Build Log: M57 X5

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by wcs531

Just fyi I have read that catch cans can cause more harm than good in other forums (specifically the Facebook group "North American BMW Diesel Owners"). I think it was related to excess crank case pressure even with a high flow catch can like a Provent and large tubing.

ucsbwsr Last I remember you took the OCC off - Is it still off and if so any findings one way or the other?

I did take my OCC off due to some smoking after installing my hybrid turbo. I haven't reinstalled to confirm it was the cause so take that for what it's worth. In the context of OCC, better than NABDO, on the forums there was a guy who installed a ProVent and was measuring vacuum of the system to make sure it was operating properly. I used that as inspiration for my system but I didn't measure my system so I can't confirm my system was working properly.

[ucsbwsr]

X5 has been chugging along being a versatile beast, currently approaching 135,000 miles young. The pile of parts for maintenance/mods has been growing and I am looking forward to diving into a couple projects when time allows.

Here are some snaps of the X5 with some Fall colors.



E70 x Colorado Mud - artist collaboration....




Fall turns into Winter




My plan was to collect/build a 20x10 square setup of OEM Style 343Ms from an F10 M5 (4 rears) but deals weren't really popping up and now winter is eminent and I decided to settle for a more conventional set of wheels.

I found a set of OEM Style 611M (F85 X5M) locally. Not an ideal setup for winter due to the wide rears. 20x10 F and 20x11.5 R Listing photo didn't inspire confidence but I am glad I went to go check them out. They were being sold by a high end used car dealership and these wheels were a second set for an F85 that was traded in. The wheels were dirty and had some very minor blemishes but met my high quality standards which was nice as I won't need to fully recondition and powdercoat them. Price was right.

The wide rears aren't ideal for winter duties but the worst part of these wheels are their weight, they're are chunky bois.

Here is the original listing photo.


Original worn summer tires removed.


Bath time


Thankfully I am a BMW parts horder so I had a set of 68mm center caps laying around.


Moment of truth....
....ooof!


OOOOOOF!!!!


2 wheels had very light rash and some light sanding was enough to clean most of it up. I also used a ceramic spray coating on them to help keep them slick to make winter clean up easier. Now we wait for tires, I will be running 275/45F 305/40R which is slightly narrower than stock sizes but aspect ratio is bumped up one size for more meat/cushion. Going with Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV.

[jbash87]

ucsbwsr that's ~10lbs/wheel over your current setup, no?

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by jbash87

ucsbwsr that's ~10lbs/wheel over your current setup, no?

Roughly, yes. It pains me to say so. Compared to my current 6th Gen Camaro 20x11 square setup...
Fronts are +7lbs
Rears are +13lbs

Previous 5th Gen Camaro wheels were marginally lighter than the 6th Gens as well.

For reference, the 20x10 square 343M setup I ideally would like to run, relative to 611M is
Front -11lbs
Rear -17lbs

[ucsbwsr]

Feels weird to throw the winter setup on the X5 when it was 68F outside but that's Colorado for you. 5-7" expected for Christmas and no, that's not an inappropriate joke. hehehaha!

With the changing of the wheels I took the opportunity to swap my spherical front thrust arms for some OEM hydro/rubber units. With the rough paved roads and frequent trips on dirt fire roads here in CO the added isolation and comfort from the OEM arms is welcomed.

I was chasing down some front end clunks which ended up being a loose bolt on the lower control arm. I also found the driverside sway bar bracket was missing on of it's bolts ...whoops. This explains not only the clunk but the very "tilty" side to side weight transfer. Hard to say how long this has been loose but my guess is quite a long time, like years as I clearly remember the clunking when driving offroad in Sedona to take engagement photos circa 2020. This sway bar bracket bolt was originally removed and reinstalled with a coolant hose clamp under it during the ATM intercooler install I assume that and the improper bolt torque led to my years of suffering listening to clunks. Should be good now!!



I snagged a set of Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV tires used and the fronts had decent tread (8/32") but the rears were questionable so I ended up buying a new pair of rears. I ended up finding a few online retailers selling them for $131/ea and my local Discount Tire which is handling my tire swaps was able to price match even though they throw their mandatory and overpriced tire insurance in the mix at $75/tire. Nonetheless I am optimistic for these tires given their sporty demeanor and initial impressions on ride quality is very positive, curious to see how they perform in real snow.

I went with 275/45/20 405/40/20 The tires in this size are actually an OEM "NO" variant and are built for E3 Cayennes. In predictable form I up sized the aspect ratio for a bit more cushion and fill of the fenders. Working within the constraints of tire options and <1% rolling diameter delta F/R for the X-Drive this is what worked. The 305 is a bit stretched on the 11.5" wide rear wheel but whatever.

