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      09-25-2019, 06:07 PM   #1
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An extra 30HP by removing a baffle?

There's a post on bringatrailer.com from a Z4MC owner who claims there's an extra 30HP available by removing a baffle in the intake. This is the first I'm hearing of it. Input greatly appreciated!

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...z4-m-coupe-41/

Quote:
This is really a 360 hp engine that BMW restricted the intake on to keep the same 330hp rating as the earlier Bosch controlled S54.
[...]
The S54 in Z4 M Coupes is the Siemens controlled version, with an actual 30hp more than the 330hp rated S54 in the E46, and 315 rated hp in the S54 Z3, let alone the 240 rated hp in the S52 Z3.

BMW kept the same 330hp rating by putting a restrictor baffle in the air filter box, above the air filter. Snap out that babble, remove the screen in front of the MAF sensor, and the measured MAF flow increase calculates out to another ~30 horsepower. Yet this Z4 M Coupe weighs barely more than the Z3 Coupe. Note that I said “measured”, and have the actual data logs that show 217g/sec before, then 257g/sec after.
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      09-25-2019, 06:40 PM   #2
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      09-25-2019, 11:01 PM   #3
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Lol , what Ian said..
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      09-26-2019, 08:19 AM   #4
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Pretty convincing BS though -- I was ready to rip my airbox open and start hacking.
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      09-26-2019, 08:41 AM   #5
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If it was really that easy I am sure someone would have figured it out many years ago. Like the 3.0i to 3.0si conversion. There is a 360hp version of the motor in one of the M3's (CSL I think?) but it has lots of extra bits.
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      09-26-2019, 08:49 AM   #6
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I was ready to believe it to be honest, possibly because of my experience with the STi. Subaru puts a baffle plate over the entrance to the downpipe, where it bolts to the turbocharger exit. That plate blocks off about half of the opening and strangles the engine at higher RPMs. A downpipe (+ tune to prevent leanout) on an STi is an instant 30+ HP increase, and can really be felt above 4000 RPM.
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      09-26-2019, 09:30 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wdb View Post
I was ready to believe it to be honest, possibly because of my experience with the STi. Subaru puts a baffle plate over the entrance to the downpipe, where it bolts to the turbocharger exit. That plate blocks off about half of the opening and strangles the engine at higher RPMs. A downpipe (+ tune to prevent leanout) on an STi is an instant 30+ HP increase, and can really be felt above 4000 RPM.
Well...part of what he said is true - there is a charcoal filter above the regular air filter You can remove that to see if you can feel any gains
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      09-26-2019, 10:53 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wdb View Post
I was ready to believe it to be honest, possibly because of my experience with the STi. Subaru puts a baffle plate over the entrance to the downpipe, where it bolts to the turbocharger exit. That plate blocks off about half of the opening and strangles the engine at higher RPMs. A downpipe (+ tune to prevent leanout) on an STi is an instant 30+ HP increase, and can really be felt above 4000 RPM.
Airflow math for force induction engine != Naturally aspired high revving I6.

That "baffle" that they speak of is the active carbon filter that sits in front of the paper element air filter. It actually doesn't restrict air as much as absorb unburnt fuel in the intake and prevents it from escaping back into the atmosphere. Removing the active carbon element in the airbox does NOTHING except making more induction noise available, which sounds nice.

Watch this if you want a semi-scientific research on how removing that active carbon filter affect real world results.



Gains are negligible.
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      09-26-2019, 11:09 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The HACK View Post
Airflow math for force induction engine != Naturally aspired high revving I6.
Yep. That, plus no mention of a change in tune, left me skeptical. Hence reaching out to this august group.

Thanks also for the additional information regarding the intake clutter. Very enlightening.

I did some more research on the 360 HP flavor of the S54. Among the differences are changes to the intake, but I did not find details on that yet. However the big thing I read was that the cams are different. That makes the additional HP very plausible and explainable.
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      09-26-2019, 11:28 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wdb View Post
Yep. That, plus no mention of a change in tune, left me skeptical. Hence reaching out to this august group.

Thanks also for the additional information regarding the intake clutter. Very enlightening.

I did some more research on the 360 HP flavor of the S54. Among the differences are changes to the intake, but I did not find details on that yet. However the big thing I read was that the cams are different. That makes the additional HP very plausible and explainable.
That's the FIRST I've ever heard of it.

E46 M3 S54 inlet CAM shaft PN: 11317833223
E46 M3 S54 exhaust CAM shaft PN: 11317833225
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3006

Z4 M S54 inlet CAM shaft PN: 11317833223
Z4 M S54 exhaust CAM shaft PN: 11317833225
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3006

Unless my eyes deceive me, there's no difference in PN for the Z4 M S54 cams?

