Ad: Spool Helix HPFP overdrive Kit

MoistNapkin

Corporal
May 25, 2019
104
89
0
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08 135i
Update here:
Within about 4 hours of my post Kendra emailed me with an update regarding the brackets, and hard line. Once again it just shows that they indeed care about what's going on.
Right now the bracket's are available on their site. Just like the Billet vac plate you purchase the bracket, then add your previous Order # that correlates with your Overdrive Purchase in the comments section.👍
 
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diolev

Lurker
Dec 20, 2019
12
5
0
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09 335i
Update here:
Within about 4 hours of my post Kendra emailed me with an update regarding the brackets, and hard line. Once again it just shows that they indeed care about what's going on.
Right now the bracket's are available on their site. Just like the Billet vac plate you purchase the bracket, then add your previous Order # that correlates with your Overdrive Purchase in the comments section.👍
What is the purpose of stating your previous purchase order?
 

Torgus

Brigadier General
Nov 6, 2016
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ACF 6466 E92 + METH
So that you receive a refund for the new product (you only pay for shipping).

Honestly, that is very fair. Many other product launches on the n54 platform have been significantly worse, if not a dumpster fire of ineptitude. I can elaborate.

They are at least trying to make things right for the customer and not charging them more, while taking a hit on their expected margins. Now they need to supply a billet mount, a brace, and it sounds like a HPFP hard line? All eats in to their cost and expected profit.
 

fmorelli

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Staff member
Aug 11, 2017
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Yes, and by doing things the right way will help them sell larger volumes to hopefully make up some profits.
Not a knock on spool but speaking generally - one is ALWAYS going to pay for a lack of testing. The hard part: at-scale, and long time/duty cycle is elusive to most manufacturers even when large. This is also why design is most always best in small incremental advancements - to reduce the likelihood of being bitten by assumptions. The more off the reservation of the well-known, the greater the risk and significantly so. Just another life paradox.

I have seen everything to include small formulation changes in materials on subcomponents have a HUGE catastrophic result on much larger systems. Oh wait ... Bosch CP4!

Filippo
 

martymil

Major General
Sep 6, 2017
3,331
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Down Under
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S65 1m
Let's not hail the fix is done, far more long term testing needs to be done.

Once the current possible fix is applied to the customers who already have the helix and it has been tested across multiple different setups/platforms and thousands of miles will it prove if it works.
 
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Panzerfaust

Lieutenant
Jul 3, 2018
637
438
0
Chicago
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E92 335i
Just as an update for those who don't frequent the FB pages where Spool is more active - they've been shipping out the brackets now, and quite honestly they seem like solid pieces. I ordered mine within a few hours of them going online and received the bracket (and billet vac pump cover) in less than 48 hours.

I still havent had any issues with my Helix Fury after the last several months and thousands of miles. From my talks with Ajay it sounds like the fractures are mostly limited to the 3x OD, whether that's due to the higher amount out there or the different vibration frequencies I have no idea but I'm still not terribly worried personally and I'm inclined to believe their thoughts that the "failures" are still because of BMW's castings, not directly the Helix. I just returned to a snowy Chicago after two weeks in Peru so I'm certainly not in a hurry to put the bracket and pump cover on right now, but I will be doing so once a warm day hits for peace of mind.
20200127_150055.jpg
 
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AUbeast86

Sergeant
Nov 6, 2016
302
298
0
New Market, AL
Ride
335i e92 6MT
Just as an update for those who don't frequent the FB pages where Spool is more active - they've been shipping out the brackets now, and quite honestly they seem like solid pieces. I ordered mine within a few hours of them going online and received the bracket (and billet vac pump cover) in less than 48 hours.

