[desertman123]

Okay so this information isn't the easiest to find, or at least I couldn't find 1 single clear source for this, so lemme try to help.

Disclaimers:
- Mess your car up, not my problem
- This info is as accurate as possible to the best of my knowledge, correct anything that is wrong and I'll update the OP
- CCV and PCV will be used interchangebly - crankcase vent/valve and positive crankcase vent/valve. Some may argue they're different but that's semantics.
- 3IM = 3 stake intake manifold
- For the years involved, I'm talking strictly about the 330i. Not sure what the changes were for X5, X3, Z4, etc...
- The years I'm talking about, and the changes between the years are relevant to the US market for E9x 325i/328i/330i.

Your situation
You just bought a 3IM to add some nice power to your N52, and you're ready to install it. Here's what you need to know. Everything besides this will be 100% bolt-on/swap over.

What am I even talking about?

In 2006, we got the 330i and 325i, this was the "first" revision of the N52B30. It has a metal valve cover, and the oil separator/PCV/CCV is external and is located under the intake manifold. This connects to the intake manifold with (1) connection. I'll call this "2006 style."

For 2007+, BMW switched to a plastic valve cover (which likes to crack ) and moved the PCV/CCV system to be integrated within the valve cover. This changes the CCV hose configuration, now it has (2) connections to the intake manifold. I'll call this "2007+ style."



Visual differences between the systems:


2006 style external system. You can see it attaches to the intake manifold through (1) connection.


2007+ style hose that connects from the top/back of the valve cover and to the underside of the intake manifold. You can see it attaches to the intake manifold through (2) connections.

Why is this an issue?

If you buy a 2006-style manifold, and you have a 2007+style valve cover, you need to create a solution to connect your 2007+ CCV hose to only (1) connection. BMW has not created a hose that will connect these two systems, as far as I'm aware!!

If you have a 2006 325i, and buy a 2007+style manifold, you will need block off one of the holes on the intake manifold, as your CCV system will only connect to the more "middle" one if I recall correctly (*** I have not dealt with this or done much research so if someone else can add, feel free and I'll update the OP)



How to solve this:

First, check if your manifold has 1 or 2 connections, then see if you have a plastic or metal valve cover.

Plastic valve cover - (1) connection on 3IM


** My 3IM came with a spare one of these, if you only have your original you will need to buy another. PN 11617561408 or 11618638014, they're referred to as "PCV angle connector with heating element." **

This is the situation I found myself in. Keep your stock CCV hose and just seal the end. The solution I found with things I had laying around my garage are to use another PCV heater, seal the copper end by stuffing a hose, bolt, RTV/JB weld, then hoseclamping it, etc. anything to seal it up. This way you don't have to buy a new hose, and you do zero modifications to the brittle plastic.

Metal valve cover - (2) connections on 3IM
(*** I have not dealt with this or done much research so if someone else can add, feel free and I'll update the OP)
I was thinking you can do the same think, just take a spare hose and seal it with the PCV angle connector again.

[nsjames]

My solution was to cut the plastic quick connect fittings free from the plastic hose and throw it in the trash.

If you leave the remnants of the plastic hose and it's heat shrink on the plastic quick connectors they are a snug push fit into 3/4 hose.
My "Oh no it doesn't fit" solution on a saturday was 3/4 heater hose, but that is not oil resistant.
Buy 3 feet of 3/4 hydraulic return hose and some nice tension springy clamps. Route it a little wide around the back of the head and it will fit nicely with no kinks.

and now I have a rubber CCV hose from a 2008 valve cover to a 2006 manifold and I can touch it without fear of breaking the damned thing. I considered just running a smaller 5/8 hose from nipple to nipple, but the quick fittings do make hooking it up and taking it off for service much easier.

[Silnismo]

Thank you, great write up!

[PhaseP]

This applies only if you have gotten a very early build 330's manifold, like December 2005 build. Later builds have manifold that has two connections from CCV, and is fully compatible with the hose from a 328.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by PhaseP

This applies only if you have gotten a very early build 330's manifold, like December 2005 build. Later builds have manifold that has two connections from CCV, and is fully compatible with the hose from a 328.

if I had a broken pcv hose I'd replace all that trash with rubber anyhow.

but mine was pre broken by the dealer.

[johnmyster]

Desertman,

Unfortunately there are transitional stock configurations that blur the issue.

Many of the external oil separator cars came with dual port manifolds. As such, the following hose (available as a stock part number from BMW or aftermarket) can be used to put a dual port manifold (three stage or not) onto a car with an external oil separator (earlier metallic valve cover.)

https://www.bimmerworld.com/Engine/C...617559530.html

Thus, you have three "plug and play" options using factory/stock parts:

1) Single port manifold on an external oil separator car.
2) Dual port manifold on an external oil separator car.
3) Dual port manifold on an internal oil separator car.

As you can see, dual port manifolds are preferable for conversions.

The fourth option (older, single port manifold on a newer, internal oil separator car) is the combination for which some users have used creative solutions.

As far as I can tell based on the 60+ manifolds I've bought and sold for conversions...

A) The single to dual port transition occurred mid MY 2006. I've seen them both ways from 2006 cars. 2005 MY cars are all single port. 2007 are all dual port.
B) The external to internal transition occurred for MY 2007.
C) There were two revisions to the small DISA. One revision to the large. The last DISA revision occurred mid MY 2007. The valve revisions all interchange, but the later revisions are more resilient mechanically. This is another reason the later dual port manifolds are preferable for conversions.

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by johnmyster

Desertman,

Unfortunately there are transitional stock configurations that blur the issue.

I figured it was a more complex issue - I just wanted all this info in 1 spot because it was difficult to find. Thank you! Will update OP with this.

[Silnismo]

Tackling the 3IM soon, and this info aided me greatly!

[shuotong]

I realized the design are changed quite often so I get mine from a 2011 330i salvage car (comes from Tianjin Harbour explosion which is basically new, all in for 2000CNY including both DISA), my vehicle is a 2011 328i so everything just plug and play.
In fact the 3IM are so cheap in China around ~400 CNY which is about 50USD, it’s not even worth half of a single DISA valve. Once the car get into salvage, no one want that huge plastic manifold, it’s the DISA that wear out over time.
I’m not 100% sure about the other markets but I can confidently assume it’s similar, since the x28i are North America only, the 3IM is a useless part elsewhere. For anyone attempting this mod, I’ll suggest to take a look at your manifold, know what PCV hose it has, and get a 3IM from other market that direct fits for your particular engine, then use new DISA valve.

[porsche959]

Just want to say, I would highly suggest buying bmw OEM Hoses. I tried piecing together OE replacements, but the little plug things suck ass and don’t fit OEM parts correctly. Save urself the trouble and spend an extra $50-$100 on bmw stuff.