[kylet101]

Hi all,

I just missed out on the group buy (I bought the tune a week before), however, I will still provide some feedback.

The first modification I did was the 3IM install, new spark plugs and new coils. The car felt fantastic to drive after this, I was amazed and really looking forward to see what the tune could add on top of this.

I then got the BPC tune loaded about two weeks later. My initial impressions were underwhelming, I could not feel any difference, maybe even a little less exciting to drive compared to before the tune.

BUT and it's a big but, sports mode.... sports mode is where I can feel the difference. Once I put the shifter into sports it feels fantastic, much better than before the tune. I feel like this is how the car should have been from factory.

In summary, I'm happy I got the tune done. The car feels much more lively and more fun to drive when in sports mode.

Kyle

[InControl]

Interesting. You must be noticing the difference at higher rpm. Does it feel better yet in sport manual?

[hassmaschine]

are you sure your DISA flaps are working? Because a 328i and no software changes with a 3 stage is still a 328i - the DISA manifold isn't doing much. If the tune didn't change anything then I'd be wondering if the flaps are working.

[kylet101]

Originally Posted by InControl

Interesting. You must be noticing the difference at higher rpm. Does it feel better yet in sport manual?

At low rpm actually. When in standard mode, the whole car feels a big sluggish throughout the entire rev range. When in sport mode, or sport manual, it seems more "peppy" or more responsive.

To summarize:

• Before any changes - car was... "stock"
• After 3IM, new plugs, new coils - car felt great in standard mode. Very responsive and fun to drive. Better than stock. Cannot remember if I tested sport mode
• After tune - car no longer feels great in standard mode. Sport mode is better than stock sport mode

I am tempted to go back to a stock flash to test things further. The only thing is I have recently moved from Vancouver, BC to Los Angeles, and I don't have a good relationships with any shops to allow me to borrow their battery charger.

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

are you sure your DISA flaps are working?

DISA flaps kicks in at higher rpm yes? Is there a way I can check to ensure the DISA flaps are working?

[hassmaschine]

the flash shouldn't take that long - you don't need a battery charger. It took less than 20 minutes when I flashed an E91 328i.

DISAs move positions several times through the rev range, not just at high RPM - it extends torque everywhere. Thus "3 stage".

But I doubt it's the tune, and I'm skeptical that your DISAs are working. You can test them but you have to take them out, which is a pain. Also, the AT dulls the engine response quite a bit (which has a lot to do with the stock AT tuning, but it's still an AT).

[N52UNED]

New plugs and coils could be "pepping" things up a bit themselves and not the 3IM.

Before the 3IM install ... did you take the time to check the DISAs to make sure there wasn't any play in them or anything worn?

[kylet101]

Originally Posted by N52UNED

Before the 3IM install ... did you take the time to check the DISAs to make sure there wasn't any play in them or anything worn?

I bought it off a forum member and then gave it straight to my service shop to install.

Originally Posted by BimmerGeeks

If your not in a position to take the disa's out. You can actuate them individually using Inpa.

Thanks I will use INPA to test.


I will create a new thread when I get some time to diagnose later. Apologies for the hijack

[E91Swagger]

Originally Posted by kylet101

Hi all,

I just missed out on the group buy (I bought the tune a week before), however, I will still provide some feedback.

The first modification I did was the 3IM install, new spark plugs and new coils. The car felt fantastic to drive after this, I was amazed and really looking forward to see what the tune could add on top of this.

I then got the BPC tune loaded about two weeks later. My initial impressions were underwhelming, I could not feel any difference, maybe even a little less exciting to drive compared to before the tune.

BUT and it's a big but, sports mode.... sports mode is where I can feel the difference. Once I put the shifter into sports it feels fantastic, much better than before the tune. I feel like this is how the car should have been from factory.

In summary, I'm happy I got the tune done. The car feels much more lively and more fun to drive when in sports mode.

