[SDN]

Hello,

I'm reading about the 3 stage manifold upgrade and how it can free up some HP.
I'm rebuilding the engine block of my e90 325i 2005 and have the intake manifold off now. However, now it's off i like to do this manifold upgrade when i install everything back again.
From what i read, the 3 stage MF has 2 disa's. When i checked my intake MF it also has 2 disa's. Does this mean i already have the 3 stage manifold? When i look for pictures of a 3 stage MF, i could not find any differences with mine.
Is it something internaly that is different in a 3 stage?

The manifold i have currently reads part. Nr. 752036808
Any idea's?

[Dx11]

Wait it's a 2005? I thought the intake upgrade was only for the LCI engine (n53)

[SDN]

Yes a 2005. Imported from Germany if that makes any difference. Is this the 3 stage mf?

[Dx11]

No clue but I thought I heard only the LCI (n53) can be upgraded, don't know for sure, someone will tell us more.

[kis2012]

I don't know about the N52 but the difference between the 325i and 330i that use the N53 is the 3 stage intake and Disa's. Adding them and the software will gain 70hp.
But the N53 is 2007 onwards, it is also 3.0, not sure about the 325i N52 engine size, is it 2.5L?

I think you'd need a N53 for this upgrade.

[Hoody007]

An EU spec 325i (N52) is a 2.5 liter.
A US spec 325i (N52, MY 2006 only) is a detuned 3.0 liter motor and can use the 3 stage manifold upgrade.
Not sure if there’s a tune for the 2.5l to take advantage of the 3 stage manifold.

[SDN]

Originally Posted by Hoody007

An EU spec 325i (N52) is a 2.5 liter.
A US spec 325i (N52, MY 2006 only) is a detuned 3.0 liter motor and can use the 3 stage manifold upgrade.
Not sure if there’s a tune for the 2.5l to take advantage of the 3 stage manifold.

Aha that makes sense. Never knew the US 325i was a detuned 3.0. No upgrade for me then. Damn you privileged Americans

[Hoody007]

Originally Posted by SDN

Aha that makes sense. Never knew the US 325i was a detuned 3.0. No upgrade for me then. Damn you privileged Americans

We occasionally get lucky! Most of the time the EU market gets all the good stuff though…

You might be able to still do it though. Trick would be finding a tune that would take advantage of the 3 stage intake. In the states you can get away with retrofitting the intake and flashing the 330i engine tune to the DME.

Edit: never mind. There are some head differences it seems:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1768326

[SDN]

Originally Posted by Hoody007

We occasionally get lucky! Most of the time the EU market gets all the good stuff though…

You might be able to still do it though. Trick would be finding a tune that would take advantage of the 3 stage intake. In the states you can get away with retrofitting the intake and flashing the 330i engine tune to the DME.

Edit: never mind. There are some head differences it seems:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1768326

Yeah was already thinking of getting a stage 1 tune once the engine is rebuild. It seems the only way to get some extra horses.

Edit: Just the one thing i don't understand. The part number for the 325i intake manifold is 11617559525, for the 330i 11617559523. Obviously different part numbers, but the prices of these 2 differ quite a lot. A used 325i intake can be fetched for $100, whereas the 330 intake MF goes for $250+ (new even $700)
According to RealOEM, the parts used in both manifolds are exactly the same.

So why the price difference

[Dx11]

Originally Posted by SDN

Aha that makes sense. Never knew the US 325i was a detuned 3.0. No upgrade for me then. Damn you privileged Americans

Now I'm really confused, I thought only the EU had the N53 and the USA only has N52 and N54.

Anyway I have the 325i N53 in the EU and added like ~40bhp with only 330i software. Don't really need the intake for those ~10 extra bhp.

[SDN]

Originally Posted by Dx11

Now I'm really confused, I thought only the EU had the N53 and the USA only has N52 and N54.

Anyway I have the 325i N53 in the EU and added like ~40bhp with only 330i software. Don't really need the intake for those ~10 extra bhp.

Thats an impressive HP gain. According to ATM Chiptuning the n52 325i only gains - 14hp/25nm vs the n53 325i - 47hp/45nm (both stage 1). I chose the wrong engine.

[Dx11]

Originally Posted by SDN

Thats an impressive HP gain. According to ATM Chiptuning the n52 325i only gains - 14hp/25nm vs the n53 325i - 47hp/45nm (both stage 1). I chose the wrong engine.

Well yeah that's because the N53 is used for both 330i and 325i, same parts, different software. And the intake but that only goes for about ~10bhp.

BTW it's kinda pointless anyway, after every bhp increase, you're happy for a month, then you're used to it and you want more again. It's a never ending very expensive circle.

[SDN]

Originally Posted by Dx11

Well yeah that's because the N53 is used for both 330i and 325i, same parts, different software. And the intake but that only goes for about ~10bhp.

BTW it's kinda pointless anyway, after every bhp increase, you're happy for a month, then you're used to it and you want more again. It's a never ending very expensive circle.

True. Begin with a chip tune and end up buying an M3. Although getting the maximum out of your engine is very tempting.

[Dx11]

Originally Posted by SDN

end up buying an M3.

And then you're gonna look for better brakes and better springs and better this and that. There's always something to improve. At some point I decided to stop at 10% of the purchase price to be the max of my "improvements" price. I reached that so I decided at that point to just be happy where it's at.