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Thread: OFFICIAL: 330i/Ci Guide to Horsepower Gaining Mods (Sorted by Bang for the Buck)!

  1. #1
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    OFFICIAL: 330i/Ci Guide to Horsepower Gaining Mods (Sorted by Bang for the Buck)!

    I have this thread at Bimmerfest.com and at E46Fanatics.com, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to put it up here.

    We see these threads each and every day, so why don't we put one thread at the top (like they look there anyway...) for a quick reference?

    I've compiled a list of mods you can do for your 330i/Ci to maximize horsepower gains from best "bang for the buck" to worst. How did I come up with these figures? Simple.

    HP ÷ $$$

    Some of you may disagree with my order of things, but your input is always highly appreciated. Do keep in mind that possible installation costs were not calculated in, since they could vary from an hour of your own time to several hours of a shop's time (which would increase the price dramatically). All of these mods can be done yourself with a bit of patience and a printed DIY guide. I used a 330Ci/330i as the base vehicle for horsepower gains. Other models may be similar in gains, but not nearly as extreme as some. Also, keep in mind that by installing two separate items that claim 10 HP, you will not actually see a 20 HP increase, but more of a true 10 HP increase. Funny how that works, huh? If you look at this dyno chart (also featured in the Pulleys section), you'll see that with all the mods in place (plus a 3.46 differential and no performance software), the car only gained about 16 peak horsepower. Sadly, by installing all the basics and investing so much money and time into your car, it still isn't going to walk an ///M3. It will, however, probably make it a bit more fun to drive!

    Before we get started, there is one VERY important thing we must cover:

    PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
    This is by far the most important thing you can do before you start letting your automatic 323i crank out 780 WHP. Here are a few items that are guaranteed to need replacing:



    As you may have noticed, I've added links to where you can purchase some of these items. Not every preventative maintenance item was covered, but I did try to tackle the most common ones.



    Now you're probably jumping up and down in your sport seats, anxious to see the goods. Be careful not to cause any airbag lights, because that will be just another setback before you can afford these upgrades!



    NITROUS




    Yes... the "N Word". It's cheap, plentiful, can be used only when you want it, CAN BE safe (no guarantees!), but has a tank that always needs refilling. For the person on a budget, the Nitrous Express Proton Plus kit seems to be where it's at (from what I can gather). You get a variety of nozzles (35 HP, 50 HP, 75 HP, 100 HP, 125 HP and 150 HP), the bottle, and all other hardware along with a wide open throttle switch.

    Since this kit is advertised on their website at just under $400, you can have horsepower for as little as $2.67 per horsepower (150 shot). Of course, running 150 shot of nitrous on a completely stock motor is NOT smart to do. They say the best rule of thumb for a 330Ci/330i is to run no more than a 50 shot, that way you don't get into timing, air-fuel ratios, etc. However, you can do what you want.

    NITROUS BOTTOM LINE: $2.67 - $11.43 per HP.



    HEADERS



    We hear it all the time, "Headers are the best bang for the buck mod you can buy for horsepower!" This is entirely too true. A set of eBay headers can run you around $100 shipped to your door. $100 for a gain of nearly 15 HP sounds almost too good to be true. That's because it is. If you do not install the headers yourself, you'll be paying nearly $400+ to get them installed.

    Now... if you opt for Active Autowerke headers, you'll be paying well over $1,200. That's SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive for a very identical item. Many of the new E46 owners I know are on a budget, so AA headers are out of the question.

    ADDITION: Thanks to mvrk10256 on E46Fanatics.com for some addition for this section...

    Quote Originally Posted by mvrk10256
    • Real world cost of eBay headers with DIY is about $250 (including gaskets, nuts, bolts, etc.).
    • It is an all day project, but it is not technically challenging.
    • None of the sims actually work correctly and will allow you to pass emissions.
    • LC1 is a wide band - nothing more nothing less. It has a narrow band output function, however it will read like a stock post-cat O2 sensor, so you will fail. O2sims.com does sell a programmable box (which actually mimics an O2 sensor, including the random purge test). Unfortunately, their customer service sucks and I have not known anyone who actually managed. But as far as I understand it is possible.


    Also see my "Everything You Need to Know About eBay Headers" thread (click title for thread).
    With the installation of performance headers, you will also have a significant change in exhaust tone and volume and you will also lose your catalytic converters. If you live in a state where they hook a hose up to your exhaust pipe to check emissions, these are not for you. With the use of a properly functioning O2 simulator, you can probably get by with an OBD II port check.