Kyle

I have similar experience with the BPC n52 tune on my 328xi wagon with manual transmission.

Initial tune was stage 1 for stock intake manifold and car felt a bit livelier than stock. Then I installed 3IM in car and ran the same stage 1 tune for stock intake manifold and the car was awesome...more power everywhere in power band...totally raw...loved the setup and ran this for about two days.

Then uploaded the stage 1 tune for 3IM, car felt good, but felt more refine/tame. I miss the rawness with the previous tune. Will flash back to stage 1 for stock intake manifold and test again.

[kylet101]

Originally Posted by E91Swagger

but felt more refine/tame. I miss the rawness with the previous tune

Yes! This is a great way to explain the feeling

[N52UNED]

Originally Posted by E91Swagger

I have similar experience with the BPC n52 tune on my 328xi wagon with manual transmission.

Initial tune was stage 1 for stock intake manifold and car felt a bit livelier than stock. Then I installed 3IM in car and ran the same stage 1 tune for stock intake manifold and the car was awesome...more power everywhere in power band...totally raw...loved the setup and ran this for about two days.

Then uploaded the stage 1 tune for 3IM, car felt good, but felt more refine/tame. I miss the rawness with the previous tune. Will flash back to stage 1 for stock intake manifold and test again.

Do you feel more torque at lower RPM's after the tune?

[InControl]

Originally Posted by E91Swagger

I have similar experience with the BPC n52 tune on my 328xi wagon with manual transmission.

Initial tune was stage 1 for stock intake manifold and car felt a bit livelier than stock. Then I installed 3IM in car and ran the same stage 1 tune for stock intake manifold and the car was awesome...more power everywhere in power band...totally raw...loved the setup and ran this for about two days.

Then uploaded the stage 1 tune for 3IM, car felt good, but felt more refine/tame. I miss the rawness with the previous tune. Will flash back to stage 1 for stock intake manifold and test again.

This is interesting. I speculate the 3IM tune based on dyno runs does indeed tame the engine at relevant disa flat spots. End result should be a faster car but doesnt feel like it.

[E91Swagger]

Originally Posted by N52UNED

Do you feel more torque at lower RPM's after the tune?

yup, more torque at lower RPM with 3IM tune compared to stock.

[N52UNED]

Originally Posted by E91Swagger

yup, more torque at lower RPM with 3IM tune compared to stock.

Perfect ... just what I was wanting.

Perhaps the "lively" feel of the 3IM without a tune is more of a manual trans thing, especially if you eeek out a bit more RPMs before the shift. I just had a 3IM installed in my 328i auto (haven't added tune yet) and frankly it feels a bit off from where the power band should be. Unrefined and forced. But with that, it does feel much more at home in Sport mode. Perhaps that's it.

[hassmaschine]

if you're gaining a huge amount of "power" from a 3 stage manifold with no tune, it's completely inside your head. the DME isn't really doing anything with it.

There's basically nothing in the engine tune that affects the AT trans either. Also completely in your imagination.

[N52UNED]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

if you're gaining a huge amount of "power" from a 3 stage manifold with no tune, it's completely inside your head. the DME isn't really doing anything with it.

There's basically nothing in the engine tune that affects the AT trans either. Also completely in your imagination.

Ah yes, the 3IM Placebo Effect.

I pretty much agree there isn't a real "power" gain, but it does seem to change the dynamics/feel a bit. Just casually tooling around town less than 45 mph ... no difference at all. But when you get on it a little, it does feel a bit different around 3k RPM.

However I will state, even my wife, as a passenger; who really hasn't a clue about the 3IM; said the car feels faster, by no mention of it by me. I don't drive any different with the 3IM than I did before. This is even after telling her the 3IM doesn't really do anything without a tune, so when I had it installed so she wasn't expecting any difference.

