Tallman85 Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 This was in the old forum and I used to like it 🙂 it was started back in 2015 by @Twiglet. I thought I restart the process again. So what is the most recent thing i did to my E61? Well I recoded the A/C unit so that the car will remember the re-circulation mode that it was switched off. It was annoying to change the mode every time the car is restarted. Now it is sorted. Keep them coming please... Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humour Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 Two things... 1.) Polished the exhaust tip again now that the car has been remapped back to an OE map (whatever was on it before was a nasty stinky mess, which did not make it run better or faster), with the DPF and EGR switched off, so I can see how quickly the exhaust tip builds up soot on it compared to before. 2.) Called BMW for a quote on yet another bunch of parts needed by my money pit. Hum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 1, 2022 Author Share Posted December 1, 2022 They are expensive to run… I am tempted to remap mine stage 1 keeping egr and dpf…as i hate the smell of diesel and black smoke….reminds me of Toyota’s from 1990s 🙂 My worry is losing reliability… sometimes i see these adverts of racechips.eu and I wander which is the best and safest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humour Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, Tallman85 said: They are expensive to run… I am tempted to remap mine stage 1 keeping egr and dpf…as i hate the smell of diesel and black smoke….reminds me of Toyota’s from 1990s 🙂 My worry is losing reliability… sometimes i see these adverts of racechips.eu and I wander which is the best and safest. ......especially, when neglected by at least the previous 2 owners! I'm very likely paying for 5-8 yrs of neglect right now, as a result will end up spending far more than what I paid for the car when its all said and done. My car would have very likely been parted out if this idiot (that would be me) didn't ignore his own rules for buying a car lol. If you keep the DPF, you won't get any smell or smoke. This works if you do regular reasonable mileage in the car to allow DPF regen to occur (assuming all other required parameters are met, of course) to keep things healthy. The EGR removal only contributes to more NOx pollution, but on the scheme of things, it's inconsequential. Everything else the EGR does to your car is horrible. Switching it off helps spool faster, stop gunk build up in the Manifold and inlet tracts and valves, cleaner burn, etc. As far as longevity, a remap will not reduce longevity provided its was done by a reputable company/person who isn't just adding boost and fuel whilst switching off eschaust sensors, etc. to hide increased EGT's, etc. There are many reputable vendors out there, Ward tuning in Brum, Celtic Tuning in the depths of Cornwall (but they have dealers country wide). For a basic Stage 1, or an economy Map, you don't need a rolling road. I'm using one such Celtic dealer (who happens to be a friend), so I pay friends rates, but even without its half the price of a rolling road remap. IMO, definitely worth it to switch off the EGR and run an economy map if you are too concerned, it hardly pushes above OE levels. Edited December 1, 2022 by Humour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 1, 2022 Author Share Posted December 1, 2022 Yes I know - I replaced the inlet manifold a few months back as the flaps were leaking oil..but i kept the egr because of MOT and my OCD to keep it original 😞 as regards to remapping, we dont have much choice here as i live 3500km away from the UK…however we do have a partner of RS Tuning UK …they download the maps for engine and gearbox from them…not sure if you ever heard anything about them. In reality not sure how much can they pump out more from my 235ps or whatever horses are left as sometimes i dont feel them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humour Posted December 2, 2022 Share Posted December 2, 2022 @Tallman85 I don't know where in the world you are, but I would imagine there should be reputable tuners locally available to you, as well. I don't have any direct experience of RS Tuning , I'm assuming its these guys in Leeds - https://www.rstuning.co.uk/about/ in which case they have their own rolling road and what appears to be a good reputation, even if focusing only on petrol vehicles from what I can tell. https://www.facebook.com/RSTuningUK/ Subject to your capability with computers and being able to obtain certain type of cabling as well as a battery booster (never flash anything on a car without a battery booster/backup, it is not unheard of to have a map loaded remotely via the internet. Personally, I have driven my friend's 330D (same M57 engine as yours) in standard form and a stage 1 form, the OE setup is not lacking anything in my opinion. Yeah its nice to have an extra 50-70HP, but its hardly necessary with the 6 cylinders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 2, 2022 Author Share Posted December 2, 2022 @Humour - yes plenty of tuners on the island so will definitely find the right one. The thing is that as you say the 30d is enough but when sometimes i cannot keep up with golfs tdi or bmw 320d (probably tuned up)…then i get frustrated. The 530d is heavier than the 330d, so it is slower than what you drove. Or otherwise there is something wrong with mine…a dyno would tell me the exact power i am getting out…but first i need to sort out the road floating issues and the damn wobble i have coming from the back! It is expensive to keep it in tip top shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humour Posted December 2, 2022 Share Posted December 2, 2022 (edited) @Tallman85I don't get why you