Chadillac2000's 2008 135i Road Warrior Daily Driver Build Thread

chadillac2000

Corporal
Oct 26, 2017
233
255
0
NC
Ride
2008 BMW 135i
On the Guibo and driveshaft in general - did you ever consider a solid one piece drive shaft?

With a higher HP build, I decided to go that route and eliminate the Guibo all together.

If I was chasing numbers, I would. But this is just a daily and I'm going to tune it for a bit under 600WHP and call it a day, so the stock driveshaft and guibo should hold up fine considering I don't even launch the car.

@chadillac2000

First I must say Wow! I just sat through my entire class and after in the library reading your entire thread, For someone who purchased the car back in 2016, the amount of work, effort and time to document everything is very impressive. I personally just bought my black 09 135i in spring 2017, and just this winter have I started to mod it, I did the mmp inlets and outlets, and seeing how you had to call in for help to get those on honestly made me laugh as I just did those recently and did the exact same thing with my brother in law (one under the car the other over it trying to get the dam thing into place) about 2 weeks ago. Black being of the hardest colors to keep clean, underwent the same thing last summer for polish and detailing.

I will say, reading through you're thread was a little intimidating at first as in (do i really want to do all this work), but after getting through it to now, has honestly motivated me to keep building it, just every detail was address and its very informative on getting parts and what to look for. I now will officially start keeping a detailed documentation of my build as well.

Good on you, and def will be following this for more updates.

Thanks for reading this entire thread--an impressive feat! I'm glad you could relate the OEM style silicone inlet install. That was absolutely brutal. I loved pulling those things out a few weeks ago for good. If I'm up for it, after doing all this mechanical work, the car could use another polish and wax. It's been almost a year since I did it last and the swirls are back with full force on this Jet Black.

I'm glad you could use this as some inspiration to do some work on your own 1er, I guess that's why I most enjoy documenting everything to share with everyone.
 

chadillac2000

Corporal
Oct 26, 2017
233
255
0
NC
Ride
2008 BMW 135i
the turbo blanket,did that come with the single turbo kit or did you buy seperate/upgraded?

The turbo blanket came with the kit. I have no idea the brand, but it seems to be very high quality stuff. And matches the DEI titanium wrap really well for a uniform look.
 

chadillac2000

Corporal
Oct 26, 2017
233
255
0
NC
Ride
2008 BMW 135i
Between my last post and this one, I received back my Blackstone oil analysis. This was my first time using their service, but probably will do so in the future with the new ST setup and 3,000 mile OCIs. The 5,000 mile interval (ends up being every few months in my case), was confirmed to be in good standing along with signs of a healthy engine. Good news for all the money that I just dumped into this car.

w1bTg2R.jpg


Upon returning to the garage, my first order of business was getting this turbo clocked properly. Once I had everything in front of me again, I realized that I had clocked the compressor housing at a bit of angle because I was forced to due to the bank 1 wastegate sitting directly below. Talking strictly manifold design, this seems to be the best option for wastegate placement, but also adds some more precise fitment into an already tight situation. With some patience and a little help via text from Payam, I removed the water pump and thermostat (this time with the subframe installed) to gain access to the hard oil drain for some adjustments.

It took about an hour of tinkering with the wastegates, dump tubes, and v-band clamps to get them in the correct orientation where the hard oil drain line could snake past the manifold and wastegate to perfectly mate up with the oil drain up of the compressor housing; now sitting directly at the 6 o'clock position for easy draining. Once this was adjusted correctly, everything suddenly fit much better, so I went ahead and re-installed the large orange o-ring for the turbo and fitted the polished compressor housing, silicone coupler, charge pipe feeding down to the inlet of the FMIC, and tightened the v-band clamps once they were oriented properly.

MtZ7MWo.jpg


On the bench, I realized that with the BMS shorty filter, there was going to be some interference with the compressor cover port that the MAC solenoid would be connected to. With a straight NTP to AN connection, there wasn't enough clearance, with a 90 degree NTP to AN, there wasn't enough clearance to thread the fitting in, so a 45 degree fitting installed at the right angle was needed to make everything fit to my liking.

