Modifications that wont affect insurance,

[ryan]

Hi fireice,

Welcome to the BMW.SG forums I do hope you enjoy yourself here.

Okay, i think your dad is more worried about issues pertaining to things like warrenty by PML. Insurance yeah..but it's not so major. (unless you're talking about MAJORLY ILLEGAL mods like engine swap, superchargers, turbo..etc etc.) And you get into an accident with that (touch wood)..the insurance company say you installed this and that and because of that and this..affect your vehicle's stability etc etc etc..blah blah blah. But seriously speaking, for minor mods, it's not an issue. Check it out on http://www.onemotoring.com.sg on legal and non legal mods, and you can get the rough idea.

HOKAY, on to the mods part.

Firstly, i believe yours is a valvetronic?

Minor mods are:

Air filter (for better rev)
Spark plugs

and well, i think that's about it. You don't have to touch the valvetronic engine, BMW has already stretched it's capacity and any other mod you might do, may make performance worse instead! As some of the other dudes might say, enjoy for what the car is worth. And save the cash...it's really not worth spending cash for performance gains for the valvetronic.. IN MY OWN OPINION. Some guys here will just mod anything that can move.

Likewise, if you're still keen, there's a topic just recently posted about a chip being produced for the Valvetronic, about 10bhp increase? search around..think it's called powerchip.

As for angeleyes, you might want to check out Juzz for Cars (in our workshops link) to see whether they carry them. They have a workshop in the east as well.

Fair warning to you is that they're NOT LEGAL, and you may have some troubles when you go for inspection etc. Likewise, if you don't heed the law, there ARE some BMWs out there running angel eyes, which IMO, look very pretty.

Costwise i believe it's best to call them up and check. Quite a few variations for them so prices differ. Do make some research...there's a recent article on them at e46fanatics.com.

Once again, cheers and welcome!!!

 

[rodders]

Hi Ryan,

Could you please tell me the kind and type of air filter and spark plugs that I should be using for my modification? Will these simple modifications affect my warranty with pml?
Thanks :laughlik: :roll:

 

[fireice]

Hi Ryan,

Could you please tell me the kind and type of air filter and spark plugs that I should be using for my modification? Will these simple modifications affect my warranty with pml?
Thanks :laughlik: :roll:

this is a good question which i would like to know. I was thinking to replace the stock filters with K&Ns.

what would be the recommended brand for filters?

 

[fireice]

thanks ryan for your reply.

how about exhaust systems are they legal?

what is my bimmer engine code (eg. e36 etc etc)

 

[ryan]

Hey man,

What car are you driving?

Generally the people here all use K&N panel air filters for their 318i's.

For people who drive 320s - 330s, they like to use a K&N CONE filter with a cold air intake. Or GruppeM intake. Do a google on the gruppeM for BMW...

Spark plugs are generally Iridium..requires regapping now and then to keep the performance. Best is actually to use stock plugs over the long run.

Warrenty wise, they can't see your plugs, neither can they see your panel filter. However, whether they choose to make noise over your cone filter causing some sound in your boot...is entirely up to them...

Through LTA's eyes, it's all legal.

:twisted:

Hi Ryan,

Could you please tell me the kind and type of air filter and spark plugs that I should be using for my modification? Will these simple modifications affect my warranty with pml?
Thanks :laughlik: :roll:

 

[ryan]

Hi fireice,

Legal exhausts systems are by Remus and Supersprint.

You need to get a certification by the installer (Fong Kim, Jeep Chee) and get some papers signed here and there to stay legal. Not too sure about the procedures but some of the bros have been discussing about it quite recently.

What's your bimmer engine code?

99- current 3 series bimmers are known as the E46.
Next gen bimmer will be known as E90...subject to change.
The last generation of 5 series are E39.
Current generation of 5 series is E60.
Current 7 is E65
Z4 is E85

http://www.bmwworld.com/models/cars.htm You can see all the various engine codes for all the various types of bimmers here.

how about exhaust systems are they legal?

what is my bimmer engine code (eg. e36 etc etc)

 

[fireice]

hi ryan, thanks for your replies.
so any 3series from 99 onwards are known as E46,

will try to get the filters replaced first.
exhaust systems got to wait i guess.

