Intake Manifold upgrade - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

pamato · 24th February 2006, 23:43

I have a 2001 540i and I wanted to upgrade the intake manifold, but I don't want to spend the $1500 on the dinan. Is it true that I can get an intake manifold from a 97 540i or the 740i to increase the air flow?

Is it a difficult install? I would assume going to the wrecking yards might be a good way to go.

6spd · 25th February 2006, 00:37

I think the 96 and 97 are the larger manifolds.
$1500 is for one of them or a Dinan item?

pamato · 25th February 2006, 00:59

The dinan intake manifold is $1500 plus you need the stage 5 software which is $500. I have other dinan mods, but don't want to spend the money on the software and manifold right now.

6spd · 25th February 2006, 01:36

Any info on what the air flow difference is between the two manifolds? Or three?(if Dinan reworks it)
I heard Chris at Bullet talk about the two stock manifolds just the other month. My 540i has the wider version I'm told(the part #).

mottati · 25th February 2006, 01:40

there was recently a post on bimmerfest.com with a guy who put an earlier 540 intake on his later car. It is true, i believe, that 97-8 did have larger ports, and can be retrofitted. Later manifolds had smaller diameter ports, for improved low end torque, at the expense of top end. I think the dinan manifold is simply the earlier bmw part. Take a look at the bimmerfest post, or perhaps pm member lscman here as he knows the 540 quite well.

pamato · 27th February 2006, 17:36

Thanks for the info.

6spd · 28th February 2006, 04:20

I think you jinx me.
I drove to my brothers house this weekend which has a good long freeway cruise. I set the cruise control only to have it malfunction.
I had this happen before but this time I could hear a hissing noise when I give it throttle.

So I guess I'm pulling the manifold for a new set of orings.

pamato · 28th February 2006, 08:46

what year 540 do you have? It would be great to have the 97-98 manifold, >98 manifold and the Dinan manifold too as a comparison. Maybe you can take some pics of how you access and put back together the car to get to the manifold. I would be interested in seeing this and pictures of it.

6spd · 28th February 2006, 09:02

This is a 97, I test drove a few others before this one. This car had something about its spirit.

Yes I can do take the pictures.

6spd · 2nd March 2006, 06:46

Pamato you have mail!