First X6M X5M with M5 M6 intercoolers in the USA

[Panda6]

The BMW s63tu aftermarket has become extremely watered down with the same exact mods being done and owners begging their tuner to squeeze 2-3 more horsepower out then the other. That's fine and dandy if that's exactly what you wanted, but I wanted a lot more. So I decided to shake things up a bit. I initially started out just wanting a forged engine after I had already completely built my transmission and performed every aftermarket and my own custom mods for the f85/f86 platform. After that I was at a fork in the road where I could do the normal or do what I do best. It wasn't easy at all getting everything to fit correctly as custom adapter between the throttle bodies and post intercooler end caps had to be made as well as fully custom charge pipes between the turbos and pre intercooler end caps. The adapters were made using Toyota brz/F86 throttle body spacers (which is the X6Ms chassis code&#128513 and the serrated ends of used BMW throttle bodies. Once welded together it created the perfect adapter to connect the M6 intercooler to the factory throttle body using a custom staggered coupler made by HPS. The coupler had to be staggered as the intercoolers are too thick to sit flush against the engine as the stock ones did so without the staggered coupler the intercooler and the throttle body would not line up correctly. Most of the coolant hoses were plug and Play but some of the upper hoses had to be modified and lengthened to work correctly as well as swapping the factory intercooler coolant overflow tank for the M5 M6 intercooler coolant overflow tank as the latter has the correct overflow lines for both intercoolers. Once the intercoolers were installed they sat a lot higher than the original ones so the charge pipes had to be customized piece by piece built on the engine by hand. I will include pictures and a video link where you can find all parts 1-8 of the engine build and intercooler swap. Hope you all enjoy what I believe is a world's first!

YouTube channel
https://youtube.com/c/AutoLust

900+ AWHP BMW X6M playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...Tz7AbH8s98KfwG

[dentprotony@gmail.com]

This is awesome man, I believe thats the first detailed write up that ive seen yet, definitely excellent mod, best part is m6/m5 coolers can be had at a very reasonable price, especially given the volume that they add compared to stock

PS do you have side by side picture stock vs m5 ic

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by dentprotony@gmail.com

This is awesome man, I believe thats the first detailed write up that ive seen yet, definitely excellent mod, best part is m6/m5 coolers can be had at a very reasonable price, especially given the volume that they add compared to stock

PS do you have side by side picture stock vs m5 ic

Thanks Tony! I have a side-by-side on a few of the YouTube videos of the engine build, but I will post some pictures that are not mine showing a side-by-side comparison of the coolers.

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by Panda6

Thanks Tony! I have a side-by-side on a few of the YouTube videos of the engine build, but I will post some pictures that are not mine showing a side-by-side comparison of the coolers.

https://ibb.co/qjJkm0V

https://ibb.co/vvKssDG

[9vapors]

Absolutely love this sort of thing… Gonna go watch the videos!

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by 9vapors

Absolutely love this sort of thing… Gonna go watch the videos!

Thanks and thank you for supporting the channel.

[Lighting.Grey]

Now just missing the candy red bar. You know what am I saying

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by Lighting.Grey

Now just missing the candy red bar. You know what am I saying

Definitely. I can't wait to put it back on. The engine bay is not the same without it

[Chilled]

May this give you some ideas, the English translation is close enough.

Btw look into the f90 charge coolers. They have the correct flange. So CFS should be an option.

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by Chilled

May this give you some ideas, the English translation is close enough.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYOb4BY7ClA&t=0s

Btw look into the f90 charge coolers. They have the correct flange. So CFS should be an option.

Thanks a lot for the video. I talked to Ramon performance last year, but they said they don't tune cars in the US, but his mods on the f86 and f85 are legendary. I was planning on going with the f90 intercoolers to begin with but when I looked at the data the M6 intercoolers are actually bigger. The stroker kit comes from Pure Performance Australia and they have a package that does a lot more than just stroking the engine to a 4.7 or 5.0. I might go that route later on down the road and I wish I would have knew about it before building the engine because I would have went the stroked route. The stroker engines come with a totally different design forged crank and rod bearings so that eliminates ever having the bearing problem from the get-go. Thanks again for the video and stopping by to see the post I really appreciate it!

[KLR X5M]

While i support the enginuity of trying something new, the transparency to help the community, this is alot of work and collateral impact for likely no material benefit. Intercoolers do nothing to add hp, simply abate the loss of it by maintaining cooler charge air pressure. Unless you're experiencing significant heat losses and soak with stock ic cores (which I've not had myself) adding longer piping tract and bigger core volume are going to increase pressure drop, and reduce transient boost response. In fact, Once fluid temperature in the circuit has reached the rejection capacity of the heat exchangers in the circuit, these will actually hinder performance. The only circumstance where these could help is if you were running into cfm limitations through the oem cores, which isn't gong to happen until well into 4 figure hp, which you're never going to get close to with ps2 hybrid turbos.

BMW changed the core design in the tu2 and 4 specifically to improve transient reponse by ensuring the flow path was direct as possible. Their own literature and testing on this states there is no impact on thermal capacity, and the new designs are more efficient.

You've also removed a major structural element to front assembly of the vehicle, reducing rigidity and crash worthiness.

I world have suggested trying active intercooler chilling that uses the ac system like the kincaid killer chillers or active interchiller systems. These can reduce the post cooler temps lower than ambient and are proven to make more hp with no need to hack up the car and do this custom work. Then potentially look at csf or gamma f90 coolers if you ever run into cfm bottle necks.

Not knocking the work or hustle, but this is really better for you tube views then it is for hp.

