[n54335i02121997]

So, just kind of a vent post here, but to be straight, I think I genuinely enjoyed doing my downpipes more than this charge pipe... maybe it's just because it was Tial. A good bit of it was from my own personal mistakes and just not doing proper research though, so definitely not bashing Tial at all.

So the downpipes were pretty straight forward, I feel like if I did it again I could do it in probably 3 hours not rushing. V bands were much easier than I thought, and the only thing I messed up was not connecting the downstream O2 sensor on the front downpipe before installing the rear. Took about 10 minutes to fix.

So, with the catless downpipes installed, being on MHD stage 1+, I figured I was on borrowed time with my OEM chargepipe, so I ordered my BMS charge pipe and a Tial BOV.

First thing I notice when I get it and am watching videos, everyone seemed to have a part that I did not have. I didn't see anything on BMS about needing to tap the manifold, or buying an adapter for the vacuum line. So I thought, huh, that's weird, I thought it was just plug and play and hook up to the line the stock DV's were on.

Nope. I did some more reading, some people had luck with a 1/4th to 1/8th adapter. Only then I found out that the supplied vacuum line was 1/8th, and no way it would fit over the Tial nipple. So, hour long round trip to the hardware store and back.

So I got the lines spliced, hooked it up after a brief fight with the rubber elbow, and boom, no boost, waste gates seemed stuck open. I thought to myself "oh SHIT, maybe I do need to get that bigger vacuum line".

So I pulled the BMS CP and put the OEM one back on. "Oh SHIT it's still got no boost and super loud".

After about 3-4 hours of frantically trying to figure out what the hell happened, 15 back and forth emails with BMS (Dave, if you read this you were amazing), I just said fuck it, I'm going to return this. Before I did, I popped the engine cover off just to get a tiny bit more space.

I pulled a fucking vacuum line when I was putting pressure on the brake booster line. Hooked it back up, and back to normal.

Took her on a test drive, noticed it seemed to have some compressor surge and then the BOV was SUPER quiet (like... my $2 diverter blow off "mod" sounded significantly louder) and vented maybe .5 seconds later. I had a trip to make the next day, so I put the OEM CP back on (time #2).

I returned from my trip and tonight I decided I would just suck it up and tap the manifold... didn't really want to pay another $60+shipping since I'm already $400 deep right now.

Tapping the mani took a few hours start to finish, because I had just moved back in with family, couldn't find either of our drills, and only had my Makita bit driver. Spent probably half the time searching for bigger drill bits.

But eventually, I was able to tap the manifold. I took my 1/4" male adapter, wrapped some of that sealant tape around it, and threaded it in maybe 3/4 of the way.

I took my air compressor and blew out the manifold pretty well. Most of it came outside the manifold when I was drilling because I was slow and careful, but I'm definitely paranoid that it didn't all come out. So I hope that's not a big deal.

SO just to be safe, I slathered JB weld all along the outside of the male adapter.

I'm currently letting that cure overnight, and tomorrow I'm going to crank it up and PRAY that it vents properly.

All in all I probably spent about 12 hours on this stupid thing, 4 hour long round trips to the hardware store, including the time I was trying to figure out why I had no boost.

Going to be very satisfying if it's all good tomorrow.

If anyone wants to give me some reassurance, I did blow out the intake manifold with my air compressor for a few minutes in several different areas, but I didn't see much come out. I did reach in and try to feel any bits of plastic. I couldn't, but I was also an inch or so away from where I drilled into. I took the drilling slow and one size up drill bit each time.

[BMW Guy]

It took me and my friend about 8 hours to install my VRSF downpipe. Couldn't get the darn clamp over the downpipe pipe and turbo. I come out looking like I had just crawled through a chimney.