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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Powertrain and Drivetrain Discussions > N54 Turbo Engine / Drivetrain / Exhaust Modifications - 335i > Stock Airbox with a BMS Drop-in vs an Open Airbox



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      08-27-2016, 02:26 AM   #1
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Stock Airbox with a BMS Drop-in vs an Open Airbox

Have you ever wondered how much power you can I make before upgrading your stock airbox to a MR5 or one of the countless options we have today?

I was actually shocked at the results today... 430.84 vs 416.01 whp

Click Here - Datazap.me

Almost 15 WHP gained by just removing the top of the stock airbox. Because I didn't have other filters with me to test, I can only conclude two possibilities. 1. The BMS Drop-in Filter is restrictive... Or 2. the cold air snorkel is too restrictive without positive pressure from air flow while driving.

The car: Stock '08 Sport E92 AT Stock FMIC, Stock DPs, and 132,000 miles. Mods: Fuel-IT Stage 2 LPFP, ER Charge Pipe with Tial BOV, BMS Drop-In Cloth Filter, and MFactory LSD. Car was walnut blasted within the past 500 miles and has new index 12 injectors.

Car was running a high % of E85 today and it was HOT. Was 102 deg F in the shop today.

Edit: I want Dimitri ******** to chime in here also as he's done a lot of testing with regard to AFE Cold Air Intake and now ECS Tuning's really cool DCI CF Cold Air Intake box. He might have some supporting numbers also he can throw down.


Last edited by WedgePerformance; 08-27-2016 at 06:30 PM..
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      08-27-2016, 03:49 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WedgePerformance
Have you ever wondered how much power you can I make before upgrading your stock airbox to a MR5 or one of the countless options we have today?

I was actually shocked at the results today... 430.84 vs 416.01 whp

Click Here - Datazap.me

Almost 15 WHP gained by just removing the top of the stock airbox. Because I didn't have other filters with me to test, I can only conclude two possibilities. 1. The BMS Drop-in Filter is restrictive... Or 2. the cold air snorkel is too restrictive without positive pressure from air flow while driving.

The car: Stock '08 Sport E92 AT Stock FMIC, Stock DPs, and 132,000 miles. Mods: Fuel-IT Stage 2 LPFP, ER Charge Pipe with Tial BOV, BMS Drop-In Cloth Filter, and MFactory LSD. Car was walnut blasted within the past 500 miles and has new index 12 injectors.

Car was running a high % of E85 today and it was HOT. Was 102 deg F in the shop today.

[IMG]http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/...psybkmtsbf.jpg[/IMG]
And here I am with the kn drop in filter fbo with inlets. So I guess I could try taking off the air box cover and seeing if I feel a difference huh. Good work though and let us know when you find out which one is the restriction
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      08-27-2016, 06:03 AM   #3
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If all you did was open the lid and used the same filter, pretty clear it's the snorkel with no incoming air and/or the airbox design itself.

After I added hybrids, I got to wondering if the closed AFE SI single filter/snorkel was too restrictive. I bought DCI and tested the AFE closed (fully sealed), lid off and the DCI back to back. That was on the street with the snorkel functioning (with scoops) and, other than IAT differences between closed and open/DCI by the end of the gear, they were all pretty close on logs and VD. Yours are miles apart by comparison.

Why did your IATs suddenly drop 12F before towards the end of the run before you let off?
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      08-27-2016, 07:32 AM   #4
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If you take the top off, thats unfiltered air going in?

The stock box needs more volume above the filter to be less restrictive.
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      08-27-2016, 08:18 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RSL View Post
If all you did was open the lid and used the same filter, pretty clear it's the snorkel with no incoming air and/or the airbox design itself.
Have you ever looked inside the box? The filter is irrelevant when the lid is removed.
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      08-27-2016, 09:30 AM   #6
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So top off is like stock box without a filter inside of it ?
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      08-27-2016, 10:02 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Julian2485 View Post
So top off is like stock box without a filter inside of it ?
The filter is still inside of the airbox, the lid is just removed.
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      08-27-2016, 10:08 AM   #8
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I want to see stock air box vs cone filters.
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      08-27-2016, 10:09 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RCOLEMAN545 View Post
The filter is still inside of the airbox, the lid is just removed.
Again, the filter is irrelevant with the lid removed. Please, just go open your box and look.
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      08-27-2016, 10:14 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yournamehere90 View Post
Again, the filter is irrelevant with the lid removed. Please, just go open your box and look.
If you're running a stock-type filter, the comment above is 100% correct.
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      08-27-2016, 10:59 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RCOLEMAN545 View Post
The filter is still inside of the airbox, the lid is just removed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Julian2485 View Post
So top off is like stock box without a filter inside of it ?


See the big gaping hole , intake to the turbos. Doesnt matter filter or not.
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      08-27-2016, 01:01 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RSL View Post
If all you did was open the lid and used the same filter, pretty clear it's the snorkel with no incoming air and/or the airbox design itself.

After I added hybrids, I got to wondering if the closed AFE SI single filter/snorkel was too restrictive. I bought DCI and tested the AFE closed (fully sealed), lid off and the DCI back to back. That was on the street with the snorkel functioning (with scoops) and, other than IAT differences between closed and open/DCI by the end of the gear, they were all pretty close on logs and VD. Yours are miles apart by comparison.