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by KLR X5M

While i support the enginuity of trying something new, the transparency to help the community, this is alot of work and collateral impact for likely no material benefit. Intercoolers do nothing to add hp, simply abate the loss of it by maintaining cooler charge air pressure. Unless you're experiencing significant heat losses and soak with stock ic cores (which I've not had myself) adding longer piping tract and bigger core volume are going to increase pressure drop, and reduce transient boost response. In fact, Once fluid temperature in the circuit has reached the rejection capacity of the heat exchangers in the circuit, these will actually hinder performance. The only circumstance where these could help is if you were running into cfm limitations through the oem cores, which isn't gong to happen until well into 4 figure hp, which you're never going to get close to with ps2 hybrid turbos.

BMW changed the core design in the tu2 and 4 specifically to improve transient reponse by ensuring the flow path was direct as possible. Their own literature and testing on this states there is no impact on thermal capacity, and the new designs are more efficient.

You've also removed a major structural element to front assembly of the vehicle, reducing rigidity and crash worthiness.

I world have suggested trying active intercooler chilling that uses the ac system like the kincaid killer chillers or active interchiller systems. These can reduce the post cooler temps lower than ambient and are proven to make more hp with no need to hack up the car and do this [...]

I appreciate your input but, The crossbar is going back in the engine bay once it's modified to fit around the intercoolers and will be just as strong if not stronger than it was. Plus my X6M is not my daily driver anyways I only use it for quarter mile drag racing and car events it won't be using it for either until the bar is back. I understand what you're saying about the intercoolers but if they're good enough for the F10 M5 and the F06, F12/13 M6 then they're good enough for the X6M as well. I will also be running methanol injection post intercooler. Pure stage 2 turbos are limited by their wastegates at least that's what every tuner says, but turbo smart just released vacuum upgraded wastegates last month which I will be running on my pure stage 2. Yes it is a hearty project and not for any and everyone to take on, but I like to tinker on my cars and that's what I decided to do. Whatever can help me in the quarter mile I will perform the mod. Thanks for your input.

[Chilled]

Originally Posted by Panda6

Thanks a lot for the video. I talked to Ramon performance last year, but they said they don't tune cars in the US, but his mods on the f86 and f85 are legendary. I was planning on going with the f90 intercoolers to begin with but when I looked at the data the M6 intercoolers are actually bigger. The stroker kit comes from Pure Performance Australia and they have a package that does a lot more than just stroking the engine to a 4.7 or 5.0. I might go that route later on down the road and I wish I would have knew about it before building the engine because I would have went the stroked route. The stroker engines come with a totally different design forged crank and rod bearings so that eliminates ever having the bearing problem from the get-go. Thanks again for the video and stopping by to see the post I really appreciate it!

Yeah the stuff Romanov and the guys over in the motherland are doing with the //M's are crazy things.

Did not know they were using the PPA stuff, I would of thought he developed it inhouse. I guess no need to re-invent the wheel.


Are you sure about the M6 coolers where bigger, they had the same P/N as the M5?

[Djhumvee]

Nice job! Looks like you wouldn't be able to do this with the oem intake housing since the coolers sit up higher? Any chance your selling your stock coolers?

[Chilled]

Oh you've probably have seen or heard about these guys. Encase you haven't

Laser retrofit.

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by Chilled

Yeah the stuff Romanov and the guys over in the motherland are doing with the //M's are crazy things.

Did not know they were using the PPA stuff, I would of thought he developed it inhouse. I guess no need to re-invent the wheel.


Are you sure about the M6 coolers where bigger, they had the same P/N as the M5?

Yes the F10 M5 and the M6 intercoolers are the same. I meant they are bigger than the F90 M5 intercoolers, but I'm sure the F90 M5 intercoolers have a more efficient heat exchanger inside at least that's what I would hope.

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by Djhumvee

Nice job! Looks like you wouldn't be able to do this with the oem intake housing since the coolers sit up higher? Any chance your selling your stock coolers?

The factory airbox sits too low so you're correct it wouldn't be usable, but yes the factory intercoolers are for sale and they already have upgraded 7 layer silicone/fiber charge pipes on them

[Djhumvee]

Originally Posted by Panda6

The factory airbox sits too low so you're correct it wouldn't be usable, but yes the factory intercoolers are for sale and they already have upgraded 7 layer silicone/fiber charge pipes on them

Do you have them listed for sale in the classifieds? Pm me if you want thanks..

[Djhumvee]

Have you ever thought of changing the coolant pump to a higher flow? I think the stock ones only pull 20 watts so idk if you could just throw one in there that pulls say 50 or 80 but if not maybe you could use the stock circuit to trip a relay for a larger pump?

[Panda6]

Originally Posted by Djhumvee

Have you ever thought of changing the coolant pump to a higher flow? I think the stock ones only pull 20 watts so idk if you could just throw one in there that pulls say 50 or 80 but if not maybe you could use the stock circuit to trip a relay for a larger pump?

I actually thought about that while we were doing the swap, but we didn't want to burn the pump out early by upping the speed and there's almost no room in the engine bay for anything especially an aftermarket pump, but I run system safe pure water and water wetter in the intercooler system so that coupled with the M6 intercoolers and meth injection post intercooler should definitely drop charge temps down drastically enough I'm hoping.

[Djhumvee]

Do you feel like the header wrap has reduced temps?

[Sophisticated Redneck]

Huge fan of custom work and this is awesome! What about doing another X5 world first and incorporating a killer chiller / interchiller system to keep those huge intercoolers nice and frosty? Check out this M5 below: