[DJRobbGordon]

So, the 325 and the 330 both have the same 3.0L Double Vanos Valvetronic engine, right?

So where does the additional 40 Hp come from? The info packet claims the 330 has a "Three Stage Intake". Anyone have any info on this?

My guess is a bunch of the power gain of the 330 comes from the ECU tuning.

Thoughts?

DJR

[Raikkonen]

It must have quite a bit to do with the ECU, because I find it very hard to believe that an intake system alone could account for such a large increase in horsepower and torque, considering, as you mentioned, that the engines are basically identical. I've wondered about this myself for some time now; maybe there are other differences (internally/exhaust) that we're just unaware of, or haven't been divulged by BMW???

[Hunter399]

Originally Posted by DJRobbGordon

So, the 325 and the 330 both have the same 3.0L Double Vanos Valvetronic engine, right?

So where does the additional 40 Hp come from? The info packet claims the 330 has a "Three Stage Intake". Anyone have any info on this?

My guess is a bunch of the power gain of the 330 comes from the ECU tuning.

Thoughts?

DJR

Three major differences...

1. Intake system
2. Exhaust system
3. Engine software

[Raikkonen]

I still find this increase to be unusually large considering the fact that it's a normally aspirated engine, and almost identical in design to its sibling. Even when taken into account the changes in intake, exhaust, and ECU, the increase seems more than merely substantial. I say this because similar Dinan modifactions on the previous generation 3 series only yielded about 15hp, and that was including intake (albeit simply a cold-air system), exhaust, and ECU.

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by Raikkonen

I still find this increase to be unusually large considering the fact that it's a normally aspirated engine, and almost identical in design to its sibling. Even when taken into account the changes in intake, exhaust, and ECU, the increase seems more than merely substantial. I say this because similar Dinan modifactions on the previous generation 3 series only yielded about 15hp, and that was including intake (albeit simply a cold-air system), exhaust, and ECU.

What so unusual?
The 330's intake is NOT just a cold-air intake, its a variable intake which adjusts according to engine speed. It comes with some type of adjusters that allow it to do so, which have specific part numbers attached to them(from BMW). In addition to these unique parts, the intake manifold is a completely different part number on the 330 than it is on the 325. And incidentally, the exhaust parts are all the same.

Hard to believe in this case, but yes, its pretty much all about the intake. As far as reprogramming the ECU, any tuner will tell you that without some type of physical modification added to it, you're wasting your time. This comes straight from guys like Steve Dinan. The guys at Dinan say it'll be at least a year before anything becomes available for these engines. Whether or not they can do anything very measurable remains to be seen, especially since the 325's manual transmission is not rated for much more than 10 or so extra horsepower.

[Hunter399]

Originally Posted by RichReg

What so unusual?
The 330's intake is NOT just a cold-air intake, its a variable intake which adjusts according to engine speed. It comes with some type of adjusters that allow it to do so, which have specific part numbers attached to them(from BMW). In addition to these unique parts, the intake manifold is a completely different part number on the 330 than it is on the 325. And incidentally, the exhaust parts are all the same.

Hard to believe in this case, but yes, its pretty much all about the intake. As far as reprogramming the ECU, any tuner will tell you that without some type of physical modification added to it, you're wasting your time. This comes straight from guys like Steve Dinan. The guys at Dinan say it'll be at least a year before anything becomes available for these engines. Whether or not they can do anything very measurable remains to be seen, especially since the 325's manual transmission is not rated for much more than 10 or so extra horsepower.

Automobile mag. says the 325i has a "reviesed exhaust system"

[Raikkonen]

I haven't read the article , but that may be in reference to the previous generation 325, not the current 330.

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by hunter399@mac.com

Automobile mag. says the 325i has a "reviesed exhaust system"

Here is an internal listing of the different part numbers, courtesy of Alex Baumann from Bimmerfest:

[Armen52]

Geez there must be 80 threads about this and the clear corners alone.

To the new members: please look around a little or search before starting a new thread such as this one. We already have one with about 50 posts discussing this topic. Take advantage of everything that's been researched and said over the past few months that this forum has been here.

[ward]

hey guess what,

YOU CAN'T MAKE A 325 INTO A 330 FOR $250

let's deal with this OK,

A 3 was never about being the fastest in a straight line

If you decide the 325 is the way to go, don't think you can make it a 330 for some nominal fee

[CC 330i]

No comment. I am staying out of this one...

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by CC 330i

No comment. I am staying out of this one...

I tried.......I'm weak.
But you knew that already.

Hey, who is that hot chick in your signature?

[CC 330i]

Originally Posted by RichReg

I tried.......I'm weak.
But you knew that already.

Hey, who is that hot chick in your signature?

Oh, that's my wife. Thanks for the nice compliment.

[CC 330i]

Just kidding.

Her name is Andrea Veresova. My wife is actually better looking!

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by CC 330i

Just kidding.

Her name is Andrea Veresova. My wife is actually better looking!

Then why not put her face on your signature?

[CC 330i]

Originally Posted by RichReg

Then why not put her face on your signature?

She won't be in any of the pics with our car either. She is kind of shy. So I thought I would treat you all to Andrea for now... I was surfing the net the other day and I thought she was cute so there you go. But after all, this is:

I figure if Ward has Oprah on his sig, I can have Andrea.

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by CC 330i

She won't be in any of the pics with our car either. She is kind of shy. So I thought I would treat you all to Andrea for now... I was surfing the net the other day and I thought she was cute so there you go. But after all, this is:

I figure if Ward has Oprah on his sig, I can have Andrea.

Fair enough.

[CC 330i]

I'll message you a photo of my wife if you are that interested...

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by CC 330i

I'll message you a photo of my wife if you are that interested...

Being that its your wife in this case, that's O.K., Andrea will do just fine.
Other than that, I'm always interested in hot looking chicks!