    HEADERS BOTTOM LINE: $6.67 per HP to $80 per HP



    PERFORMANCE CHIP/SOFTWARE



    This is a popular question with the younger "tuner" guys who get into BMW's with the impression it's a "German Honda". Sorry guys... BMW's are pretty sophisticated machines that are already well-tuned out of the factory. Why do you think it's so hard to get big gains from bolt on mods?

    The most popular performance chip people seem to lean towards is the Conforti Shark Injector. I've read of gains from 7 HP all the way to 12 HP. Let's go with 10 HP for a good median for this writeup. It's very easy to use (plugs into the OBD II port) and is relatively safe. It raises your redline to a screaming 7,000 RPM (:yikes, removes the top speed limiter, improves throttle response, and so forth. It was programmed with the car with bolt on mods in mind (headers, intake, and exhaust).

    Active Autowerke also has some performance software, but you have to send off your DME for a total reflash. Active Autowerke also has authorized dealers across the nation who can flash your DME, eliminating the need to be without a car for a few days. (You can find a list of their dealers here.) It's just a bit more expensive ($399 on their website), but they claim gains of 15 horsepower and 12 lb-ft. of torque, which actually makes this the better deal. On top of this, they actually flash your DME for YOU! If you have headers, they'll take note and program your DME to better accept them. By flashing your DME to suit your existing mods, you can actually see gains higher than what is originally expected. AA's software also raises the redline and removes the top speed limiter while improving throttle response as well.

    PERFORMANCE CHIP/SOFTWARE BOTTOM LINE: $26.60 to $36.90 per HP

    NOTE: There is also the option of flashing the EU2 Software onto your DME yourself. Yes... a software flash DIY. This is the cheapest option to my knowledge (USB to OBDII cable and software for $36.00 and $7.00 shipping off eBay.com), requiring a USB OBD diagnostic cable that runs from your laptop to your car. There are no solid numbers for performance increase, but claims of better idle, better throttle response, and a better torque curve have all been made (and many people will back up this claim). Definite numbers have not been proven, but people say they have noticed a difference. Please CLICK HERE for more information. You can find the cable mentioned HERE.



    COLD AIR INTAKE



    Long tube or short ram? Debates have gone on for ages about these, so do a little research before spending your hard earned money. Claimed gains can be anywhere from 3 HP (short ram) to 10 HP (long tube).

    If you're the daring type, you could actually make your own cold air intake system for much, much cheaper than what you could buy it for. The air filter will be the most expensive part of your homemade intake.

    Pricing varies tremendously on this mod, where it can range anywhere from $75 for a homemade one (filter included in that price) to $300 for a nice long-tube intake. For a happy medium, we're going to say intakes provide around 4 HP.

    AIR INTAKE BOTTOM LINE: $18.75 - $75.00 per HP



    UNDERDRIVE PULLEYS



    I'm not getting into the debate on whether or not underdrive pulleys are going to screw up your motor, but they will free up some "lost" horsepower due to parasitic accessories such as power steering, the water pump, and the alternator. I had to go with the reasoning that these do not add horsepower... they simply free up power that was lost between the motor and the wheels. Average freed horsepower proven by the dyno has been "up to 11 HP". Now, that "up to" part is going to vary depending on your car. For all practical purposes, let's go with about a 5 HP gain (going off of this chart).

    We have a variety of brands, but I'm going to stick with the top three trusted brands: UUC Motorwerks, Rogue Engineering, and Turner Motorsports. TMS comes in at the most expensive at around $277, UUC comes in at $199, while Rogue is priced at a competitive $185.

    UNDERDRIVE PULLEYS BOTTOM LINE: $37.00 - $55.40 per HP



    FORCED INDUCTION



    We all dream of hearing the supercharger whine or that signature "P'TSHHHH!" of a turbo's blow-off valve, don't we? There's only one problem: These systems are expensive, ranging anywhere from $4,500 to nearly $7,000! The gains will vary, depending on which motor you have in your car.

    For this write-up, I will use the 3.0 liter M54. Horsepower gains will be anywhere from 140 to 180 HP for superchargers and 90 to 140 HP for turbo kits. Since each system has different gains, I'll break them down separately now.

