Performance Upgrades

[silverydragon72]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought id put in what I did with my 2017 continental BL 3.0L incase anyone is interested. Been working on these small changes over the last couple of years as I really like the vehicle and don't plan on replacing it anytime soon since they discontinued making cars.

1. Replaced the terrible intercooler with a ultimate performance Garrett core intercooler
2. Replaced the stock Air intake system with a slightly modified Steeda CAI
3. Livernoise 91 tune (do 93 occasionally but as I live in CA I have to put race gas in to get to 93 which is not convenient for daily driving)
4. Replaced the stock BPV with a Go faster bits diverter valve plus 9358
5. Replaced the rear motor mount with a stronger one from ultimate performance
6. (in progress) Ordered an upgraded throttle body bbk 1894 65mm waiting for it to arrive
7. Put Michelin sport 4s tires on it over the stock ones it came with

So far I have enjoyed all the performance modifications and has given it a good performance boost over stock. Looking forward to the new TB when it arrives but it is taking forever. Also did try to replace the exhaust system but went back to stock as it just was far too loud and too much vibration for my liking. My goal was to give added performance without ruining the luxury feel, ride, and daily driving of the vehicle.

 

[MarkX]

That must be fun. No Garrett turbocharger?

 

[silverydragon72]

That must be fun. No Garrett turbocharger?

Yes it is pretty fun overall. No haven't touched the turbos as of yet just the transmission and engine tune. That is probably the next thing to do if I want some more power.

 

[3.0AWDReserve]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought id put in what I did with my 2017 continental BL 3.0L incase anyone is interested. Been working on these small changes over the last couple of years as I really like the vehicle and don't plan on replacing it anytime soon since they discontinued making cars.

1. Replaced the terrible intercooler with a ultimate performance Garrett core intercooler
2. Replaced the stock Air intake system with a slightly modified Steeda CAI
3. Livernoise 91 tune (do 93 occasionally but as I live in CA I have to put race gas in to get to 93 which is not convenient for daily driving)
4. Replaced the stock BPV with a Go faster bits diverter valve plus 9358
5. Replaced the rear motor mount with a stronger one from ultimate performance
6. (in progress) Ordered an upgraded throttle body bbk 1894 65mm waiting for it to arrive
7. Put Michelin sport 4s tires on it over the stock ones it came with

So far I have enjoyed all the performance modifications and has given it a good performance boost over stock. Looking forward to the new TB when it arrives but it is taking forever. Also did try to replace the exhaust system but went back to stock as it just was far too loud and too much vibration for my liking. My goal was to give added performance without ruining the luxury feel, ride, and daily driving of the vehicle.

Would you be willing to upload pictures of your Steeda install? I have the same 2.7L Fusion Steeda kit, and I am looking to install it to my 3.0L Continental. But I am not sure exactly how to start.

Also was the UP intercooler an exact fit when you put it in? I have mine being delivered this week! Very excited!

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[silverydragon72]

Sure let me take some pictures tomorrow. So a couple notes that I had to do to make it fit. 1st was I had to get a smaller battery that was still the larger capacity and move the tray to the back. I also had to cut into the steeda kit to allow the hood lifter to fit as otherwise it hits. Once I upload the picture it will make it clearer. For the intercooler is was pretty simple. Basically just dropped the old one and put the new one directly were the old one was. I would highly recommend you upgrade the BPV as well if you are doing those changes.

 

[silverydragon72]

Pictures of the CAI

 

[MarkX]

At the least, I'll bet the car SOUNDS better...

 

[silverydragon72]

At the least, I'll bet the car SOUNDS better...

yes it does improve the induction noise which is nice.

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[yankeeysrule319]

yes it does improve the induction noise which is nice.

Which steeda cold air intake did you use and what modifications were required? This looks amazing!

 

[silverydragon72]

Which steeda cold air intake did you use and what modifications were required? This looks amazing!

I used the one for the fusion sport. Requires a little modification, a smaller battery, and to move it back a little but definitely the best upgrade you can make as the standard heat soaks like crazy.