would be competing with those, different cars, for different purposes. If however you feel that you must prove something, to some random, then a remap should provide an easy +50 horses, all else being well. The 5 is not much heavier than the 3, I actually looked the weight of comparable models of the 1, 3 and 5 series closely. My research highlighted that the 1 is not that different from the 3, so whilst more compact (a compromise), there was not a discernible benefit in weight to make that compromise. Also, for the 3 vs 5 comparison, the difference in weight is very little, like less than 100Kg little like for like model in favour of the 3 (not including optional extras). This is mostly because the e9x is made of steel throughout and the e6x uses allot of aluminium components in the chassis and panels. Overall, the 5 whilst heavy offers the best compromise of comfort, space, features for not a significant compromise in weight. Hence my decision to go the e60 route. If you want to know if your car is healthy or not, you need diagnostics tools, either search how to get some for free(ish), or buy a half decent tool as an investment, between 300-500 quid there are some very capable tablets available to purchase that will read and diagnose most of your car's systems, and subsequent BMW's too if you go that route. Else, you have to pay someone else to do it, and you will quickly surpass that number after 1 or 2 visits to a specialist. No point mapping an unhealthy car, so I'd focus on making sure its tip top first. It;s why I went back to an OE map with mine, there are too many things to fix before I can think about more performance. Edited December 3, 2022 by Humour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 3, 2022 Author Share Posted December 3, 2022 Yes I agree with you, that is why i need to make sure engine is healthy before any tuning; I have ISTA-D, coding software, etc...I run diagnostics frequently - the only engine errors i presently have are two failed glow plugs - not serious and can live without at the moment. However this does not mean that there is nothing wrong with the engine...that is why I really would like to dyno it for power output. As regards to the smaller cars being faster, unfortunately when some people see the 530d badge they will come behind you to intimidate you having a smaller engine but still faster than the old lady. The is the temporary frustration 😏 and even more when you think that I am paying more expensive road licence tax 😁 Actually the reason I did not go for a 535D was because mine has a CO2 of 180g/km and the 535D was around 183g/km but that meant €250 more per year as the next bracket starts at 181g/km...did not seem worth it at the time. If i had the money to spend at the mom, i think i would go for either an F11 535D or and X5 M50D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humour Posted December 3, 2022 Share Posted December 3, 2022 Ok, so you have all the tools. I also use ISTA, albeit a n00b on the subject. If your car is reporting all modules green, and no running or returning faults, then the only other factors to consider are: 1.) Compression test of each cylinder. 2.) Leak down test of each cylinder. 3.) Test of your Intake boosted side, for leaks. (I just replaced all of the hose seals with new shortly after I got my car, as I saw oil weeping from both FMIC hoses). 4.) Physical inspection of your turbo. The shaft should have zero In and out movement when held and lightly pushed and pulled. It's normal to have small mount of play up and down, unless its a brand new turbo, but if you have in and out play, that Turbo's day are numbered. If all those check out, and assuming the DPF is either not a factor, or is functional as is the CAT, then the power plant should be healthy as could be at its age. A Rolling road is usually sub £100, so not a big deal, but you should choose where to take it carefully, only worth doing if you go to the same place and machine for the before and after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 3, 2022 Author Share Posted December 3, 2022 Hi; i got most of my knowledge from two guys on this forum; @Gonzo and @Clavurion who used to be very active in the older forum. yes definitely things to look at and thank you for the valuable info. I think i will give it a dyno to understand if i am far off from the original power. Then i will take it from there and start the engine diagnostics. well engine modules are all green but i have a couple ambers which some are phantom errors due to the wrong battery on the car which was placed by the previous owner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray112 Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 Winter wheels fitted today, so now time to get some snow. ⛄ 🤩 It's LCI 520d M sport, and fair few people said 17" rims are smallest possible to fit over brakes, but that's not true about 520d. Fitted style134 wheels which are 16" OEM wheels for e60, and no problems at all. Of course I prefer MV2 wheels over these, but it's winter, so looks are not that important, at least I will have some grip on road. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlTr Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 Today I introduced my car to Gonzo, she now feels better! