[eyehategod]

Hey all, I'm looking ahead to this summer and thinking about what kind of coin I should put away in savings and what direction I should go with my build next. Any suggestions? Not including external mods, I'll go for a window tint and some paint work after the winter is over.

2012 E92 xdrive (January 2012 build)
56k miles
VRSF 7" HD FMIC, ER Upper & Lower Charge Pipe, VRSF turbo outlet pipe
VRSF catless DP
BMS Intake
KW V1's with BBS RGR's
xHP flash and MHD Stage 2+

UUC Swaybars are on my list, but I guess my question is about adding power mods. This is my daily so I want to keep it safe & reliable! My tech just looked it all over and we went for a drive with his service tablet plugged in yesterday and everything looks great.

I'm a little lost about what I can do next and would be effective between flex fuel lines (?), LPFP, port injection, meth injection, upgraded turbo? I guess I should say my goal is to make around 400-450 to the wheels. I have not dyno'd the car in its current state. I've got one E85 station sorta nearby, it would be a bit of a hassle to try to fill up there twice a week.

[Kev0]

Upgrade LPFP and turbo with a custom tune since it's your daily.

[eyehategod]

Originally Posted by Kev0

Upgrade LPFP and turbo with a custom tune since it's your daily.

The LPFP upgrade on its own would allow me to do what? Run higher % of ethanol and get a custom tune for a bit more power?

[Turbod]

upgrading the LPFP without going throttle body injection or port injection is just spending money on a part with no gains. You should be close to your power goal on E30 with a PS2 turbo. You don't lose any reliability with the turbo upgrade. You will be able to run a few more pounds of boost on the same timing too. Since you have a January build 2012 you have the better flowing HPFP. I was able to run 18 psi on E30 with a stock fuel system so you should be pretty close to that. I ran that boost with a little more aggressive timing curve. Started at 11 degrees down low and 15 degrees up top.

I do like methanol injection and eventually added it back after switching to MHD. I didn't feel like I got the same benefit though when I was controlling it with the AEM controller but didn't troubleshoot it before removing it.

I think it comes down to when you want to spend how much. I will always say the sooner you upgrade the turbo the happier you'll be with the car. In my opinion it is better to spend a few years with the upgrade rather than put it on as one of your last mods. In no particular order I would upgrade the following.

Turbo (PS2 for reliability) or any other options if you want more power.
Methanol injection
Custom tune for larger turbo boost targets

[eyehategod]

Originally Posted by Turbod

upgrading the LPFP without going throttle body injection or port injection is just spending money on a part with no gains. You should be close to your power goal on E30 with a PS2 turbo. You don't lose any reliability with the turbo upgrade. You will be able to run a few more pounds of boost on the same timing too. Since you have a January build 2012 you have the better flowing HPFP. I was able to run 18 psi on E30 with a stock fuel system so you should be pretty close to that. I ran that boost with a little more aggressive timing curve. Started at 11 degrees down low and 15 degrees up top.

I do like methanol injection and eventually added it back after switching to MHD. I didn't feel like I got the same benefit though when I was controlling it with the AEM controller but didn't troubleshoot it before removing it.

I think it comes down to when you want to spend how much. I will always say the sooner you upgrade the turbo the happier you'll be with the car. In my opinion it is better to spend a few years with the upgrade rather than put it on as one of your last mods. In no particular order I would upgrade the following.

Turbo (PS2 for reliability) or any other options if you want more power.
Methanol injection
Custom tune for larger turbo boost targets

Thanks man! This was just the answer I was looking for. I don't think my power goal is anything crazy, and I don't want to shoot too high anyway because I still want it to feel nice and smooth like a BMW should and not run into transfer case issues, etc. It looks like PS2 turbo upgrade should be my goal. I guess I lucked out on an early 2012 build when I bought the car. I've got 3 years left on my loan, still love the car and plan to keep it for a long while.

I did mess around with the E30 MHD map awhile back and the car absolutely loved it - my idle felt perfect finally and the butt dyno told me it pulled a little harder. I ended up switching back to pump 93 because I was confused as to whether or not it was safe to run E30 on my stock pump.

Also I see you have an X1! I just convinced my brother to put a deposit down on a 2014 X1 msport that he's picking up next weekend we both love wagons, it was like a lightbulb went off when I realized the X1 is basically a 335i wagon once you throw some coilovers on it...

[Turbod]

Originally Posted by eyehategod

I did mess around with the E30 MHD map awhile back and the car absolutely loved it - my idle felt perfect finally and the butt dyno told me it pulled a little harder. I ended up switching back to pump 93 because I was confused as to whether or not it was safe to run E30 on my stock pump.

E30 is fine to run on the stock pump

Also I see you have an X1! I just convinced my brother to put a deposit down on a 2014 X1 msport that he's picking up next weekend we both love wagons, it was like a lightbulb went off when I realized the X1 is basically a 335i wagon once you throw some coilovers on it...

Even though they are kind of ugly it is such a great car. They are a little more wagon shaped and I considered lowering mine but I plan to take it into the mountains for camping and shooting. I will move the PS2, intercooler, downpipe, and methanol kit over to it sometime in 2019. Should be good for 400 - 450awhp when finished. Not nearly as pretty as the E92 though.

[C2YT]

Turbod offered great advice, I couldn't have summarized it better. He also helped point me in the right direction as well. I am now FBO w/ PS2 and meth for the spring.

Even on pump 93, the car makes more power than an FBO E30 stock turbo car. The powerband is much more enjoyable and you have the ability to push it more as you have the octane. Adding E30, or Meth, are both great options to push you past that 450 whp mark. On 93 I would expect 410-420, but that is just my butt dyno.

Lots of great information here on the forum. I suggest reading on the PS2 posts if that is what your heart is set on. I did all the work myself over a weekend. It is a great upgrade!