[N8N]

good morning all,

I took the last week off work and ordered this

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...lvp3be9c-tpk-v

last Saturday. It just showed up yesterday so I was hoping to install it later today (I was kind of hoping to have yesterday to work on it as that was original estimated delivery date but c'est la vie.) However, I see this on their web site

80 psi sensor and hose kit included with purchase (N54 powered vehicles require use of analog sensor for boost reading)

however there is no sensor or hose included in the box.

I had inquired about this previously with P3 directly but got no answer.

Anyone know, do I need the boost sensor? Or should I just go ahead and install it?

I kind of want the boost gauge working because a) I've had repeated problems with boost leaks and b) for the price, I should get everything listed in the ad, I'd think.

thanks!

[N8N]

Follow up: the text appears to be correct. With only OBD2 hooked up, I am getting vacuum but not boost readings. I did look on P3's web site for config info. It appears that I do need an analog boost sensor.

Also, while playing with it the car got heat soak in the driveway and had a rough idle on restart, my #3 misfire is back... dumped in a bottle of Techron, hopefully that does it, can I just drive this car for a couple months without having to fix anything?

Edit: I'd love to have an oil pressure gauge for this car as well. I may submit that as a suggestion to P3, although does anyone know is there an easy place to tap the engine for oil pressure for a sender? I am just assuming that that is not available through OBD2.

Edit2: after googling and watching a few videos it appears that I can pick this off of the oil filter housing/oil cooler thermostat, and P3 does offer a pressure sensor 1/8" NPT that is compatible with their gauge

P3 sensor:

https://www.p3cars.com/accessories/0...essure-sensor/

what tee fitting will work on an N54? Is this right?

https://www.racegerman.com/product-p...essure-adapter

although it looks like there might not be enough room for that and I might need to use something like this? (pricey!)

https://www.bimmerworld.com/Gauges-D...ing-Block.html

[Dave92N54]

First thing I want to address, you should be getting boost on the P3 through a vac line. You hook it up like any other boost gauge, tee your BOV/DV line into the P3 unit.

Secondly, the best place is the location of the oil pressure switch on the oil filter housing. Only method of doing so i've seen is here:

Also, holy shit! That's an expensive ass gauge. I hope you were aware you can buy the gauge separately from the vent for almost half that price

[BSM n54iS]

So do you still have a problem with getting boost to show? Or just wanting to get oil pressure readings now?

[N8N]

Originally Posted by Dave92N54

First thing I want to address, you should be getting boost on the P3 through a vac line. You hook it up like any other boost gauge, tee your BOV/DV line into the P3 unit.

Secondly, the best place is the location of the oil pressure switch on the oil filter housing. Only method of doing so i've seen is here:

Also, holy shit! That's an expensive ass gauge. I hope you were aware you can buy the gauge separately from the vent for almost half that price

well, the reason I bought that was because if I added the boost sensor and tubing kit ordering direct from P3, it would have been $469 + $14 shipping *without* being installed in the vent, and from FCP it was $484 and free shipping supposedly with all that and installed in the vent sooo that seemed like the way to go. BUT I didn't get the boost sensor or tubing kit, hopefully they will make it right and/or change the wording on their web site.

I did see that video but I already have the factory oil cooler so can't use that method, am looking for recommendations on what I can use to tee off where the factory OP switch is. I've seen both M12.5 and M14 mentioned and would just like a recommend from someone who's done this as to a product that works.

[N8N]

Originally Posted by BdSM n54iS

So do you still have a problem with getting boost to show? Or just wanting to get oil pressure readings now?

I have no boost readings, I am getting vacuum readings that seem to be accurate at least to about -22 PSI but when I get into boost the gauge only reads up to ~2 PSI and stops there. This is with the boost set to "bSt.d" or "OBD2 boost from vehicle MAP sensor". I am assuming that this is a limitation of the OBD2 data and that what I am reading is correct and that I need the pressure sensor and tubing kit to make this work. Have sent a message to FCP so hopefully this will get straightened out.

Now that I've dug more into the help files though, there is a bSt.4 setting which is labeled "Alternate digital boost for BMW N54" I should try that. That wasn't mentioned on P3's quick start guide. I'm gonna go change that now and report back.

And yes now that I have this in there I would like to have oil pressure as well, my car is getting to be "that certain age" and as an old car guy (both as a guy who likes and usually drives older cars - this being my second "new" car ever, and it's now 12 years old - and a guy who's sadly going to have to admit soon that I'm getting to be on the far side of middle aged) I can't believe that the only gauge on the factory dash besides the basics is oil temp; I like having that but I think that coolant temp, vac/boost, and oil pressure are just fundamental requirements and should have been included from the factory. I'd like a dipstick too for that matter... If it were an automatic I wouldn't mind having an ATF temp gauge as well for that matter but now I realize we're getting into crazy pants land.

[BSM n54iS]

Originally Posted by N8N

Now that I've dug more into the help files though, there is a bSt.4 setting which is labeled "Alternate digital boost for BMW N54" I should try that. That wasn't mentioned on P3's quick start guide. I'm gonna go change that now and report back.

