540i/6 sluggish or it's me?

[alwayswanted535]

Lately my 6 speed seems a little slow in the upper rpm range. The car idles perfect and runs perfect otherwise, no codes or issues in any department. When I first got it last December it felt it had loads of power. Now that feeling is less detectable. Maybe because I am used to it and it's psychological, does that make sense?

The car has 185k miles, came with Lucas Disk injectors, Magnaflow muffler(Single 2.5 inch pipe from cats to muffler) and no other mods that I am aware of except for a K&N filter. I recently changed the fuel filters and spark plugs (Stock Bosch FGR7DQP). What I think that might be causing this are clogged cat, fuel pressure and ignition coils.

I have tested the coils and the readings are within spec. Should I test the fuel pressure? Will a vacuum test tell me the cats are plugged? Anyone had power gains after replacing coils?

Here are a couple acceleration vids from 0 to 60. See if you think it's slow:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K2pA7DLs-dg?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tEPHNbiAaXE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
(http://youtu.be/K2pA7DLs-dg)

[alwayswanted535]

Hope these links work. Haven't figured out how to embed videos yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2pA7DLs-dg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEPHNbiAaXE

[bigwig023]

seems ok to me....I would kinda say its a psychological thing. I have two cars and when I drive the 540 on a constant basis I get used to the power over the 525. But when I switch back and forth the 540 feels like a dream.

Also I always thought the higher RPMs of the M60B40 were a little flat......If you want a little more juice out of it you should look into a chip, should only cost you ~$250.

[DUDMD]

Based on your pulls, it looks like the car runs fine. If you're really after testing any power loss do a few dyno pulls and see what it's putting down or run it 1/4 mile to compare to other 540i/6 that ran at the track.

[HE53]

seems ok to me....I would kinda say its a psychological thing. I have two cars and when I drive the 540 on a constant basis I get used to the power over the 525. But when I switch back and forth the 540 feels like a dream.

Also I always thought the higher RPMs of the M60B40 were a little flat......If you want a little more juice out of it you should look into a chip, should only cost you ~$250.

+1 I've got the same deal...

[lsvtecwill]

You should try getting a video of you at a dyno pull or a quarter mile track (the 1/4 mile run might be cheaper). The videos cant really tell me much, besides how you car revs at speed, and it does seem a little slow. But we need a control variable, even if you had a friend with a stopwatch we could do some thing with numbers.
But if it's a problem try to locate/fix it. If the car runs great just not powerful enough for your liking, it sounds like you need a better differential and a chip.
Also if your cats were clogged they would be bright red-hot after pulls like the ones in the video, so look and see if they have a 'heat damage'.

[NikosX]

Im local to you and have owned 3 540i6s. 2 E39s and 1 E34. You should swing by. Ill tell you if it seems ok or not. Ive had just about every problem possible with the M60/2s. I can prob help troubleshoot, or put your mind at ease.

[GGray]

M60 motors seem to kill cats, if you have the stock cats that may be the problem...

[AHenry014]

hmmmm

[Racerhoze]

Lolz at dash mat.

[bmw525i justin]

A dash mat, really? If you weren't on the other side of the world, I'd send you one out of my parts car that's in great shape.

Other than that, the car seems to be doing very well. 0-60 in about 6 seconds which is right. Not to mention, the car sounds great!
You're probably just used to the power of the car.

[davids]

Doesn't look bad to me either. Sure sounds good too :)

[rotaryboots]

Looks about right to me. Funny, but I swear my 525i does a 0-60 about as quick as yours, thats doesn't mean anything though. I kinda want a 540i E34 now, sounds just like my E39 540i.

Sounds healthy though. Could be psychological though. Drive a friend's car for a few days if you can, then do that 0-60 in your 540i again, I bet it will feel faster again.

[K Fox]

Well, aside for being a bit quicker than mine (altitude here hurts), it looks like it revs the same way mine does. Question though, do you have a chip? I know you didn't mention it, but you got the rev's up there pretty good. ;) I still haven't pulled my ECU to check if I have an aftermarket chip or not (I think I do), but I will say that my car pulls hardest at about 5k rpm's, then lets up. While I can pull it to 7k, I find shifting at 5500 to 6k is where it's quickest. But yours seems healthy, so I'd say you've just become jaded by the power.

Fox

[alwayswanted535]

Great, thanks guys. I am relieved. As for the dash mat, lot's of people use that here. The sun will crack that dash in no time. Gotta protect this rare piece of equipment.



Well, aside for being a bit quicker than mine (altitude here hurts), it looks like it revs the same way mine does. Question though, do you have a chip? I know you didn't mention it, but you got the rev's up there pretty good. ;) I still haven't pulled my ECU to check if I have an aftermarket chip or not (I think I do), but I will say that my car pulls hardest at about 5k rpm's, then lets up. While I can pull it to 7k, I find shifting at 5500 to 6k is where it's quickest. But yours seems healthy, so I'd say you've just become jaded by the power.

Fox

Don't know if it's chipped, haven't opened the DME yet. I am hoping it isn't.

[EeM3]

I'm local to you as well. I just picked up a 540i/6 this past weekend. If you want to do a couple of pulls to see how its running let me know. FWIW it seems to pull as hard as mine throughout the powerband as well.

[T444E]

Seems fine to me :dunno

I've been driving mine for a year and I'm used to the power but shifting just before 6k and grabbing handful of 2nd and slaying tire still puts a smile on my face.

[alwayswanted535]

Well I finally got around to looking at this issue again. I just swapped the AFM and coils from my 540 auto. The coils made no difference. Turned out to be the AFM. I have a K&N filter cone that came with the car. I think the filter oil must have contaminated the sensor. Good thing I still have the factory filter box which I am going to swap back. Now it revs real smooth! The old AFM must not have been bad enough to cause more issues or a code.

[GGray]

before you throw he MAF away clean it with some MAF cleaner first. Might clean up fine. Sounds like someone used to much oil on the filter.

[bhch142]

I got used to the power too and felt it must be broken.

[NikosX]

I got used to the power too and felt it must be broken.

Nope. Just your backwards wheels slowing you down.

[e34Croak]

^ Lulz


There was a thread just yesterday about K&N vs OEM.
I have a K&N in my redneck 5.9 Grand Cherokee.. makes me want to drink cheap American beer and Canadian whiskey only to wind up making dirty calls at relatives. (leave K&N to the hillbillies)

[jehu]

I read you aren't supposed to spray anything on the Hot Film MAF's which are the type used in the 540.... the MAF Cleaeners are for the Wire type... no?

[DUDMD]

I read you aren't supposed to spray anything on the Hot Film MAF's which are the type used in the 540.... the MAF Cleaeners are for the Wire type... no?
Not much left to do otherwise, if your sensor is already shot/contaminated.

[alwayswanted535]

Prior to swapping the MAF, I used CRC maf cleaner to clean the sensor. That didn't work. I guess it's contaminated beyond cleaning. :(

[strictlyJDM]

My stock cats just crapped out on my 540i....they rattle like no other right now. I'm just going to go catless until I find a proper solution

[jehu]

http://www.autohausaz.com/

has them on sale for $159

me and camaroguy orderd...