0E07MzV.jpg


From there, the hard SS lines of the ACF kit could be connected while still allowing the BMS shorty filter to fully seat. I also went ahead and tightened down all the AN fittings and mounted the MAC solenoid. The SS lines are ultimately what pushed me towards this kit. With all the other heat protection in place, I have zero worries these will ever give me any issues.

BliuE3t.jpg


BOEzFrj.jpg


Once the turbo was completely fitted with charge piping in place, I moved on to the huge downpipe. While it didn't look like there was nearly enough room, it snaked right into place. I added a nice layer of silicone as suggested by Payam and tightened everything down. I did have to bend the DOCRace heat shield slightly, but other wise it all fit together nicely. I even took further precautions for heat protection because of the close proximity of the downpipe to the AC lines--moving it up slightly, wrapping everything in DEI sleeving, and cutting off & reusing the OEM outlet heat shielding as another barrier.

BLRCeFd.jpg


nWGsPR3.jpg


OMLXYD4.jpg


At this point, there were a lot of loose ends to button up, but things were coming together. I relocated the coolant tank with ease using the bracket, brass fittings, and heater hose supplied by ACF, but unfortunately the active steering reservoir is slightly larger with different angled hoses, so that, coupled with my charge pipe + BOV combination would not allow proper fitment. So I extended the lines using appropriate sized power steering hose, barbed fittings and clamps, welded the bracket to the factory strut bar, and gave it a fresh coat of paint.

0eRJQJo.jpg


The factory strut bars would be combined with the OEM BMW Performance aluminum strut bar. And I went ahead and picked up a used, thicker front Eibach front sway bar.

GIKn2kY.jpg


I didn't take many pictures of some of these steps under the car here because it was mostly reassembly of everything, but here are some stream of thought notes regarding the steps between getting the turbo and downpipe mounted & addressing software in the next picture:
  • Fitting the active steering rack back in and getting all the electrical harnesses connected by myself was no fun. Neither was getting all the suspension components torqued back down.
  • The OEM mid-pipe mated up perfectly with the ACF downpipe.
  • I went as far as to installing all the plastic panels underneath except the main one under the engine (so I could check for leaks upon first start), before moving on to installing the Phoenix Race FMIC.
  • I also didn't take many pictures of this step, because I was beginning to get frustrated with the amount of plastic that had to be cut away. I ended up using an angle grinder, cutting wheel, tin snips, and reciprocating saw in very tight spaces and in very close proximity to the radiator & AC condenser to get the job done, and had to test fit everything over a dozen times to get things fitted properly, but finally got this monstrosity mounted.
  • It's huge, heavy, and has been proven to keep IAT's very much in check. For those worried about weight, I had the whole thing hanging by just the silicone couplers and tightened t-bolt clamps before fitting the two screws, and there was no way it was going anywhere.
  • I triple checked tightness proper fitment on all the t-bolt clamps holding on silicone couplers. The last thing I want is to get into boost for the first time and blow off an IC pipe.
  • I installed fresh NGK plugs at .022 gap, new Delphi coils, and switched from the RB external PCV with Mishimoto OCC to an RB PCV and cap for simplicity sake. Plus I have the proper tools and know-how to do walnut blasts whenever I need now.
  • I connected the OEM flapper valve to the BMS high side OCC, and then connected about 6 feet of heater hose to the outlet, and routed it underneath the car next to the fuel lines, which should help push these fumes far behind the car with the exhaust.
  • I added coolant (about a gallon), bled the system, topped off, bled the system again just to be safe, and topped off again.
  • I finished adding fluids: fresh Motul engine oil, power steering fluid, and windshield wiper fluid.
  • With a battery charger connected, I uploaded the ST JB4 firmware, and made the proper adjustments for my particular setup.
  • Now that the firmware was done, it was time to move on to the BMS ST E85 Twin Scroll BEF. I activated the cold start hoise reduction, "sport" coolant target, ADV o2 sensors installed, and a 950RPM idle to help reduce the noise of the SMFW.

