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  • S50/S54 Airboxes Filters & induction

    For the M (mainly S54 if it differs at all) what is your preference of airbox setup? what will see decent gains over the OEM box at a reasonable price? (under £800ish)

    I've heard the Z's dont have the best airboxs which must restrict power on both the S50/S54 when compared to the airbox on the M3?

  • #2
    There is one important difference between the S50 and S54 options which is the fact that the MAF housing is seperate on the S50's but built into the S54 airbox.

    There are plenty of options for the S50 with the Simota being the best VFM IMHO (or GruppeM but that 3 times the price for basically the same thing).

    I can't remember if you ever got one of these for your S50 ?

    The "recognised" mod for the S54 is to simply cut away some plastic within the OEM airbox which restricts airflow through and/or to fit a performance filter)

    The other "official" option is at the other end of the scale being a CSL style carbon induction kit which costs >£2k nb this requires a full MAF delete and Alpha-n remap so is not as simple as just trying to source a 2nd hand pice of kit.

    There are other options which I am going to experiment with when I get chance (not had time this year and car stored away from where I'm living prevent "tinkering") which involve adapting S50 kit with bespoke MAF housings. I have both an ITG filter with bespoke MAF housing and heat shield prebiously fitted to an S54 Coupe car on here and a Simota and bespoke MAF housing previously fitted to a Z4m from another forum. I prefer the Simota to the ITG as it has the built in carbon heat shield so if it fits/can be adapted to fit the Z3m engine bay this is my preferred choice.

    nb the other difference between the S50 and S54 which is cosmetic is that the radiator piping on the S50 takes a route around the engine bay (which is neater) but on an S54 for some reason it takes a short cut over the OEM airbox which has built in clips for it. There is no problem when the OEM airbox is removed but it looks a little odd with the pipework floating over the induction kit so ideally I hope to reroute this using adapted S50 pipework.

    Here is a pic of the ITG kit fitted (nb not my car, just happened to have previously been fitted to an Imola coupe ;-)








    and the Z4m Simota (which I believe was custom made MAF adaptor for the Z4m)

    Last edited by Jonttt; 02-10-2010, 03:51 PM.
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    • #3
      Thanks for the reply Jon,

      The carbon airbox is out of my price range, i'd rather go the whole hog and get a SC kit if i'm spending that much so i'll be looking for other alternatives

      I'm not too keen on the look of the ITG filter but the simota looks great (i never got round to fitting one on the S50), make sure you update your progress with it so I can track how you get on. Where did you get this custom Z4 MAF part for it?

      I'll post over on bimmerforums as well just to see if there are any known alternatives.
      Last edited by shantybeater; 02-10-2010, 04:39 PM.

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      • #4
        Regarding S50 so not really relevant to you but I thought I'd chip in anyway in case it's of use. I have a GruppeM, but I got it for free (brand new..) so I've not been afflicted by the "it cost me £800 it must be making a difference" bug...

        It might increase power. If it does, I can't tell. It makes a slightly nicer noise, more guttural, but for the money? I can think of better ways to spend the dosh!

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        • #5
          I got the Z4m kit off eBay 2nd hand so although the Simota is stock I'm not sure which car it is made for (the S50 one is actually a renault cleo fitting) and I don't know who made the MAF adaptor but it is an OEM quality job (so far as I'm aware Simota don't offer a kit for the S54)

          I agree re the ITG and the Simota is my choice if I can get it to fit ie I should be able to alter the overall length with hoses. I bought the ITG before the Simota kit but the extra heat shield may come in handy.

          There are lots of people who will say stick with stock as anything short of CSL style will make performance worse. This may be true but I would rather try for myself as the S50 Simota definately made the S50 breath free'er so I can't see why the S54 would be any different and as mine has a redline of 8k revs and eisenmann race exhaust induction should make difference on the intake side (you cannot get a more direct path than the simota would offer short of bonnet scoops ;-)
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          • #6
            Save your money on aftermarket intake systems for the MC, because the OEM system is extremely good at delivering cold air, and plenty of it, to the engine. I have a wealth of on-the-road datalogging from the ECU and with external air pressure readings, related to the OEM air-intake on my S54 MC, with a variety of modifications to the system, some of which work and some of which don't, which are the foundation of my opinion.
            Last edited by exdos; 02-10-2010, 06:27 PM.
            /// Exdos ///
            "Men who try the impossible and fail spectacularly are infinitely superior to those who reach for nothing and succeed" --Napoleon Bonapart

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            • #7
              my garage's fitting of the exdos mod. Not pretty but apparently delivers cool air to the engine all the time.


              www.z3mcoupe.com/photopost/data//500/180exdos_mod_1_002a.jpg
              Last edited by coupe fan; 02-10-2010, 11:18 PM.
              Strongstrut CL front brace-Yellowstuff pads/Castrol SRF race brake fluid-Rogue top mounts/Rear support bushes-H&R ARBs-Whiteline droplinks-Bilstein Sport shockers-H&R Springs-Black Halo Angel Eye headlight units-Sachs lightweight flywheel/matching clutch-Supersprint exhaust/race catalysers-BBS RSGTs with Falkens-K&N High Flow Air Filter-Recaro Pole Position seats - Exdos mod - ACS flippers

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              • #8
                interesting idea coupe fan, definately function over form though and i dont think i could live with it in my shiny engine bay!

                Exdos does our car have the identical airbox to the M3? (So the Z should make similar power once mapped/derestricted as an M3?) Is there anything other than the lower redline stopping our cars from pulling the same power figures?