Why did your IATs suddenly drop 12F before towards the end of the run before you let off?
Do you have vdyno comparison of the two intakes?
I did a similar test with a stock airbox with the bottom cutout for airflow (w/ k&n) and saw significant gains with the DCI setup past 5500 rpm..
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      08-27-2016, 02:32 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yournamehere90 View Post
Have you ever looked inside the box? The filter is irrelevant when the lid is removed.
Yeah, once, years ago when I was pulling it out to replace it. I forgot the inlets were essentially open to atmosphere with the lid off, was thinking they sat under the filter.

The filter probably isn't helping then, but still leaning towards the snorkel not functioning as being the larger issue since I noticed little difference on my tests with conical filter and open/closed box at speed. Maybe the AFE SI setup is just that much better than stock, but that's with inlets and hybrids at 19psi, so it would have to be significantly better.

Quick way for him to find out what's up would be to repeat the tests on a street log and see if that difference is still there (if brave enough to run unfiltered on the street with the snorkel connected). Closed box with filter, closed box no filter, open box tests would tell whether the box or the filter is an issue and how much from each, if any.

Edit: I guess the lid wouldn't seal without the filter in place though, would have to cut a filter up or create a separate seal.
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      08-27-2016, 02:45 PM   #14
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Wait... Running engine straight from atmosphere without any filter is less restrictive? Damn wish I had known

Gonna be a lot of bees getting pulverized in the intake fins of the turbo with that kind of setup on the street.
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      08-27-2016, 05:10 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spxxx View Post
Wait... Running engine straight from atmosphere without any filter is less restrictive? Damn wish I had known

Gonna be a lot of bees getting pulverized in the intake fins of the turbo with that kind of setup on the street.
The benefits are even better in dusty or rainy environments. The abrasive dust particles do a great job of polishing the intake valves and the fine water mist during rain helps cool the turbos.
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      08-28-2016, 06:48 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yournamehere90 View Post
The benefits are even better in dusty or rainy environments. The abrasive dust particles do a great job of polishing the intake valves and the fine water mist during rain helps cool the turbos.
hmm no more carbon buildup walnut blasts required!

Genius!!!
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      08-28-2016, 11:57 AM   #17
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Back on Topic.

WedgePerformance

Interesting results, particularly considering stock FMIC & DPs.

I've seen the previous threads on stock air box/Mr. 5/DCI; however, I'd be extremely interested to see someone replicate similar test with inlets (or inlets & outlets both).

It'd be nice to see actual results using current technology.

I suspect inlets could make a clean Mr. 5 install (or maybe even Dinan) a more viable performance option.

Last edited by terryd5150; 08-28-2016 at 05:30 PM..
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      08-28-2016, 09:30 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WedgePerformance View Post

Edit: I want Dimitri ******** to chime in here also as he's done a lot of testing with regard to AFE Cold Air Intake and now ECS Tuning's really cool DCI CF Cold Air Intake box. He might have some supporting numbers also he can throw down.
The factory intake box itself restricts airflow "vacuum" before the down flow to the inlets. The factory setup sucks air in through the snorkel from the front of the car then it has to travel UP through the filter and over a "restricted space" between the filter and the cover that is about a half inch gap for air to be sucked through is like trying to breath through a coffee straw.

Removing the cover bypasses all of this, so everyone would think ok time for a DCI.

So I decided to seal up an aFe Stage 2 Elite CAI, which is now superseded by the aFe Magnum GT (100% sealed), that has better airflow, and I ran before and after dyno results. I gained 13 whp and 17 wtq more over the factory box with a K&N drop in filter. To make it even more interesting I went back to the dyno with unfavorable weather conditions




Stock Turbos like colder air.
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      08-28-2016, 09:52 PM   #19
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Someone please make a Ecstuning intake but for a third of the price lol. Dcis within a airbox pleeeeeease lol
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      08-29-2016, 09:04 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WedgePerformance View Post
Almost 15 WHP gained by just removing the top of the stock airbox. Because I didn't have other filters with me to test, I can only conclude two possibilities. 1. The BMS Drop-in Filter is restrictive... Or 2. the cold air snorkel is too restrictive without positive pressure from air flow while driving.
I'm going to say it's number 2. The opening at the snorkel is way to restrictive.. I use a modified stock airbox (large cut at bottom) and k&n drop in and dyno'd 442 whp which was comparable to others who were running DCIs that same day..
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      08-29-2016, 09:25 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NA55
Quote:
Originally Posted by WedgePerformance View Post
Almost 15 WHP gained by just removing the top of the stock airbox. Because I didn't have other filters with me to test, I can only conclude two possibilities. 1. The BMS Drop-in Filter is restrictive... Or 2. the cold air snorkel is too restrictive without positive pressure from air flow while driving.
I'm going to say it's number 2. The opening at the snorkel is way to restrictive.. I use a modified stock airbox (large cut at bottom) and k&n drop in and dyno'd 442 whp which was comparable to others who were running DCIs that same day..
So stock airbox is fine ? We pretty much need an upgraded air snorkel. Isn't the z4 snorkel bigger ? Do you think we could use that ? Do you have pics of your modified airbox for us to see ?
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      08-29-2016, 09:47 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Julian2485 View Post
So stock airbox is fine ? We pretty much need an upgraded air snorkel. Isn't the z4 snorkel bigger ? Do you think we could use that ? Do you have pics of your modified airbox for us to see ?
Here's the modified airbox..

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