[malgyver]

Hi all,

I meant to post on issues as they came up, but there was a problem with my account and I was only recently allowed to make a posting.

Late January 2015 I got my first modern BMW, 2008 335i 6MT with 85K miles. Black on Black, I'll figure out how to post a picture before long. Love the car! It was a replacement for my e28 535i which I had modded with a turbo, intercooler, suspension, and was running about 11 psi. I just needed a newer, more comfortable car, and something that I could make go fast, without the smog hassles. So the 335i seemed like a great way to go.

So, a week after I bought the car, about 80 miles from home, the water pump failed! Thanks to all the forums and posts, it was a quick diagnose, and I was able to get the parts, BT cable, put the car up on ramps, and complete the job in about 2 hours. In my opinion, it was about the easiest water pump replacement I have done in my 20 years of wrenching. All the reading and research here had made me a little fearful of the job!

Next came the JB4 G5. Nice mod, playing around with Maps 1 and 5 mainly. I felt like my e28 was faster than the stock 335i, so the JB4 fixed that for a pretty reasonable price.

Now its been time to try and work out little kinks...the wastegate rattle, and what seems to me to be more turbo lag than the literature suggests that this motor should have. I'm not sure if I have the 29.2 software, and am looking up the build date as I write this post...its....not sure where to find it. And, I have possibly an unfair comparison in my e28. The e28 build full boost by 2500 rpm, has tall gears (2.73), and it just lights up the tires the moment you hit the throttle from about 2000 or 2500.

Well I decided that with 85K miles, I could probably bet that the valves had significant carbon build up. And I had developed my first cylinder miss/SES light in the few days beforehand. So I decided to get/put together a walnut shell blasting tool, and went ahead and did that job. I found that getting the intake manifold off, like the water pump, was the easiest intake manifold job I had ever done. Cylinders 1 and 2 were fairly clean, and they got worse as they went back. 4, 5, and 6 were pretty crudded up. I found that the combo of waltnut blasting, plus some carb cleaner and light scraping, did the trick pretty quick. I even blasted with carb cleaner...used the blow gun/vacuum setup, but shot carb cleaner into the gun instead of the hose that carried the walnut media.

Finished the job with a change of plugs, and added the DCI. The car runs MUCH better now, though I still feel that the low end power is inconsistent and a little laggy. Ive been playing around a bit with Map 2, which feels really good.

So ahead of me are the following:

Wastegate rattle. I was able to tune it out with the JB4, but after hours of searching and reading about every issue and fix and opinion about these cars, I'm still left with some specific questions.

1. Should I try to solve the wastegate rattle by adjusting the actuator rod before trying to use the JB4 to tune it out?
2. I promise I have searched long and wide, but can someone describe mechanically what happens when Menu 10 and 12 are adjusted? I understand the basics of Menu 10, low values will hold open the rear wastegate, eliminating the noise but also reducing the "pre-spool" of the first turbo, but I'd like to know what actually happens throughout the range of each menu adjustment. I know I can set adjustments here and there and see what works best, but I'd rather adjust it knowing exactly what the adjustments are doing.

Vanos: I figured replace these as preventative maintenance, and be pleasantly surprised if my low end torque increased. But...do the VANOS solenoids give subtle performance problems without throwing codes, or are they pretty much failure mode or no problem? I havn't seen any VANOS codes yet.

Intercooler: I'm wondering if the inconsistency of the low end torque may have something to do with the stock intercooler getting heat soaked.

Creaking: On occasion, really just two or three times, while backing out of a parking spot while turning the steering wheel, I have heard a pretty horrific creak, but there have been no other strange noises or feelings, even when I whip it around a corner.

Finally, if i decide to mix up to about 40% e85, must I run Map 5, or can I stick to Map 2? My driving style is the occasional WOT during otherwise typical around town and freeway driving. I definitely don't track the car, or even take it for dedicated spirited drives through the hills where I am consistently pushing the motor. I ask only because I have found Map 2 to be consistently more torquey down below.

After getting used to hearing the turbo on the e28, I was relieved that adding the DCI also made the e90's turbos audible. Nothing worse than a turbo sports car that you can't hear the turbos in!!