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2001-2006 (E46)

  1. Final Product Design - E46 Intake Development, Part 3

    Final Product Design - E46 Intake Development, Part 3

    In our last update, we left you with some dyno results showing the potential this kit has for increased performance. Now that the development process is nearing completion, we have a finished and fully functional prototype to test fit onto a BMW 330i. This kit is a direct fit for the E46 330i and it includes a very straightforward component list and simple installation instructions. Let's jump into what our final kit looks like.

    Final E46 intake prototype
    Final E46 intake prototype

    As seen above, the multi-ply silicone intake hose features a CNC-machined connector for exact fitment onto our filter. The heat shield is made of black powder-coated steel to help keep the filter shielded from the engine bay heat. The weather stripping along the

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  2. Dyno Results - E46 Intake Development, Part 2

    Dyno Results - E46 Intake Development, Part 2

    We've made some progress with testing our E46 intake and the dyno results are finally in! This intake was put through some extensive testing and it held up to the abuse with consistent and repeatable output numbers. Let's see how our finalized prototype fits on the car!

    Fitment

    IMG_9995r Prototype E46 intake ready for the dyno

    IMG_9999r E46 parts fitment

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  3. Stock Review + Initial Design - E46 Intake, Part 1

    Stock Review + Initial Design - E46 Intake, Part 1

    Our garage has been graced with the presence of a clean 2001 E46 330i, so we can now begin development on this E46 intake. Let's dive right in!

    Stock System

    The 330i stock intake system is similar to the 32X, the big difference being the size of the MAF housing. On the higher-output 330i models, this housing is larger so it can accept greater airflow needed by the more powerful, higher-displacement engine. To accommodate that larger diameter, our design will have a slightly enlarged opening on the heat shield. Everything else should fit right into place! Here are a few shots of the stock system we are working on.

    IMG_9765r
    Aerial shot of the 330i engine bay

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  4. BMW 3-Series E46 Electric Fan R&D, Part 2: Prototype Testing

    BMW 3-Series E46 Electric Fan R&D, Part 2: Prototype Testing

    Interested in picking up this awesome E46 fan setup? Check out our discounted pre-sale linked below!

    Mishimoto BMW E46 Non-M Performance Fan Shroud Kit Pre-Sale

    Functional Prototype

    In a short timespan we were able to turn our 3D models into an actual functional prototype. Check out a couple images of our first BMW E46 fan shroud!

    Mishimoto prototype E46 parts
    Mishimoto prototype E46 parts

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  5. BMW 3-Series E46 Electric Fan R&D, Part 1: Stock Components and Initial Design

    BMW 3-Series E46 Electric Fan R&D, Part 1: Stock Components and Initial Design

    Interested in picking up this awesome E46 fan setup? Check out our discounted pre-sale linked below!

    Mishimoto BMW E46 Non-M Performance Fan Shroud Kit Pre-Sale

    Our E46 product line continues to grow. This series of articles aims to tack another offering on our list of performance cooling components. We've covered the radiator, expansion tank, and coolant hoses. The only radiator-related item left to tackle is a cooling fan solution.

    The stock 3-Series E46 offers two different fan options. Automatic models are equipped with an antiquated mechanical fan, while those who row their own gears get an electric fan.

    Our goal with this project is to produce a BMW E46 fan shroud solution that will function with either a manual or automatic model. We will be following our trend of successfully producing exo-style shrouds for the E46 M3 and E36 chasses. The idea behind this fan mount style is

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  6. E46 3-Series Silicone Radiator Hose R&D!

    E46 3-Series Silicone Radiator Hose R&D!

    Interested in purchasing our E46 silicone radiator hose kit? Check out our product page linked below!

    Mishimoto BMW E46 Non-M Silicone Radiator Hose Kit!

    The E46 BMW has been the focus for a ton of product development here at Mishimoto. Recent projects include the Mishimoto Performance Air Intake, Aluminum Radiator, and Aluminum Expansion Tank. To continue our pursuit of supplying a full cooling solution for the 3-series, we also tackled a set of radiator hoses for this model. In typical Mishimoto fashion, we will be looking to improve the durability of the stock design.

    Stock Hose Setup

    The stock BMW E46 radiator hose system is unique, mostly due to the inclusion of quick-disconnect fittings at each mating point. Take a look at the stock hoses pulled from our test vehicle during radiator testing and development.

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  7. BMW E46 3-Series Aluminum Expansion Tank, Part 4: Prototype Installation

    BMW E46 3-Series Aluminum Expansion Tank, Part 4: Prototype Installation

    Another update on our E46 expansion tank project! Last time we showed off some images of our prototype unit, noting the numerous precise features we built into our design. This time we are installing the tank in our test vehicle to confirm fitment with the stock shroud and all coolant connection points. In addition, we will check out clearance between the tank and the belt-drive system to ensure appropriate fitment.

    Removing the Stock BMW E46 Expansion Tank

    Stock BMW E46 expansion tank installed
    Stock BMW E46 expansion tank installed

    First we need to remove the stock tank from our test vehicle. As you can see in the image above, the stock fan shroud is the first component to come out before we tackle the expansion

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  8. Mishimoto E46 3-Series Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 4: Prototype Testing

    Mishimoto E46 3-Series Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 4: Prototype Testing

    Interested in purchasing our E46 aluminum radiator? Check out our product page linked below!

    We are pretty pumped about our new BMW performance parts! Our prototype radiator looks and fits great, so now let's make sure it performs as well as we intended. As we noted previously, we've made a variety of improvements over the stock core to improve heat transfer and efficiency. Let's take a look at the specs!

    Core Improvements

    BMW E46 radiator coolant surface area comparison
    BMW E46 radiator coolant surface area comparison

    Our first comparison is coolant surface area, which is a measure of the area of the coolant tubes within the core. Greater tube area results in increased heat transfer as well

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  9. E46 3-Series Aluminum Expansion Tank, Part 3: First Prototype

    E46 3-Series Aluminum Expansion Tank, Part 3: First Prototype

    Big news for our E46 followers! Our aluminum prototype of the BMW E46 expansion tank is complete. Gone are the days of roadside tows and antifreeze puddles messing up your driveway. Enjoy the images of our awesome prototype below!

    First Prototype Images

    Mishimoto prototype BMW performance parts
    Mishimoto prototype BMW performance parts

    Mishimoto prototype E46 expansion tank
    Mishimoto prototype E46 expansion tank

    We designed five different CNC-machined pieces to attach to this

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  10. Mishimoto E46 3-Series Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 3: Prototype Evaluation

    Mishimoto E46 3-Series Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 3: Prototype Evaluation

    Interested in purchasing our E46 aluminum radiator? Check out our product page linked below!

    Mishimoto BMW E46 Non-M Performance Aluminum Radiator!

    It's been a while since our last update. Don't worry, we have not abandoned our E46 aluminum radiator project. In fact, this may be the most exciting update yet. We are getting closer to bringing you guys a much-needed reliable and efficient radiator solution. Our line of BMW performance parts is growing!

    Prototype Images

    The wait is over! Check out a couple shots of our prototype radiator!

    Mishimoto prototype E46 radiator
    Mishimoto prototype E46 radiator
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