Been awhile since I have posted so here's a vid of my BMW@the track goofing off

**ForceFed** · 04-16-2007, 09:21 PM

Been awhile since I've visited the forums but I picked up a E39 BMW 540I 6-speed about a year and a half ago. Its a black on tan leather. The previous owner had put M5 wheels on it along with clear side markers and a carbon fiber lip spoiler on the trunklid, which is barely visible until you get within 8 feet of the car. Anyways, for anyone not familiar with this car it is a rear wheel drive 4.4L DOHC V8. The early E39 540Is were rated for 282HP/310TQ which is the one I have. Later 540Is (99+) were around 287-290HP. The only performance oriented stuff I had done to the car was install a B&M short throw shifter and a Home Depot Racing DIY "hot" air intake. My 540I has a 2.81 open rear end and on this night weighed in at 3788lbs including me so I knew it wasn't going to E.T. however I was surprised at the trap speeds. These runs were unfortunately made last summer on a really muggy night. My clutch fan and rad. fans were on on all the passes so I can't help but feel the car has just a little more left. Enjoy:

Click here to see Video

**Rich L** · 05-06-2007, 01:40 PM

Good clips.

Did you have any problems with your launch?

If so, I think if you got some drag tires you could get into the 13s easy.

Add a 100 shot and 12s would be a cheap trip for a BMW. For the price of a BMW "cold air" intake...

its definately worth it.

**ForceFed** · 05-06-2007, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Rich L

Good clips.

Did you have any problems with your launch?

Yes I did. It was kind of humid that night and the car's clutch and rad. fans were running on every pass except for the 103mph pass. They do suck a good bit of power so when I was launching the car at what I thought would be the proper RPM, the car would bog terribly. I was slipping the clutch out at about 2200RPM. Anything higher and the car would one wheel peel no matter how soft you tried to launch it. Anything lower and the car would bog and nose over.

If so, I think if you got some drag tires you could get into the 13s easy.

I'm going to ask around and see if anyone has a set I might be able to borrow for a few passes. How funny would a 540 look with drag wheels/tires?

Add a 100 shot and 12s would be a cheap trip for a BMW. For the price of a BMW "cold air" intake...

its definately worth it.

You aren't kidding! I've been visiting the nitrous section trying to educate myself on a few things as i'm pretty new to nitrous. I might go for a HSW wet shot kit and spray a 50 or 75 shot to start with and see if the OEM clutch will hold it. Right now i'm fighting a P0430 OBDII code thats causing my bank 1, O2 sensor #2 to run at 99.2% long term fuel trim which is roughly 98-99% more than the other bank so I think I may have a bad post cat O2. I've already got O2 sims, I just need to wire them up but after I get the car's A/F back where it belongs. Then the HSW kit will likely go in and I'm going to take it to have it dyno'd and have the A/F monitored to make sure it is safe. Then its back to the track where i'm hoping I can get 107+mph out of it on the 75 shot.

**Firebirdjones** · 05-07-2007, 03:52 AM

Just to clearify, that was a 70-72 nova in the last race, not a chevelle. But I have to admit, I am not familiar with the foreign cars though, and I had no idea a BMW even came with a V8 let alone would run that good,,,,not bad at all. Good running car. Larry.

**ForceFed** · 05-07-2007, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Just to clearify, that was a 70-72 nova in the last race, not a chevelle. But I have to admit, I am not familiar with the foreign cars though, and I had no idea a BMW even came with a V8 let alone would run that good,,,,not bad at all. Good running car. Larry.

Whoops! I'll have to fix that and re-up it to Streetfire then.
E34 540I's (1993-1996) had a 4.0 V8 with an available 6-spd transmission. The E39(1997-2003) 540Is had a 4.4L V8 with an available 6-spd transmission. Both were rated for 282HP except 99+ were around 290HP, give or take a few ponies. They're big and heavy cars so without an LSD they don't move very quickly, they're more top-end cars. They're a blast to drive on the highway

**Firebirdjones** · 05-07-2007, 08:21 AM

Thats interesting info to know. I wasn't aware of that. There are some sleepers out there running around.

**Rich L** · 05-07-2007, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by ForceFed

Whoops! I'll have to fix that and re-up it to Streetfire then.
E34 540I's (1993-1996) had a 4.0 V8 with an available 6-spd transmission. The E39(1997-2003) 540Is had a 4.4L V8 with an available 6-spd transmission. Both were rated for 282HP except 99+ were around 290HP, give or take a few ponies. They're big and heavy cars so without an LSD they don't move very quickly, they're more top-end cars. They're a blast to drive on the highway

I dont think you will need a wet kit for 75hp. Go wet if you wanna make +100hp.
I do recommend the HSW kits. Those guys are good, and can answer many questions you have.

As far as your times. If you can get another 100 RWhp (to the wheels) you can expect a good 1 second & 10mph faster times.

Dont fear the nitrous. Just get people with experience to install it right and DEFINATELY get a dyno tune. Its money well spent for safe hp.

Then youll have a nice looking sleeper for the track, even if it has slicks on it!

