It made a HUGE difference!!! I would hate to guess numbers, but I'm thinking anywhere in the area of 25-30rwhp (not to mention I turned the boost controller up to 10psi.... only been running 8psi this whole time.. oops)
Breaking the tires loose is NO PROBLEM anymore. First gear you slam it and those tires will whip out from under you quick as a bisquit.
The turbo itself is also much more audible, before you could never really tell I had a turbo if you were riding next to me when I was boosting -- now you hear a nice audible spin
In first and second I still don't make too much boost -- enough to make some crazy power -- but I think that's the problem with the stupid 745i wastegate. Otherwise spooling times in the other gears has greatly dropped by about 200-300rpms. Full boost comes around 2900 RPM. Making boost after shifting is almost instantaneous now -- instead of another slow creep.
I also checked the hot side of the turbo when the exhaust was off. After almost 30,000 miles (in not even 1 year!!!) the turbo has absolutely no shaft play in any direction -- it's just as stiff as when I got it! I was quite happy with that.
I really want to take the car to the track now -- I'm guessing it would run reaaaaaaally low 14 seconds.... maybe not into 13's (e28=always slow off the line). I really want to do an in-car camera shot of the car accelerating to 90 or so. Getting up to 80mph takes almost no time at all! Arg!