Steeda Fusion Twin Turbo 2.7L EcoBoost Cold Air Intake Kit (17-20 Sport)

Steeda's Cold Air Intake for the Fusion Twin Turbo 2.7L EcoBoost fits 2017-2020 Sport is designed to cool to ambient temperature range significantly fast, producing more power, torque, & better gas mileage. This CAI is in-house CAD designed

www.steeda.com

 

[NicTLg]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought id put in what I did with my 2017 continental BL 3.0L incase anyone is interested. Been working on these small changes over the last couple of years as I really like the vehicle and don't plan on replacing it anytime soon since they discontinued making cars.

1. Replaced the terrible intercooler with a ultimate performance Garrett core intercooler
2. Replaced the stock Air intake system with a slightly modified Steeda CAI
3. Livernoise 91 tune (do 93 occasionally but as I live in CA I have to put race gas in to get to 93 which is not convenient for daily driving)
4. Replaced the stock BPV with a Go faster bits diverter valve plus 9358
5. Replaced the rear motor mount with a stronger one from ultimate performance
6. (in progress) Ordered an upgraded throttle body bbk 1894 65mm waiting for it to arrive
7. Put Michelin sport 4s tires on it over the stock ones it came with

So far I have enjoyed all the performance modifications and has given it a good performance boost over stock. Looking forward to the new TB when it arrives but it is taking forever. Also did try to replace the exhaust system but went back to stock as it just was far too loud and too much vibration for my liking. My goal was to give added performance without ruining the luxury feel, ride, and daily driving of the vehicle.

Do you remember the part number for the Garret Intercooler you purchased? I'm in Southern California, and it gets pretty hot here. Keeping this beast cooler would definitely boost the performance and protect the engine. I'm using a Livernois tune and K&N filter at the moment, but considering other options to help open up the power.

 

[silverydragon72]

Do you remember the part number for the Garret Intercooler you purchased? I'm in Southern California, and it gets pretty hot here. Keeping this beast cooler would definitely boost the performance and protect the engine. I'm using a Livernois tune and K&N filter at the moment, but considering other options to help open up the power.

Id upgrade the BPV if you do get the intercooler. I got the one below in the conti. Also if you haven't already its not a bad idea to replace the rear motor mount with a better one as it helps with launches. I technically still have an extra rear motor mount in my garage that I no longer need as I ended up replacing my vehicle with something with a bit more power.

17+ Ford Fusion Sport/Lincoln MKZ 3.0T Front Mount Intercooler (Core selection: Garrett core)

We offer a variety of performance parts for your vehicle, including custom auto parts and sports intercoolers.

ultimateperformancenm.com

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[NicTLg]

Id upgrade the BPV if you do get the intercooler. I got the one below in the conti. Also if you haven't already its not a bad idea to replace the rear motor mount with a better one as it helps with launches. I technically still have an extra rear motor mount in my garage that I no longer need as I ended up replacing my vehicle with something with a bit more power.

17+ Ford Fusion Sport/Lincoln MKZ 3.0T Front Mount Intercooler (Core selection: Garrett core)

We offer a variety of performance parts for your vehicle, including custom auto parts and sports intercoolers.

ultimateperformancenm.com

Thanks for the info. You got rid of your Conti? I love this car! I get compliments everywhere I go.

 

[silverydragon72]

Thanks for the info. You got rid of your Conti? I love this car! I get compliments everywhere I go.

Yup it was a great car but decided to get a fairly comfortable twin turbo V8 sedan instead before they stop building them.

 

[NicTLg]

Yup it was a great car but decided to get a fairly comfortable twin turbo V8 sedan instead before they stop building them.

Yup it was a great car but decided to get a fairly comfortable twin turbo V8 sedan instead before they stop building them.

That isn't your daily driver, is it? MPG must be single digits, haha. 400HP (or more with mods) from a twin Turbo V6 is perfect, I think. So much pull, but still decent gas mileage if driven more conservatively.

