Thanks a lot for putting the hard work in and producing such a beautiful product. This community is truly grateful for your efforts. It's my honor that I'm getting the opportunity to work with you on amazing projects like this.

 

Wow, they look amazing. Nice work.

 

Looks fantastic!

 

@herrubermensch curious if you have any videos yet whatsoever of the entire carbon fiber plenum (either with or without the carbon fiber velocity stacks) where we could listen to the intake noise here vs the stock plenum?

My god this is tempting my wallet something fierce!!!!

 

Here’s to a smoooooth product launch!

 

Do it, my friend. You won't regret it.

 

3 words. Beau. Ti. Ful.

 

That's amazing. I need to start saving...

 

Bravo Peter.

Finally the CG of the S62 will get better with this option
and the most important ~20-30F less heat !

Regards,
Anri

 

Bravo Peter.

Finally the CG of the S62 will get better with this option
and the most important ~20-30F less heat !

Regards,
Anri

Would love to hear more about the decrease in overall heat, as I was thinking about this last night laying in bed (you know, when you see an amazing carbon fiber plenum for your engine, you just cannot sleep!) and was wondering if it would increase or decrease the heat soak? My theory in my own head was that it may increase as the plastic plenum seems to be more of an insulator than the thinner carbon fiber, but I know nothing about either material's insulating characteristics, I was really only considering the thickness of the parts.

What are the facts involved with a decrease in intake temps, other than the fact that the heat soaking plenum plates are no longer necessary? was that the only factor?

 

I'd say there are too many variables to properly answer the heat soak question. Plastic is a good thermal insulator but after heat soaked it will be, well, hot. No different than CF or any other material really. Depending on CF used it can be made either a thermal conductor or insulator. Everything else constant thinner walls will increase heat transfer.

Bottom line... best would be to run back to back tests and measure what manifold air temp looks like. Perhaps Peter already knows the answer?

 

the answer?

Hi,

I have done a test on inline-6 Cast Aluminum
vs Fiberglass, the heat dissipation is day and
night on aluminum vs plastic/carbon. My test
showed at peak around 30F difference. Much the
same as cast iron block vs aluminum block.

Have not measured the thickness of the S62 lower
cast alu plenum but for sure the temps will be
better with this Carbon no doubt about it.


Regards,
Anri

 

Anri beat me to it! The main benefit heat wise is the minimization of metal under the intake air. The more metal, the more heat retention compared to carbon. Delete the heat exchanger, delete metal plenum plates, delete the metal plenum--all of that provides a significant drop in intake air temps. I have not done a one to one comparison, but probably will do so at some point. But its basic race car technology that we use on all of the DP motors. We DO put a thin layer of aluminized heat shield on the bottom of the carbon plenums of the race engines for additional heat deflection, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it is lagniappe compared to the difference of moving from a metal lower plenum and metal plenum plates to a pure caron setup.

All of the foregoing is what convinced me to go this route, but the plenum also is significantly lighter and looks very cool. Our lead fabricator/designer, Chris Knerr, is about to welcome his second child into the world on Monday, but once he returns, we'll put together and post some in-car pics and if we can, we will log some temps, though the difference will be greatest in summer.

--Peter

 

We DO put a thin layer of aluminized heat shield

Absolutely Peter I do the same with the Gold or Silver
thin foil or heat shield the job of it is to stop/back up the radiant
heat used in Motorsport for ages.

One can put this foil on both intakes and can benefit
from it but I was strictly pointing how much better the Carbon
bottom plate is vs cast aluminum.

I am sure candidate for your Intake for my S62 in my E31. Need
to remove every pound so that I can get close to the M62 weight!

Regards,
Anri

 

Thanks for the detailed explanation Peter, and I learned a new word today, lagniappe! never heard that one before in my entire life!

 

Ah - didn't know / forgot the E39 uses a metal bottom. Then of course anything will be better than. The E60 (I'm familiar with) is all plastic so comparison would be plastic vs. CF which is harder to answer.

 

@herrubermensch :

1. Since there’s an increase in volume, will a new tune be required to prevent running lean?
2. Has this plenum been battle-tested on your motors (race or street)?

Very interested and just want to know some more details. Thanks.

