Is my power output low with mods?

[BimmerRob08]

This summer I had my M3 Dyno'd and with the SAE correction, the best pull was 350.49 HPW.

It was a hot summer day here in Albuquerque which is 5300ft elevation. With the hot temps, it was a desity altitude of about 8,000ft (Pressure altitude corrected for temperature).

My mods are Dinan software Stage II, Dinan pully, Encore Inovation Xpipe (HFC), MS air filter and Remus Sport Exhaust. I went Dinan because of the Warrenty.

I see other M3's posting Dyno charts with similar mods pulling around 380 HP at the wheel.

So I'm inclined to think I'm not pulling more than stock. I don't have a stock dyno unfortunately to compare.

What do you all think? Man, I'm gonna be pissed if I'm pulling low power after spending all this money and no real gains.

RB

[Mike Benvo]

Is there a way you can get a chart with RPM on the bottom instead of speed?

The AFR looks dangerously lean in some areas. Also it looks like DINAN has richened the fuel mixture on top, not sure why they would do that as the car loses power from that in most cases.

Without having a stock dyno to compare, you can't say that the numbers are low at all.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Is there a way you can get a chart with RPM on the bottom instead of speed?

The AFR looks dangerously lean in some areas. Also it looks like DINAN has richened the fuel mixture on top, not sure why they would do that as the car loses power from that in most cases.

Without having a stock dyno to compare, you can't say that the numbers are low at all.

Here is a photo from the Dyno screen. I believe the tech maxed out in 4th gear and it shows just past 8,000rpm.

Mike Benvo, you said the mixture shows lean? Is that adjustable at the Dealership with Dinan software?

Over all though, with these mods I would expect a pull around 370 or more.

[Mike Benvo]

Looks ok there.

A little rich on top @ 12.1... These cars like to be 12.7 - 13 NA. Not something the dealer would be able to dinan to adjust.

DINAN would be the last tune I would purchase between the ones out there. Nothing against them, they just aren't dedicated tuners.

I think there's more on the table.

[BMW Fanatic]

Catless = problem solved

[Amri215]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Looks ok there.

A little rich on top @ 12.1... These cars like to be 12.7 - 13 NA. Not something the dealer would be able to dinan to adjust.

DINAN would be the last tune I would purchase between the ones out there. Nothing against them, they just aren't dedicated tuners.

I think there's more on the table.

+1 and Dinan prides themselves on conservative tuning but safe.

[BimmerRob08]

Well won't go Catless because currently it passes State inspection here. If I did, I'd have to swop pipes. Not a big deal, more of a pain in the ass when the time comes.

So power output is about normal then for my mods?

Maybe I'll get another tune now that my BMW warrenty is done and I have an extended one. But is it worth it for a few more hp's?

[AWE90M3]

Bit off topic, just curious where you got the dyno done? I'm down here in Alamogordo and havent found any shops near here. I figured El Paso would have one, but havent had much luck. If you dont mind posting or PM'ing me what they charge as well. Thanks!

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by AWE90M3

Bit off topic, just curious where you got the dyno done? I'm down here in Alamogordo and havent found any shops near here. I figured El Paso would have one, but havent had much luck. If you dont mind posting or PM'ing me what they charge as well. Thanks!

Try Motiva in Albuquerque. That is where I went. Also I was just told about Dyno Edge at 315 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE in ABQ.

[M3PO]

Originally Posted by BMW Fanatic

Catless = problem solved

Catless is going to get him ~5 hp more versus his HFC he has now. Not worth the smell, extra expense, and failing smog.

OP, it is very possible that this dyno has a calibration that is just somewhat low. You are worried about a difference of 30 WHP which equates to 8-9% of the reading. It's not easy to imagine that kind of difference from a dyno. It may be out of calibration or maybe the calibration is slightly off.

Basically, without a baseline, we can't tell you whether you are seeing the expected gains from your parts because the dyno is a bit of an "unknown".