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 4, 2022 Author Share Posted December 4, 2022 1 hour ago, AlTr said: Today I introduced my car to Gonzo, she now feels better! He is a star ⭐️… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray112 Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 Intake manifold leaks sorted yesterday. Thought it's a crack in manifold, but in the end was leaking swirl flap delete plugs. Changed shitty O rings which were the cause of boost leak. Now feels like driving a different car, never thought it can make such a difference, and it's running smoke free again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humour Posted December 16, 2022 Share Posted December 16, 2022 On 11/12/2022 at 09:22, Ray112 said: Intake manifold leaks sorted yesterday. Thought it's a crack in manifold, but in the end was leaking swirl flap delete plugs. Changed shitty O rings which were the cause of boost leak. Now feels like driving a different car, never thought it can make such a difference, and it's running smoke free again. @Ray112 Your intake mani must have been leaking like a sieve if you noticed a night and day difference. In my opinion the 2 litre Diesel needs the swirl flaps to maintain a decent amount of torque in the low rpm with light to medium throttle. My intake manifold also had boost leaks, and the flaps removed. The result was a rather flat response in the 1-2K rpms. in higher gears 3,4,5,6. After I changed the manifold for one that has been remanufactured with new flaps and shaft assembly, the car's response in that range is improved notably, its not a night and day difference but its notable the car doesn't labor as much and picks up sooner than before. Even the OSD now waits longer before suggesting to down change when holding onto a higher gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwsmx Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Got my new injector’s fitted and changed the oil and filter and plugs whilst I was at it. The n53 engine is back running as it should once again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 19, 2022 Author Share Posted December 19, 2022 On 04/12/2022 at 16:35, Ray112 said: Winter wheels fitted today, so now time to get some snow. ⛄ 🤩 It's LCI 520d M sport, and fair few people said 17" rims are smallest possible to fit over brakes, but that's not true about 520d. Fitted style134 wheels which are 16" OEM wheels for e60, and no problems at all. Of course I prefer MV2 wheels over these, but it's winter, so looks are not that important, at least I will have some grip on road. wow...with the bigger allows the car looks 10 years younger... amazing what a transformation the wheels do to a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray112 Posted December 24, 2022 Share Posted December 24, 2022 On 19/12/2022 at 14:05, Tallman85 said: wow...with the bigger allows the car looks 10 years younger... amazing what a transformation the wheels do to a car. Agreed, but in winter they are filthy from road dirt 95% of time anyway, so not really bothered about looks for these couple months. At least will have time to get MV2's painted for next summer. And narrower 225 tyre profile definitely do help to get better grip in snow and heavy rain compared to wider 245 tyres. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 On 04/12/2022 at 18:55, AlTr said: Today I introduced my car to Gonzo, she now feels better! That was a strange light module glitch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 Yesterday I announced my semi-retirement to the facebook masses (still wading through the panicked messages of "will you still look after my car, will you still honour my booking etc") Anyway, back to my car. I finally found time to replace a blown tweeter on my individual audio in my driver's door that was driving me mad, I left the door partially closed so I didn't have to unplug everything but walked back to the car armed with the new tweeter and like a tit opened the door without holding the loose door card. Anyway, snapped a speaker and airbag plug so off I went to the secret cable stash in the loft containing door looms and pulled a complete speaker cable and airbag wiring section. Airbag one was a simple plug swap but me being me couldn't bring myself to cut and join so I ran the speaker cable back to the main plug and redid the loom... Then I moved on to the SAT shifter, I bought a new lever around 2 years ago, but a few weeks back got errors showing again, the cables had split (old stock, brittle cables I guess) After taking apart a spare one and a bit of googlefu I found the plugs on RS, it's standard floppy drive ribbon cable and the pins were cheapest from BMW, I also have some thick BMW anti rattle loom tape, so I ran a strip each side in the hope it prevents the kinking issue that eventually leads to them failing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 Retirement …. That is sad to hear 😞 I occasionally get a sat shifter error and sometimes it gets hard to put it in reverse… do you think that cable is the culprit? do you need to take out the whole panel or just the shifter to access the cable? thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Tallman85 said: Retirement …. That is sad to hear 😞 I occasionally get a sat shifter error and sometimes it gets hard to put it in reverse… do you think that cable is the culprit? do you need to take out the whole panel or just the shifter to access the cable? thx Quite easy, pull the leather cover up then hook a finger under and pop the surround that's got the sport button, the shifter just pulls up and will pop off, the plug is in view. a 1 minute job to have the shifter in your hand no longer attached to the car. The ribbon cable is obvious as it's usually where it's folded over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallman85 Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 That is very helpful- thank you i hope that the ribbon is available as a separate part from bmw… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 6 minutes ago, Tallman85 said: That is very helpful- thank you i hope that the ribbon is available as a separate part from bmw… Of course it isn't, I had to source parts and make one mate. Typical BMW 😞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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