[nsjames]

no worries buddy.

nice to e meet you on the telephone.
things like that have happened enough that my wife doesn't even act surprised anymore.


enjoy that new found flat torque curve on the bottom end.

we probably would have avoided the ECU bricking had I not taken an unplanned nap after dinner.
but nap time.

[tr3flip]

Good stuff!

How's the tune working out so far? Do you have any more info on it? I'd like to do this mod to our touring at some point this year too.

[Drifter2090]

Nice! Must feel a lot nicer now.

Did you go with OEM blacklines or depo?

[ppointer]

Originally Posted by MPOWER5266

It is certainly noticeable. It definitely has more power 1800-2800 rpm. I need to drive it more but I am happy with it.

One reason I look forward to your experience is that the guy in this video was not so successful. I have used some of his DIY BMW videos in the past and he seems knowledgeable, but looks as if he has struggled with this 3-stage upgrade to his N52. So, would be curious to hear your assessment if you have time to watch his video:

[MPOWER5266]

Originally Posted by tr3flip

Good stuff!

How's the tune working out so far? Do you have any more info on it? I'd like to do this mod to our touring at some point this year too.

Its been great so far. Other than the noticeable gain in power, I cant tell the difference.

Originally Posted by Drifter2090

Nice! Must feel a lot nicer now.

Did you go with OEM blacklines or depo?

It does. I went with OEM and over paid because they are on permanent back order from BMW according to my dealer parts guy. I didn't know depo made them for the wagon? The sedan and wagon have different tails.

Originally Posted by ppointer

One reason I look forward to your experience is that the guy in this video was not so successful. I have used some of his DIY BMW videos in the past and he seems knowledgeable, but looks as if he has struggled with this 3-stage upgrade to his N52. So, would be curious to hear your assessment if you have time to watch his video:

I will have to watch it later but the bimmerlabs tune is not a simple click and install. NSjames had to move some files around to make it work properly. Ill try to watch the video in a few minutes.

Edit: I watched the video. It sounds like the guy that did the flash messed his car up. As for the guy in the video, I watched his stage 3 install video and I kinda lost confidence in him. He installed the intake, drove it without the tune, and complained that it was a waste of time and that it didnt make power. I didnt have to redo anything I had previously changed in carly and everything in my car functions as it did before the tune.

[nsjames]

the "tune" is just changing the hex parts of the factory map that control the DISA flaps, timing anf fueling.

literally bimmerlabs grabbed the stuff from another factory firmware, and smashes it into your stock firmware.

If done properly your car will act factory.
Mine has been to the dealer with the 3sim on it, they even replaced the PCV heater on it.
Nobody has said jack about it.

I would assume it will even pass a plug in emissions test, but we don't have any of that trash here so I can't actually comment.

the bimmerlabs batch files would probably work just perfectly fine on an XP machine, but everything post windows 7 has file system security that won't allow thinks to just write to the C: drive willy nilly, and that's where the issues come in.

All you have to do is manually copy/paste the files into the locations the batch file is trying to cpy them into and then it works fine.

Most of mpowers issues were siply in getting the serial port adapter and software setup properly, which is probably where most people go wrong, not the actual flash.

also, don't use a shit adapter.
there's no error correction in serial communications. If your shit $15 amazon adapter borks a 0 or 1 in the data stream, your deal is bricked.

now, "Bricked" is a relative term.
The bimmerlabs instructions specifically state not to flash the bootloader, because if you flash the bootloader and brick it then you're not going to be able to talk to it to recover it.
at that point you're legit talking about JTAGing it or something to get workable firmware back onto the eeprom.

and that's me being a nerd.

You will forever have a DME code for incorrect software or whatever, but that's because unsigned code I'd imagine.
it's a non issue.

[nsjames]

I skimmed that video and dude was talking about how the flash file had the wrong VIN in it and shit.

files sucked.
that's not a problem with the process, that's a problem with the person that modified the stock firmware not doing it right.

The bimmerlabs system is automated I believe, that's a question for hass.
but there's been a bunch of people that have benefacted from the bimmer labs free files and other than the standard issues flashing things with winkfp I haven't read anyone have actual wrong files.
I literally spent $150 to do it on my junk thanks to bimmerlabs. They have done an immeasurable solid to the community. So I don't really think any of us can bitch about the batch file thing.

as always, mod at your own risk, but there's nothing else that will make your N52 suck less like a 3sim for the money spent.

[ppointer]

Originally Posted by nsjames

I skimmed that video and dude was talking about how the flash file had the wrong VIN in it and shit.

files sucked.
that's not a problem with the process, that's a problem with the person that modified the stock firmware not doing it right.

The bimmerlabs system is automated I believe, that's a question for hass.
but there's been a bunch of people that have benefacted from the bimmer labs free files and other than the standard issues flashing things with winkfp I haven't read anyone have actual wrong files.
I literally spent $150 to do it on my junk thanks to bimmerlabs. They have done an immeasurable solid to the community. So I don't really think any of us can bitch about the batch file thing.

as always, mod at your own risk, but there's nothing else that will make your N52 suck less like a 3sim for the money spent.