JRIiZna.jpg


Now was the moment I'd been waiting for. I disconnected the electrical connections of the injectors, primed the car and looked for leaks. Nothing. I then reconnected the electrical connections, got back in the car and fired it up. It immediately started and began idling normally. I hopped out of the car, and inspected for leaks up top as well as underneath. For the next half hour I left the car idling, looking for things out of the ordinary. Besides the minuscule amount of noise from the SMFW, everything seemed to be set up correctly. I let everything cool back down completely, added a bit more coolant to top off the system, and repeated the entire start + fully get up to temperature and check for leaks routine. Once I made sure no liquids or exhaust gasses were escaping, I noticed that, as expected, all the heat wrap had to burn off a layer of something, resulting in some smoke. Once that stopped, I cut the ignition off again, reattached the undercarriage plastic shielding, and installed the remaining engine bay components for a stunning final result.

xfJ9QQN.jpg


rDQVWJi.jpg


qGz3kCh.jpg


fs5bWi9.jpg


0C02jIK.jpg


uvqVrXq.jpg


Once EVERYTHING was back on the car, I gave it all another once over, and prepared for a first drive. At this point, my fiance had become quite tired of all the time I'd been spending across town working on this car over the past month and had expected me home hours ago, so basic functionality was all I'd be looking for. Plus I needed to break in the clutch for the next 500 or so miles. A few thoughts I had along my drive home:

The clutch and flywheel combination is silky. Rev matching and downshifting is much snappier, and easier IMO. The Spec 2+ feels pretty much indistinguishable from what the factory clutch felt like. Engagement is easy and predictable, although that may be a testament to my other transmission/shifter modifications. With a 950RPM idle, chatter is basically non existent. A small bit of NVH at low RPMS, like when not quite coming to a stop, and speeding up again, all while in second gear. Would more than likely be non-noticeable to an average passenger. If this combination can hold the power and last for a decent amount of time, I'll be very happy. I think I made the right decision with the steel MFactory SMFW and Spec Stage 2+ clutch.

The exhaust volume hasn't changed much out of boost, even with the much larger downpipe, but start dipping into boost at all, and prepare yourself for a real treat. The sound in comparison to the twin turbos is night and day, and it's not even close as to which I prefer. I can't wait for the first WOT pull to hear everything working in symphony. Normal city driving and highway driving result in a drone-free, very moderate tone. Downshift, and prepare for jaws to drop.

I never took the car above 5,000 or so RPM once it was up to temperature as I just rolled very easily into boost a few times in 3rd gear to make sure the boost wasn't unchecked. Despite installing the 11.6psi, wastegate spring pressure in map 1 would hit around 16psi and stick rock solid, which I've heard is somewhat normal when using Tial wastegates on our application. I'll wait on logs and some more drive time to make any comments on spool time, but let's just say I don't think this BB 6062 spools much slower than my stock twins with the wastegate rattle fix maximized, if it all.

Wastegate rattle is gone obviously, but more importantly, no smoke as I approach a stop. Two huge reasons why I wanted to make this upgrades in the first place.

I'll be back soon when I have a chance to put the car through its initial map 1 logging paces and work out some kinks with some more pictures/video. It was way too windy outside, the weather is still near freezing, and the sounds of a ST N54 car makes need to be captured properly so others can appreciate.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: doublespaces

suspenceful

10 Second Club
Aug 1, 2017
559
591
75
Ride
2015 M3, 2008 135i, 2009 335i
Yessssss! I've been waiting to read this update. Thanks for allowing me to relive my first time starting the car and driving it. Glad it seems to have gone together without a hitch. Can't wait for more updates.

Enjoy the car (I know you will, that goes without saying).
 
