Bought another Z4 - A few Q's

[miscbrah]

Finally found another car, kicking myself for selling off some of the aftermarket parts stash - A mint 1 owner 2006 3.0i with 22k miles

Can anyone point me in the right direction on a few things? It looks like there's been some changes over the last few years since I've been active:

1. Should I be looking at strut tower (front/rear) reinforcements?

2. Stubby Antenna - It looks like mangowalk isn't selling these anymore, what's the best option?

3. The car was upgraded using the Turner 3-stage manifold kit and tune, is there a better option for the software? It seems a little lighter on low-end power than I recall my factory 3.0si having

[3GFX]

Congrats on purchase.

Originally Posted by miscbrah

1. Should I be looking at strut tower (front/rear) reinforcements?

Are you going to the track? If yes than yes. If no than no. Save the money up and spend it on bigger better things. The car has stock bars to tie to the firewall. Very few people rear at all.

Originally Posted by miscbrah

2. Stubby Antenna - It looks like mangowalk isn't selling these anymore, what's the best option?

Try ECS Tuning

Originally Posted by miscbrah

3. The car was upgraded using the Turner 3-stage manifold kit and tune, is there a better option for the software? It seems a little lighter on low-end power than I recall my factory 3.0si having

Short answer no. Not sure what you've got as a manifold kit, but most likely it was tuned for more power up top, sacrificing torque.

The stock motor won't do much with any tuning +/- 25hp for headers and tuning. Save your money and put it towards suspension, wheels and good tires. More bang for buck and more speed for sure.

[miscbrah]

Originally Posted by 3GFX

Congrats on purchase.



Are you going to the track? If yes than yes. If no than no. Save the money up and spend it on bigger better things. The car has stock bars to tie to the firewall. Very few people rear at all.



Try ECS Tuning



Short answer no. Not sure what you've got as a manifold kit, but most likely it was tuned for more power up top, sacrificing torque.

The stock motor won't do much with any tuning +/- 25hp for headers and tuning. Save your money and put it towards suspension, wheels and good tires. More bang for buck and more speed for sure.

Awesome, thank you! The manifold is the Z4 3.0si stock unit (3-stage , 2-disa valves) to bump the HP up to the factory rated 255hp. You have to reprogram the ECU to make use of the 3-stage intake manifold.

I've read a few instances of people saying to use Active Autowerk and now the Stage FP tune.

[belcom]

Originally Posted by miscbrah

Can anyone point me in the right direction on a few things? It looks like there's been some changes over the last few years since I've been active:

1. Should I be looking at strut tower (front/rear) reinforcements?

2. Stubby Antenna - It looks like mangowalk isn't selling these anymore, what's the best option?

3. The car was upgraded using the Turner 3-stage manifold kit and tune, is there a better option for the software? It seems a little lighter on low-end power than I recall my factory 3.0si having

1. Fairly inexpensive to add if you're doing suspension already and good insurance so why not. I got them for my install.

2. I bought this one https://www.ebay.ca/itm/New-Genuine-...72.m2749.l2649

Supposed to work fine. Didn't get it yet.

3. Could be that you need to service it. Clean vanos solenoids, replace CCV, spark plugs perhaps. I know its really low miles but still. Also make sure DISA valves are good and working.


Nice find by the way. Pics?

[miscbrah]

I'll have to get some pics when the weather clears up, tucked away in the garage at the moment.

Ended up going with a Cravenspeed Jr. Stubby (~2") antenna, looks like a nice piece and cheaper than the OEM BMW part. I'll pay a few extra bucks to support a US business too.

https://www.cravenspeed.com/stubby-j...w-z3-z4-coupe/

If these final drive ratios are correct, my car would have a 3.38 vs the 3.23 in a 3.0si - it should feel a bit faster 0-60 no?

http://www.bokchoys.com/differential/GearRatios.htm

Good call on the DISA/VANOS/Plugs, I'll have to check the service history because I think it had a tune-up about 5k miles ago at the dealer.

Might try to find some time/place to get the car on a dyno as well.

[wdb]

At 22k miles I suspect what it needs more than anything is fresh gas and a good thrashing. The 3 stage intake wakes up at 3500 RPM and then again at 4500. The 3.0i might not be a fair comparison at the low end. Not sure about that.

[miscbrah]

Originally Posted by wdb

At 22k miles I suspect what it needs more than anything is fresh gas and a good thrashing. The 3 stage intake wakes up at 3500 RPM and then again at 4500. The 3.0i might not be a fair comparison at the low end. Not sure about that.

I've been doing a ton of research on this in the E90 forum & from what I gather it should perform identically once the manifold is installed and tune is flashed.

I've never messed with INPA but I plan to set it up and check the DISA valves for operation. I've also only driven in the car twice and both days were very hot outside as well.

I totally forgot there's some sort of AFE looking intake box on it - maybe that's contributing as well. I haven't read any reports of people actually complaining about feeling a loss of low-end power on any of the N52 boards, but still a possibility.

[Steeler]

Originally Posted by miscbrah

I'll have to get some pics when the weather clears up, tucked away in the garage at the moment.

Ended up going with a Cravenspeed Jr. Stubby (~2") antenna, looks like a nice piece and cheaper than the OEM BMW part. I'll pay a few extra bucks to support a US business too.

https://www.cravenspeed.com/stubby-j...w-z3-z4-coupe/

If these final drive ratios are correct, my car would have a 3.38 vs the 3.23 in a 3.0si - it should feel a bit faster 0-60 no?

http://www.bokchoys.com/differential/GearRatios.htm

Good call on the DISA/VANOS/Plugs, I'll have to check the service history because I think it had a tune-up about 5k miles ago at the dealer.

Might try to find some time/place to get the car on a dyno as well.

If you can hunt down an automatic N52 3.0i in a bone yard, you can have a 3.73 rear diff. I can speak from experience, it makes a massive difference in acceleration.

[wdb]

If I was swapping diffs it would be to get a LSD. It's one thing I would have done to my 3.0si if I had kept it.

[Steeler]

Absolutely WDB. However a $250 diff is a great cost to performance upgrade