Summer/All Season setup for reference


Fronts


Rears..... WOOOOF!!


High contrast vs Low contrast


Although the OEM X5M wheels are painfully heavy the silver lining is they are made for X5s so I am able to ditch the monster 30mm rear spacers that accommodated Camaro wheels.



Took some time to fluff and buff the studs to keep the threads clean.


Studs remounted and 12mm spacer installed



I kept the KWs are max ride height to see how I got on with the new setup and see if I could get away without lowering it. Excessive fender gap is offensive and I have standards. It was looking pretty good.


Then, when walking out from a store the light was hitting the tires just right to highlight that I did indeed need to lower the X5 a bit. Look at that rear fender gap "Ewww David!"


KW adjustment range is 235mm-260mm in the front (measured from strut pinch bolt to top of threaded KW collar. I went from 260mm down to 245mm. Rear links lowered to match. This gave me ~6.25" from top of wheel to lower edge of fender flare. Originally I had 10mm spacers up front but it offered a little too much poke relative to the rear so that was dropped to 5mm. 5mmF 12mmR
Much better.




I particularly enjoy this photo since it shows off the stance/wheel offsets but also to the enthusiast's eye you may notice the custom cold air intake, the LED light bar, and the upgraded intercooler peeking through the grills.


I will admit I do appreciate the contrast the Style 611M wheels offer and I think the machine/gunmetal finish pairs well with the platinum grey metallic paint. Also, the machined wheels help tie in the chrome/silver headlights and aesthetically it all works pretty well. Definitely OEM+
Here are a couple collages showing the ride height Before/After

Happy Holidays!

[JDAURIA]

Looks great Evan!

[stelvio]

Been long-time lurker also with a X5d; fantastic to see you document everything so well.
I always meant to ask how you ended up liking your Apple CarPlay upgrade you installed; did it end up working out?

This is a mod these 'trucks' are in desperate need of but changing everything out only to find out compatibility issues is not something I'm ready for.

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by JDAURIA

Looks great Evan!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by stelvio

Been long-time lurker also with a X5d; fantastic to see you document everything so well.
I always meant to ask how you ended up liking your Apple CarPlay upgrade you installed; did it end up working out?

Meh, I have to manually connect to the head unit every time I get in the vehicle which is annoying and the audio quality sucks so it's not great.

[hoss_raney]

Originally Posted by ucsbwsr

The guy I am working with is in the process of getting the website up and running. His attention has been focused on working with some OEM suppliers as the goal is to integrate his fuel system into high-end lifetime fuel filters. He has a lot on his plate but understands there are curious minds out there and I will be sharing more info as it is ready.

On a very relevant side note, he has an E70 X5D in the family and has been running these fuel/oil products with excellent results AND he just picked up another E70 X5D to be the primary test vehicle to showcase the products so we should be getting some very useful info. The X5 was acquired a couple weeks ago and needs ~5,000 miles of baseline data before adding modifications.

In the meantime, to appease your curiosity, this is the initial info shared with me regarding the fuel system.

More later,
Evan

Operating Principles of the System - Proprietary mesh core of metal alloys serves as an enhancer to the fuel, increasing the fuels ability to burn. The increased burn rate (more complete burn), equates to more power generated per stroke. Less fuel to do the same work / same fuel to generate more power. One time install with no recurring maintenance cost or chemicals.

Power Gains - Each engine will be different, we typically see a 3-5% increase to the rear wheels. A modded engine, their numbers will be larger (just like you can expect a turbo upgrade to produce more # when you have injectors to match). Throttle response is also improved.

EGT Reductions - Across the entire RPM and engine load range, we see a 20-100+ degree drop in EGTs. Unlike water/meth that is only at a certain # till it kicks in, install of the fuel unit will reduce the temps 24-7 across the whole spectrum. This falls more in light with intake/exhaust install to reduce EGTs, but a lot faster (and all stackable).

Warranty - 5 years, with 40+ year design life. No maintenance or moving parts.

Freezing Temp - When diesel flows through the unit, we lower the gel point of the diesel. Thus a user can lean away from fuel treatments.

Fuel Economy - We market a 8-10% increase, but we often see more. This is a safe number to use. At idle alone, we have recorded 15% reduction in fuel consumption.

DEF/SCR/DPF Intact Systems - Recorded 50+% less regens with fleets. We market 50% reduction in regens. Users report 80% reduction in DEF consumption, we market 50% less DEF used. Some ECMs are set to now do a regen based on hours running and not just the differential pressure. The engine may still go to regen every x hours/miles, but they will see that the engine will not remain in a regen for as long. I have seen regen times drop from 20-30 minutes, to now 5-7 minutes. Big reductions in one way or another. Less time spent at the high temps.