 

1. Standing alone, I don't think the increased volume of the plenum is something the ECU can't adjust fuel flow to accommodate. But combine that with headers and a good intake, and yes, you will need a tune. I always recommend a tune when making a material change to a motor, even if it is just a bolt on, such as a plenum. If you are planning multiple changes, I'd do them all at once, then get a tune.

NB: We are working very hard to bring tuning in house with a very well known and respected tuner in this community. Stay tuned! (See what I did there?)

2. Yes. Every DP motor sports essentially the same plenum, albeit without a lot of the connections necessary for a street motor (such as the elbow for the IACV). I three or four used carbon race plenums in my shop at any one time. They hold up quite well.

--Peter

 

Every DP motor sports essentially the same plenum, albeit without a lot of the connections necessary for a street motor (such as the elbow for the IACV). I three or four used carbon race plenums in my shop at any one time. They hold up quite well

Like they say, “win on Sunday, sell on Monday.”

 

Indeed! Maybe next year, we'll have a car with one of our engines at one of the races held in connection with the Rolex 24. We did recently acquire an F82 body in white, stich-welded with a Fall Line Motorsports cage, fuel cell, and carbon roof and doors. Yet another project I need to finish! Guess I need to build another few S55s, huh? (We've only done two!).

--Peter

 

howw much boost can this hold?

 

It is not designed to hold boost. It is designed for NA applications. That said, the carbon will hold a fair amount of boost, probably more than the stock plastic plenum. My only concern is the billet attachments. I'm sure it would hold low boost (6-8 psi), but no representations about anything higher. Would have to experiment and see. Again, this was NOT designed for "boosted" applications.

--Peter

 

^^ If you watch one of the recent videos from M539 restorations when he installed a carbon box on his E60 M5, in one of the shots he has the hood open and is revving the engine and you can see the carbon plenum slightly deflecting in the reflection on top with each rev.. he also comments about how the carbon flexes so much, it was impossible to get any of the badges to stick to it with only 3M tape and had to use the Reinzosil stuff he uses sometimes on gaskets to actually make the badges stick without popping off due to the carbon flexing - possibly because he painted over the carbon finish?

Here it is! it's really just ever so slight..

see the 21:00 mark where he explains about the badges and was only using the top piece of carbon for the plenum

Then watch at the 26:25 mark and you can see the new full carbon fiber plenum flexing.

 

I'd be surprised if any of our plenums moves at all when under pressure. Maybe when under 10psi or more of boost (which it is NOT designed for). But not NA. I'll put a badge on our test mule (Abdul's E92 M3) and put it through the paces to see if there is any kind of adherence problem.

--Peter

 

I'm gonna regret buying just the velocity stacks, but I still want to maintain the sleeper look for now
Kudos to Peter for yet another brilliant addition to the S62 community.

---Edit---
Any plans to adapt the lower plenum for use with stock top lid?

 

Had an amazing time this past Monday during my unplanned, last-minute trip over to Partee Racing. Got an insider's look at the Carbon Fiber production process and had the chance to chat with Christopher D Knerr and the one and only, Peter Partee @herrubermensch about some FAQs regarding the manufacturing process and design for the E39 M5 Carbon Fiber Plenum. Peter is always generous with his time and gave me time even though it was a last-minute trip since I was in the area anyway.

With full-scale production now in full swing, seize the opportunity to grab the plenums at their presale price. Plus, don't forget about the additional discount applied when you purchase both the plenum and stacks as a kit. In my view, the E39 M5 plenums represent the ultimate modification to hit the market for our cars. The wait may have been long, but it's undeniably worth it. This marks a significant milestone for the E39 M5 community.


Here is a short video I recorded displaying the production process for the plenum with commentary from Peter Stone Partee Sr

 

Here is a link for the product: BMW E39 (S62) M5 Carbon Plenum

 

So I really wasn't trying to make any unnecessary purchases for my M5 for another year considering what I just dropped on my rod bearing and timing chain guide parts but I caved and bought a top so I can hear my engine sing all summer long.

 

Atta boy! I can’t wait to put one of these pups on my son’s M5!

—Peter

 

My order is in and I'm in line waiting for the whole shebang to be built. Will be going on the track car build.

 

Peter discusses the Benefits of In-House Manufacturing Over Outsourcing!

 

Peter,
This is awesome. I think you've done it right, and with the DP knowledge fueling what you're doing for the consumer market, this is going to be a hit. All the best!