  • Like
Reactions: chadillac2000

Torgus

Brigadier General
Nov 6, 2016
2,671
2,194
0
Boston
Ride
ACF 6466 E92 + METH
Great thread. I am sure it will help many people install their single. Way to go documenting it all. I know how much of a hassle it is to stop and take pictures in the middle of a job etc.

Top mounts look so sick in the n54 engine bay.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chadillac2000

chadillac2000

Corporal
Oct 26, 2017
233
255
0
NC
Ride
2008 BMW 135i
Nice work! I know you can't wait to drive it a bit harder. That first time the dumps open after going ST is magical lol.

I certainly cannot. Unfortunately, as soon as I got the car back in my home driveway, it snowed a few inches. I'm itching to get some more seat time. Hopefully this weekend. I got a sneak peak of the dumps once everything was up to temperature and I was making sure I had control over the boost on wastegate spring and goodness, biggest grin I've had in a while. I'm very glad I didn't go with recirculated dumps.

Yessssss! I've been waiting to read this update. Thanks for allowing me to relive my first time starting the car and driving it. Glad it seems to have gone together without a hitch. Can't wait for more updates.

Enjoy the car (I know you will, that goes without saying).

Yessir! I don't think I'll have any issues enjoying things once I get the kinks worked out--that's for sure. As you've been dealing with, this weather is a major buzzkill right now! Looking forward to the spring months ahead and glad I got this install all wrapped up so I don't have downtime during the warmer months.

Great thread. I am sure it will help many people install their single. Way to go documenting it all. I know how much of a hassle it is to stop and take pictures in the middle of a job etc.

Top mounts look so sick in the n54 engine bay.

Hopefully so! I don't mind grabbing the camera to document, but it gets tiresome when you're super dirty with greasy hands and are forced to go clean up to grab the DSLR + wide angle lens, but a normal iPhone just wouldn't be as informative.

Agreed on the top mount aesthetics. Stunning in person.
 

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,303
4,331
0
AZ
Ride
2009 E93 335i
Congrats on getting it together! By the way, my 6266 runs a single TiAL MVR and it has a 1 bar spring stack. Opens on point every time. If you're twin scroll and have two wastegates, I don't see how it would be anything but manifold design.
 

Payam@BMS

Sergeant
Oct 27, 2016
412
265
25
33
Congrats on getting it together! By the way, my 6266 runs a single TiAL MVR and it has a 1 bar spring stack. Opens on point every time. If you're twin scroll and have two wastegates, I don't see how it would be anything but manifold design.

1- Over some time the springs will settle and he will be closer to gate pressure.
2- Tial website states springs can deviate plus or minus 2lbs.
 

suspenceful

10 Second Club
Aug 1, 2017
559
591
75
Ride
2015 M3, 2008 135i, 2009 335i
FWIW - I installed the same exact springs as Chad in my 6266 Doc Race kit and it overboosts. I've heard that these TiAL springs are underrated a bit and that they will wear in over time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Payam@BMS

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,303
4,331
0
AZ
Ride
2009 E93 335i
I boost to about 15 psi, so if you got two of them with half the pressure, maybe that's where the 1-2 psi of over boost comes from.
 

chadillac2000

Corporal
Oct 26, 2017
233
255
0
NC
Ride
2008 BMW 135i
As Payam had said would happen, after breaking in the springs for a bit, I'm now sticking closer to 15psi on the nose throughout the powerband on map 1. But I haven't really gotten to focus on that because I've been having other issues that have made going WOT worrisome.

It's been two weeks since I fired up the engine for the first time after installing the ST kit. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but almost immediately I began getting a service engine soon light. When I ran the codes, they were pointing to the o2 sensors. This made little sense, as I'd invested quite a bit of money in a set of ADV o2 sensors. These supposedly lasted longer, and measured more precisely in a pre-turbo environment.

ipy3m8y.png


After further investigation, while monitoring trims and AFRs in banks 1 and 2, I found that prior to these codes being thrown, the fuel trims would get stuck at a reading of 25. This indicated that the car was going into open loop fueling. This would send AFRs out of whack, and eventually throw the codes seen above. Clear the codes with the JB4 Mobile app, and voila, trims were unstuck again for a few minutes.