    Active Autowerke Stage 1 Supercharger Kit - 365 HP and 270 lb-ft torque; $4,400 - $31.43 per HP

    Active Autowerke Stage 2 Supercharger Kit - 405 HP and 285 lb-ft torque; $5,995 - $33.31 per HP

    ESS Tuning Stage 1 Supercharger Kit - 320 HP and 302 lb-ft torque; $5,350 - $56.32 per HP

    ESS Tuning Stage 2 Supercharger Kit - 345 HP and 317 lb-ft torque; $6,850 - $57.08 per HP

    Technique Tuning Stage 1 Turbo Kit - 315 HP and 305 lb-ft torque; $6,395 (manual transmission) - $71.06 per HP

    Technique Tuning Stage 2 Turbo Kit - 375 HP and 370 lb-ft torque; $6,895 (manual transmission) - $45.97 per HP

    Technique Tuning ZHP Turbo Kit - 325 HP and 300 lb-ft torque; $6,395 (manual transmission) - $71.06 per HP

    G-Power Stage 1 Supercharger Kit - 301 HP and 265 lb-ft torque; $1,972 - $25.95 per HP

    NOTE: The G-Power supercharger kits share the oil line with the car. An oil cooler is highly recommended. Also, a Stage 2 kit is available, but a price is not displayed. An intercooler is added and the boost is increased from 6 PSI to 8 PSI. This is by far the best value for a supercharger kit on the market.



    PERFORMANCE CAMS



    A set of cams increases how high your motor can rev, allowing a wider, more usable power band while also increasing horsepower and torque figures. The gains (for the price) are minimal, but they are great if your intention is to maximize naturally aspirated power.

    A good set of Schrick cams from Turner Motorsport will set you back around $1,175. A ZHP camshaft retrofit kit from ECS Tuning costs only $412. Expect gains to be in the 10 HP range.

    PERFORMANCE CAMS BOTTOM LINE: $41.20 - $117.50 per HP



    EXHAUST



    We're not here to discuss which of these "sounds the best", but which is the best bang for the buck. Brand-name cat-back exhaust systems are going to be expensive. Tremendously expensive. You could always go to an exhaust shop and have them custom make you one, but you risk having shoddy work, minimal power gains, and (of course) a terrible exhaust note.

    Cat-back exhaust systems can range anywhere from $750 to $1,500, each providing gains from 0 to 12 HP (assuming conditions are PERFECT). We'll go with a 5 HP gain along with a hell of a sweet sound.

    EXHAUST BOTTOM LINE: $150.00 - $300.00 per HP (for engineered systems)



    As you noticed, I did not include a differential swap in this guide. Reason being: It does not add or free up horsepower. It simply allows you to burn through your gears at a faster rate, letting torque and horsepower be more useable.

    I hope you have gained some insight and some knowledge from this guide and hopefully it will answer questions many of you are probably going to ask anyway.



    DISCLAIMER: All gains posted are advertised and reasonably expected with each upgrade. Real world gains could be more or could be less. A loss in power is also possible. Varying factors (such as wheel weight) have not been calculated in these claimed gains. By putting aftermarket parts on your car, you assume all responsibility and you know the possible risks associated with said parts. I am not held responsible for broken parts, losses of power, engine malfunction, wasted money, tickets written for emissions issues, and/or sad faces. You modify your car as you see fit. Everyone is unique. YOU ARE SPECIAL!

    NOTE: This is a work in progress and I will try to update it regularly with information as it is received. If you see something that needs corrected, if you have a dyno chart, if you find other prices, shoot me a PM and I'll see the proper information gets added in the appropriate spots. Your participation is HIGHLY appreciated to help make this happen!
    Last edited by SPDSKTR; 07-20-2012 at 09:18 AM.

  2. #2
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    Nice read, should be stickied.

  3. #3
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    Its really sad that this thread is needed.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by bimmerjph
    Its really sad that this thread is needed.
    I know, right? Someone had to make it to shut a lot of people up. I could modify it to support M54B25's too, but that's just more research that will take a total of five minutes.

    Sent from the Bamavarian Nexus.

  5. #5
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    Don't even own a 3er, but I read anyway. Great writeup!

  6. #6
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    For super/turbo-chargers, you would think the price of these things would come down seeing as most newer owners wouldn't afford to part with that much. In any case, a lower price point would ensure they can sell more units and quickly recover their overheads, if they haven't done so already.

    ..but what surprises me is, even a smaller company with minimal overhead can't afford a lower price point?

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by many330i
    For super/turbo-chargers, you would think the price of these things would come down seeing as most newer owners wouldn't afford to part with that much. In any case, a lower price point would ensure they can sell more units and quickly recover their overheads, if they haven't done so already.

    ..but what surprises me is, even a smaller company with minimal overhead can't afford a lower price point?
    I always thought the same thing. The biggest cost in those systems is the tuning software. That took some time to develop, I'm sure. If an AA supercharger kit cost $2,000 brand new, I'd buy one.

    Sent from the Bamavarian Nexus.

