# Benfer CAI - Anyone Install One Yet?



## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

I received my CAI from Benfer today. Ordered it on Monday, here already. Nice looking product!

Has anyone installed one yet? I'm looking for advice on how to make this the easiest on myself.

tia,
Jeff


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## e39540i6 (Oct 9, 2003)

Check this thread. A lot of info. There are a couple of guys who have installed this CAI.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42828


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## SRFast (Sep 3, 2003)

jvr530i: I am interested in getting a CAI. Please keep us informed on your install and opinion of the mod.

TIA.....JL


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

jvr530i said:


> I received my CAI from Benfer today. Ordered it on Monday, here already. Nice looking product!
> 
> Has anyone installed one yet? I'm looking for advice on how to make this the easiest on myself.
> 
> ...


Jeff, I am installing mine Sunday morning with some help from Viet. You are more than welcome to come by and observe and perhaps, with the right, uh, _payment_...we could be persuaded to install yours as well! 

I plan to drop my bumper and do some massaging to the snorkel tube that feeds air to the stock air intake and I have a couple other minor items on my bumper that need attention.

PM me and we can chat further.

Chris


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## BFP Inc. (Jun 3, 2003)

Jeff,

We have a local customer who was going to take pictures during his installation last week, put the install off until "last weekend", and because of the fire - has not been able to take the pictures. Check out our E39 instructions at www.benferperformance.com/instructions, to see how to take your bumper and the snorkle off (the bumper removal is identical for the 540i and 530i/528i). After that, fitting the intake through that hole and securing it is a piece of cake. Give me a call if you would like to discuss (I believe I emailed you my cell #).

-Dan


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

BFP said:


> Jeff,
> 
> We have a local customer who was going to take pictures during his installation last week, put the install off until "last weekend", and because of the fire - has not been able to take the pictures. Check out our E39 instructions at www.benferperformance.com/instructions, to see how to take your bumper and the snorkle off (the bumper removal is identical for the 540i and 530i/528i). After that, fitting the intake through that hole and securing it is a piece of cake. Give me a call if you would like to discuss (I believe I emailed you my cell #).
> 
> -Dan


Thanks Dan, and thanks for the quick turnaround and excellent service with my order. I am truly impressed with the carbon fiber's fit and finish on this intake.

I'll coordinate with Agent99 and see if we can't get some good pictures of the install in our 530's this weekend.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

jvr530i said:


> Thanks Dan, and thanks for the quick turnaround and excellent service with my order. I am truly impressed with the carbon fiber's fit and finish on this intake.
> 
> I'll coordinate with Agent99 and see if we can't get some good pictures of the install in our 530's this weekend.


Hey Jeff,

How did the new CAI feel?

Viet and I helped Jeff install BFP's CAI into my car and his car yesterday morning. From outside the car, you can hear a slight whine but I hear nothing from the inside the car.

Chris


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## SRFast (Sep 3, 2003)

Chris,
How much work was involved with the install? Were there any problems or is a straight forward install?

TIA...JL


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

SRFast said:


> Chris,
> How much work was involved with the install? Were there any problems or is a straight forward install?
> 
> TIA...JL


You need to drop the bumper (pretty easy but can be a pain to reinstall if you're alone) but otherwise, it isn't terribly difficult. Keep in mind this was on an I6...V8's are more tedious.

Chris


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

Ågent99 said:


> Hey Jeff,
> 
> How did the new CAI feel?
> 
> ...


Yes, I too have the whine, but I also read on the General board that someone else has the same thing with their ECIS intake. I have a theory on this...

1) possibly we put the filter too far onto the pipe. I know when I mounted mine I pushed it on more than a half inch or so. I wanted a big chunk of pipe to clamp onto. However, I haven't done any diagnosis to see if the sound is coming from inside the bumper where the filter is, or under the hood.

2) Maybe that mysterious "box" we both removed has something to do with it. Being that I did exactly what u did to eleviate it, maybe that's contributing. I wonder if the 1.25" pvc we stuffed in there and capped may not be sealing as tightly as it could be and the increased airflow is causing a slight "leak" at that point.

Now, onto the results. I definitely feel an increase in the "pull" the car now has. It's most noticable when really getting on the throttle. I find less hesitation, almost none now. Prior to install it seemed there was just a slight resistence to taking off - now I don't feel that.

The sound at WOT is intoxicating. Accelerating up a freeway entrance ramp is a blast, pun intended. I like it!

I've been driving pretty aggressively to try to get the car acclimated to the new flow characteristics. We'll see how that goes.