The majority of time this happened, it was when I was off throttle, in gear. Like clockwork, if I let off the throttle and coasted for more than 5 seconds or so, I could get the code to appear every time. It would also randomly appear, for no reason at all at various throttle positions.

I triple checked that all the sensors were in the right places, not damaged in any way, and the connectors were seated properly. I flashed different revisions of the ST hex hoping it was a tuning issue, but ultimately I ran out of options. After pulling out my hair for 14 days, I eventually bit the bullet and decided to order a set of NTK o2 sensors. Supposedly these last a bit longer than the OEM Bosch o2 sensors, but we shall see.

TDJ0jVZ.jpg


Fortunately on the ACF top mount kit, changing o2 sensors isn't too involved, but still something I never thought I'd be doing only a few weeks in to switching to a single turbo. This all after going out of my way to order the ADV o2 sensors so I wouldn't have to worry about these exact issues. Before getting the car in the air, I removed the cowl, engine cover, strut bar, and BMS shorty filter.

bAXW7rn.jpg


Then I had to get the car up on stands, remove some of the splash guards underneath to gain access where needed, and I proceeded to remove the 4 bolts holding the ACF downpipe to OEM midpipe together. I eventually had to disconnect the two bolts connecting the OEM midpipe to the MadDad Whisper as well to gain enough clearance.

MrIKfBg.jpg


In order to access the rear pre-cat o2 sensor from above, the v-band clamp securing the ACF downpipe to the exhaust housing of the turbo had to be loosened and pulled back.

6jxdUMU.jpg


HF9jLpH.jpg


And in order to access the front pre-cat o2 sensor from above, the compressor cover needs to be pulled forward. This consisted of loosening the top t-bolt clamp holding the cover to the charge pipe, and the 6 bolts holding the compressor cover to the center cartridge.

sq7odSm.jpg


aOn6FJ9.jpg


Using some patience, my full sized 22mm wrench, and 22mm wrench that I cut in half, I was able to get the ADV sensors out and the NTK o2 sensors in.

I carefully put everything back together, flashed back to the standard BMS ST TS E85 BEF with MHD, re-selected the JB4 o2 pressure compensation and reset on startup options, reset adaptations, and started the car. After verifying everything was back together properly, I took the car for a nice long drive, trying my hardest to recreate the conditions where fuel trims would get stuck, but they continued to read properly. No codes, and no fuel trim problems.

For the first time, I was able to stay in the throttle for a large part of 3rd gear, and my goodness. The sounds this car now creates are indescribable. Once I get the car dialed in on map 1 wastegate boost, which now seems to stick steady at 15psi after breaking in, I'll turn the boost up to map 2 levels and get some videos.
 

chadillac2000

Corporal
Oct 26, 2017
233
255
0
NC
Ride
2008 BMW 135i
Two months ago today, I began tearing down my 135i in order to remove my failing stock turbos and convert the car to a single turbo using ACF's N54 kit. Three weeks later, working on and off during my spare time, the install was complete. Over the subsequent five weeks between that first fire up and now, I've racked up 3,750 miles of use, broken in the clutch fully, learned how to drive the car over again with all the new hardware, and had to iron out the inevitable kinks involved with a project of this magnitude.

Since I had some free time today, and won't have much in the foreseeable future, I took the opportunity to take advantage of the nice weather and perform my annual polish and wax. Even though this car is a daily in all sense of the word and has spent every day and night outdoors for over two years now, I still like to keep the exterior looking mint. And since I'm transitioning to shorter oil change intervals now that I only have one turbo, even though it had been less than 4,000 miles and only 5 weeks since the N54 had gotten some fresh Motul and a new Mann, it was also time to do my first oil change.

