Intake Manifold Swap: The answers to your questions of late.

[AlmostStock]

if the ports in the head are D shaped you may see a power increase, but if they are oval shaped like the m52tu manifold you will lose power from a turbulence during the step-down at the ports. you will lose low end either way due to slower air speed at low RPM, but not by very much, and top end may see a little bit of increase if the ports are D shaped. i think a more frugal, visible upgrade will be to port match the cylinder head and stock manifold. either way good luck with this. =]

Al-St

[Hornung418]

LOL...Have you read any of this thread?
But thanks for the reminder of what I'm not gonna do for a while...

Mr. Horney can haz cosmetic upgrades?
Yes plz!!

[AlmostStock]

i read the whole thread, i just wanted to add in my $.02

[newtoe46]

Oh, and just FYI, this information has been confirmed by Burns Stainless (who I contacted on making a custom Y pipe for me) and by Sasha of the Koni race series, Steve Dinan, and pretty much anyone else.

"This series of tests established:
1) There was no scavenging possible after the Y-pipe.
2) A smaller diameter midpipe can only decrease HP&TQ
3) There will be rapidly diminishing returns beyond a 3" midpipe
4) With power to weight ratios taken into consideration a 3" midpipe can be considered optimum. 3" also allows more headroom for medium boost FI applications.

Going from 3" to a 3.5" midpipe may at best provide a 0.5HP increase. So from a weight point of view, going larger than 3.0" would be counter productive for NA applications.

I then conducted another series of tests at the end of the Y-pipe.
1) Attaching a 3" diameter butterfly valve with variable position restriction plate.
2) Attaching a 6" diameter parabolic diffuser to reduces pressure drop below that of a 3" open pipe.

The purpose of the butterfly valve restriction plate was to directly test the effect of raw back pressure on performance. And the results were very clear.
BACK PRESSURE RAPIDLY REDUCES PERFORMANCE.

I dyno tested the valve at various levels of flow restriction. From wide open to almost fully closed as back pressure was increased, performance rapidly decreased."

Couldn't agree more with you.

[joerg28]

Hi,

for an adaptor to fit the M54B30 Intake Manifold to the M52B28Tu throttle body you can look here:

www.too-much-concepts.de








You can also use these adaptor to fit a M54B30 engine in a M52Tu car.

Regards Joerg

[Hornung418]

I have an adapter from Turner...But thanks for the option

[joerg28]

Hi,

the M54B30 and the M54B25 Intake manifold are different. And the M50 is a much earlier engine generation.

did you use this adaptor:

Turner Motorsports - M50 Throttle Body to M54 E46 325 Intake Manifold - Adapter Plate

[Hornung418]

Read all 82 posts...there is much more to it than you think.

[Iceman00]

Joerg is one of the first to do this swap, I've seen his post on the German BMW forums. Just so you know, you will have to modify that adapter to fit the manifold and TB, Joerg's should be a direct bolt on.

[Hornung418]

I'm going from a M52tuB28 intake manifold to a M54b30 Manifold...I've got covered. Project is on hold for a while until I can get caught up with school.

[Iceman00]

I'm going from a M52tuB28 intake manifold to a M54b30 Manifold...I've got covered. Project is on hold for a while until I can get caught up with school.

No shit sherlock, why don't you re-read what was posted before you come off as an idiot. The adapter wasn't meant for M52tu/M54 conversion, but for the M50 throttle body. It will not work on the M54B30 without modification to both the throttle body and the adapter itself.

[Hornung418]

No shit sherlock, why don't you re-read what was posted before you come off as an idiot. The adapter wasn't meant for M52tu/M54 conversion, but for the M50 throttle body. It will not work on the M54B30 without modification to both the throttle body and the adapter itself.

Always so harsh...
I know what I have to do. I'm already in possession of the adapter plate...the Throttle body needs to be ground back to fit the ICV.
Joerg said M54b25 and m54b30 manifold are diff't...I'm using a M54b30...

@Joerg- Looks like a nice part
Do you seal the flat side to the manifold and the TB seats on the O-ring? How does it clear the ICV?

[joerg28]

Hi,

the M54B25 throttle body has the same pattern as the M54b30 but the plate has a smaller diameter. I do not know anything about the M50 and the throttle body of this engine.

My adaptor is a direct fit for the M52B28Tu throttle body to the M54B30 intake manifold. It is also perfekt for an engine swap.