  8. #8
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    you should add the Rogue Engineering Ikon exhaust to your exhaust section. cost is $550, well below the price points u have listed.
    STITCHES330XI

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stitches330xi View Post
    you should add the Rogue Engineering Ikon exhaust to your exhaust section. cost is $550, well below the price points u have listed.
    If you look at the exhaust section, you'll see it's a range of prices. You can go to an exhaust shop and get some cheap, custom exhaust for... well... cheap. $150 to replace some piping and remove a resonator or two just to gain some sound (and maybe 0.25 HP) or spend UP TO $1,500 for brand-name exhausts.

  10. #10
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    great thread!

    Thank you so much for posting this and doing the research! I got the mod bug and had delusions that I could bolt on all kinds of parts and my 2006 330Ci would become an M3 overnight. I contacted a Dinan dealer and he quickly talked me out of modding the engine and spending thousands of dollars for minimal hp gains. He did however recommend a stage 1 or 2 suspension kit. From my calculations that would be about $4K in suspension bits, not really sure if that's worth it. Thoughts?

    I think what I'm going to do is enjoy the stock car I have now and save up some more money and do what I should have done in the first place and just buy an M3. Sucks because I'm within a year of paying my car off and not really looking forward to a whole new set of payments. Why does this car hobby have to be so addicting???

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by zacblk12 View Post
    Thank you so much for posting this and doing the research! I got the mod bug and had delusions that I could bolt on all kinds of parts and my 2006 330Ci would become an M3 overnight. I contacted a Dinan dealer and he quickly talked me out of modding the engine and spending thousands of dollars for minimal hp gains. He did however recommend a stage 1 or 2 suspension kit. From my calculations that would be about $4K in suspension bits, not really sure if that's worth it. Thoughts?

    I think what I'm going to do is enjoy the stock car I have now and save up some more money and do what I should have done in the first place and just buy an M3. Sucks because I'm within a year of paying my car off and not really looking forward to a whole new set of payments. Why does this car hobby have to be so addicting???
    Well... the best thing you can do for a suspension upgrade is a Meyle HD control arm kit (sell the bushings when you get them), Hotchkis sway bars, Powerflex control arm and rear trailing arm bushings, and an H&R Cup Kit with sport springs (race springs are HARSH and lower your car beyond practicality). For the money, it's going to be tough to beat that setup.

    Expect to spend roughly $2,000 instead of $4,000. For $4,000, you can get Bilstein coil overs with electronic dampening control.

    Oh... and I'm about to add another supercharger kit that's half the price of the rest. However, it shares the oil line with the car and will probably require an oil cooler.

    UPDATE: Added G-Force supercharger kit!
    Last edited by SPDSKTR; 07-20-2012 at 09:18 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  12. #12
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    Great post sir! I am checking out the G-Power charger as we speak. I believe stage 1 is at a PSI level that is safe for my step tranny. There may be hope after all... haha

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Projekt330s View Post
    Great post sir! I am checking out the G-Power charger as we speak. I believe stage 1 is at a PSI level that is safe for my step tranny. There may be hope after all... haha
    I thought about it, too. I'd need new valve stem seals and piston rings, though. I blow ridiculous amounts of smoke between shifts. On top of that, I'd buy the oil cooler. It would be nice to have that added bit of safety, you know?

  14. #14
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    Agree wholeheartedly. I recommend anyone truly interested at FI to have engine maintenance up to par, do some compression tests, and have the transmission health (especially on steps) inspected. FI could exacerbate any problem currently existing.

  15. #15
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    how in the world is anything G-power a less expensive option i cant find anywhere where this system is less than 2 grand. if this is true please show me the way!

  16. #16
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    Thanks OP, this should answer at least 10-20% of the daily posts.

    That and the AE, even though it has been quiet on this front lately.

    I smell a sticky.

    "you vill haf goose pimples" Meyle HD CABS, sock mod, and new hoses, pulleys, belts and water pump.
    Weisslicht LED AEs from JleviSW that came in a Khoalty-looking box.

  17. #17
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    This should for sure be a sticky. but can anybody else tell me about the g power it the website doesnt show the price and it seems like it is closer to 25 grand than 2 grand... did a search, and when I checked google too it did not help much either.

  18. #18
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    Great writeup! I don't have an e46 but there's some good info.
    Cars owned:
    - 2012 BMW X5 5.0i (current)

    Cars previously owned:
    - 2019 Mercedes C63S AMG
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  19. #19
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    20160401_191425.jpg She still is a work in progress. Thanks for all the great help/info everyone provides and how everyone seems to be willing to help anyone with a problem. This is an awesome site.

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