Pre vanos dinan cai help 540i

[biglow63]

Hello, I recently bought a used Dinan cai for my '97 540i. Installation was easy enough without instructions, except for the air intake temp sensor. Originally located in the factory air box, does anyone know how it is mounted after installation of the cold air intake.

[biglow63]

IMG_2932.jpg

[edjack]

That looks more like a hot air intake.

Could also be for a '99+ MY, where the IAT is integrated with the MAF.

Check with Dinan.

[JimLev]

The Dinan CF CAI I bought has a spot on the back side of the tube for the temp sensor.
My car is a tu and has the temp sensor in the MAF, so the hole in the tube is plugged.
No spot for it on your CF tube?

Ed, the air filter is below the headlight, all sealed from the engine compartment.

[edjack]

Just picks up road heat, eh?

[JimLev]

Maybe some of it, but that's cooler than under the hood.

[geargrinder]

Could also be for a '99+ MY, where the IAT is integrated with the MAF.

Ding ding.

From the Dinan web page.

Special Note: For model build date of 10/98 and up

https://www.dinancars.com/product/d760-0620-dinan-cold-air-intake-for-bme-e39-540i/

Good news is - you get to do some fab / improv!

The factory non-vanos IAT I think is a snap-in type of deal?
That will be harder to homebrew / retrofit a 'bung' receiver for than just using a threaded type maybe.

Turner / ECS makes a IAT relo kit, although its gonna add another hundo to your cost.
What they've done is use a different threaded style IAT and then make an extension/adapter cable for it.

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3...ation-harness/

You could homebrew the same thing pretty easily, although I'd start to weigh the $100 vs my time and effort and the parts cost anyway and the plug and play Turner kit might get more attractive pretty fast.

Either way, locate it a decent ways away from the engine as you conveniently can to reduce "heat soak". It doesn't have to be out in the fender well (and that might be a PITA because you'd have to remove it and replace it every time you want to pull the tube out because the sensor won't fit through the hole....) but like say on the front-side of the tube, down low, just before it passes through the panel is probably good.

Drilling the CF tube without making a mess of it could be tricky too. The trick is to 'sandwich' clamp it between 2 pieces of wood or metal to keep it from tearing up. Drill right through the "sandwich" into the backing piece and it should drill cleanly without tearing out fibers and getting messy. Hopefully you can figure a way to cut a long piece of wood that sticks inside and backs up your chosen spot.

[JimLev]

Ding....Dong.
He can't use that relocation kit, it's for the tu type MAF.

Here's the blocked off temp sensor port on my tube.
CAI_Tube.JPG

[geargrinder]

Here's the blocked off temp sensor port on my tube.

So you're offering to trade? How nice of you, Jim!

[JimLev]

So you're offering to trade? How nice of you, Jim!

Not really, maybe if I hadn't already had it installed I'd maybe think about it.

[biglow63]

Thanks for the help everyone. I do have a local solution. The previous owner of my 540 has a later model car, and just so happens to have the same carbon fiber intake with the port. Since his air temp is in the maf, we are just going to meet up later this week and switch them out.

[geargrinder]

Sweet. Can't do any better than that.