Thanks again to you and Viet for letting me share in the install experience.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

jvr530i said:


> Yes, I too have the whine, but I also read on the General board that someone else has the same thing with their ECIS intake. I have a theory on this...
> 
> 1) possibly we put the filter too far onto the pipe. I know when I mounted mine I pushed it on more than a half inch or so. I wanted a big chunk of pipe to clamp onto. However, I haven't done any diagnosis to see if the sound is coming from inside the bumper where the filter is, or under the hood.
> 
> ...


I didn't have the whine pre-BFP so it isn't that curious little airbox.

Actually, I think it is the style of air filter. We had the same style on an ESS S/C Viet and I installed on an I6 and it also had the whine although much more pronounced.

Glad to hear the butt dyno feels something. Since I already had a CAI on pre-BFP, my butt dyno doesn't feel much of a change. 

Chris


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

*Install Pics & More Information*

Here are some pictures from our install of the Benfer CAI on my 2002 530i.

jvr530i's Benfer Performance CAI Install Pictures

I didn't take any pictures of the bumper removal, it's pretty straight forward. You take off the lower facia grids next to the fog lights by removing the "trim clips." These are the type where you pull out the center, then pull out the rest of the fastener.

After they are out you'll see 2 major bolts that hold on the bumper itself. Use a T-50 Torx wrench to remove these. You'll also remove a couple of screws in the fender liners, these attach the liner to the fender. Then just pull it forward and drop it down. If you have the headlight washers you'll need to disconnect the plumbing, passenger side, just pull the clip and separate the hoses. You will also need to disconnect the fog lights by pulling the plug on the back. Now you can put the bumper safely out of the way.

To remove the factory intake, there are 3 screws holding it to the front of the car. You need to loosen the driver side headlight assembly so you can coax the front portion off the car. Keep the light loose as you'll have an easier time of reinstalling the bumper that way, plus it makes fishing the CAI tube through the fender hole easier too.

The engine compartment componets are removed by taking out a series of screws, hoses, and clamps - all pretty easy to find and access. As stated earlier, the "mystery box" was removed on our install and plugged with a 1.25" PVC pipe section with a quick-cap plug. There's a pic of that in the series.

As you can see, the factory intake is funky looking and doesn't provide a very consistent path for the air to take to the engine. The supply comes from the radiator front, just at the edge of the aux fan, then travels through a series of bends and what appears to be a reducer, just before the filter box. The Benfer intake gets air from a somewhat protected compartment in the bumper and takes a direct path to the MAF, then into the engine. It's circumference is consistent from filter to MAF too, with minimal bends.

It gets damn hot under the hood, even after a short drive. I read the research posted over on the M5 board and feel that a layer of insulation around the intake tube would help keep the air cooler. It would be a shame to cover up that nice looking carbon fiber though, wouldn't it? 

There you have it. Don't hesitate to get this kit if you're looking for a CAI. And don't worry about the filter servicing in this location. True, you will have to remove the bumper to service the filter, but the K&N service interval is 50k miles according to the manufacturer.


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## sb540 (Jan 25, 2002)

Ågent99 said:


> Since I already had a CAI on pre-BFP, my butt dyno doesn't feel much of a change.
> 
> Chris


If you don't mind me asking, why did you replace one CAI with another? That had to be pretty expensive. Was it because the new CAI draws air from outside the engine compartment.

Nosy minds want to know.


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## :)P eter (Jan 14, 2002)

BFP said:


> Jeff,
> 
> We have a local customer who was going to take pictures during his installation last week, put the install off until "last weekend", and because of the fire - has not been able to take the pictures. Check out our E39 instructions at www.benferperformance.com/instructions, to see how to take your bumper and the snorkle off (the bumper removal is identical for the 540i and 530i/528i). After that, fitting the intake through that hole and securing it is a piece of cake. Give me a call if you would like to discuss (I believe I emailed you my cell #).
> 
> -Dan


Is this what is referred to as the "circle of life " ? Irony rules ! Hi guys !


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

sb540 said:


> If you don't mind me asking, why did you replace one CAI with another? That had to be pretty expensive. Was it because the new CAI draws air from outside the engine compartment.
> 
> Nosy minds want to know.


If you read back through some of this thread, you will see that my previous CAI had a 3" diameter tube and the filter was located within the engine compartment.

BFP's bumped up to 3.5" diameter and put the filter as Jeff described it, in the bumper cavity in front of the driver's side front wheel.

Further, I am lucky in that I know one of the owner's of BFP (DanB) quite well so he cut me a "killer" deal when I inquired about it. He knew I'd come on here and :blah: all about it so he's getting his money's worth, I'm sure! 

Chris


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