I don't want to burst your bubbles, but I've done back to back pulls between the S54 in the E46 M3 and the MZ4 Coupe on track (twisty kind, not the straight kind) and the S54 in the MZ4 Coupe is not stronger. In fact, the engines behave almost identically, the only perceivable difference is the fact that the MZ4 Coupe is significantly lighter.
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      09-26-2019, 11:53 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The HACK View Post
That's the FIRST I've ever heard of it.

E46 M3 S54 inlet CAM shaft PN: 11317833223
E46 M3 S54 exhaust CAM shaft PN: 11317833225
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3006

Z4 M S54 inlet CAM shaft PN: 11317833223
Z4 M S54 exhaust CAM shaft PN: 11317833225
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3006

Unless my eyes deceive me, there's no difference in PN for the Z4 M S54 cams?

I don't want to burst your bubbles, but I've done back to back pulls between the S54 in the E46 M3 and the MZ4 Coupe on track (twisty kind, not the straight kind) and the S54 in the MZ4 Coupe is not stronger. In fact, the engines behave almost identically, the only perceivable difference is the fact that the MZ4 Coupe is significantly lighter.
He's probably talking about the CSL cams, which are different. Most of the internet says they're 288/280 but I could have sworn I read somewhere that was inaccurate. Standard S54 (from the E46M and E85/6M) are 260/260.

P/Ns from the CSL:
11317835041
11317835043

Do recall the CSL is based on the Euro E46 M3 with a different exhaust/cat setup. N.A. E46Ms have 330hp, Euro has 343hp, CSL is 360hp. On top of the cams and exhaust, there's obviously the airbox. When you put all that together, the +27-30hp really doesn't seem like much.
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      09-26-2019, 12:34 PM   #12
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CSL cams were never installed in other production variants of BMWs using the S54 that I am aware of.

The CSL has a different intake, intake plenum, cam, exhaust header and and routing, and TUNE. There's always been some confusion as to how much the euro S54 makes, and it stems from the 343HP rating being DIN and the U.S. 333HP rating being SAE.

Here's the real "math." The Euro spec S54 on the E46 M3 has one less set of CATs and a different exhaust header design, and it actually makes closer to 338 compared to the 333 as claimed for U.S. emission equipped cars. Swapping in those headers and cats gain you about 5 HP. 338 SAE hp is 343 DIN hp, due to the difference in how big German horses are vs American horses (I'm not kidding. DIN to SAE conversion is 1.0139 : 1. Apparently German horses are smaller than 'Murcan horses).

The S54 in the Z4 M actually makes 330 (3 hp down due to shorter exhaust routing) and by 2006 EU/ROTW emissions regulation has caught up with US/CARB, and there's no header and CAT differences in Z4 Ms made for U.S. and ROTW. All Z4 M S54s were rated at 330HP because of the shorter exhaust routing (don't know why a shorter exhaust results in 3 less horses but whatever).

I believe the 360HP of the CSL is DIN as well, as I've seen the SAE powers quoted as 355, which is 360/1.0139. Regardless, a 20 HP gain from cams, intake, exhaust, tune means the S54 is about as high strung as it is, and that there's very little power to be squeezed out from the engine. I suspect that "rumor" about baffles in the intake and what not is just that, rumor and unsubstantiated, as the 20 HP bump in the CSL is more inline with what a mild CAM upgrade would get you (along with a tune). So the stock airbox isn't nearly as restricted as some of us believe, although the CSL style boxes sound good AND looks good, and a few members that have installed them here on this forum have been able to show some legit gains from going to that particular style air box.

But, as we all know, ricer math isn't cumulative. Just because an airbox adds 10 HP, and a cam adds 15, and an exhaust header adds 5, doesn't mean that all three together should net you 30HP since all three affects different parts of the rev band.
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      09-26-2019, 12:38 PM   #13
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[EDIT: I see that The Hack has beat me to it in most respects.]

Apolgies if this is old news to many folks. I'm fairly new to the BMW owner crowd.

The 360 HP flavor was in the M3 CSL. From the pictures it appears as though the big "intake" difference is the CSL airbox. There could be others of course.

https://www.topspeed.com/cars/bmw/20...-ar157689.html

"Under the hood BMW kept the same 3.2-liter straight-six-cylinder engine found in the European M3, but with an output increased by 17 horsepower and 1 pound-feet of torque. As a result, the M3 CSL delivered a total of 360 horsepower at 7,900 rpm and 273 pound-feet of torque at 4,900 rpm. Independent dyno results read showed more like 375 horsepower, but those were never the “official” specifications."