Try that out and see, but from what I could gather just now looks like we're stuck needing analog with the P3...

This is the p3 gauge I bought years ago that came with the analog sensor and tubing (I'm going straight to oe intake manifold nipple)

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3...8-2013/?pdk=Aw

Reading through Turners boost description: "Boost/Vacuum
Forced induction cars have the option for monitoring boost. On an N54 engine (2007-2010 cars), and cars with an aftermarket turbo or supercharger, a vacuum line must be routed to the intake chargepipe and plugged into the P3 gauge. On N55 (2011+ cars), the gauge can read boost data from the OBD port without running a vacuum line. This data can be displayed in realtime through the P3 gauge. You can also run an analog probe into the chargepipe and have it display here as well. This gauge is so useful we install one in nearly every supercharged E9X M3 we build here!"

And skimming through this one page, b/c MHD reads boost through obd2, but p3 is not able to.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...096247&page=21

Kinda getting ticked off at P3 now, they have like 15 different configurations for 1 engines dam vent gauge through so many different vendors and no clear install instructions for shit

Edit: ECS sells the analog sensor and tubing separately or can buy the whole thing together, didn't compare costs

[N8N]

I tried "bSt.4" and it seems closer to reality... however if I wind it out I seem to be maxing out at about 5.5 PSI. If I go WOT at lower RPM it goes up to 7.x PSI. that can't be right can it? Car does feel like a slug, and it's a billion degrees out today (in reality probably about 90-95F and humid, but it's not pleasant.) Not running a tune ATM and actually I need to find my Cobb unit so I can play again now that I've done some maintenance to the car.

I have no idea if that is the boost I am actually producing or if this is something odd.

Also, if I do tee a mechanical sensor into the DV lines, that is actually manifold vacuum correct? So I can still see both vacuum and boost on the gauge and it's not just charge pipe pressure?

Edit: I just realized thinking about this that -22 PSI is physically impossible even close to sea level like I am (as -14.7 PSI would be a perfect vacuum). Does the P3 gauge read vacuum in inches of mercury and then switch over to PSI for boost readings? Or is this something that I'm going to have to ask them? (what happens when you set it to metric?)

[stewbets]

Those boost numbers sound about right for a stock tune. Yes, teeing into the DV lines gives you manifold pressure/vacuum. A quick search on P3 gauges reveals that default readings are in PSI for boost and in-Hg for vacuum.

[Dave92N54]

Originally Posted by N8N

I tried "bSt.4" and it seems closer to reality... however if I wind it out I seem to be maxing out at about 5.5 PSI. If I go WOT at lower RPM it goes up to 7.x PSI. that can't be right can it? Car does feel like a slug, and it's a billion degrees out today (in reality probably about 90-95F and humid, but it's not pleasant.) Not running a tune ATM and actually I need to find my Cobb unit so I can play again now that I've done some maintenance to the car.

I have no idea if that is the boost I am actually producing or if this is something odd.

Also, if I do tee a mechanical sensor into the DV lines, that is actually manifold vacuum correct? So I can still see both vacuum and boost on the gauge and it's not just charge pipe pressure?

Edit: I just realized thinking about this that -22 PSI is physically impossible even close to sea level like I am (as -14.7 PSI would be a perfect vacuum). Does the P3 gauge read vacuum in inches of mercury and then switch over to PSI for boost readings? Or is this something that I'm going to have to ask them? (what happens when you set it to metric?)

They're exactly correct for a stock tune.

Boost for us depends on torque (or load, depends who you ask). If the car is making desired torque at 5.x psi, it will make 5.x psi. When going WOT at low RPM, it will target a higher psi to make that target torque.

I have actually extensively logged my car on stock tune. In the real cold months I saw as low as 4.6psi at WOT if i remember correctly.

Are you able to see boost target in anyway? I just realized you said it's very hot out, which in that case it should target a little higher than normal because of the less dense air.

[N8N]

Update: FCP says they should have ordered the sensor from P3, they just didn't, they are sending me one. So, all is well.

Originally Posted by Dave92N54

They're exactly correct for a stock tune.

Boost for us depends on torque (or load, depends who you ask). If the car is making desired torque at 5.x psi, it will make 5.x psi. When going WOT at low RPM, it will target a higher psi to make that target torque.

I have actually extensively logged my car on stock tune. In the real cold months I saw as low as 4.6psi at WOT if i remember correctly.

Are you able to see boost target in anyway? I just realized you said it's very hot out, which in that case it should target a little higher than normal because of the less dense air.

No, I can't see boost target unless I can get that through my Cobb, I will have to look for that this weekend because I'd like to have a little fun with the car now that I've caught up on some maintenance. That's an interesting way of handling boost, I guess that makes for a consistent "user experience" although it seems like you'd be leaving power on the table in cold weather.

So I guess I'm just waiting for Brown Santa and then the only thing left is the oil pressure issue; I'm tempted to go ahead and order the parts for that now since I'm messing with it, I am guessing that I am going to need something like the very expensive Bimmerworld adapter that I posted earlier however based on how tight everything is around the oil filter housing.