Carbon Removal - Images attached. Users often see an increase in fuel rate and regens for the first fuel tank or so on a high mileage truck. Once it burns off all the carbon, we see the improvements.

Install Time - Well under 30 minutes for the average Joe. Under 10 minutes for the guy who turns his own wrench.

I am really interested in this...Is it still available and if so, how do I get one or contact them? Thank you!

[wcs531]

Originally Posted by ucsbwsr

With the changing of the wheels I took the opportunity to swap my spherical front thrust arms for some OEM hydro/rubber units.

There were multiple instances of the Lemforders failing extremely early (even with proper torquing with suspension loaded etc), so if you went with them I would keep an eye on them. Not sure if it was just a bad batch or they are actually cheaping out (at least on their own branded items vs the stuff they make for BMW).

The Meyle HD ones that have a solid rubber bushing, which could be a nice middle ground. I have them on my car and am happy with them, but I replaced all the controls arms at the same time so don't know how it would compare vs new fluid filled.

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by hoss_raney

I am really interested in this...Is it still available and if so, how do I get one or contact them? Thank you!

I haven't talked to my contact there in years but I shot him an email, I'll follow up if he responds. Their website is no longer available so it's not looking good.

Originally Posted by wcs531

There were multiple instances of the Lemforders failing extremely early (even with proper torquing with suspension loaded etc), so if you went with them I would keep an eye on them. Not sure if it was just a bad batch or they are actually cheaping out (at least on their own branded items vs the stuff they make for BMW).

The Meyle HD ones that have a solid rubber bushing, which could be a nice middle ground. I have them on my car and am happy with them, but I replaced all the controls arms at the same time so don't know how it would compare vs new fluid filled.

I purchased my Lemforder arms through FCP so no sweat if they fail but good to know. Honestly there wasn't much of a difference going from the spherical bushings back to hydro, a bit disappointing as I was trying to silence the X5 a bit on rough roads but also nice to know there isn't much NVH with the spherical setup.

[hoss_raney]

Thanks for reaching out for me! Let me know what you find out.

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by hoss_raney

Thanks for reaching out for me! Let me know what you find out.

Here you go! http://mpggarage.com/shop

[ucsbwsr]

After getting the winter setup installed and KW adjusted down I got an alignment done (lifetime at Firestone) and the results weren't great regarding camber. The E70 lacks useful adjustment in the rear and has no camber adjustment up front, not ideal when you are lowering a vehicle.

Previously I installed Meyle HD upper wishbones with a camber adjustment but never adjusted them. I also snagged some SPC upper trailing control arms for the rear and a magnetic camber gauge so I could crudely DIY this and see the improvement.

Here are my "before" at-home measurements:

FL -2
FR -1.6
RL - 4.2
RR -4.1

"After" at home measurements:
FL -.6
FR -.5
RL -1.75
RR -2.2

"After" according to Firestone:


I asked for them to set total F/R toe to .02 instead of .2 and they weren't able to oblige. "We got as close as we could." But I've seen many posts of E70s getting the toe down to .02 so I know it's possible. I might go to another, more competent Firestone ....if such thing exists.

Precise science! Garage floor level?


...kinda


SPC control arms



Here is a look down at the top of the Meyle HD upper wishbones on the front. This is there "normal" position before.


...and after with + camber maxed out. I couldn't find info online with their adjustment range but I think it is +/- 1 degree.


I also installed a new K&N filter, hydro sock, and cleaned the MAF. Performance greatly improved after this. I think I over-oiled my K&N previously and Colorado grime was clogging it up. I now have a significant performance gain, like >30% power. Whoops! Once I get ISTA properly installed I will reset the MAF and injector mean as well. I've never done this even with my various intake setups.



Local LKQ had a couple E70s so I grabbed a couple trim pieces I needed to replace broken ones and I also stumbled upon this tray/insert for the center console.


Living a life of true luxury ...with my Carmex in a secure spot. Colorado shit.



With temps dropping my battery was showing weakness. A bit annoying as I was trying to adjust my rear ride height via air suspension and sensors and the battery died, adding insult to injury my fancy-pants Schumacher INC-700a charger isn't powering up so I was forced to use my mobile power station / car jumper but it wasn't allowing the jump and stating the battery was in a protection mode. I was able to recover the battery over night with my trickle charger but the real solution was a new battery.

