Jake's Epic BMW 135i Build Thread! (5+ Years of Ownership)
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After adding my aggressive E85 flash last summer, the factory clutch started to slip. I decided it was time to upgrade so I could enjoy the car to it’s full potential this summer. I decided to go with the 335is/550i clutch upgrade on ECSTuning.
It feels fantastic. The clutch pedal is slightly stiffer, but retains an OEM feel. The gear changes are nice and smooth with the new Redline fluid. Everything grabs like it should and I’m very satisfied with the new setup! I have over 5,000 hard miles on the setup and haven't had a single issue.
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Here is a little more information about the process:
This clutch comes factory in the F10 550i, which puts down 443 tq and weighs a whopping 4552 lbs. DINAN doesn’t offer a clutch upgrade for their different stages of 550i’s, so apparently they feel that it is adequate. Their Stage 3 550i puts down 580 tq and they kept the factory clutch. Also, someone on the forums is using this clutch and claims that it is holding at over 620wtq on aftermarket turbos. To me, it sounds like the clutch is severely underrated.
My 135i won’t see more than 500 tq anytime soon. I’d guess that it is currently around 420whp/465wtq, but only weighs 3300 lbs!
I decided to give it a try. Here is my parts list from ECSTuning:
• 335is/550i 6-speed Clutch Kit
• Manual Transmission Service Kit
• Flywheel bolts (8 of them)
• Downpipe exhaust gaskets (2 of them)
• Aluminum Transmission Bolt Set
Total ECSTuning parts cost: $544.17
When replacing your clutch, I highly advise that you also replace the factory dual-mass flywheel (DMFW). The springs wear over time and will eventually let go. I chose to go with a lighter, single-mass flywheel (SMFW) from MFactory for $499.95 shipped. This brought my total parts cost to $1044.12, not bad.
Some pictures, from start to finish.
Still some life left on the friction disc, but some slipping spots with heat damage on the pressure plate. Everything else was ‘okay’. The new rear main seal was installed and the transmission was removed.
See those two bottles of Redline D4 ATF on the table? We drained the old fluid out and added about 1.5 quarts until it started overflowing. After that, the new clutch and flywheel were bolted on.
Lastly, everything goes back together in reverse order. Obviously I didn’t get pictures of everything during the install, but it all went together flawlessly. Big thanks to my buddy Kevin, who did an awesome job with the install. He took great care of the car!
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Next up, installing my Rieger diffuser and fxomar side splitters.
I bought the Rieger diffuser used and the carbon fiber hydrodip was fading. So, I sanded it down with some high-grit sandpaper and setup a ghetto booth in Ben's shop bathroom. Plan was to prime it and then spray it with Plastidip.
I put a bunch of coats of Plastidip on and it looks great! The finish is a real nice matte black and it seems very durable. The diffuser didn’t come with any mesh, so I went to Home Depot and bought a roll of black gutter guard. It was really cheap, only like $2 or $3. Cut it to size and hot glued it to the back.
Once I installed the diffuser, the exhaust tips were sunk in behind the bumper. Since this is an aggressive diffuser, I had to get them extended. The tips were always a bit crooked, so this was a great excuse to get everything straightened out.
Here is a picture I took shortly after buying the car. You can see that the exhaust tips were melting the factory diffuser because they were pushed up against it.
And here are some photos I took after installing the Rieger diffuser. You can also see the side splitters that I installed at the same time.
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After all these mods, it was time to hit up the drag strip! I only got one video of a pass, but my best time was 12.9 @ 112mph with a 2.15 60ft on street tires. I was heat-soaking really bad and was only able to get 15psi out of the turbos. I guess that is what happens when you sit in the staging lanes for 20 minutes before each run. Next time I'll have an aftermarket intercooler and a more aggressive tune.
After the races, I went to the streets with a few friends of mine. One of them has a Pontiac G8 GT with intake, headers, exhaust, mild cam, and a tune. He was on drag radials with an LSD and automatic transmission putting out 12.2 time slips. I asked if he'd be down to run on the street because I knew I would have better IATs. I put about 2 or 3 car lengths on him from 60MPH to 130MPH. Then we did a 20MPH roll and were dead even up until about 100MPH. I know I have a 12 second car, it'll just take a bit to get there on the track.
Here is the only video I have from the track:
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Woah! Some blasts from the past in there!
Looking minty my friend
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Very cool updates!! Still a cute car.
Woah! Some blasts from the past in there! Looking minty my friend
Thanks guys
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awesome dude. Interesting enough I'm in a similar boat, although my clutch was slipping on far less than E85. I just de-tuned to Stage 1 this weekend because my custom stage 2 was causing a lot of slip. I actually slipped bad enough to throw codes and car went into limp mode on Friday - scanned with the AP and found transmission speed not matching engine speed fault code. I've been doing clutch research but there isn't a single mass option for N55. I've got a quote for 200 bucks to resurface my stock flywheel, and probably will end up buying a spec stage 2+ clutch. I was really excited to read about the 550i clutch option and that you had gone that route but then I saw it was only for N54. F my life.
As for your track times - besides what you already know, get an LSD. Going straight > going sideways.
