Best Performance Mods (540i)

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Edgewater, NJ
#1
I went to the track last night with my friend who has a 2000 540i and he ran a best time of 14.84. It's an auto with the SMG gearbox (or whatever BMW calls it). What are the best performance mods for the 540i and what gains are you getting from them? What are you running at the track. Is it possible to achieve a better time using the SMG than with the full automatic? In case you're wondering I ran a 14.875. Thanks
 

CosmosBlack

Active Member
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Florida
#2
Do you mean you "ran" 0 to 60mph in 14.84secs?
If that is what you mean, 0 to 60, then your friend needs to take his 540 in for a full service!

BMW claims the 540i auto should do 0 to 60mph in about 6.1 secs.
I have tried mine, also a 2000 540iA, and the worst I did was about 8 secs. I managed to do 6 secs a few runs with the sports mode. Average was about 6.5 to 7 secs.

And of course, I only did it using my speedometer and with a friend behind me in the rear seat armed with a stopwatch. Not the most accurate method, but still far from 14.84secs!
 
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King of Prussia
#3
I believe he meant the 1/4 mile in 14.8


There are a number of Modifications that can be done to increase performance, from the Mild to the Extreme

In the Mild Category

Make the car Breathe Better! - Intake and Exhaust (although the Intake is debateble by some)
Then Change the Air Fuel Mixture by adding a "chip"

these should take your HP to 300+ and increase the Torq substantially


These should drop your ET a bit.. lower 14... high 13 maybe...maybe


then you can get really radical!

Rebuild the motor, adding forged pistons, wilder CAMS, Bore and Stroke the motor (all assuming that you want to stay Normally Aspirated i.e. no forced induction - super charger or turbo)


You can alway add a 50 hp shop of nitrous (easy... not good for longevity of motor)


OR

you could add a super charger (approx 12k or so)


OR

Find a wrecked M5 and swap out the motor, harness, etc and plop 400 HP into your car (not too cost effective, but possible to do if you blew the motor from too many nitrous boosts)
 
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#5
yea.. things go like a bat out of hell... really surpised an e36m3 buddy of mine (who is an instructor for the scca events, etc)


driving back from Charlottesville... he could not pull away from me at speed and had trouble keeping up when I decided to take the lead... at low speeds... we were pretty close... I had WAY more torque... they handle OK too... with the right setup


In terms of Perf mods... don't forget handling! Anyone can go straight fast... iT takes talen to know how to turn!
 

aaron

New Member
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baltimore
#8
any body go the built N/A route yet?

you know pistons, rods, cams, larger valves, port work, engine management?


i'm thinking 400-500whp should be no problem at a much more reasonable cost than a m5 engine

don't get me wrong forced induction is great, but it can be very expensinve to do correctly.

aaron
 
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Metuchen NJ
#11
well if u're looking to lower your drag times, hp is one thing but launching is another
have u tried slicks? with your current hp u can prob knock .2 to .5 sec off your et.

what was your 0-60ft time?

if i had a 540 i'd convert it to a 6spd first =]
 


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