Regarding the transmission ... no, no difference or effect on it by itself. My point was that it may be more of a driver input thing than a "tune"

[Jbwcfp]

Just put in a 3IM on Saturday and also changed the plugs at 60k. Didn't drive it a lot, but it felt stronger at lower rpm. Got the updated tune this morning, and again have not driven it very much, but it definitely feels much stronger, there is a more satisfying pull with part throttle. Taking a residential corner in third gear still has a strong pull, whereas when stock same situation in third gear it was leisurely acceleration. This is how the car should have been stock. If anyone wants a stock manifold, you can have mine for free, just pay shipping. Otherwise it is a goner.

[Zajac1]

Originally Posted by Jbwcfp

Just put in a 3IM on Saturday and also changed the plugs at 60k. Didn't drive it a lot, but it felt stronger at lower rpm. Got the updated tune this morning, and again have not driven it very much, but it definitely feels much stronger, there is a more satisfying pull with part throttle. Taking a residential corner in third gear still has a strong pull, whereas when stock same situation in third gear it was leisurely acceleration. This is how the car should have been stock. If anyone wants a stock manifold, you can have mine for free, just pay shipping. Otherwise it is a goner.

how much shipped to 07057 ?

[Jbwcfp]

Originally Posted by Zajac1

how much shipped to 07057 ?

Are you serious? This is a stock manifold, without DISA valves. I paid around $35.00 having the 3 stage intake shipped to me, so I guess it would be around that. My zip is 48152.

[Zajac1]

Originally Posted by Jbwcfp

Are you serious? This is a stock manifold, without DISA valves. I paid around $35.00 having the 3 stage intake shipped to me, so I guess it would be around that. My zip is 48152.

yes I'm. Please send me some pics of manifold at zajkowski87@gmail.com

[N52UNED]

Finally was able to download my original tune and sent it off last Tuesday ... just waiting for the "tuned" file ... hopefully within the next day or so (it would be nice to have it before the weekend ... fingers crossed).

Since the subject was brought up earlier in the thread .... I would definitely have your car hooked up to a battery charger and not a tender.

Before the download, I fully charged my battery ... within the first few minutes the battery dropped to 80%. The charger was set at 25 amp quick charge; and kept it at 80% throughout the process. Granted the battery is likely at the last year of its usable life, but still ... I wouldn't trust simply using the ignition without a backup, and highly doubt a tender would be much help.

[hassmaschine]

I did a full flash on a 328xi and it only took ~15 minutes. No charger was needed. How long did yours take?

Also if you're just flashing the data section and not the program/boot code, it's very unlikely you would actually brick anything - you could literally unplug the cable, turn off the car, etc. in the middle of the flash, and nothing would happen - just start it over again. People are free to do whatever they like, but IMO most get way too worked up about this because they don't really understand how the flashing process works.

Even the program code is resilient, as long as nothing happens in the last ~5 seconds of flashing while it verifies the signatures etc. of the code. It doesn't overwrite the boot code until the verification process, so the only dangerous point is where it's already verified and starts copying the boot code from the temporary to the permanent space.

[N52UNED]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

I did a full flash on a 328xi and it only took ~15 minutes. No charger was needed. How long did yours take?

Also if you're just flashing the data section and not the program/boot code, it's very unlikely you would actually brick anything - you could literally unplug the cable, turn off the car, etc. in the middle of the flash, and nothing would happen - just start it over again. People are free to do whatever they like, but IMO most get way too worked up about this because they don't really understand how the flashing process works.

Even the program code is resilient, as long as nothing happens in the last ~5 seconds of flashing while it verifies the signatures etc. of the code. It doesn't overwrite the boot code until the verification process, so the only dangerous point is where it's already verified and starts copying the boot code from the temporary to the permanent space.

Haven't gotten the tuned file back ... the initial download to the MyGenius handheld took dead on 1 hour.

Cool ... thanks for the info. For the upload I won't worry about using the charger (but still might because I'm a huge Worry-Wart)