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by M3PO

Catless is going to get him ~5 hp more versus his HFC he has now. Not worth the smell, extra expense, and failing smog.

OP, it is very possible that this dyno has a calibration that is just somewhat low. You are worried about a difference of 30 WHP which equates to 8-9% of the reading. It's not easy to imagine that kind of difference from a dyno. It may be out of calibration or maybe the calibration is slightly off.

Basically, without a baseline, we can't tell you whether you are seeing the expected gains from your parts because the dyno is a bit of an "unknown".

yeah wish I would have gotten a stock baseline DYNO first. Anyway, maybe I'll get it run again at a different place and compare.

cheers,
RB

[benzy89]

Difficult to say where you should be with the mods because you don't have a stock baseline to gauge the delta (gains) off of.

EX: Most stock M3s dyno around 350 WHP, so after adding a tune, pulley, filter swap & catless exhaust most people see 400-415 WHP (a 50-65 WHP gain). SO at the end of the day, it's the delta that matters the most to make sure that the gains are consistent with the mods installed.


Since your warranty's expired, I'd look into Evolve, Bren Tuning or Mike Benvo retuning the car if you're gonna stay N/A. They've all had really good, consistent results from their tunes & focus more N/A setups (as opposed to ESS/VF Engineering/Gintani who focus on their S/C applications but also make N/A tunes).

[M3PO]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

yeah wish I would have gotten a stock baseline DYNO first. Anyway, maybe I'll get it run again at a different place and compare.

cheers,
RB

You could ask the operator if they have done any stock M3s and if so what they put down.

[Longboarder]

At that evelvation your numbers are very strong. At 8,000 ft DAs a stock M3 would be doing 14-second quarter mile times and trapping at maybe 100mph.

[Gfunk720]

Comparing dyno numbers from different cars/locations/conditions is not an accurate representation of how your car is performing. Even dynojet to dynojet comparisons are by no means accurate. As others mentioned, it's really relevant what your baseline would have been.

Given the heat, altitude, and fairly conservative tune you are running it doesn't sound too far off. My guess is a stock M3 would be down an additional 20-30whp.

[BimmerRob08]

Thanks for all the inputs. Sounds like then its pulling about right for the conditions & mods.

Cheers,
RB

[sergkoko]

Originally Posted by Gfunk720

Comparing dyno numbers from different cars/locations/conditions is not an accurate representation of how your car is performing. Even dynojet to dynojet comparisons are by no means accurate. As others mentioned, it's really relevant what your baseline would have been.

Given the heat, altitude, and fairly conservative tune you are running it doesn't sound too far off. My guess is a stock M3 would be down an additional 20-30whp.

Definetly true, when I had my 335i i got the JB4 for it and then dynoed it back in Tucson at elevation in the heat and it put down around 35 horsepower less then all the cars that dynoes at sea level with mild temperatures, not to go into details but one was same dyno and same lack of mods.

Also whenever I drove down to California/Oregon/Washington the car felt way faster, but I am not sure how the Boosted/NA compares to diffrent climate and elevation changes.

[M3DCTBT]

Originally Posted by Amri215

+1 and Dinan prides themselves on conservative tuning but safe.

What Mike is saying is that AFR curve is a large step backwards from even a stock fuel map in both mid and upper.

It is designed for the full dinan exhaust and does not work well with others from my experience on the dyno.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by M3DCTBT

What Mike is saying is that AFR curve is a large step backwards from even a stock fuel map in both mid and upper.

It is designed for the full dinan exhaust and does not work well with others from my experience on the dyno.

I wonder what the difference would be If I actually had a Dinan xpipe (HFC) installed with my Dinan tune. But probebly better I get another tune someday down the road.

[Bmw135er]

The Dinan x pipe does not have cats, which may be causing the AFR issue. Too much back pressure for the tune. Those are decent numbers for the altitude, try living even higher than that! Not to mention we only get 91 octane...

[sycd]

No emissions testing or inspections in Sandoval county next door

Ever notice that at Sandia peak at 11,000 ft even the alarm beep sounds different