N54 tuning...

[reecey97]

Just a quick one:
I have yet to get under the skin of the new Z4 and see exactly what has been done to it... although I know it has a custom cat back exhaust, drop in filter and custom remap.

Am I right in thinking any N54 intercooler, intake and chargepipe are compatible with the E89? There seems to be a lot less advertisement for Z4 N54 mods and didn't want to assume they were all the same as the 135i and 335i.

Also, will be on the look out for some downpipes, if my secondary cats are still in place, however I think I found these have to be Z4 specific as there isn't a lot of room under there!

Thanks guys!

 

[R.E92]

The chargepipe doesn't need to be replaced on the Z4, it's a completely different design to the other cars and doesn't fail.

Any intercooler will fit provided it has the stock connections. Any intercooler that relies on silicon couplers and hose clamps won't work on our cars without custom fabrication. I have the CSF intercooler on my car.

With downpipes you need ones that are designed for both RHD vehicles and for the E89 specifically. Currently I'm only aware of the VRSF downpipes. They fit really well and haven't tarnished at all in the 2 years they've bee on the car.

 

[reecey97]

The chargepipe doesn't need to be replaced on the Z4, it's a completely different design to the other cars and doesn't fail.

Any intercooler will fit provided it has the stock connections. Any intercooler that relies on silicon couplers and hose clamps won't work on our cars without custom fabrication. I have the CSF intercooler on my car.

With downpipes you need ones that are designed for both RHD vehicles and for the E89 specifically. Currently I'm only aware of the VRSF downpipes. They fit really well and haven't tarnished at all in the 2 years they've bee on the car.

That's great news :lol:
Im not going down the silicon intercooler route again... I ruined my N55 with a dodgy intercooler set up!
What used to be one of the main supplier of VRSF in the UK have stopped supplying now due to "quality concerns" so that doesn't fill me with confidence
I have found some from Germany which might be worth a punt, with flexis too!
https://www.kwe-racing.de/BMW/BMW-Z4/BMW-Z4-E89-sDrive35i-N54-Tuning-Performance-Downpipe-3::896.html?language=en

 

[R.E92]

If the supplier was ML Performance then I'd steer clear of them and ignore any advice they offer. They only sell cheap Chinese knock-off products with spurious branding stamped on them as they can add a hefty markup. If you want cheap Chinese stuff then get them directly from AliExpress and save yourself some money. Most Z4 owners use the VRSF downpipes and I've never seen anyone have quality issues.

I order all of my stuff direct from the US, works out about cheaper even after paying import duty. I got my CSF intercooler from www.x-ph.com and it arrived in 5 days and cost £500 including tax and shipping (The intercooler was on black friday sale for $400). The cheapest I could find it in the UK was £620. If you go down that route you should get in touch with them directly via email as they will offer additional discount.

 

[reecey97]

If the supplier was ML Performance then I'd steer clear of them and ignore any advice they offer. They only sell cheap Chinese knock-off products with spurious branding stamped on them as they can add a hefty markup. If you want cheap Chinese stuff then get them directly from AliExpress and save yourself some money. Most Z4 owners use the VRSF downpipes and I've never seen anyone have quality issues.

I order all of my stuff direct from the US, works out about cheaper even after paying import duty. I got my CSF intercooler from www.x-ph.com and it arrived in 5 days and cost £500 including tax and shipping (The intercooler was on black friday sale for $400). The cheapest I could find it in the UK was £620. If you go down that route you should get in touch with them directly via email as they will offer additional discount.

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely be on the hunt for something!
What sort of power are you making and what's the best mod you have done?

 

[Anonymous]

I got a VSRF down pipe albeit for a N20 direct from them in the USA..price was great...arrived faster to my door than some uk eBay stuff and the quality looked good..the guys who fitted it said it was top notch and much much better than a lot of Chinese knock offs they get asked to fit..

 

[R.E92]

I expect the output to be around 430bhp based on 100-200kph times, i'm probably at the limit of my stock turbos on premium fuel, might be able to push a bit more out of it with the new intercooler.

The downpipes make a huge difference to how the car sounds and drives so that was the best hardware mod.

The best mod overall is the engine tune though. I use MHD but run a custom map. It's amazing what difference a proper tune makes compared to a standard garage remap.

 

[mcbutler]

If the supplier was ML Performance then I'd steer clear of them and ignore any advice they offer. They only sell cheap Chinese knock-off products with spurious branding stamped on them as they can add a hefty markup. If you want cheap Chinese stuff then get them directly from AliExpress and save yourself some money. Most Z4 owners use the VRSF downpipes and I've never seen anyone have quality issues.

I order all of my stuff direct from the US, works out about cheaper even after paying import duty. I got my CSF intercooler from www.x-ph.com and it arrived in 5 days and cost £500 including tax and shipping (The intercooler was on black friday sale for $400). The cheapest I could find it in the UK was £620. If you go down that route you should get in touch with them directly via email as they will offer additional discount.

WOW thats quite some allegation against ML there..... I am quite sure that if ML were selling VRSF downpipes that are fake VRSF would do something about that pretty quick....

 

[sunnydays]

If the supplier was ML Performance then I'd steer clear of them and ignore any advice they offer. They only sell cheap Chinese knock-off products with spurious branding stamped on them as they can add a hefty markup. If you want cheap Chinese stuff then get them directly from AliExpress and save yourself some money. Most Z4 owners use the VRSF downpipes and I've never seen anyone have quality issues.

I order all of my stuff direct from the US, works out about cheaper even after paying import duty. I got my CSF intercooler from www.x-ph.com and it arrived in 5 days and cost £500 including tax and shipping (The intercooler was on black friday sale for $400). The cheapest I could find it in the UK was £620. If you go down that route you should get in touch with them directly via email as they will offer additional discount.

