[otitxn]

Hello all,
I recently purchased a used 3 stage IM with new hardware, gaskets, and valves. Random question, is Bimmerlabs still functioning and do they offer the stock tune needed to run the 3 SIM? Thanks!

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by otitxn

Hello all,
I recently purchased a used 3 stage IM with new hardware, gaskets, and valves. Random question, is Bimmerlabs still functioning and do they offer the stock tune needed to run the 3 SIM? Thanks!

Have you tried creating an account on the Bimmer labs web site yet?

I use the site frequently for my N54 tunes. Was still there last week.

[porsche959]

I downloaded the 330i files and RDA delete last week and flashed this weekend.

[bluewater328]

I believe the 328to330i file is automatically uploaded if you provide the correct info. You might see it there in a few hours.

Go to bimmerlabs.com and start a project. Only if you have a unique need or have headers in the mix do you need to request an actual tuner (which costs).

[otitxn]

Thanks all, I was able to make the account. It was just my connection, looking forward to this project until I can grab the StageFP tune for my AA headers and axel back.

[yupetc]

For your own sake, do upgrade those DISA flaps to aluminum before you start using them. Those valves will break and drop pieces into the runners and if you get lucky it stops there. If you're not lucky, it's a new motor cost.

[otitxn]

Originally Posted by yupetc

For your own sake, do upgrade those DISA flaps to aluminum before you start using them. Those valves will break and drop pieces into the runners and if you get lucky it stops there. If you're not lucky, it's a new motor cost.

What upgrade kit do you recommend to do that with? I am definitely interested in this, as I am assuming it will also increase the lifespan of the valves?

[yupetc]

Link provided below:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Aluminium-R...YAAOSw44BYMxNT

(you can also go to VANOS-BMW.com and type in "N52" in search box. Both large and small flap upgrade kits are there.


The flap is aluminum so it won't snap in half as in some cases experienced by many. Most importantly, the spindle shaft is upgraded to metal and a straight through design where as the factory shaft is plastic and only goes half way down the flap. Once the teeth gets worn it starts to have play and quickly loses the entire flap into the runners. In any case, the upgrade kit will address it all. I've upgraded mine and now feel much more at peace in mind when driving the car around town spiritedly.

I also searched and found the same kit for the smaller DISA flap. However I haven't need to install it yet because judging from the force of air applied in that chamber, I just don't think it'll wear the factory gear out, but one of those days I may elect to do the same upgrade just in case.

[rjahl]

I question this logic,

Can I get a show of hands from the people who fried a motor with a faulty OEM plastic disa valve? There are 10s of thousands of these motors running around, has anyone heard of a disa valve damaging the motor internals?

Switching to metal flaps might change this count.

[yupetc]

Originally Posted by rjahl

I question this logic,

Can I get a show of hands from the people who fried a motor with a faulty OEM plastic disa valve? There are 10s of thousands of these motors running around, has anyone heard of a disa valve damaging the motor internals?

Switching to metal flaps might change this count.

When I found my motor sputtering and missing with cylinder 3 and 4 codes, I came across the two halves of the broken flap from DISA valve stuck in the lower intake manifold right before the valves. If these pieces were any smaller than they were, they go straight into hindering the path of the valves tapping up and down. Don't know what these will do in the combustion chamber itself, isn't that enough to warrant your attention looking into a better assurance to prevent stuff like this from happening. Of course I'm a bit more dramatic about it, but I consider myself very lucky to have found this before it's too late. And I'm lucky to have spare cars to drive around town while this car gets its chance to sit in the garage for me to find the actual problem. I'd still stand behind the idea that upgrading it to aluminum flaps is the way to go. Also, the aluminum upgrade kit comes with a straight-through screw which will prevent the flap from ever coming off the valve. So that by itself is a big plus and should be a proponent enough reason to do this upgrade.

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by yupetc

When I found my motor sputtering and missing with cylinder 3 and 4 codes, I came across the two halves of the broken flap from DISA valve stuck in the lower intake manifold right before the valves. If these pieces were any smaller than they were, they go straight into hindering the path of the valves tapping up and down. Don't know what these will do in the combustion chamber itself, isn't that enough to warrant your attention looking into a better assurance to prevent stuff like this from happening. Of course I'm a bit more dramatic about it, but I consider myself very lucky to have found this before it's too late. And I'm lucky to have spare cars to drive around town while this car gets its chance to sit in the garage for me to find the actual problem. I'd still stand behind the idea that upgrading it to aluminum flaps is the way to go. Also, the aluminum upgrade kit comes with a straight-through screw which will prevent the flap from ever coming off the valve. So that by itself is a big plus and should be a proponent enough reason to do this upgrade.

I fully understand your concern, just the odds don't seem that great. There are so many of these motors above 200,000 miles and I've never read about a complete engine loss from a failed plastic disa valve.

Maybe they just fall off the shaft in pieces that are too large to fit into the cylinders. Or maybe a few have been ingested and converted into smog, don't know. Just does not seem to be a common failure point.

I'm not saying it can't happen, things do happen just last year a woman was hit by a meteorite.

[yupetc]

Originally Posted by rjahl

I fully understand your concern, just the odds don't seem that great. There are so many of these motors above 200,000 miles and I've never read about a complete engine loss from a failed plastic disa valve.

Maybe they just fall off the shaft in pieces that are too large to fit into the cylinders. Or maybe a few have been ingested and converted into smog, don't know. Just does not seem to be a common failure point.

I'm not saying it can't happen, things do happen just last year a woman was hit by a meteorite.

