[Longbow64]

I installed a JB4 Stage 1 and BMS intake today. Installation was very simple. I don't really drive the X3 all that much, but it did seem to have a little more get up and go. I also never noticed the diverted valve noise until now. When I build boost and let off the throttle I hear a little burst of air. What was interesting was the amount of sand that was in my OEM air box and filter. I blame that on El Paso. I'm happy overall with the ease of install, no SES lights or crazy issues, and potentially 60hp for just under $600.

[lawfarm]

So you're replacing the factory cold air intake with hot air sucked in from above the engine, under the hood?

If there was actual restriction in the factory system and if it was a normally aspirated engine, that might make sense, but for a turbocharged engine and a well-designed factory system, raising the ambient air temp on the intake doesn't make a ton of sense.

[Longbow64]

This logic has come up in several forums regarding turbo based engines. I'd say that my engine was restricted more by the sand lodged in the filter than the heat produced by the engine. The temp of the air through the intake on a turbo is less significant on a turbo than NA. After the air goes through the intake it is then spooled in the turbo where it gets compressed and very hot and then runs through the intercooler/heat exchanger and is cooled. This is my third turbo'd car (Evo IX, 335i, X3) and I've changed out the intake on all of them. Really only worth it if you compound the intake with additional mods like tune, downpipe, exhaust, etc. The intake only rarely provides much of a difference.

[Longbow64]

The only install you'll find are for the F30 and F10. The F10 is very similar. The TMAP sensor is on the driver side of the engine bay down under on the side of the engine. Connect the multicolor wired sensor there. The instructions reference pulling the stock airbox up to get to the MAP sensor. It's actually right behind the airbox on the X3. If you remove the top of the airbox, you can easily get to it. Connect the sensor with the brown wires there. These are the only two sensors, out of the four you need to connect for the Stage 1. The purple and blue connectors are not used. I routed and zip tied the rest of the kit down along the firewall and strut bars, then hung the harness down behind the battery connector.

[Longbow64]

Like so...

[northX3]

Originally Posted by Longbow64

The temp of the air through the intake on a turbo is less significant on a turbo than NA. After the air goes through the intake it is then spooled in the turbo where it gets compressed and very hot and then runs through the intercooler/heat exchanger and is cooled.

I think that the other poster was suggesting that cooler was better, either in NA or turbo applications. Yes, there is an intercooler to cool the air coming to the combustion chamber even more, but it doesn't mean that you mustn't try to get the coolest air possible. That's why you try to avoir heat-soaked intercoolers, and why two identical cars dynoed at two different temps will get different hp/tq numbers.

You're right though that changing an intake alone won't give much benefits, but don't you think you'd get a tiny bit more hp with a cleaned-up factory air intake rather than with the BMW intake ?

[faztaz]

Do they make any drop in filters which still retain the OEM instake cover for the F25?

[kdog26372]

This has been tested, you get no horsepower from intake without a tune. With stage 1 tune, only one available for our X3, you get ~5 hp, with stage 2 on say 335 or I think X1 you can get 10. FYI, fastest x1 has BMS intake, he's running near 11's in 1/4 mile. Unless your drive is almost all start and stop traffic, then once the car is cruising the temp by intake in engine bay isn't all that hot and certainly won't be heat soaking. The intake is $200, Ive got a tune for last year, I'm gonna buy one and try it myself, if it sucks then I'm out $200, if not then I get a slightly faster car with potentially much better sound. We'll see. I've got an early version of jb tune that I can change boost on, comes with 3.5 boost, some have had success with 4 and 4.5, may play around with that too.

[Longbow64]

Hoping someone makes a down pipe next. That'll complete the performance mods on the X3.

I'm pretty sure there's a K&N drop in filter available.

[dangarella]

Does anyone know how can I get my check engine light off? It is going off since I put a test pipe in and the o2 sensor is detached. How do I bypass this!

[///Mposter]

I've been debating on getting the same two items . Do you feel really feel an increase with that stage 1? (I'm still hoping they will come out with stage2 when they are able to crack the codes. )

[Chris55]

Originally Posted by lawfarm

So you're replacing the factory cold air intake with hot air sucked in from above the engine, under the hood?

If there was actual restriction in the factory system and if it was a normally aspirated engine, that might make sense, but for a turbocharged engine and a well-designed factory system, raising the ambient air temp on the intake doesn't make a ton of sense.

Sorry but lawfarm is right. You will see a big drop in power during the summer months.