DA1aNf4.jpg


I've already detailed the steps I use to paint correct and seal my car earlier in my build thread, but after buffing diligently for many hours, I had something to show for my hard work. Not too bad for now having over 106,000 miles on the odometer.

I9u9WMp.jpg


UWtRb4Q.jpg


IWOHp8w.jpg


VsSa0Nh.jpg


T1yn2gu.jpg


gYi31gj.jpg


After spending so much seat time in such a short time, and in my previously used "stream of consciousness" style, here are my thoughts on owning a single turbo N54 135i, and in particular the 6062 ball bearing PTE turbo using AC Fabrication's kit:

  • For the first two weeks of single turbo life, I was plagued by o2 sensor issues. I had purchased and installed ADV sensors specifically for this conversion, but for whatever reason, I could not get them to cooperate with my IJEOS ECU. After pulling my hair out over possible culprits, I finally installed a set of NTK o2 sensors and my problem was solved so I could start enjoying the car. Those NTK sensors haven't skipped a beat since.
  • The Spec Stage 2+ clutch proved problem free while breaking everything in, and it was quite easy to learn the new engagement points. In comparison with the OEM clutch, pedal pressure has increased slightly, and everything grabs a bit harder once it reaches the engagement point. All in all, I don't have many complaints about my clutch choice. The combination of the UCP, shifter mods, and lack of a CDV, make gear engagement buttery smooth.
  • The MFactory steel SMFW on the other hand, has been the aspect of this build I've been the least keen on. Using MHD to raise the idle of my car to 950 has kept the "marbles in a can" sound many describe at bay for the most part, but this can be still be heard slightly with the AC on or if RPMs dip while taking off from a stop in 1st gear. While this is very easy to live with, the noticeable NVH caused by the SMFW at low RPMs in first gear was somewhat disappointing and surprising. This gets worse after shifting into 2nd gear after the RPMs fall again and low throttle is applied. That NVH during low-speed driving has been my biggest gripe yet, but doesn't manage to ruin the entire driving experience. Hopefully in the future, we'll have an option to ditch the SMFW and high HP misfires.
  • I've closely monitored engine activity through the JB4 Mobile App, and shared a bunch of the logs I've collected across numerous forums to get feedback and make sure things were looking okay. I had intentions of running an ethanol blend for added safety and more power, but as I progressed the wastegate spring boost of 15psi up to map 2's 17psi, it wasn't long before I saw I was running out of fuel from the HPFP side on E30 fuel at 17psi. Since then, I've tapered back the fuel to E25 to take some stress of the HPFP, and opted to just daily drive on 15psi. For the time being, I'm content with running this low boost map, but more than likely I'll add one of the upcoming intake manifold upgrades with integrated port injection once I get bored at this power level. For the record, things feel far faster at 15psi through the 6062 than 20psi + inlets felt through the stock twins.
  • The Phoenix Race FMIC is pretty unbeatable it seems. I've yet to see a log where IAT hasn't went down during a pull. My VRSF 7" non-HD FMIC would result in a large increase over a multiple gear pull when I was FBO. I'm also enjoying the stealthy black finish I gave it before installing.
  • By pairing the same catless N54 midpipe with Vibrant resonators and MadDad Whisper axleback that I'd been using for a while now with all the new single turbo hardware, the exhaust note is much improved. At idle and during normal driving, things are very tame. But any heavy application of the throttle and all hell breaks loose. Airplane style spool up sounds, a terrific throaty growl out of the rear end, and external wastegate dumps that make me smile every time. Natural run over or "burble" isn't as audible as it was with the twin turbos; not sure of the cause of the reduction--I've never used the MHD option and don't intend to. The common comparison to the 2JZ exhaust note from single turbo N54s is not exaggerated, they certainly share similarities. For a daily driver, I wouldn't change a thing sound wise. Plus no there's no sound pollution from rattling wastegates, nor do I have to worry about there being any in the future.
  • On the topic of being a daily driver, switching to a single turbo has only seemed to improve overall functionality and fun. Since the conversion I've been averaging 21.9 miles per gallon on a variety of low percentage ethanol blends between E20-E40. Oil temperatures are consistently lower. The large amounts of smoke and terrible smells of burning oil I used to be embarrassed by regularly are a thing of the past. There are no lights on the dash, and no functions were lost during the conversion. Drivability with the BMS ST E85 TS THR BEF is even better than I thought it would be, and the cruise control feature is even smoother than it was with the OEM twin turbo configuration. Four days a week I take this car on a 3 hour round trip, and it hasn't hiccuped once. Earlier this week I drove the car for 7 hours straight in a variety of different driving conditions with nothing negative to note. I'm impressed.
jJ9SVgS.jpg