2011 E92 M3 6MT ZCP - ESS 625 supercharged
2007 Z4MR
2003 E39 M5
2002 E46 M3
2021 X5 40i -
awesome dude. Interesting enough I'm in a similar boat, although my clutch was slipping on far less than E85. I just de-tuned to Stage 1 this weekend because my custom stage 2 was causing a lot of slip. I actually slipped bad enough to throw codes and car went into limp mode on Friday - scanned with the AP and found transmission speed not matching engine speed fault code. I've been doing clutch research but there isn't a single mass option for N55. I've got a quote for 200 bucks to resurface my stock flywheel, and probably will end up buying a spec stage 2+ clutch. I was really excited to read about the 550i clutch option and that you had gone that route but then I saw it was only for N54. F my life.
As for your track times - besides what you already know, get an LSD. Going straight > going sideways.
From the reading I did, I believe you can swap in the 550i clutch. I also think you can get a SMFW from MFactory, but could be wrong. A little research showed you can use an N54 clutch if you use an N54 flywheel. Don't quote me though, but I found a few N55 people that bought the 550i clutch and never reported their experiences afterwards. I don't know how many miles you have, but I'd replace the flyhweel. The springs wear over time, but I know a new OEM flywheel runs just under $1,000.
I'd love to get an LSD, but I'm currently battling this issue: http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30034
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I believe I'm convinced. This might just be my next project street car.
Mine is always for sale for the right price
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Rowley, it's hard to go wrong with a 135i for a good street project, as far as late-model BMWs go. You can get N54 cars now for pretty cheap, relatively speaking. The tuning and turbo upgrades keep coming, too. N55 will be coming down more in price too as we are halfway through 2015 already so they are definitely getting older.
Suspence, good call on MFactory by the way. I called them and they do in fact have a SMFW for N55 6mt so I'm gonna get one of those along with a Spec Stage 3+ clutch in preparation for my turbo upgrade next spring
I probably won't be installing until July after my track days are done in June because I don't have much break-in time this month, but I'll be sure to let you all know how awful it is to swap one of these on the floor with no lift
2011 E92 M3 6MT ZCP - ESS 625 supercharged
2007 Z4MR
2003 E39 M5
2002 E46 M3
2021 X5 40i -
hold me
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Rowley, it's hard to go wrong with a 135i for a good street project, as far as late-model BMWs go. You can get N54 cars now for pretty cheap, relatively speaking. The tuning and turbo upgrades keep coming, too. N55 will be coming down more in price too as we are halfway through 2015 already so they are definitely getting older.
Suspence, good call on MFactory by the way. I called them and they do in fact have a SMFW for N55 6mt so I'm gonna get one of those along with a Spec Stage 3+ clutch in preparation for my turbo upgrade next spring
I probably won't be installing until July after my track days are done in June because I don't have much break-in time this month, but I'll be sure to let you all know how awful it is to swap one of these on the floor with no lift
Great to hear. MFactory has pretty good customer service as well. I look forward to your feedback and upgraded turbo... I am looking at a few sets as well.
hold me
I will take this as a compliment...
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Haha yeah. That thing is beautiful man!
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If you ever decide to sell the ARC-8 call me
I'll trade my 359M or cash hahaI also have a N54 335i. What tune are you running?
1-series and 3-series offsets are very different, you can probably buy some ARC-8s on their website.
I am running JB4 right now, have been for over a year. I like it a lot, but there are pros and cons to the different tunes out there. I dislike that JB4 is a piggyback where COBB and MHD are standalone flashes. I'd like to try one of Ken's flashes via MHD, but there are a lot of features on JB4 that I like. Boost limiting in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, meth control, wastegate control (I have bad wastegate rattle), hijacking gauges, 2-step, shift lights, steering wheel controls, etc. It sounds like I could squeeze a little more power out of a MHD flash, but don't know if the tradeoff is worth it for my daily.
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1-series and 3-series offsets are very different, you can probably buy some ARC-8s on their website.I am running JB4 right now, have been for over a year. I like it a lot, but there are pros and cons to the different tunes out there. I dislike that JB4 is a piggyback where COBB and MHD are standalone flashes. I'd like to try one of Ken's flashes via MHD, but there are a lot of features on JB4 that I like. Boost limiting in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, meth control, wastegate control (I have bad wastegate rattle), hijacking gauges, 2-step, shift lights, steering wheel controls, etc. It sounds like I could squeeze a little more power out of a MHD flash, but don't know if the tradeoff is worth it for my daily.
I just got rid of mine, and im anxiously waiting for MHD stuff to come (tablet, cable) and also ordered the 7in IC and stage 2 lpfp for e70. All my friends that had jb4 went to mhd and they say the car is something else. Ken is making me a personal map i cant wait to try it out i wish my car was running right when he came to visit us in chicago
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I just got rid of mine, and im anxiously waiting for MHD stuff to come (tablet, cable) and also ordered the 7in IC and stage 2 lpfp for e70. All my friends that had jb4 went to mhd and they say the car is something else. Ken is making me a personal map i cant wait to try it out i wish my car was running right when he came to visit us in chicago
Is there where you're located, Chicago?
I have Steve's stage 1 inline upgrade, but I'm curious to see how your stage 2 will perform. I have a tablet, but don't have the cable. I'd like to give it a try, but I'm going to get an intercooler, charge pipe, and BOV first.
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