[todd92]

Originally Posted by lawfarm

So you're replacing the factory cold air intake with hot air sucked in from above the engine, under the hood?

If there was actual restriction in the factory system and if it was a normally aspirated engine, that might make sense, but for a turbocharged engine and a well-designed factory system, raising the ambient air temp on the intake doesn't make a ton of sense.

Originally Posted by Chris55

Sorry but lawfarm is right. You will see a big drop in power during the summer months.

This fallacy gets passed along without any merit. BMS did testing and couldn't find any difference in intake air temp. The intake still gets air from outside. Maybe if you are in stop and go traffic and the first stab at the throttle when the traffic eases might see higher intake temps. Once the car is moving at all, no difference.

I just put the intake and tuner on my daughters 13 X3 35 and it's a very noticeable upgrade. Definitely fattens up the torque curve. We also tried unplugging the exhaust solenoid, but agreed that it droned and plugged it back in. On my install I routed the tuner wiring to the drivers side and tucked the box in the brake reservoir compartment, since it won't reach the passenger side compartment.

As for the warranty voiding concerns, are people still worried about this? The engine isn't going to blow from a mild tune and the tuner cannot affect the warranty coverage on the rest of the vehicle. As for wishing for a Stage 2, not so fast. Stage 1 puts the HP and TQ right up to BMW's design limits for the transmission, so I'm more than happy to stay at that level. FWIW, the tuner + intake puts the X3 on par with the Macan S. Not a bad place to be!

[Longbow64]

Overall, I am very happy with the purchase. After a couple days of consecutive driving, I've noticed a significant improvement in the middle to top end. I really enjoy the sound of the engine with the intake. I'm not concerned with the intake taking in the hot air of the engine for the same reasons todd92 listed above.

On a side note, I also unplugged the exhaust solenoid. I like the sound, but then again I might be a little desensitized from the AA catless exhaust on the M3.

[///Mposter]

Thanks for the review/update guys.

[Crashnbrn5]

I myself had the stage 1 JB tune in my x3 35i. It was professionally installed, twice, may I add, and there were problems. First and foremost the tune was an excellent performance upgrade and I highly suggest diving in and increasing your power asap. As we know the car does 5.5 sec flat 0-60 all day everyday. With this tune I was getting 4.9-5.1 easy. It was a blast while it lasted. I had the K&N drop in filter btw. About 4-8 times a week I was getting "drivetrain malfunction". So I had to stop the car, shut it off, wait 10 sec, and then start her up again so the error would go away. And guess what sometimes it would never come back on the same day, but it did comeback weekly nevertheless. I spoke with Terry numerous times and he suggested some things that unfortunately never worked. The installer was "Auto Couture" out in NJ, very respectable place. I do NOT think it was their fault after 2 separate installs. To make a long story short, I sold the tune on Ebay and now I'm back to stock. Poor me, right? I'll give BMS another shot next time.

[Longbow64]

I received the drivetrain malfunction several times prior to the JB4 install. I took it to the dealer and they updated my software. I haven't had the fault since. There's also a couple posts on here about a cable harness under the passenger seat that may trigger this that's zip-tied too tight. I haven't looked for that since I haven't had the problem anymore.

[todd92]

No error messages in two weeks of any kind here.

[PIEZON]

Originally Posted by todd92

This fallacy gets passed along without any merit. BMS did testing and couldn't find any difference in intake air temp. The intake still gets air from outside. Maybe if you are in stop and go traffic and the first stab at the throttle when the traffic eases might see higher intake temps. Once the car is moving at all, no difference.

I just put the intake and tuner on my daughters 13 X3 35 and it's a very noticeable upgrade. Definitely fattens up the torque curve. We also tried unplugging the exhaust solenoid, but agreed that it droned and plugged it back in. On my install I routed the tuner wiring to the drivers side and tucked the box in the brake reservoir compartment, since it won't reach the passenger side compartment.

As for the warranty voiding concerns, are people still worried about this? The engine isn't going to blow from a mild tune and the tuner cannot affect the warranty coverage on the rest of the vehicle. As for wishing for a Stage 2, not so fast. Stage 1 puts the HP and TQ right up to BMW's design limits for the transmission, so I'm more than happy to stay at that level. FWIW, the tuner + intake puts the X3 on par with the Macan S. Not a bad place to be!

Great insight!!!