That's unfortunate, odds of being hit by meteorite has to be less than being hit by a lightning, I'd presume. Steering back to main topic about these DISA valves, it's not that common to have seen a failed motor due to DISA valve droppings, while that's very true, how many of us knew to replace the crappy US intake with the upgraded 3-stage? I knew nothing about this upgrade until I dig up some good reads up in this forum. Also, it's this forum that you will uncover majority of the broken DISA valve cases. Lighter symptoms include misfiring, rough idle, loss of power, and commonly they all end up taking out the intake to find either that flap is hanging on a thread there, or have completely fell off and got into the runners. I can't find one example of a fried motor due to a broken fallen-off DISA valve. So you're absolutely correct in saying that there aren't proven cases. But knowing these valves are destined to fail at some point, and in many cases pieces have been found in the runners, it's still a good re-assuring move to upgrade the flaps to prevent that problem for good in my logic. Those upgrade kits are only 80 bucks. I've read enough folks in this forum throwing away few hundred dollars in diagnosing the problem, changing out plugs, coils, etc, then finally the DISA valves, which costs 300-400 bucks on their own. 80 bucks versus few hundred dollars, it's kinda pays for itself. Don't ya think?

[The Nightman]

I believe flap failure is less of an issue with the revised valves as they have metal pins. Upgrading older valves are difficult as you have to cut open the motor body and seal it after. It's more likely that the motors fail

[otitxn]

Not to derail the thread, but can anyone link what they feel is the best guide to do the swap? I finally got in all of my gaskets, DISAs, and hardware. It's time to get her swapped in.

[otitxn]

Also, not sure if I may want to do this myself. Can anyone recommend a shop in the Northeast Ohio area (Cleveland)? Just moved out here, and left my family's garage back in NY. Thanks all!

[W37V]

Originally Posted by otitxn

Not to derail the thread, but can anyone link what they feel is the best guide to do the swap? I finally got in all of my gaskets, DISAs, and hardware. It's time to get her swapped in.

https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...eplacement.htm

[porsche959]

Originally Posted by otitxn

Not to derail the thread, but can anyone link what they feel is the best guide to do the swap? I finally got in all of my gaskets, DISAs, and hardware. It's time to get her swapped in.

If you have an n52 with the mag head and external ccv, god speed.

It took me 7 hrs.

[rjahl]

Originally Posted by porsche959

If you have an n52 with the mag head and external ccv, god speed.

It took me 7 hrs.

I'm not a mechanic and it took me something like 2-1/2 hours. It's an easy job.

Take notes and pictures as you pull things apart.

The PVC pipe fittings can be a pain but there is a trick to releasing them. Just have spare hoses available when you do the work.

[Love The Drive]

Hello! Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the LCI 328i's come with the N51 engine? (N51 being Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, SULEV) which already comes with a 3 stage intake manifold as compared to the N52 engines which come with the single stage. N52 motor owners are the ones who do the conversion. If your vehicle is an N51, it already has the 3 stage intake manifold. Easy check is the sticker under your hood. If it says SULEV, then you have an N51 with 3 stage intake already. Best, Nick.

[otitxn]

Originally Posted by Love The Drive

Hello! Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the LCI 328i's come with the N51 engine? (N51 being Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, SULEV) which already comes with a 3 stage intake manifold as compared to the N52 engines which come with the single stage. N52 motor owners are the ones who do the conversion. If your vehicle is an N51, it already has the 3 stage intake manifold. Easy check is the sticker under your hood. If it says SULEV, then you have an N51 with 3 stage intake already. Best, Nick.

They do not, another easy check is to run your VIN in a decoder. My 2011 328xi LCI is an N52K. I believe the N51 ended in 2010 (which is coincidentally where I got my used 3IM from)

[W37V]

Originally Posted by Love The Drive

Hello! Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the LCI 328i's come with the N51 engine? (N51 being Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, SULEV) which already comes with a 3 stage intake manifold as compared to the N52 engines which come with the single stage. N52 motor owners are the ones who do the conversion. If your vehicle is an N51, it already has the 3 stage intake manifold. Easy check is the sticker under your hood. If it says SULEV, then you have an N51 with 3 stage intake already. Best, Nick.

Bit of trivia: In US, in states that follow California clean air standards, BMW sold N51 engine. In all other states, BMW used N52. Rest of the world got different variations of N52 (2.5L or 3L). N52 is the last straight six NA engine sold by BMW. There was another more advanced version of N52 sold in Europe - N53. It had direct injection (vs port in N52). However, it has same issues that plaqued N54 - failing fuel pump, carbon build up, failing injectors, etc. N52 was still being produced and sold until 2015 (Asian version of 730i).
The last NA engine by BMW was N73 (V12 - 2016) from Phantom / 7 series.

[yupetc]

Originally Posted by W37V

Bit of trivia: In US, in states that follow California clean air standards, BMW sold N51 engine. In all other states, BMW used N52. Rest of the world got different variations of N52 (2.5L or 3L). N52 is the last straight six NA engine sold by BMW. There was another more advanced version of N52 sold in Europe - N53. It had direct injection (vs port in N52). However, it has same issues that plaqued N54 - failing fuel pump, carbon build up, failing injectors, etc. N52 was still being produced and sold until 2015 (Asian version of 730i).
The last NA engine by BMW was N73 (V12 - 2016) from Phantom / 7 series.

Very interesting facts to know. Thanks. and I'll say, though, that these N52 motors are actually quite good and very reliable if you can get through most of those leaking gasketing issues and the ignition failures once in a blue moon. Other than that, putting in a 3-stage manifold, headers, and a good tune will get you quite happy with the results. The linear power curve is a bit more comfortable to drive in comparison to those turbo N20's and B48's, yet, still quite peppy with enough mods.