I need to pick up a GoPro in order to get some better in-car footage, but here's a quick video I was able to make this afternoon including some start up action, walk around, some idle/revs, as well as a quick pull at the end . I wanted to get some audio of the exhaust at full throttle, as well as the external wastegates, so please excuse the fact I had to use my front facing iPhone camera to do so.

 

fmorelli

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Aug 11, 2017
3,748
3,592
0
57
Virginia
Ride
E89 Z4 35i, F10 535d
Two months ago today, I began tearing down my 135i in order to remove my failing stock turbos and convert the car to a single turbo using ACF's N54 kit.
... and this has been one of my favorite builds to follow, in many ways. Props to you.
I've racked up 3,750 miles of use...
Can't wait to see what you see at 10k miles, which seems like it will come soon.
... I took the opportunity to take advantage of the nice weather and perform my annual polish and wax.
Car looks great. I hate black with a passion - my E28 M5 was a DD and I cleaned it 3x week ... OCD. That said, your car again looks fantastic. Have you thought about ceramic coating for the exterior? Black is probably not one I'd try to do personally (black is sooooo hard), but you seem adventurous and resourceful. I'm about to use CQuartz on my 535d, and I've heard good things about these coatings from friends.

On to my questions:
For the first two weeks of single turbo life, I was plagued by o2 sensor issues. I had purchased and installed ADV sensors specifically for this conversion, but for whatever reason, I could not get them to cooperate with my IJEOS ECU. After pulling my hair out over possible culprits, I finally installed a set of NTK o2 sensors and my problem was solved so I could start enjoying the car. Those NTK sensors haven't skipped a beat since.
Any idea what was the issue? I thought the ADV sensors were considered pretty high bar.
... it wasn't long before I saw I was running out of fuel from the HPFP side on E30 fuel at 17psi. Since then, I've tapered back the fuel to E25 to take some stress of the HPFP, and opted to just daily drive on 15psi. For the time being, I'm content with running this low boost map, but more than likely I'll add one of the upcoming intake manifold upgrades with integrated port injection once I get bored at this power level. For the record, things feel far faster at 15psi through the 6062 than 20psi + inlets felt through the stock twins.
Curious if you are considering a rebuilt HPFP? Have you contemplated running a single barrel setup, instead of two fuel systems (PI)? Just curious of your thinking here.
For a daily driver, I wouldn't change a thing sound wise. Plus no there's no sound pollution from rattling wastegates, nor do I have to worry about there being any in the future.
I've been sound deadening panels with Noico material, which could be helpful as a DD. Basically tap panels and put pieces on where there is a resonant sound versus a thud. Doors, roof, some spots in the back, etc. What I've found is that it has removed lots of white noise in the car leaving the remaining sounds of the actual car. Food for thought.
Drivability with the BMS ST E85 TS THR BEF is even better than I thought it would be, and the cruise control feature is even smoother than it was with the OEM twin turbo configuration.
This is curious ... makes me wonder if there was an issue with the prior configuration?

Again, great thread. Props to you!

Filippo
 
  • Like
Reactions: chadillac2000

chadillac2000

Corporal
Oct 26, 2017
233
255
0
NC
Ride
2008 BMW 135i
... and this has been one of my favorite builds to follow, in many ways. Props to you. Can't wait to see what you see at 10k miles, which seems like it will come soon.

