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545 Manual Trans Performance Improvements - Dinan Differential?

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Old 11-25-2006, 09:10 AM
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I just sold my 02 M3 Dinan S and bought a 545i with a manual transmission. My M3 was a manual and it was clearly quicker 0-60 than the SMG.

As I look at 545i 0-60 times for manual, SMG and step transmissions, it seems that given the Dinan differential swap to 3.45, my manual could theoretically produce 0-60 times in the 4.7 or 4.8 range, depending on shifting dexterity.

Has anyone done this? If so what were your results?
Old 11-25-2006, 09:15 AM
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There have been a lot of talk about swapping out the stock diff for a Dinan diff. So far, no one I know has done it here. Yes, I do believe that you can indeed achieve the times you mention b/c some folks with 545 Steps are achieving 4.9s on a regular basis.
Old 11-25-2006, 09:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Tulsa545' post='360485' date='Nov 25 2006, 11:10 AM
I just sold my 02 M3 Dinan S and bought a 545i with a manual transmission. My M3 was a manual and it was clearly quicker 0-60 than the SMG.

As I look at 545i 0-60 times for manual, SMG and step transmissions, it seems that given the Dinan differential swap to 3.45, my manual could theoretically produce 0-60 times in the 4.7 or 4.8 range, depending on shifting dexterity.

Has anyone done this? If so what were your results?
I am too lazy to calculate now. But, the rear-end swap is the best and the only mod I would do on either a manual or an SMG 545i. I don't understand your reference to the SMG above. It should be little, if any, faster than a manual; it would depend primarily on how good the manual driver is. No good, then SMG wins. Good, well, then, I would bet on the manual, but it's hard to say.
Old 11-25-2006, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by vegastrashed' post='360486' date='Nov 25 2006, 11:15 AM
There have been a lot of talk about swapping out the stock diff for a Dinan diff. So far, no one I know has done it here. Yes, I do believe that you can indeed achieve the times you mention b/c some folks with 545 Steps are achieving 4.9s on a regular basis.
You know, I trust grogan545's times because they are "raw" scores and he has calibrated his meter at the strip. I generally don't act like it, but I have a little trepidation about mine because of the large altitude adjustment. You mentioned driving your car the next time you come to Phoenix, and I have to admit that I wouldn't want you to burst my bubble if my car really isn't as fast as it appears to be. And, I haven't been able to start the re-learning process since my update to 23.01 because of my broken ankle--i.e., I can't brake torque yet , but mainly I haven't felt like going out at 2:00 to 4:00 a.m. as I always do.
Old 11-25-2006, 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Tulsa545' post='360485' date='Nov 25 2006, 11:10 AM
I just sold my 02 M3 Dinan S and bought a 545i with a manual transmission. My M3 was a manual and it was clearly quicker 0-60 than the SMG.
Oh, and welcome. We lived in Tulsa from 83 - 92. It's a wonderful town; the US's best kept place-to-live secret--if you can bear a modest amount of real winter.
Old 11-25-2006, 10:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' post='359078' date='Nov 21 2006, 06:24 PM
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Old 11-25-2006, 10:42 AM
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Welcome. Yes I too believe it would help in your acceleration times but you'll lose top end speed in each gear. meaning right now if you're at 6000 RPMS in second at 60mph with the new rear diff you might be over redline and have to be in 3rd...



Originally Posted by Znod' post='360500' date='Nov 25 2006, 10:55 AM
I don't understand your reference to the SMG above. It should be little, if any, faster than a manual; it would depend primarily on how good the manual driver is. No good, then SMG wins. Good, well, then, I would bet on the manual, but it's hard to say.

I think he means launching... starting the car from a stop. 0 to 60. the SMG tranny isnt the best for that... you cant control the clutch so you cant pre-rev the engine to optimize your launch. but on a roll SMG is hard to beat.
Old 11-25-2006, 10:52 AM
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The M3 observation on a manual being quicker (from a dig) than an SMG is well documented - see m3forum.com - but the only reason I referenced it was that I was expecting the same thing with my new E60 - which doesn't seem to be true.

I am also suprised by the gearing differences between the steptronic and the SMG/Manual - was that the case with the E39 or did they have the same gearing?

In any case, for me at least, faster is better. The M5 was a little out of range (although coming down fast), but I would like to be a little faster than the other 545/550 out there.

I'm really glad to have found this forum and appreciate that there are some 4 door performance guys around. I hope to hear from someone who has bought the diff as I'm sure Dinan has sold at least a couple...
Old 11-25-2006, 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by EBMCS03' post='360519' date='Nov 25 2006, 12:42 PM
Welcome. Yes I too believe it would help in your acceleration times but you'll lose top end speed in each gear. meaning right now if you're at 6000 RPMS in second at 60mph with the new rear diff you might be over redline and have to be in 3rd...
I think he means launching... starting the car from a stop. 0 to 60. the SMG tranny isnt the best for that... you cant control the clutch so you cant pre-rev the engine to optimize your launch. but on a roll SMG is hard to beat.
He wouldn't necessarily lose over-all top end, and I think that he definitely wouldn't lose governed top end. He would be making 6th gear more useful. For example, some cars are faster top end in 4th rather than 5th.
Old 11-25-2006, 11:35 AM
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Originally Posted by Tulsa545' post='360522' date='Nov 25 2006, 12:52 PM
The M3 observation on a manual being quicker (from a dig) than an SMG is well documented - see m3forum.com - but the only reason I referenced it was that I was expecting the same thing with my new E60 - which doesn't seem to be true.

I am also suprised by the gearing differences between the steptronic and the SMG/Manual - was that the case with the E39 or did they have the same gearing?

In any case, for me at least, faster is better. The M5 was a little out of range (although coming down fast), but I would like to be a little faster than the other 545/550 out there.

I'm really glad to have found this forum and appreciate that there are some 4 door performance guys around. I hope to hear from someone who has bought the diff as I'm sure Dinan has sold at least a couple...
We are glad you found it too. Yep, there are some pretty hard-core performance guys and one gal here. And, a great many are interested although not hard core. You might want to participate in the polls near the top of this page.


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