 

[ryan]

hi ryan, thanks for your replies.
so any 3series from 99 onwards are known as E46,

Yes that' right

will try to get the filters replaced first.
exhaust systems got to wait i guess.

Heh, take your time to do your neccesary research Cheers!

 

[fireice]

not e36?

 

[laven]

For people who drive 320s - 330s, they like to use a K&N CONE filter with a cold air intake. Or GruppeM intake. Do a google on the gruppeM for BMW...

Is the K&N CONE filter with cold air intake the same as the K&N 57i? Sorry for my ignorance? if not which cold air intake is recommended? thanks

 

[Racebred]

generally mods that dont cause the accident wont get you in trouble. but if you put on slick tyres, mod your brakes, suspension, the wrong way and it directly caused the accident and you were found out, the ins coy will surely not pay you. same thing if you mod your brain with alcohol. heheh
although on paper any mod the ins coy can back out of the coverage, just as dealers can revoke your warrenty, generally non-major things are close-one-eye since everybody is doing it. so if you mod your rims, etc, these soft mods dont mean anything, and if you're lucky sometimes the ins payout even covers your mods..but not all the time successful lah.

 

[spacie]

Spark plugs are generally Iridium..requires regapping now and then to keep the performance. Best is actually to use stock plugs over the long run.

:wavey: Hi there, could you explain further on what do you mean by "Iridium..requires regapping ?" Why are stock spark plugs better on the long run? Do advise. Thanks!

 

[ryan]

Spark plugs are generally Iridium..requires regapping now and then to keep the performance. Best is actually to use stock plugs over the long run.

:wavey: Hi there, could you explain further on what do you mean by "Iridium..requires regapping ?" Why are stock spark plugs better on the long run? Do advise. Thanks!

Some of the brothers here on the forum have to periodically regap (about every 6 months? depends actually on whether they feel their car becomes sluggish..) their plugs to get the best performance. I think the gap size is 0.07??? not so sure about this...

Too much gap between the plug and the coil and you get pre-ignition and detonation. Not good for your engine.

Too little gap and you get misfiring and power loss, whacks out your fuel consumption as well.

Stock BMW plugs are using borsch plugs if i'm not wrong. Specific gap is 0.32mm from factory. But they come already gapped, and if memory doesn't fail me (shutup shaun), you don't have to mess around with it since it comes pregapped.

Performance spark plugs like the denzo iridiums costs more than the stock borsch plugs. You have to change them more frequently and regap them to get the best performance out of them. In this case, some of the bmw users agree that stock is better...since it lasts longer, is cheaper and well, you don't have to worry about poor performance when you're too lazy to pop the hood to regap! heh heh.

Do a google on spark plug faqs, plenty around on the net.

 

[Shaun]

haha what I dunno much about plug gap. Just like I don't know much about transmission oils, or even engine oils for that matter. There is just so much depth to each of the multitude of areas in automotive performance that it is amazing. if only we could live 700 years and master it all.

BUT I DO know that Bosch is Bosch and NOT Borsch. Spelling Polis!

 

[ryan]

There is just so much depth to each of the multitude of areas in automotive performance that it is amazing. if only we could live 700 years and master it all

I agree wholeheartedly.

BUT I DO know that Bosch is Bosch and NOT Borsch. Spelling Polis!

Bitch!

 

[Racebred]

shaun dont be dumb. there isnt even enough crude oil to last us 100yrs. new energy technology dont use spark plugs anymore.

 

[Shaun]

even outside gas spark ignition engines there is lots of depth... perhaps even more. In fact a switch would open up the new system to new levels of innovation and development since gas SI have been around for ages... has come down to exotic materials (like in F1 before certain material bans, 8 diff types of metal matrices and composites in just ONE piston) and friction reduction (still being worked on). It is down to such fine areas. New system would be refreshing and challenging for everyone. Kind of reset the field.. level it somewhat.

don't be retarded lah

 

[Racebred]

we should all have rocket power like in KITT.

 

[MRacer77]

we should all have rocket power like in KITT.

Me thinks you have been watching a bit to much "Knight rider" when you were a kid... hahaha... most of the stunt shots of the car were not even real cars, just remote control models...

 

[Racebred]

and KITT is actually an auto trans car, not manual. can you believe it.