[kdog26372]

Installed BMS intake on Wednesday night, took less than 5 minutes. Drove for 2 days with intake. I already have Stage 1 BMS tune, which takes about 15 minutes maybe to install; I've had that for over a year with no issues since I've unplugged the MAF plug. New installs call for only plugging in first 2, but originally they said all 4 should be plugged in. My best results were to plug in 3 and leave the MAF as stock. No check engine lights or issues since that.

Back to intake, kinda cold in Chicago so windows up and hear some sound difference, but nothing crazy but an improvement over the nothing sound from stock setup. I suppose I'll notice more once I can roll windows down.

Power wise, for me anyway, it took a good 1 1/2 days for the car to adapt, maybe I should have re-set ecu, but first drive home seemed to be a pause and then you would accelerate and top end felt mildly better. After the end of day 2, that lag seems to have left and car feels stronger throughout rpm range.

Not worth it for me to spend $ on a dyno, but I know my car now vs. prior to intake and its an improvement in sound and mild boost in power. I know BMS says 5 hp on stage 1 tune, but I'd guess at some points in power curve it must be beyond that because no way I'd feel 5 hp difference.

Overall if you have a tune, I'd say it's ~$200 well spent. If you don't have tune, I don't think it is supposed to yield any power and for me the sound wasn't a major enough change to spend $ on. Again, maybe that will change once I can roll windows down, but the sounds appears like a mild change. A good thing to me as I didn't want it to sound like a Civic or a Subaru.

[lawfarm]

Originally Posted by todd92

This fallacy gets passed along without any merit. BMS did testing and couldn't find any difference in intake air temp. The intake still gets air from outside. Maybe if you are in stop and go traffic and the first stab at the throttle when the traffic eases might see higher intake temps. Once the car is moving at all, no difference.

I just put the intake and tuner on my daughters 13 X3 35 and it's a very noticeable upgrade. Definitely fattens up the torque curve. We also tried unplugging the exhaust solenoid, but agreed that it droned and plugged it back in. On my install I routed the tuner wiring to the drivers side and tucked the box in the brake reservoir compartment, since it won't reach the passenger side compartment.

As for the warranty voiding concerns, are people still worried about this? The engine isn't going to blow from a mild tune and the tuner cannot affect the warranty coverage on the rest of the vehicle. As for wishing for a Stage 2, not so fast. Stage 1 puts the HP and TQ right up to BMW's design limits for the transmission, so I'm more than happy to stay at that level. FWIW, the tuner + intake puts the X3 on par with the Macan S. Not a bad place to be!

Oh, so the manufacturer of the intake did testing showing that the intake was beneficial? Brilliant! I also have a bridge to sell you.

Show me some independent testing, not conducted by or paid for by an air intake company or filter company, duplicating those results. With a turbocharged, intercooled engine, sucking in hot air from the top of the engine more than offsets any beneficial gain from increasing air intake flow. It isn't a fallacy--it's been proven again and again. I have never seen an independent test of a shorty air intake that has shown any benefit, with or without tuner. There's no there, there. No benefit. You will get a difference in noise, but that's it. Don't believe me? Warm the car up and then run it both ways on a dragstrip, with a few control runs each way. Or warm it up and throw it on a dyno.

As for warranty, the MM act indicates that a manufacturer cannot deny a warranty claim without demonstrating a nexus between your modification and the damage to the vehicle. So if BMW can demonstrate that excessive fueling or boost pressure from a customer-installed mod caused damage or caused the engine to exceed factory standards and that in turn caused damage, game over. Similarly, if the air intake permits contaminants into the engine, and those contaminants cause damage, game over.

I'm not anti-mod, but: 1) do so only after understanding how it will impact you in the future; and, 2) only do mods that actually work.

Also, if you think that mods are not a warranty issue, then make sure you leave your fueling box in place when you go in for service. Running the box when you drive, and then pulling it before service is: 1) dishonest; and, 2) shows that even you don't believe the line you're selling about not voiding the warranty.

[todd92]

BMS are straight up guys, available to talk to anytime. If you think they made up test data to sell an $200 intake that actually does nothing, what can I say. From talking to them, if their testing showed the intake didn't do anything or was a negative, I sure they just wouldn't sell it. Keep in mind the outside air intake is still in place and that where the air comes from when the vehicle is moving at all.

You say it's been proven over and over that low restriction intakes are no good. Where is your test data?

We did have the vehicle serviced and left the box on. The techs never noticed it.

I said the box could not effect the warranty on the rest of the vehicle. If you destroy the engine with the box on, you might have a fight, or you might not. Like I said, it's a mild tune, nothing is going to happen to the engine.