Gives me confidence that you can indeed be successful with the 3sim mod doing it yourself. Thank you for the detailed replies and reaction to the video I posted.

[MPOWER5266]

Thank, I knew you would explain it better than I could. Haha.

[nsjames]

I should have screen capped stuff and written a DIY that explains how to "fix" the batch file not finding files.

but it was late.
I was half stoned
and I didn't think about it.

so easy to do that you can do it a thousand miles away after you wake up from your devil's lettuce nap after dinner.

[MPOWER5266]

Originally Posted by nsjames

I should have screen capped stuff and written a DIY that explains how to "fix" the batch file not finding files.

but it was late.
I was half stoned
and I didn't think about it.

so easy to do that you can do it a thousand miles away after you wake up from your devil's lettuce nap after dinner.

Haha I was pretty frustrated with trying to load the tune over the weekend, I would have been several beers deep if I didn't plan on test driving the car.

[nsjames]

the relief in your voice was pretty evident when it fired after we flashed it.

Like I said on the phone, I've been there with a car that ran and now it doesn't and you'd really like to drive it to work in the morning.

sometimes all you need is a second set of eyes and someone to talk you down from setting it all on fire with a brick and a road flare.

that's why we have imaginary internet friends that share the same crippling obsession to mess with stuff that worked just fine how it was, but it could be better.

[Timothi2]

Reading the last few posts reminded me of me in the middle of my n54 swap, except I didn't have anyone helping me out. Surprised I didn't just give up at some point hahaha. The wagon's looking great!

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Timothi2

Reading the last few posts reminded me of me in the middle of my n54 swap, except I didn't have anyone helping me out. Surprised I didn't just give up at some point hahaha. The wagon's looking great!

my brothers msport e60 might be totalled.

he's really trying to talk me into the salvage price and swapping my e91.





he is a terrible influence.

if it were a 3 series donor we'd probably be doing it.

I will say he's taking it prety well and we're shopping for an E61 right now to swap all of the m sport things too, not to mention the new everything on his n54. It's got new HPFP, injectors, all the normal suspects.
to replace the 535 e61 that got t boned a few years back.

[E91WAG3N]

Glad to hear you can feel improvement with 3IM with an auto trans. Guess I need to source on for my daily.

Have you fitted LED taillight bulbs? My housings are a little melty as well. Hoping someone has tried something before I start buying random eBay bulbs.

[Timothi2]

Originally Posted by nsjames

my brothers msport e60 might be totalled.

he's really trying to talk me into the salvage price and swapping my e91.





he is a terrible influence.

if it were a 3 series donor we'd probably be doing it.

I will say he's taking it prety well and we're shopping for an E61 right now to swap all of the m sport things too, not to mention the new everything on his n54. It's got new HPFP, injectors, all the normal suspects.
to replace the 535 e61 that got t boned a few years back.

Do it!! You don't really need anything from the 535 except for engine, engine harness, DME, driveline, rear diff and axles, you can make everything else work without swapping over anything else.

[MPOWER5266]

Originally Posted by E91WAG3N

Glad to hear you can feel improvement with 3IM with an auto trans. Guess I need to source on for my daily.

Have you fitted LED taillight bulbs? My housings are a little melty as well. Hoping someone has tried something before I start buying random eBay bulbs.

I did the LEDs in the pic. I had to code the warning off with my Carley but they have been great.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Timothi2

Do it!! You don't really need anything from the 535 except for engine, engine harness, DME, driveline, rear diff and axles, you can make everything else work without swapping over anything else.

I'm XI and It's RWD.

so I'd have to find driveshafts and a front subframe and the like from a 3'er.

If I decided to do it it would be the same price to buy an e90 donor.

Maybe when/if the n52 dies, but it would need to not be a daily driver, and at that point I'd probably put an LS in it for lulz.

so for once in my automotive life I exercise restraint, and I really like my n52.
it makes all the right noises a straight six at 7 thousand rpms should.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by MPOWER5266

I did the LEDs in the pic. I had to code the warning off with my Carley but they have been great.

I used some of these in my reverse lights and they've been solid.

How does yours look with the LEDs in the tail lights? I was worried the light pipes would be terrible.

nighttime pictures!

also, since you have carly.
Can it make your angel eyes do DRL things?
I CAN make mine do it if I use NCSexpert, but then if I touch the FRM with carly it wipes out the coding for the angle eyes and completely dicks everything.

mine is a 09/07 build.

[MPOWER5266]

Originally Posted by nsjames

I used some of these in my reverse lights and they've been solid.

How does yours look with the LEDs in the tail lights? I was worried the light pipes would be terrible.

nighttime pictures!

I'll try to get some better soon. You have to go with red bulbs for the tails.

Also mine is a late 06 build date so the angel eyes weren't the drl's. I can dim and brighten the angel eyes but that's about it.

[nsjames]

I lust after your clear turns.

the split red/clear on my tailgate is super ugly.
I need to do something about that this spring.

[MPOWER5266]

Originally Posted by nsjames

I lust after your clear turns.

the split red/clear on my tailgate is super ugly.
I need to do something about that this spring.

I want to get rid of the orange in the headlights but I'm not sure how to do it and euro spec lights are crazy expensive.