Thanks for following along and for all the the questions! The car has certainly come a long way over the past few years. There's absolutely no doubt about it that 10,000 total miles on the single turbo setup will come soon, probably before the end of summer. This car does not sit idle for long periods.

Car looks great. I hate black with a passion - my E28 M5 was a DD and I cleaned it 3x week ... OCD. That said, your car again looks fantastic. Have you thought about ceramic coating for the exterior? Black is probably not one I'd try to do personally (black is sooooo hard), but you seem adventurous and resourceful. I'm about to use CQuartz on my 535d, and I've heard good things about these coatings from friends.

It's not my favorite color to maintain by any means, and has proven to be the most difficult paint to maintain that I've ever owned. In hindsight, I probably should have held out for white, my first choice, as keeping swirls out of Jet Black is torturous for us that are particular about our paint. I should probably look more into the ceramic coatings, and more than likely will next year now that I'm out of the Blackfire.

Any idea what was the issue? I thought the ADV sensors were considered pretty high bar.

I have no clue and still don't. The vendor was stumped as well. We initially thought it could be caused by elevation (although my location in NC isn't that far above sea level), and tried to remedy the issue using a few variations of the BMS BEF I was running, but nothing worked. After investigating a little further, it seems some others had the exact same issues that weren't widely reported. I wish I had known before investing so much in sensors that never worked completely from the start.

Curious if you are considering a rebuilt HPFP? Have you contemplated running a single barrel setup, instead of two fuel systems (PI)? Just curious of your thinking here.

I'm not quite sure how to proceed regarding the HPFP. I hadn't anticipated running out of fuel so quickly. If I had been able to make take boost up to 20psi on E40 fuel on my current fuel system I had my mind set up I wouldn't add a thing. But now that I find myself capped at 15psi on just E25 fuel, I'm exploring options to help take some stress off the HPFP. I like the idea of staying DI, but adding an intake manifold with integrated port injection controlled through the JB4 PI controller seems safe enough at the levels I'll be running. I like the idea of being able to use an OTS tune from BMS like I can with port injection, but getting a custom tune to control single barrel wouldn't be a deal breaker. A lot more people seem to be running some of the shotgun setups now though, so as reviews roll out of that, I may entertain that idea. A single barrel shotgun setup would allow me to remain direct injection, run the E40 fuel I'd like to, and eliminate additional injectors.

This is curious ... makes me wonder if there was an issue with the prior configuration?

I don't think there was an issue as much as throttle response was near instant on those tiny turbos on a tune. For instance, when going slightly uphill and with cruise control engaged, the car would dip into boost while trying to keep speed up. Now, with the single turbo, and more effort required for spool up, the car accelerates smoother without the surging feeling I had before. I even adjusted all the map 10, 11, and 12 settings back in the day to try and get my cruise control perfect, and I got it close, but could not completely solve the surging issues when tuned on twin turbos.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fmorelli

suspenceful

10 Second Club
Aug 1, 2017
559
591
75
Ride
2015 M3, 2008 135i, 2009 335i
I even adjusted all the map 10, 11, and 12 settings back in the day to try and get my cruise control perfect, and I got it close, but could not completely solve the surging issues when tuned on twin turbos.

Just out of curiosity, what are your map 10, 11, 12 settings now? I get a very very slight surging at acceleration under 2K RPMs now.
 

chadillac2000

Corporal
Oct 26, 2017
233
255
0
NC
Ride
2008 BMW 135i
Just out of curiosity, what are your map 10, 11, 12 settings now? I get a very very slight surging at acceleration under 2K RPMs now.

Just checked this AM, 10 is set to 4,000 RPM, 11 is set to 500 RPM, 12 is set to 2,500 RPM. I have not adjusted them since going single turbo and loading new FW and BEFs, so I imagine these are default. I get no surging with these settings under any circumstance, even when cruise control is engaged.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: suspenceful