10-29-2013, 01:48 PM | #1 |
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Front bumper side grills on 35i vs 50i !!
Hi, I know that on a 35i side grills under the fog lights are not vented/meshed like 50i but are only designed to like a perforated one. So my question is has anybody swapped them and also is there a reason other than looks to weather this should be done or not. Please share all pros and cons you can think of. Pictures are welcomed if you have done this mod.
Another forum member @Neon01 asked me this question.
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Last edited by Singh97; 10-29-2013 at 03:05 PM.. |
10-30-2013, 11:24 AM | #4 |
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Did u noticed some extra dirt accumulating inside the bumper or any other difference?
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10-30-2013, 11:25 AM | #5 |
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can u please expand on that ?
QUOTE=edennelson;14896554]I believe mpg will suffer.[/QUOTE]
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10-30-2013, 11:49 AM | #6 |
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10-30-2013, 11:56 AM | #7 |
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Nah no dirt theres a slot under the intercoolers that goes out under the car so basically its just a vent but no dirt stays behind. Only problem i have is the leafs going into the center mesh of the bumper And have to stick a vacum hose thur the hood where the kidneys go to vac.
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10-30-2013, 12:47 PM | #8 | |
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Thanks. But I was more concerned about the after affects of changing the grills to open meshed once on a 35i. As you said 50i have inter-coolers so there is no much open space there.
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10-30-2013, 12:49 PM | #9 |
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Will it add even more air from the side grills even after having that big center grill and big kidneys?
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10-30-2013, 12:53 PM | #10 | ||
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10-30-2013, 02:54 PM | #11 | |
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It's probably similar to having a dirty air filter, or a couple PSI low in your tires. |
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10-31-2013, 03:25 PM | #14 | |
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It in fact creates a low pressure area behind the cab and causes mpg to suffer. The OP asked for downside. The downside is a small decrease in mpg. Last edited by edennelson; 10-31-2013 at 03:42 PM.. |
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11-01-2013, 11:22 AM | #16 |
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Thank you for the pictures Chio.
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11-01-2013, 11:34 AM | #17 | |
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I think you would have a stronger case if the closed grilles were a part of some laminar or turbulent low pressure region (such as in your pickup truck analogy) that would be disturbed if they were gone. As it is, they are completely within the free stream airflow, and probably creating a high pressure region (due to being almost completely oblique to the vehicle velocity vector) anyway, so I'm not sure if creating a hole there will really change the flow over the vehicle much. It will divert less flow over the rest of the front of the vehicle. If that is beneficial or not is unknown. One thing is certain - unless the x50i has these regions ducted somehow and the x35i does not, it will certainly create a situation no worse than the one on the x50i. Though there are heat exchangers in those locations on the x50i, the air still flows over those and has to go somewhere. When I asked Singh, part of what I was inquiring if anyone had actually done it before since I simply don't know what's behind there. If there are large chunks of white styrofoam supporting that region of the bumper, for example, I certainly wouldn't want that visible. Also, whether those areas on the x35i or x50i are actually ducted or vented somehow.
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11-09-2013, 08:50 PM | #18 | |
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05-07-2015, 09:16 PM | #19 |
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Sorry to bump this but I couldn't find any more info on this after extensive searching. Have any others swapped these grills? Is there anything to cool on a 35i? Not worried about mileage, more curious if there is anything ugly exposed on a 35i or if there are any mechanics that could be cooled by the vented 50i grills.
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05-07-2015, 09:57 PM | #20 |
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The 50i vents the hot intercooler air out through the wheel well. There are slots there so the air has a place to escape. See part number 14:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=51_7518 |
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05-07-2015, 10:09 PM | #21 |
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I put the 50i vents on my 35ii and they look better in my opinion. When the stock vents are removed there is nothing but black plastic behind them. Just pull the vent out and take a look, they just snap in.
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05-08-2015, 01:31 PM | #22 | |
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I have swapped them on my 35i and it looks much better.
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