I just bought a JCW intake kit for my 2003 MCS JCW. Its just a bolt up ? I won't have to get injectors or reprogram anything will I? I downloaded the PDF file.

 

Just put one on my S a few weeks ago. No reprogramming needed. Electric connection signals the flap at 4500 rpms and vaccum connection moves the flap. Real straight-forward installation, with the exception of the wiring which can be confusing.

 

Great, I was worried, I have spent so money on the coop, that one more expense was going to put me over the edge.How did it work for you? Where did you find vaccuum and power feeds?

 

I just recieved a e-mail from Paul Cooper, of JCW He said I would need the ECU update/reflash/injectors .quote

The Airfilter can be purchased on it’s own but this is only for standard cars. You will need the full upgrade kit which must be fitted by your dealer in order for the ECU update to be done. This also ensures that the upgrade is properly registered with BMW. You may experience running problems if you do not have the proper kit fitted. The injectors and ECU calibration are designed to cope with the extra power you get from the airfilter

.....So I might be selling the intake ,I'm not spending any more money on this , for 5 or 10 hp

 

JCW may be different...but my first mod was DINAN's intake and I certainly noticed an improvement even before adding ECU, exhaust, etc.

Best of luck with the install.

 

I'm thinking the 2003 JCW package used up all the extra fueling capacity and with the JCW intake there is none extra available so I will need bigger injectors and computer upgrades. I don't think I'll go to that much trouble .So unless someone has a 2003 MCS JCW and went through what I'm going through and can convince me that just the intake will work by itself ,I'll resell it.

 

I am totally confused as to what your problem is. Generally installing a new intake does not necessitate a new ecu or ecu flash. There is no doubt that one wouldn't hurt but the airbox should be able to give you enough of a performance difference own it's own that it shouldn't be needed immediatly.

However in your sig it seems like you have the whole jcw kit. Idk im just totally confused. If you have other jcw stuff other then the just the airbox maybe the JCW guys are saying you need to get the full jcw kit installed to enjoy the full effect of the airbox. In which case they would be correct but the same could be said about almost any engine mod. For example. You get good resultes out of a sc pully but you won't realize the full extent of the resultes until you get a new head.

While this statement is true, it's one that is obviously true and could be used to sell more parts to gullible customers.

 

I'm a bit confused too
However, Paul Cooper did say I had to get the full upgrade . As my car is the 2003 JCW and did not have the intake, ECU reflash or bigger injectors the added air flow of the JCW intake overwhems the fuel system as the car sets now. Thats what I think he meant.

 

H'mmmm I guess I follow what he is saying now. You have the older jcw kit that comes w/out the airbox. You just bought the jcw airbox and the jcw guys are saying that you can't add the airbox because it will increase the incomming flow of air because you already have the jcw head, pully etc etc.

It seems plausible I guess as you see alot of people with bolt on's that are similar to teh full jcw kit and they have injectors and ecu reflashes. However it still seems some what unlikley that it would affect the a/f that much.

However you have to remember those jcw guys have horsepower to produce with very small tolerences to the bmw standard so the car can be warrenteed.

any one with more knowledge care to chime in on the issue?

 

JPMM, if you're not into the habit of redlining the car frequently, I'd say throw on the airbox. It doesn't give THAT much more air, and even if you do 'overwhelm the fuel system', it would only be at the highest RPMs when you're sucking the most air/burning the most fuel. Plenty of people have airbox/pulley/exhaust without running bigger injectors. Best to avoid running lean, though, so to be safe don't run much over 6K.
Quite honestly, I'd say spend the extra couple hundred and to the whole thing. After the price/install of the JCW kit, the airbox/injectors/programming are a drop in the bucket.

 

Like you were saying, I was thinking at 02% of the upper RPM's it might run out of fuel, but I rarely take it out that high, its got so much grunt its not necessary to ring its neck.I wish I didn't have travel 4hrs to a dealer ,I might spend some more money on the reflash and injectors.

 

Smells like BS to me. A CAI regardless of the manufacture will not result in "too much" air entering the combustion chamber, the supercharger and the valvetrain will see to that. Adding a CAI to your existing JCW kit (which should have included an ECU upgrade, reduction pulleyed SC, JCW re-worked head, etc) will add hp, pure and simple. If you have the uprated injectors to boot, count on some additional ponies.

 

Heres what Paul Cooper had to say this morning.
The standard injectors don’t cope very well with 210bhp although they are fine at 200bhp. The ECU calibration is then required due to the changes caused by fitting both the airfilter and injectors.

 

Well,I recieved the intake today,looks to be pretty well made, hope its all there. Should I or shouldn't I? No injectors or reflash ,just the box

 

JPMM,

How much are you asking for the JCW intake?

 

I would take $325 plus SHI ,if I decide that it won't work.

 

I'm leaning towards the install . It can't be that much difference, I'm not going to be floorboading the car at redline on the Bonneville saltflats Funny I used the word "lean"

 

You don't HAVE to get anything! The CAI doesn't really change the breathing that much, no ecu or anything else is needed. Way I read his comments is that if you 're going to the full 210 then you need the rest (duh!). The reason he's saying dealer install is the JCW ECU reflash is only available from the dealers! But that's not the only way to skin the cat...

Just throw the sucker on, and enjoy it.

Matt

PS, the only thing in the JCW kit that really needs an ECU flash are the injectors. If you don't tell the ECU they flow more gas, then the car will really run (more) rich...

 

Installed the intake just now, what a pain in the butt. If it wasn't for the NAM forum I would'nt have got it done. Did find some loose hose clamps, and the original air box has stripped screws.So getting into it wasn't all lost.Ca'nt tell too much diff, maybe at 4500rpm it sounds like its working ,its hard to tell. Way too much trouble for a little more sound and tiny power.Looks nice though. :impatient