I still havent had any issues with my Helix Fury after the last several months and thousands of miles. From my talks with Ajay it sounds like the fractures are limited to the 3x OD, whether that's due to the higher amount out there or the different vibration frequencies I have no idea but I'm still not terribly worried personally and I'm inclined to believe their thoughts that the "failures" are still because of BMW's castings, not directly the Helix. I just returned to a snowy Chicago after two weeks in Peru so I'm certainly not in a hurry to put the bracket and pump cover on right now, but I will be doing so once a warm day hits for peace of mind.
View attachment 34757

Interesting. I was told they were all almost exclusively failing on the 4x drives
 

diolev

Lurker
Dec 20, 2019
12
5
0
Ride
09 335i
I had to drill my holes more and slightly slot them, along with grinding the back. It wouldn't fit at all. Yours might be different.
 
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AUbeast86

Sergeant
Nov 6, 2016
302
298
0
New Market, AL
Ride
335i e92 6MT
Hmm, I could have it backwards I suppose but I thought at the time of my conversation there was only one 4x, and 2 or 3 3x that had cracked.

Funny. That's the exact opposite of what Ajay told me. As of 12/10/19, there had been only one 4x and zero 3x to cause vacuum pump housing cracks.
 

AUbeast86

Sergeant
Nov 6, 2016
302
298
0
New Market, AL
Ride
335i e92 6MT
I had to drill my holes more and slightly slot them, along with grinding the back. It wouldn't fit at all. Yours might be different.

Weird. I had machined one myself based off a model he sent me and had to do the same exact thing to it but then I also ordered one of his new ones and it bolted right up last night with no modifications necessary although fitment was very tight..

1580235553826.png
 
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Panzerfaust

Lieutenant
Jul 3, 2018
637
438
0
Chicago
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E92 335i
Weird. I had machined one myself based off a model he sent me and had to do the same exact thing to it but then I also ordered one of his new ones and it bolted right up last night with no modifications necessary although fitment was very tight..

View attachment 34759
That's good to hear, even if it's a tight fit. I have a lot of faith in Spool that they're shipping products that fit - considering they're sending these out for free to people who've already purchased the Helix first and the fact that they've taken their time (even if it's to some people's chagrin) to make sure things are right before offering them. IMO they've put themselves in the top tier of N54 vendors just based on customer service and support, let alone the excellent products.
 
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V8bait

Lieutenant
Nov 2, 2016
500
773
0
Texas
There's been multiple failures I'm aware of, though I only know of one vacuum pump assembly failure on a 4x. The cover is another story. I think these changes should address them, at least I hope they do, and I'm encouraged by the customer service. I like that the helix is something new, and I like that spool is stepping up to address the issues. It's harder to innovate than to copy others, and I think they did this very well all things considered.

Time will tell for longevity, but I think that they're on the right path here. It took a while to perfect shotguns too, and now they're holding up great, so if these fixes prove to hold it should be a great product.
 

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
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2009 E93 335i
There's been multiple failures I'm aware of, though I only know of one vacuum pump assembly failure on a 4x. The cover is another story. I think these changes should address them, at least I hope they do, and I'm encouraged by the customer service. I like that the helix is something new, and I like that spool is stepping up to address the issues. It's harder to innovate than to copy others, and I think they did this very well all things considered.

Time will tell for longevity, but I think that they're on the right path here. It took a while to perfect shotguns too, and now they're holding up great, so if these fixes prove to hold it should be a great product.

Something actually arrives in the mail. That alone is an improvement, sadly.
 
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Silent11

Corporal
Oct 31, 2018
124
86
0
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2007 Bmw 335i
my friend has the 3x and it has cracked the vacuum pump, he installed the bracket 2 days ago and its been running good for the past 2 days with no issues. Hitting 30 psi on stock turbos :) how long will the turbos last you ask ?? we will have to wait and see :)
 
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doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
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my friend has the 3x and it has cracked the vacuum pump, he installed the bracket 2 days ago and its been running good for the past 2 days with no issues. Hitting 30 psi on stock turbos :) how long will the turbos last you ask ?? we will have to wait and see :)

Was he running the chatter fix?