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      09-26-2019, 12:44 PM   #14
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CSL is 280/272.
There are definite differences in the Euro spec Z4m and the US spec version of the Z4m. Not just pipe/cat wise either, but the emissions too. Easy to spot them by just opening the hood. Actually, I am pulling that out of my arse, not sure if those emmisions differences are GCC spec, as we have Jack shit emissions control/pollution gear here on all cars.

Last edited by Vanne; 09-26-2019 at 01:14 PM..
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      10-07-2019, 11:12 AM   #15
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Not extra 30hp but there are gains to be had removing restrictions from the intake.
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      10-07-2019, 06:38 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by srdj View Post
Not extra 30hp but there are gains to be had removing restrictions from the intake.
Please support your claims with actual data rather than just an opinion or statement. Most people here have had their cars for years and have lots of experience with all aspects of the car, including modding, tuning, and tracking. This forum is probably the best source for, and has the most cumulative amount of information about the Z4. You joined 2 months ago and pop in with 4 posts and zero credibility.

I installed an AFE intake for the sound and my butt dyno says it made zero difference other than the sound. This has been supported by many others over the years.
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      10-11-2019, 10:26 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by srdj View Post
Not extra 30hp but there are gains to be had removing restrictions from the intake.
A tune is necessary for any np gain. I have Evolve CF air box with Alpha-N tune for modest gain in hp. There isn't much to gain for NA S54.
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      10-14-2019, 07:35 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rockstar93 View Post
He's probably talking about the CSL cams, which are different. Most of the internet says they're 288/280 but I could have sworn I read somewhere that was inaccurate. Standard S54 (from the E46M and E85/6M) are 260/260.

P/Ns from the CSL:
11317835041
11317835043

Do recall the CSL is based on the Euro E46 M3 with a different exhaust/cat setup. N.A. E46Ms have 330hp, Euro has 343hp, CSL is 360hp. On top of the cams and exhaust, there's obviously the airbox. When you put all that together, the +27-30hp really doesn't seem like much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanne View Post
CSL is 280/272.
There are definite differences in the Euro spec Z4m and the US spec version of the Z4m. Not just pipe/cat wise either, but the emissions too. Easy to spot them by just opening the hood. Actually, I am pulling that out of my arse, not sure if those emmisions differences are GCC spec, as we have Jack shit emissions control/pollution gear here on all cars.
here is accurate information including angle spread.

Stock
Intake : 260 (70-130°)
Exhaust : 260 (83-128°)

CSL
Intake : 268 (75°-135°)
Exhaust : 264 (80-125°)

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      10-14-2019, 07:45 AM   #19
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Shit, I was way off..
Wow, those numbers make it hardly seem worth it going CSL spec.

Just wondering where you dug that up as the shrick data sheet I have said what I quoted. Glad to finally get to the bottom of it.
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      10-29-2019, 08:08 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SD ///M4 View Post
Please support your claims with actual data rather than just an opinion or statement. Most people here have had their cars for years and have lots of experience with all aspects of the car, including modding, tuning, and tracking. This forum is probably the best source for, and has the most cumulative amount of information about the Z4. You joined 2 months ago and pop in with 4 posts and zero credibility.

I installed an AFE intake for the sound and my butt dyno says it made zero difference other than the sound. This has been supported by many others over the years.
There is a measurable vacuum within the intake plenum/cover under WOT. The amount of vacuum is reduced significantly when you remove things like the charcoal filter (the baffle in OPs post), the snorkel behind the grille, and the MAF screen.

14.0 inH2O (stock) -> 7.0 inH2O (with the above removed).

At 300m above sea level where I measured, this means:

94.3 kPa MAP (stock) -> 96.1 kPa MAP (with the above removed).

Net gain of 1.9%. Your butt dyno is probably not that sensitive as this is in the neighborhood of 6-7 hp.


Quote:
Originally Posted by RobMCoupe View Post
A tune is necessary for any np gain. I have Evolve CF air box with Alpha-N tune for modest gain in hp. There isn't much to gain for NA S54.
Not true, these cars are equipped with a MAF and wideband lambda sensors and can easily adjust for a little extra airflow. Obviously does not apply to CSL style air boxes.

Last edited by Sergio19; 10-29-2019 at 08:14 PM..
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      01-30-2020, 10:20 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanne View Post
Shit, I was way off..
Wow, those numbers make it hardly seem worth it going CSL spec.

Just wondering where you dug that up as the shrick data sheet I have said what I quoted. Glad to finally get to the bottom of it.
From the CSL Engine Software.
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