                I'd like to think once the bearing shells/arp bolts are replaced I could push c350bhp? (with exhaust/map) since the M3 is 340hp ish standard, am i dreaming?
                Last edited by shantybeater; 03-10-2010, 10:15 AM.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by shantybeater View Post

                  Exdos does our car have the identical airbox to the M3? (So the Z should make similar power once mapped/derestricted as an M3?) Is there anything other than the lower redline stopping our cars from pulling the same power figures?

                  I'd like to think once the bearing shells/arp bolts are replaced I could push c350bhp? (with exhaust/map) since the M3 is 340hp ish standard, am i dreaming?
                  Shantybeater,

                  My MC's air intake is the MC OEM air-filter box with the inlet trumpet cut away and with an aluminium deflector placed in its place and a K&N panel filter. I have also done a few very simple mods to the OEM ducting before the air-filter box which all help to increase the flow and air pressure of air entering the air-filter box. For example, AC Schnitzer front flippers help, as does blocking/partial blocking of the N/S front brake duct to increase the mass of air entering the engine. There are a few other things that I have also done to increase air delivery to the air-filter box. Your butt dyno is no good at detecting what works and what doesn't, you need to obtain the data from the car's ECU on the road in driving conditions to really see how the MC's system works.

                  To extract the most power from your car, in addition to improving the flow of air into the engine, you need to make the exhaust system free-flowing. I've also done a lot of work on modifying the OEM exhausts, all of which helps the engine "breathe" better.

                  I've not had a remap, and I have no intention of doing so, because my MC has been able to cope with all the mods I've done without any need for mapping adjustments.

                  Have you upgraded the suspension of your MR to handle any extra power?
                  /// Exdos ///
                  "Men who try the impossible and fail spectacularly are infinitely superior to those who reach for nothing and succeed" --Napoleon Bonapart

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by shantybeater View Post
                    For the M (mainly S54 if it differs at all) what is your preference of airbox setup? what will see decent gains over the OEM box at a reasonable price? (under £800ish)

                    I've heard the Z's dont have the best airboxs which must restrict power on both the S50/S54 when compared to the airbox on the M3?
                    I think forum member Tim F has managed to fit a modded Gruppe M to his S54 coupe?

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                    • #11
                      Thanks Exdos i'll keep all that in mind, i'm just in the middle of purchasing flippers for starters.

                      No the car is bone stock at the moment, I will be looking for a good coilover or similar setup once i've done the engine tweaks

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by exdos View Post
                        Shantybeater,
                        ... as does blocking/partial blocking of the N/S front brake duct to increase the mass of air entering the engine...

                        ...I've not had a remap, and I have no intention of doing so, because my MC has been able to cope with all the mods I've done without any need for mapping adjustments....
                        Hey John, could you share some more info or photos about blocking the front brake duct? I've contemplated doing something like that a while ago, and would appreciate some tips. The initial motivation I found in RP scoop for Z4M, that offers 5rwhp increase via ram effect (more info here). I've also looked for the front air intake by the headlight, which seems quite nicely designed - unless you close the hood, when the duct is totaly blocked by front grill sides...

                        Oh and one more question about ECU adapting - do you think this holds for S50 as well? Perhaps you have some experience with them? Thnx.

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                        • #13
                          dont know where to get the gruppe M kits from
                          but ebay the simota kits re £250

                          im thinking i have a group A rally filter from an escort cosworth sitting here
                          if i can get a maf holder im gonna bolt that on lol

                          will i have any problems with idle?

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by inside View Post
                            Hey John, could you share some more info or photos about blocking the front brake duct? I've contemplated doing something like that a while ago, and would appreciate some tips. The initial motivation I found in RP scoop for Z4M, that offers 5rwhp increase via ram effect (more info here). I've also looked for the front air intake by the headlight, which seems quite nicely designed - unless you close the hood, when the duct is totaly blocked by front grill sides...

                            Oh and one more question about ECU adapting - do you think this holds for S50 as well? Perhaps you have some experience with them? Thnx.

                            Here's a photo of a brake duct blocker in place.


                            I've experimented and datalogged with several different configurations and settled on what is in the photo. The small aperture at the bottom is there to allow any water or heavy particles to pass through the duct. I've driven in very wet conditions with this in place and the air-filter box remains dry. The blocker has been on my car for the past 4 years or so. The part is made out of aluminium and it fits into a groove which exists between the plastic ducting and the wheel arch at the top and bottom. It can be removed in seconds if needed.

                            I've made a part similar to that RP scoop for the Z4M and my datalogger showed that it it actually reduced the power to my MC even in various different configurations, as though it was "bleeding" air out of the OEM ducting.

                            Although the auxilliary inlet in the Z3MC is behind the front of the bonnet, it still captures air at higher pressure. I know, I've measured it.

                            I have no experience of the S50 ECU maps but I expect that it will be able to cope with a better airflow.
                            /// Exdos ///
                            "Men who try the impossible and fail spectacularly are infinitely superior to those who reach for nothing and succeed" --Napoleon Bonapart

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                            • #15
                              Interesting re the brake duct blocking as I would imagine it would increase pressure through the airbox considerably......but have you noticed a detrimental effect on brakes ? one of the big issues I had with mine was brake fade and overheating but yellowstuff seem to have sorted that out whilst retaining OEM discs for long fast road runs. It would concern me that brake overheating which is already an issue would be adversley affected ?
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