**ForceFed** · 05-07-2007, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Rich L

I dont think you will need a wet kit for 75hp. Go wet if you wanna make +100hp.
I do recommend the HSW kits. Those guys are good, and can answer many questions you have.

As far as your times. If you can get another 100 RWhp (to the wheels) you can expect a good 1 second & 10mph faster times.

Dont fear the nitrous. Just get people with experience to install it right and DEFINATELY get a dyno tune. Its money well spent for safe hp.

Then youll have a nice looking sleeper for the track, even if it has slicks on it!

Hi Rich,
I was originally leaning towards a dry shot kit but a nitrous veteran on the 540I forums (he's been running nitrous on vehicles for 15 years, or so he says) suggested I go with the wet shot kit over the dry kit simply because he was concerned that the stock injectors would not have enough fuel in them for a 55-75 shot and also that spraying the nitrous over the MAF needle might freeze it. I know that thats dependent on placement of the nozzle in relation to the MAF needle but I'm still trying to confirm the size of the stock injectors in my 540I. I think I still might be leaning towards the wet shot kit.
As for getting it tuned, my only options are a custom tune from Jet Chips(have to send them my OEM ECU/DME then they perform the modifications and overnight it back to me) or I have VFE or Dinan tune it, however neither of those companies has a specific nitrous tune for the car. Dinan's stage I is $399 and that would be moderately safe for nitrous, but that tune is meant for a slightly leaner fuel map to clean up the bottom end. Their Stage II tune is $600 and they advance the timing a good bit. I don't think that would be a good tune for nitrous. Its meant to squeeze even more power out of the car in N/A form. Unfortunately, my tuning options are quite limited. Us BMW owners don't get the luxury of having programs like HPTuners, etc for our cars

I wish my car had a factory LSD in it because then I'd bolt on some ET Streets, get a good clutch/FW and wet shot the piss out of it!

**Rich L** · 05-07-2007, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by ForceFed

Hi Rich,
I was originally leaning towards a dry shot kit but a nitrous veteran on the 540I forums (he's been running nitrous on vehicles for 15 years, or so he says) suggested I go with the wet shot kit over the dry kit simply because he was concerned that the stock injectors would not have enough fuel in them for a 55-75 shot and also that spraying the nitrous over the MAF needle might freeze it. I know that thats dependent on placement of the nozzle in relation to the MAF needle but I'm still trying to confirm the size of the stock injectors in my 540I. I think I still might be leaning towards the wet shot kit.
As for getting it tuned, my only options are a custom tune from Jet Chips(have to send them my OEM ECU/DME then they perform the modifications and overnight it back to me) or I have VFE or Dinan tune it, however neither of those companies has a specific nitrous tune for the car. Dinan's stage I is $399 and that would be moderately safe for nitrous, but that tune is meant for a slightly leaner fuel map to clean up the bottom end. Their Stage II tune is $600 and they advance the timing a good bit. I don't think that would be a good tune for nitrous. Its meant to squeeze even more power out of the car in N/A form. Unfortunately, my tuning options are quite limited. Us BMW owners don't get the luxury of having programs like HPTuners, etc for our cars

I wish my car had a factory LSD in it because then I'd bolt on some ET Streets, get a good clutch/FW and wet shot the piss out of it!

Does your car have a high compression ratio? Unless its over 10.1-1, I wouldnt worry just for a 75 shot. I've seen 2.2lt subaru's with after market turbos running 6psi and a 75 shot You might need to retard timing if your injectors are maxed. But if you go wet.... it is safer. Just a bit harder to install. Our ls1s dont need to retart timing till +125hp. Personally, I never met someone who froze a MAF using nitrous.

Dont use a chip designed for NA applications. They almost always advance the timing and will most likely blow your motor.

Dont forget to get colder spark plugs, window &Throttle Positioning Sensor switch and a nitrous controller.

Also... one most important way you can "tune" is: the nozzle placement and the angle it injects, to insure a good mixture of N2O and air.

**ForceFed** · 05-07-2007, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Rich L

Does your car have a high compression ratio? Unless its over 10.1-1, I wouldnt worry just for a 75 shot. I've seen 2.2lt subaru's with after market turbos running 6psi and a 75 shot You might need to retard timing if your injectors are maxed. But if you go wet.... it is safer. Just a bit harder to install. Our ls1s dont need to retart timing till +125hp. Personally, I never met someone who froze a MAF using nitrous.

Dont use a chip designed for NA applications. They almost always advance the timing and will most likely blow your motor.

Yes, this is why i'd likely just run it on the stock tune and dyno the car to see what the A/F is first and go from there.

Dont forget to get colder spark plugs, window &Throttle Positioning Sensor switch and a nitrous controller.

What is the window switch and what is it for? The HSW kit comes with a WOT activation switch, what else would I need? I don't plan on spraying the car at anything under 3000RPM FYI. Redline is ~6200-6300.

Also... one most important way you can "tune" is: the nozzle placement and the angle it injects, to insure a good mixture of N2O and air.

As I get closer to installing my giggle juice, i'm gonna have to PM you so I can learn a bit more regarding this if you don't mind. Great info. Thanks!