having a hard time tracking one down... can someone point me in the right direction?

I don't get the obsession with cold air intakes for these newer engines. Especially the N52 and newer 3.0s, they already employ variable length intake with a cold air design, how's slapping on a third party cold air intake going to be more "efficient" than BMW's own cold air intake design with the variable length intake?

That's like asking for a push-rod "upgrade" to a valvetronic engine. :dunno

because they make more noise and a customer of mine wants one. i aggree with you, i run the stock unbaffled intake on my own car.

Unbaffled intake? What can one safely "takeoff" and not hurt filtering capabilities?

Unbaffled intake? What can one safely "takeoff" and not hurt filtering capabilities?

A lot.

You just have to have the cajones to try it, and deal with the repercussions.

Unbaffled intake? What can one safely "takeoff" and not hurt filtering capabilities?

I took off the "additional" charcoal filter and swapped the paper element with a K&N filter.

That charcoal filter is only on the North American cars and does not hurt filtering at all.

I have no idea how air is suppose to flow through that thing. It is so restrictive! The car feels so much better now... I have to believe it will help performance, though not sure how much. The ECU will have to "learn" that more air will be flowing through now so well see.

Also, I had to do some sleuthing to figure out which filter element was correct for our cars and finally tracked the part # down. The K&N part # is 33-2292. (It's actually the same one that goes on the 2006- 530i, btw) Fits perfectly.

Minsoo

Agreed on the part number for K&N I just won one on eBay for a buck brand new!!!

Agreed on the part number for K&N I just won one on eBay for a buck brand new!!!

No way!!!
Really?

That was a score!
I paid 54 additional dollars for mine...

No way!!!
Really?

That was a score!
I paid 54 additional dollars for mine...


Seriously!!!! The guy said he should have posted a reserve price and my max bid was $40 but it ended at a buck!!!

I don't get the obsession with cold air intakes for these newer engines. Especially the N52 and newer 3.0s, they already employ variable length intake with a cold air design, how's slapping on a third party cold air intake going to be more "efficient" than BMW's own cold air intake design with the variable length intake?

That's like asking for a push-rod "upgrade" to a valvetronic engine. :dunno


I gotta agree with you on this one. The OEM one is pretty good. I purchased one of the first Dinan "ram air" intakes for the z4. A great design/quality, but even Dinan said it was only good for a few HP. At that $$$ it was soon sold after that to recoupe the money.

Go for the k&n filter intsead and save over $500 not including 2 hours labor @ $90/hr

I took off the "additional" charcoal filter and swapped the paper element with a K&N filter.

That charcoal filter is only on the North American cars and does not hurt filtering at all.

I have no idea how air is suppose to flow through that thing. It is so restrictive! The car feels so much better now... I have to believe it will help performance, though not sure how much. The ECU will have to "learn" that more air will be flowing through now so well see.

Also, I had to do some sleuthing to figure out which filter element was correct for our cars and finally tracked the part # down. The K&N part # is 33-2292. (It's actually the same one that goes on the 2006- 530i, btw) Fits perfectly.

Minsoo

Can you just remove the charcoal filter and just run the stock paper? Why did you switch to the K&N filter, better flow? Will the ECU learn on it's own or does it need to be programed?
Sorry to ask what my seem like silly questions to you, but before I do anything I want to make sure I understand why and that it won't hurt the car in anyway.... thanks for your help, I'm ready to go to the garage and rip out the charcoal filter...and maybe look at that sound generator while I'm at it...
:chainsaw

Can you just remove the charcoal filter and just run the stock paper? Why did you switch to the K&N filter, better flow? Will the ECU learn on it's own or does it need to be programed?
Sorry to ask what my seem like silly questions to you, but before I do anything I want to make sure I understand why and that it won't hurt the car in anyway.... thanks for your help, I'm ready to go to the garage and rip out the charcoal filter...and maybe look at that sound generator while I'm at it...
:chainsaw

Yes. I've run K&N filters on every car I've owned. They flow better and have less restriction. Not a HUGE difference, but I like to optimize the little bits to find power where I can.

No need to do anything since the ECU is a "learning" one. It will relearn over time on its own but driving aggressively does help. My cars are always faster after I've run them in an Autox for example.

The charcoal filter is there on North American cars only to filter unburnt gases that potentially may be expelled out (the opposite way of incoming air)
when the car is shut off. With how much restriction that thing surely caused, the motor probably had to labor a bunch to just to get air. No more. :)

Are you talking about the Z4 M engine air intact system?

Are you talking about the Z4 M engine air intact system?

yes.