-ssh-be46m3?srsltid=AfmBOorL4M8mxe_QaTOtuOBNdQ7vQGZpQxr sgiVUNdXuX-4_pft-do1c ($480) Total $710 + a tune. 325whp is pretty hard to beat for dollar per HP. This is all 100% dyno tested and confirmed by myself, Jordan and Mike @ Max Psi. You can see on Jordan's website, his intake is similar to this design but is one piece silicone and doesn't have a V stack. No gate keeping, just lots of time/$$ on the dyno.

[digger]

ebay headers, no cats, intake, MAP tune... my car is making considerably more hp now. This is the most affordable way to make good power.

IMO wouldn’t want that power band for street. What ever exhaust setup you got kill the low end likely the collector length. The S54 should make north of 200 talks at bottom end circa 2500rpm

[332]

IMO wouldn’t want that power band for street. What ever exhaust setup you got kill the low end likely the collector length. The S54 should make north of 200 talks at bottom end circa 2500rpm

The exhaust on the car at that time was from my m54b30 turbo build, it was a Y pipe with a 3" all the way back, so you are correct.

[digger]

The exhaust on the car at that time was from my m54b30 turbo build, it was a Y pipe with a 3" all the way back, so you are correct.

There isn't anything inherently wrong with a Y-pipe

[Obioban]

After headers and cat delete, the stock intake made no power on the dyno. The car was on the dyno for almost 2 days, I can't count how many pulls were done. 100% confirmed. MAP, based my apologies on the alpha N. I will remove that from the post, to not mislead others. The best intake that I've found after testing many, many setups. Is a combo from Non M e46 and m3. Any Elbow: https://vortex-performance.com/produ...ilicone-black/ ($45) Long Tube:https://cosmoracing.com/en/bmw-e46-3...on=true&page=3 ($155) Velocity stack: https://www.blackopsautoworks.com/products/blox-racing-3-5inch-composite-velocity-stack-black?srsltid=AfmBOopBdKqOr9zBnreFdZDE40g5rBV2GO0A zfzn90gOu-4wA4lM8Z5D ($30) add a filter. Coming from an e46 m54 sedan to a s54 sedan swap, this made the best power for the money on both platforms. Headers: https://prestigeautolab.com/products/megan-racing-stainless-steel-header-exhaust-fits-bmw-m3-e46-00-06-mr-ssh-be46m3?srsltid=AfmBOorL4M8mxe_QaTOtuOBNdQ7vQGZpQxr sgiVUNdXuX-4_pft-do1c ($480) Total $710 + a tune. 325whp is pretty hard to beat for dollar per HP. This is all 100% dyno tested and confirmed by myself, Jordan and Mike @ Max Psi. You can see on Jordan's website, his intake is similar to this design but is one piece silicone and doesn't have a V stack. No gate keeping, just lots of time/$$ on the dyno.

When you said intake, I assume you meant intake. Seems like you actually meant velocity stacks? Intake's on the e46 M3 are generally good for a wash or losing power. Velocity stacks can change things up.

Short velocity stacks gut the bottom end to get high end power-- as your dyno shows. Generally, a pretty terrible setup for a car that sees any street use.

Given the short velocity stacks, I'm actually pretty surprised you didn't make more power. 325 SAE dynojet is in the range of what you should be able to get with headers/cat delete/tune with the stock intake/section 2/muffler, without gutting the bottom end. What muffler are you running? Lots of the non M e46 mufflers can cork the S54 up (vs, the stock M3 muffler flows very well-- aftermarket is a wash or power loss vs stock, generally).

[332]

There isn't anything inherently wrong with a Y-pipe

Correct, as long as the sizing is appropriate. Such as a BW Y-pipe, this was a pos small Y-pipe going into a 3" straight pipe out the back, no muffler. For the math, a single 3" has the surface area of 7.07, stock dual 2.25" is 7.95. A bottle neck, that I didn't want to address at the time.

[332]

When you said intake, I assume you meant intake. Seems like you actually meant velocity stacks? Intake's on the e46 M3 are generally good for a wash or losing power. Velocity stacks can change things up.

Short velocity stacks gut the bottom end to get high end power-- as your dyno shows. Generally, a pretty terrible setup for a car that sees any street use.

Given the short velocity stacks, I'm actually pretty surprised you didn't make more power. 325 SAE dynojet is in the range of what you should be able to get with headers/cat delete/tune with the stock intake/section 2/muffler, without gutting the bottom end. What muffler are you running? Lots of the non M e46 mufflers can cork the S54 up (vs, the stock M3 muffler flows very well-- aftermarket is a wash or power loss vs stock, generally).

We are talking past each other here, the exhaust is as I stated in the above response. The velocity stack, I linked isn't replacing the velocity stacks inside the stock airbox. It is one component of the "intake system". This pictures should get us both on the same page, a bit confusing I understand. These "mods" aren't conventional for this platform. The Map sensor can be seen in the first intake pipe, after the elbow. The velocity stack sits down in the bumper, just before the air filter. Idk why these pictures keep rotating when I upload them?