You can download the installation Manual with more pictures from my Homepage.

www.too-much-concepts.de

The O-Ring will seal the adapter to the manifold and the original seal of the throttle body seals to the adaptor.

I have 252° Schrick Cams, sport exhaust, KN Filter, UR Pulleys and the M54B30 Manifold and my Z3 makes 228hp with the oem chip.

[Hornung418]

Hi,

the M54B25 throttle body has the same pattern as the M54b30 but the plate has a smaller diameter. I do not know anything about the M50 and the throttle body of this engine.

My adaptor is a direct fit for the M52B28Tu throttle body to the M54B30 intake manifold. It is also perfekt for an engine swap.

You can download the installation Manual with more pictures from my Homepage.

www.too-much-concepts.de

The O-Ring will seal the adapter to the manifold and the original seal of the throttle body seals to the adaptor.

I have 252° Schrick Cams, sport exhaust, KN Filter, UR Pulleys and the M54B30 Manifold and my Z3 makes 228hp with the oem chip.

My new best friend
How many miles were on your Z3 when you did the swap?
I've got 105k so it's time to do a lot of preventative maintenance

Hast du die Einbauanleitung auf English? Ich kann nicht versteht

[joerg28]

My Z3 had 108tkm about 67k miles on the odometer. Same time with the cams a Beisan Vanos kit were installed. The cams were OEM regrind to the Schrick 252° profil, this is much cheaper.

We had a BMW 328 in our firm with about 500tkm (316k miles) without any big trouble.

I thing our mild tuning will not harm the engine.

[Hornung418]

Hast du die Einbauanleitung auf English? Ich kann nicht versteht

[Iceman00]

My new best friend
How many miles were on your Z3 when you did the swap?
I've got 105k so it's time to do a lot of preventative maintenance

Hast du die Einbauanleitung auf English? Ich kann nicht versteht

I told you, you are an idiot. I tried to explain the same thing he just told you, and instead of being receptive to help, you blew us both off (people who have done the swap)

[Hornung418]

I told you, you are an idiot. I tried to explain the same thing he just told you, and instead of being receptive to help, you blew us both off (people who have done the swap)

I was on my phone when that was posted. I've stated that the swap is on hold at the moment.

Joerg has his OEM chip...makin 228hp...but I need a friggin tune...(removed by the bf.c censorship committee).

[Iceman00]

I was on my phone when that was posted. I've stated that the swap is on hold at the moment.

Joerg has his OEM chip...makin 228hp...but I need a friggin tune...Who's the idiot now, bitch? Blow me.

This conversation is over, you are more retarded than I thought.

[danewilson77]

C'mon fella's. Why take a great (and possibly epic) thread, and ruin it.....no need for name calling. SB will just close the thread, and that won't help anyone.....now...behave...lol.

@Iceman....for the sake of good....please stop antagonizing Horney.




@Horney....got any updates?

[Hornung418]

Need to have my pulleys and tensioners, driveshaft guibo and center mount replaced
Gonna need another two weeks to gather the cash to order. I can do the pulleys myself but I'll need a lift for the underbits :/ Prob gonna get it done over Thanksgiving break.

That's about it. I need to start making payments to my Momma tho...she's kinda pissed that it's not 100% yet...but what used car is? lol

[Hornung418]

Ughhhhhhh...so...I've got a deal on a M54b25 manifold. What can you tell me about it compared to the M54b30 in regards to size and runner length? I'm almost 99.5% sure they're the same, but I need to know for sure.

And please, no BS responses from the peanut gallery.

Thanks.

[NDubSki]

*beep beep bit-bit-beep*
*Iceman, thread needs harassment*
"I'm on it"

Sorry, I need this to happen. I <3 real life drama like this.

Horny, when you get this done, me, my car (assuming she's fixed) and as much Sam Adams that can fit in my trunk, are heading your way.

[joerg28]

Hi,

go for the M54B30 manifold!

The M54B30 manifold will give you 6,5HP on an BMW325 e46 (M54B25).

M54B30 and M54B25 manifold are different!

[Hornung418]

Damn
Guy is selling two M54B25 manifolds for dirt cheap!

Joerg, I've been thinking about your adapter plate and would like to give it a shot. I'm having a hard time navigating your site though. Do you have an email I can reach you at for further communication?