Powerflex subframe bushes & latest dyno result...

[taxidriver]

M.O.T is due so I thought I'd get my subframe bushes done as the rear was feeling a bit loose.

I decdided to go for the Poweflex option as they last forever and I or anyone else would never have to worry about them again. I got them fitted at Bexley yesterday.

Drove it and it felt rock hard but not harsh. I was expecting it to be quite harsh, but its actually really good now, it is definately hard, but I can feel the suspension doing more of the work. Also the car seems to stay more horizontal while accelerating or braking. The noise level in the car seems about the same, maybe dB or 2 more road noise but nothing significant. The handling has been impoved about 5 times over, the car feels stiffer around bends and has a better turn in. Basicaly my car was tending to understeer before this, but now it feels much more neutral.

Overall I would recommend them, the payoff is greater than any drawbacks in my opinion.

Whilst I was at Bexley's I got the car dynoed

Last time it went for a dyno it produced about 166bhp and 154lb/ft torque, since then its had a BTB 6 branch manifold, ITG cone air filter and Zone chip, it put down 177bhp and 167lb/ft torque, really happy with this! Made my investments in these mods worthwhile.

Torque is low on my car but has been for a while, I need to look into this.

Anyone thinking of buying BTB or ITG stuff should find this info interesting.

Cheers

[BrAdZ]

Excellent! what engine do you have to be kicking out 177??

[taxidriver]

its the standard 2.5 m20 engine

[JAMZ]

Yea Torque seems very low m8..

I had my Dyno'd not so long ago and got 166BHP like yours but touched 200lb of torque..

what milege have you got?

[taxidriver]

its on about 144,000, do you have any ideas of why the torque might be low?

the car has been maintained properly, like timing belt, dizzy cap + rotor arm, oil, spark plugs, etc etc,

[Andy325i]

Not a bad result mate, was it just the subframe bushes you changed? The ones on the back of the front arms make a world of difference when changed with the powerflex ones (about Ԛ£30 in bits and easy to do)


Andy

[taxidriver]

yeah andy

i done those previously, they are a wicked mod, made steering and braking feel a lot better

im planning on getting uprated anti-roll bars soon, so I think most of the bushes will be polly.

and the best thing is you dont have to replace them again, which is so cool

[M5pilot]

Bexleys dyno reads a little low on the torque. Most 325i's go in there and make 160 lb.ft torque

Your car did feel alot more lively after the mods especially the 6 branch and ITG.

[NH325CAB]

How much and where from for these bushes?

Nick

[M5pilot]

Zone shop is where you can get them with quite big discounts.

Click on the Zone shop button n the menu at the top and click on Powerflex bushes on the Zone shop menu for prices.

[NH325CAB]

Cheers!
........and a relatively easy install?

[M5pilot]

Front ones are easy - back ones you'll need to take them to a garage.

[AndersLS]

Hey guys (nԚ´gals)...is it true, if you replace your old bushes with powerflex bushes, the you donԚ´t need to change them again?

Sounds pretty fantastic......what would a full set(all the way around) cost?

Anders.

[taxidriver]

taken from powerflex website...

How much do they cost?
Typically about 5 to 8 times the cost of a standard rubber bush. However that is not the whole story. When you consider the cost of fitting new bushes and the fact that POWERFLEX will be the last bushes you ever fit to your car things start to look a bit better. Then consider tyre wear, a real cost saving here. Car manufacturers have a habit of not supplying the bushes on their own, only supplying them complete with suspension arms. Paying Ԛ£70 for an arm when a POWERFLEX bush might cost Ԛ£15 is not a good idea. And finally as cars get older manufacturers stop supplying certain parts. Imagine your car was off the road because of a bush failure. You go to the parts shop and the part is "no longer serviced"! POWERFLEX makes a lot of sense then.

here is the link - http://www.powerflex.co.uk/faq.asp

[AndersLS]

Thanks taxidriver......savinԚ´up for Ԛ´em!

[Andy325i]

Hey guys (nԚ´gals)...is it true, if you replace your old bushes with powerflex bushes, the you donԚ´t need to change them again?

Sounds pretty fantastic......what would a full set(all the way around) cost?

Anders.

I replaced my bushes on the back of the front arms with standard ones. Less than 3 months later they were knackered again, thats when I choose the poweflex ones. That was four years ago and they are still spot on. I have also changed the subframe bushes for the powerflex ones too.

Andy

[M5pilot]

My E30 has Powerflex Subframe and control arm bushes aswell - its just nice to know you dont have to worry about them again.

My M5 is gettting a full set aswell.

[NH325CAB]

still unsure about these... what does a "full set" comprise of, so i can price it up?

[darkslider]

HaHa I thought this post was going to say you managed to make more power on a dyno after fitting just powerflex bushes. Then again unless you owned a dyno didn't think you'd be doing a power run after fitting those. Are BMW's figures optimistic then as they rate the 2.5 at 177 brake or is that turning no ancillaries or something. I know all dyno's vary were your figures at the flywheel,hubs or wheels?

[M5pilot]

I wish Powerflex would add to power!

Taxi driver's car has only ever been on one dyno - Bexleys.

Made 165 odd first time round and after fitting the mods made 177.

On the dyno days at bexleys most 325i's make inbetween 160 and 168 bhp. the 170+ mark was only really made by early chrome bumper cars. They have higher compression engines.

[oze30]

taxi.. how much was it for bexleys to do? did they suplpy and fit?

[taxidriver]

oz,

i bought the bushes from the zone shop (link - http://www.xsperformance.co.uk/e30zone/ ... a4c20c3417

Sal got them delivered to Bexleys by next day but I went a week later and got them fitted for Ԛ£99+vat and took about 3 hours to do.

after a few days of driving with them, they have softened up a bit and now the car feels really nice, a much more predictable rear end and the ride has improved so much.

i went and got new springs and shocks for the rear about 2 years ago, but only now is the car handling properly, thats how important these bushes are.

[thesaint]

for genuine bmw carrier bushes that just bought before reading this post where Ԛ£19 each. so Ԛ£53 for a pair of power flex makes sense, not much more at all