E53 Headders/ Gears?

Daddy_Warbucks · #1 08-14-2006, 12:50 PM

Anyone know of a manufacturer that makes headders for the 4.6si? Any experience with gear changes?

bigfish · #2 08-15-2006, 08:32 PM

I also have a 4.6IS with the Dinan S3 supercharger package. Let me know if you find anything relating to upgrading the power or gearing!

Bigfish

Daddy_Warbucks · #3 08-15-2006, 10:16 PM

It seems the bulk of the knowledge on the board is along the lines of chrome polishing and not necessarily technical go-fast knowledge

!!! I've done some research and here is what I have:

1. Unknown to most, the intercooler off the diesel X5 fits comfortably under the existing radiator and can be used with the Vortech supercharger. There is about a 1.5 pound boost loss in the intercooler, so the pulley needs to be changed on the charger unit by that ratio (about 25% smaller). This increases HP by about 40 hp (about an 8% improvement). There is a company in the UK that makes a very nice replacement that is only $400 US and they can also make the hoses. I don't have the name of the company in front of me but email me and I'll dig it up.

2. Koala Motorsport (KMS) of Ohio makes gear sets for the X5. They also make replacement limited-slip diffs. The factory gears are 3.91's... so the only option that works for better acceleration are the 4.10's (about a 5% improvement). I've not noticed any wheel spin even at over 500 hp, so I'm not sure if the limited slip diffs are a good investment or not. I think both diffs and gears set you back about $4,400 US.

3. Headders. I have not found anyone in the US that makes headders for the X5 4.6si... HOWEVER, there are two Deutche companies that (reportedly) do. Hartge is one of them but I have yet to find a part number... I'll enlist help from a local in Germany to finish this search (much more efficient than I can do it!).

That's as much as I know for now...

Does your X5 kill Mustang Cobras too?

hayaku · #4 08-15-2006, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddy_Warbucks

It seems the bulk of the knowledge on the board is along the lines of chrome polishing and not necessarily technical go-fast knowledge

!!! That's as much as I know for now...

Does your X5 kill Mustang Cobras too?

i would disagree with that statement...

go fast (in a straight line), kill mustangs... sigh... you bought yourself the wrong car...

statdoc · #5 08-15-2006, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayaku

i would disagree with that statement...

go fast (in a straight line), kill mustangs... sigh... you bought yourself the wrong car...

Or the wrong board.

DINANM3 · #6 08-15-2006, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayaku

i would disagree with that statement...

go fast (in a straight line), kill mustangs... sigh... you bought yourself the wrong car...

Why did he find the wrong board. He owns an X5 and this is an X5 board. Just because the guy likes power mods instead of tvs and running boards doesnt mean there is something wrong with him. And the fact that his X5 has 500hp and can kill a sports car to me is cool. Why is that a bad thing and why did he buy the wrong car for that. The reason why i bought the X5 is because i hate suvs but need one so the closest thing i could get to a sports car and still have an suv was the X5. Remember guys this is a performance SUV. Its not even meant to go offroad and feels more like an m5 than a grandcherokee when you drive it.

2002Silver4.6is · #7 08-15-2006, 10:50 PM

Do you have any pictures of your X5? Sounds pretty damn nice!

Hamann makes a header for the 4.4 not sure if it will work woth the 4.6. Says it is for export only:

http://www.hamann-motorsport.com/index_start_en.php

With the increased HP and gearing is the trans the weak link? What kind of power can the trans and the rears take? Have you thought of adding nitrous? 100 to 150 hp? What are the stock rears in the 4.6?

Daddy_Warbucks · #8 08-15-2006, 11:24 PM

I do have some pictures of the thing... but from the outside, it looks just like your average silver 4.6si.... nothing fancy, but that's the way I like it. I'll post some soon but I expect a ho-hum response. Its MUCH MORE exciting to ride in it.

I've been able to take every Mustang I've raced since supercharging... that's not to say its invincible though. I had one occasion where I ran a cobra... shut down at about 145... beat him by about 30 feet overall. At the next stoplight I could hear his girlfriend in the passenger seat say to him "I thought you said this car was fast...? you just got beat by a van!!!".

For some reason, people don't think BMWs are supposed to go fast... that even applies to some BMW owners! (nb. the rest of my races are subject to my wifes M5. Its a hotrod too with loads of goodies. Its a pretty even race between my X5 and her M5 until we get to about 150 or so.... then it all over as she leaves me in the dust).

Anyway... YES I have thought about nitrous... the wet systems are about all you can use, because the injection systems will create too much HP for the motor. Its only good to about 600-650 HP peak. I'll mess with that once I get all the HP out of the hardware I can.

Most people don't know this, but the diffs are made by Dana for BMW... and for those who have raced... know that they build almost indestructible parts. They are surely not the weak link. The stock gears are 3.91's. The only lower gearing available from any source is a 4.10 without completely replacing the carrier and housing. The transmission is a pretty stout unit too. I don't know what the limits are, but no failures yet.

I've yet to break anything in the drive line, so I must not have enough HP yet?

DINANM3 · #9 08-15-2006, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddy_Warbucks

I do have some pictures of the thing... but from the outside, it looks just like your average silver 4.6si.... nothing fancy, but that's the way I like it. I'll post some soon but I expect a ho-hum response. Its MUCH MORE exciting to ride in it.

I've been able to take every Mustang I've raced since supercharging... that's not to say its invincible though. I had one occasion where I ran a cobra... shut down at about 145... beat him by about 30 feet overall. At the next stoplight I could hear his girlfriend in the passenger seat say to him "I thought you said this car was fast...? you just got beat by a van!!!".

For some reason, people don't think BMWs are supposed to go fast... that even applies to some BMW owners! (nb. the rest of my races are subject to my wifes M5. Its a hotrod too with loads of goodies. Its a pretty even race between my X5 and her M5 until we get to about 150 or so.... then it all over as she leaves me in the dust).

Anyway... YES I have thought about nitrous... the wet systems are about all you can use, because the injection systems will create too much HP for the motor. Its only good to about 600-650 HP peak. I'll mess with that once I get all the HP out of the hardware I can.

Most people don't know this, but the diffs are made by Dana for BMW... and for those who have raced... know that they build almost indestructible parts. They are surely not the weak link. The stock gears are 3.91's. The only lower gearing available from any source is a 4.10 without completely replacing the carrier and housing. The transmission is a pretty stout unit too. I don't know what the limits are, but no failures yet.

I've yet to break anything in the drive line, so I must not have enough HP yet?

I hasve read that the stock X5 drivetrain was built to withstand 500 lbs of torque after that shit will start to break.

Daddy_Warbucks · #10 08-15-2006, 11:33 PM

By the way... buying Mustangs to race Mustangs is the trivial answer for the average guy. Sheer speed and acceleration at no cost is not my goal. If it were so, I'd buy a cobra kit and squeeze in a big block.

There are finer things in life for me at my age...You cannot imagine the satisfaction I get when my soccer mom x5 SAV blows the doors off the kid's hottest Mustang in town...