Show off your single turbo engine bay
- Thread starter twinturbos
- Start date
Customise the overflow and power steering tanks. I think the exposed stock head looks pretty rough as well, just one man's opinion tho. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....
Last edited:
Its not much, but it gets the job done!
M3 cowel, R8 coils, ff intake manifold, and get rid of the red on the strut tower braces. A modified M18 valve cover you’re eyeing would also help.
Matched my engine cover to the car, I’m sure I’ll get some hate on the wrap. But I like it 
I’m also still in the works of cleaning up my coolant reservoir/power steering mounting and a few other exterior things.
I’m also still in the works of cleaning up my coolant reservoir/power steering mounting and a few other exterior things.Attachments
This.
Unfortunately the N54 engine bay is pretty ugly. You are going to spend a pretty penny to make it look better.
$2000 FF manifold + making a custom harness and up pipe for BOV.
$700 M18 VC https://www.m18performance.com/product-p/n54-vc.htm
$500 R8 Coils https://www.bimmerlifetuning.com/products/motorsport-ignition-upgrade-for-135i-335i-535i
$325 CF engine cover https://www.urotuning.com/products/racing-dynamics-carbon-fiber-engine-cover-bmw-n54-131-74-54-020
$650 CF front strut brace https://www.ecstuning.com/b-wiecher...bar-bmw-3er-e90-e91-e92-benziner/067032c~wie/
$800 for custom made coolant, power steering reservoirs
$60 BMS Billet BMW Oil Filter Cap https://burgertuning.com/products/b...using-for-n54-n55-s55-n51-n52-n20-bmw-engines
$700 M3 cowl: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-m3-cowl-conversion-kit-64316958817kt
Total: $5,735 w/ no install costs or shipping to your door. $735 more than the price of an ACF or DR DBB single turbo top mount kit.
After all of that you can start taking parts off to be chromed or anodized black or black wrinkle coated etc. Wire tuck and move the DME into the glove box etc. Unfortunately, you can basically throw endless money at an engine bay if you want to get it 'show car' looking.
Last edited:
Has anyone moved the DME? I’d be curious to know how they handled the wiring harness and if they had any issues with wire resistance from crimp/solder joints or wire extension.
For older Bosch and siemens DMEs there's break out boxes readily available (diyautotune.com)
It would be cool to.find a source for these newer DME's so it wouldn't require 2 of everything and alot of depinning
It would be cool to.find a source for these newer DME's so it wouldn't require 2 of everything and alot of depinning
Not that I am aware of.
I don't think it is worth the hassle of moving the DME personally. I think the same of wire tucks and making an engine bay 'show car' like. I mean my hood is closed 99% of it's life and the only one who sees under it is me and rarely a mechanic. I don't anything shiny to look at while I am changing my oil or doing a mod, but that is just me.
You could always build a new box to house the DME and make it look 'good' that would be a MUCH better solution I think. Metal and black wrinkle coat it for example. Just have to add some grommets, probably try and reuse OEM if possible.
I agree I would worry about changing the resistance by extending the wires ~4 feet or so. Obviously you can move to a MUCH larger conductor but there will be no way to have the factory resistance unless you wanted to spend a metric fuck ton of money. Now maybe nothing would happen with the resistance changing over that ~4 feet but I sure would not spend the money to find out.
I personally wouldn’t move the DME, but would be interested in redoing the harnesses to reroute them and shorten/lengthen where needed. You could hide the wires, add mil spec bulkhead connectors on outside of DME box, etc. would make removing/replacing components and the engine a lot easier if done right.
That's basically what I was looking at, thanks. I know the strut tower braces are ugly, it was a project from like 4 years ago... needs to go back to black but was also looking for an m3 brace seems to be much better.
Anyone know the PN for the cable housing? mine lost a clip and is all saggy
@twinturbos do you a have a link for the NPT banjos you used on the WG's? my BOV is just using a finisher and it feels pretty rice to me
Sorry I bought them from a local store. It's Vibrant don't remember exactly what the part number was. I also need to do my BOV line.
The M3 braces would be my choice, or one of the aftermarket options for the Ms that triangulate the towers.