Current battery was installed shortly before I bought the vehicle ~5 years and 55k miles ago. It was an AC Delco 49AGM. 95AH 900CCA. It aside from the drop in performance with ambient temps around or below freezing it has served me well.

Replacement is Super Start AGM. 105AH, 950 CCA


Turns out when the last battery was installed it was never registered to the vehicle so the X5 thought it has a 105AH and it really had a 95AH. That has been corrected.

[wcs531]

Is the K&N filter dry or oiled? I feel like oiled filters almost always cause issues with MAFs

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by wcs531

Is the K&N filter dry or oiled? I feel like oiled filters almost always cause issues with MAFs


Also, Montana plate? Were you already starting an LLC and figured Montana would be benefical for cars or was it purely for cars? I've seen higher end collectors setting them up obviously and looked into it very briefly to see what the break even would be if I set one up with my brother (since he and his wife are in and out of cars more often). It kinda drives me crazy that you pay sales tax for the entire value of a car even if you only have it lets say 2 years, then the next person pays sales tax on the purchase price as well. Good old uncle sam double dipping

Filter was oiled from K&N and when I cleaned the filter I believe I over oiled it too so that was probably the issue, that and a filter that was extra dirty from being over-oiled and collecting dirt from driving around Colorado.

Regarding MT:

[marketmaster]

Originally Posted by wcs531

Also, Montana plate? Were you already starting an LLC and figured Montana would be benefical for cars or was it purely for cars? I've seen higher end collectors setting them up obviously and looked into it very briefly to see what the break even would be if I set one up with my brother (since he and his wife are in and out of cars more often). It kinda drives me crazy that you pay sales tax for the entire value of a car even if you only have it lets say 2 years, then the next person pays sales tax on the purchase price as well. Good old uncle sam double dipping

"The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club."

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by marketmaster

"The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club."

You're right. Edited

[wcs531]

Originally Posted by marketmaster

"The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club."

Originally Posted by ucsbwsr

You're right. Edited

lol, got it.

[bmwboyee]

Originally Posted by ucsbwsr

You're right. Edited

LoL. Those that know, know

[ucsbwsr]

I decided to try a different intake setup. My cold air intake has served me well over the past 4+ years but I wanted to try something with better filter protection. Now that I live in Colorado (previously San Diego) I find myself driving more off road and in winter conditions where there is exponentially more airborne dirt and grime. Yes, I know there is the OEM intake I could reinstall but that's so boooooring.

Intake was mostly inspired by the system I built for my N54 which utilizes the same filter and velocity stack.


"Less is more" was the mindset of this intake with the priorities being to minimize restriction and keep airflow smooth entering the MAF. Aside from having the outlet of the velocity stack slightly ovalized to perfectly match the MAF, this is as good as it gets. The bonus of the minimalistic design is a shorter and less expensive parts list.

Measuring hood clearances, it will be tight but possible!


RACE TROCK!


The straight coupler's 4" length was a bit too tall and I needed to position the velocity stack as low as possible so I cut it down to 3". The filter literally has millimeters of clearance around it and when the hood is shut the padded insulation on the bottom of the hood juuuuuust barely touches the top of the filter. The insulation has maybe 3/4" of give to it so I don't foresee any issues with the tight clearances and the engine movement while under load but it is something I will keep an eye on.



~$200 worth of parts:
Vibrant 10960 Filter
Vibrant 10592 Velocity Stack
3.5" Coupler
3.5"-3" Reducing Coupler
HPS Worm Gear Clamps



For those who aren't familiar the Vibrant filter and velocity stack are designed to work together.



This filter is really stuffed into the engine bay so there were a couple modifications to accommodate. I used a large zip tie to pull the AC line out of the way and then my 335D engine cover needed a slight trim.



Finished product (for now). Initial impressions are very positive. Overall in the intake performs just like the cold are intake with excellent response. The most noticeable difference is the added induction noises in the cabin; the *whooooses* *psst pssts* and *wuhbuhbuh* is easily heard from the driver's seat. Some might find it annoying but I love hearing what the turbos are doing. There is still plenty of noises heard from outside the vehicle as well.

I am very aware that this intake will be pulling warmer air from the engine bay and that was a sacrifice I was willing to make in exchange for the filter protection and turbo response. I plan to install an air scoop which will direct cold air towards the filter. I may also entertain building an additional heat shield to act as a partition between the filter and the exhaust manifold and turbos.

[bmwboyee]

Very interested in your intake design. It doesn't seem like the hood would shut but I'm sure it does. I'm probably going to have to replace my smaller turbo CHRA and then look for an intake design. I don't really want to support the people making them as they seem to have copied your design with no credit.