WOW thats quite some allegation against ML there..... I am quite sure that if ML were selling VRSF downpipes that are fake VRSF would do something about that pretty quick....

He isn't saying they are selling VRSF knockoffs. They don't sell VSRF anymore, they sell the cheap stuff that R.E92 is talking about, brands like "Masata" which I have never heard of. The VRSF stuff I got from ML was perfect, shame they stopped selling it in favour of the crap they sell now.

 

[R.E92]

He isn't saying they are selling VRSF knockoffs. They don't sell VSRF anymore, they sell the cheap stuff that R.E92 is talking about, brands like "Masata" which I have never heard of. The VRSF stuff I got from ML was perfect, shame they stopped selling it in favour of the crap they sell now.

Correct,

ML performance aren't doing anything wrong, they just do what any sensible reseller would do and push products that offer the best markup. It's a little suspect that they suddenly bad-mouth products that they no longer supply in favour of other products but that's how to do business in the mod market. It's a fickle market driven by Instagram influencer posts.

The Masata intercoolers and Evolve downpipes are just Chinese manufactured parts with no real track record. It's possible they could be good parts but the VRSF products are something very well regarded any aren't any more expensive. I've had 2 sets of their downpipes and both have been a perfect fit and come with high quality fitting kits.

 

[reecey97]

The search continues for downpipes or I'm going for the ones from Germany 8)
Worried about the cold start as my straight piped 135i N55 sounded like a tractor

 

[R.E92]

You'll want to disable the cold start in the tune. It does get loud with the cats removed. They sound great otherwise.

 

[mcbutler]

If the supplier was ML Performance then I'd steer clear of them and ignore any advice they offer. They only sell cheap Chinese knock-off products with spurious branding stamped on them as they can add a hefty markup. If you want cheap Chinese stuff then get them directly from AliExpress and save yourself some money. Most Z4 owners use the VRSF downpipes and I've never seen anyone have quality issues.

I order all of my stuff direct from the US, works out about cheaper even after paying import duty. I got my CSF intercooler from www.x-ph.com and it arrived in 5 days and cost £500 including tax and shipping (The intercooler was on black friday sale for $400). The cheapest I could find it in the UK was £620. If you go down that route you should get in touch with them directly via email as they will offer additional discount.

WOW thats quite some allegation against ML there..... I am quite sure that if ML were selling VRSF downpipes that are fake VRSF would do something about that pretty quick....

He isn't saying they are selling VRSF knockoffs. They don't sell VSRF anymore, they sell the cheap stuff that R.E92 is talking about, brands like "Masata" which I have never heard of. The VRSF stuff I got from ML was perfect, shame they stopped selling it in favour of the crap they sell now.

Thanks for clarifying, but regardless, it can be read as I interpretted it. I bought my VRSF from ML and have already asked VRSF to check mine are genuine on the basis of that post!!!!
VRSF confirmed your info, they did supply ML bu no longer do, they will check the photos of my pipes regardless.

 

[Boomsticks]

I can't remember what psi I'm running but I could push maybe another 50 torque. But this is what it is running at the moment..

 

[reecey97]

20201122_153406.jpgI can't remember what psi I'm running but I could push maybe another 50 torque. But this is what it is running at the moment..

That's a nice graph there 8)
I need to get back in the 400 club in the new year for sure!

 

[reecey97]

You'll want to disable the cold start in the tune. It does get loud with the cats removed. They sound great otherwise.

How do you find MHD cold start and other features and how did you get your custom tune?
The VRSF might be worth the extra money from the states over the German ones I've not really heard of before!
https://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-3-cast-stainless-steel-catless-downpipes-v2-n54-2010-e89-bmw-z4-35i-35is.html

 

[R.E92]

You'll want to disable the cold start in the tune. It does get loud with the cats removed. They sound great otherwise.

How do you find MHD cold start and other features and how did you get your custom tune?
The VRSF might be worth the extra money from the states over the German ones I've not really heard of before!
https://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-3-cast-stainless-steel-catless-downpipes-v2-n54-2010-e89-bmw-z4-35i-35is.html

I just use MHD to write the file to the car, I do the tuning part myself.

Disabling cold start has no down sides, it's designed to get heat into the cats but once they are removed it's not needed. With the cats removed the cold start is really obnoxious so it's certainly something you want removed.

 

[MACK]

You'll want to disable the cold start in the tune. It does get loud with the cats removed. They sound great otherwise.

How do you find MHD cold start and other features and how did you get your custom tune?
The VRSF might be worth the extra money from the states over the German ones I've not really heard of before!
https://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-3-cast-stainless-steel-catless-downpipes-v2-n54-2010-e89-bmw-z4-35i-35is.html

I just use MHD to write the file to the car, I do the tuning part myself.

Disabling cold start has no down sides, it's designed to get heat into the cats but once they are removed it's not needed. With the cats removed the cold start is really obnoxious so it's certainly something you want removed.

It would be nice if there was an easy way to do this on decatted N20. They do make an awful racket even as standard, partcularly if the exhaust flap is either not working or bypassed. This is then amplified further still by the decat pipe

 

[reecey97]

This is the response I got from the German manufacturer. Hell of a discount but sceptical on fitment :roll:

 

[R.E92]

It would be nice if there was an easy way to do this on decatted N20. They do make an awful racket even as standard, partcularly if the exhaust flap is either not working or bypassed. This is then amplified further still by the decat pipe

It's a really simple change to disable cold start. I'd expect any tuner to be able to do it.

There's 2 methods, they can either change the duration setpoint for cold start down to 0 or you can change the behaviour of the routine and remove the increased fuel pressure, idle RPM and VANOS settings that the routine uses. I think the VANOS is the main culprit for the noise.