2001-2006 (E46)

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

Prototype E46 intake ready for the dyno

E46 parts fitment

E46 parts mocked up in the engine bay

Do you see the weather stripping on top of the heat shield? That will seal right onto the bottom of the hood to create a barrier between the filter and the hot ambient temperatures in the engine bay.

Keep in mind that this is just a revised prototype from the version we showed in our last post. Here, the coupler is now wrapped in five layers of black silicone. The final product will look much more complete!

Results

Please note, our test car was outfitted with aftermarket headers, so results will certainly vary from vehicle to vehicle. Check out our data below!

E46 parts testing

Our intake really opens up the airflow to

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.

Aerial shot of the 330i engine bay

E46 intake stock system

Up close shot of E46 parts

Design and Fitment

We needed to be sure that everything would fit correctly if we planned to use our previous shield as a base design. See below for how we mocked up fitment of the heat shield.

Fitment of prototype E46 parts

Fitment of prototype E46 parts

We knew going into this project that the

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

As previously noted, we are using our 16" electric slim fan with this kit. This fan produces 1,850 CFM of air and has been used successfully in both our E46 M3 and E36 electric fan kits.

Mishimoto prototype E46 parts

Quite a sleek design!

Product Testing

The at-speed benefits of this shroud are undeniable, but we still need to conduct idle testing to ensure that our electric fan is up to the task of cooling the E46. To do so, we set up a long-duration idle test to evaluate the performance of our electric fan against the stock unit.

Testing Conditions

• Engine at Idle
• Hood closed to replicate on-road conditions

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 to produce greater airflow through the radiator core during at-speed driving. The reduced restriction (compared

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.

Stock E46 radiator hoses

The upper hose features two quick-connect ports that mate to the radiator expansion tank. In addition, this piece features a bleeder screw that makes removing

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

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 tank, hose connections, and mounting plate.

Stock BMW E46 expansion tank installed

After Dan managed to spill coolant all over the garage floor (thanks, Dan!), the stock tank and mounting plate were removed from the E46.

Stock E46 expansion tank removed from vehicle

Separating the tank from the mounting plate can be

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

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 as increased fluid capacity. We've increased coolant surface area by 18% over the stock radiator core.

BMW E46 radiator air surface area comparison

The chart above depicts air surface area, which is a measure of the area of the external cooling fins on the radiator. Air surface area is a big contributor to cooling efficiency and performance. You see,

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 E46 expansion tank

We designed five different CNC-machined pieces to attach to this tank. This allows for factory fitment with the variety of quick-disconnect fittings featured on the fan shroud plate and coolant lines.

Mishimoto prototype BMW E46 expansion tank CNC fitting

We went with a subtle logo design with the simple Mishimoto "M" stamped into the front of the tank. Very simple and quite nice looking.

The most complex feature on this tank is the lower CNC-machined quick-connect fittings that attach to the radiator fan shroud plate. The tank was designed to fit with both automatic and manual models.

Check out a few shots of this unique component!

Mishimoto prototype BMW performance

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

Mishimoto prototype BMW E46 radiator

Here's a look at the engine-facing side of this radiator.

Mishimoto prototype BMW E46 radiator

As you can see, we've included all the factory fan shroud mounting points and the inlet/outlet has been CNC-machined for a leak-free install with the stock quick-disconnect hoses.

Here is a close-up of the CNC component!

Mishimoto prototype BMW E46 radiator quick