What did you get, Audi?

 

[silverydragon72]

That isn't your daily driver, is it? MPG must be single digits, haha. 400HP (or more with mods) from a twin Turbo V6 is perfect, I think. So much pull, but still decent gas mileage if driven more conservatively.

What did you get, Audi?

Yes its my daily and ironically I get about the same I got as on the conti unless I really get into it. Normally im anywhere from 23-25mpg. If I get on it on some of the back roads it drops to 21. I have a BMW M550i

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[Incoln Own]

Yup it was a great car but decided to get a fairly comfortable twin turbo V8 sedan instead before they stop building them.

Out of curiosity did you ever dyno your Conti before you traded to the BMW? Or get a good number on your 0-60 time? Considering performance upgrades on the Conti once I find one to purchase...

Also, do you have any regrets trading to the BMW, or miss your Conti at all?

 

[tgara]

I added aftermarket valve stem caps. Does that count?

 

[silverydragon72]

Out of curiosity did you ever dyno your Conti before you traded to the BMW? Or get a good number on your 0-60 time? Considering performance upgrades on the Conti once I find one to purchase...

Also, do you have any regrets trading to the BMW, or miss your Conti at all?

Never did a dyno. However the 0-60 times on the conti that I got were around 4.7 or so on average according to an app I used with 93 octane. Sometimes I got it into the 4.3-4.5 range if it was ideal and cold on the more aggressive tune but you loose some of that when its hot. Now saying that launching the conti is not easy when tuned unless you replace the motor mount as the default one is far too soft. You can definitely make it a much better daily driver with some power with a tune and performance upgrades.

In terms of regrets/differences I will state that here:
Comfort:
BMW M550 with run flat 20in rims 8/10
BL conti with performance Michelins 10/10
Standard vehicle in my opinion: 3/10

Performance:
BMW M550: far superior in terms of performance even in hot weather. No tuning required its a great out of the box beast in sport plus mode. Far faster than the Conti and potentially even a little too fast for street use. Transmission is far superior to the Conti as well same with handling.
BL Conti: easily enough power for most as a comfortable daily driver especially when tuned but very much biased towards comfort. Transmission is probably the worst part but tuning makes it much better in my opinion.

Interior:
Id say the quality is on par with both inside but the conti definitely in my opinion looks better. Outside is a mix of who you talk to. I got plenty of complements with both.
BMW M550: Better infotainment system, larger display, better speed/tach, and built in wireless android auto but terrible speakers so much so that I ended up having a shop replace them with better aftermarket ones to make it acceptable to me. Upgraded seats are comfortable but id give them a 8/10 and the a/c seats are not as good as the conti.
BL Conti: Far better speakers especially with the Revel Ultima. Probably one of the best speaker systems you can get. Even after the aftermarket additions the conti speakers are still better. 30 way seats are a 10/10 and I'm reminded of that every time i get into my wifes aviator. A/C seats are also superior on the conti.

Summary: The Conti is far better from a comfort and audio perspective. Doing performance upgrades will definitely make it better but you do get "use to it". Great car and very capable in terms of performance, comfort, and handling. So overall id say its more biased towards comfort overall which makes sense. The M550 is more of an in the middle between comfort and performance. You never get use to the amount of power it can put down in sport plus in my opinion, it handles insanely well around tight bends, its noticeably faster than the conti/most cars, and sounds way better. Its more of the I want a v8 in a 4 door sedan but I still want to be comfortable compromise. Overall its a great car but it really depends on how much performance you want, if you want the v8 soundtrack, don't mind the cost, and if you are ok with giving up some comfort for it. Its still a very comfortable car just not as comfortable as a Lincoln. Hope that helps for me it was all about the handling, transmission, and v8 but I still wanted to be comfortable as I commute to work. To be honest in the BMW you wouldn't notice its a v8 on the inside from a harshness or vibration perspective. You do however notice it when you put your foot down and you hear that sound which is just great and its AWD which was a requirement for me.

 

[Incoln Own]

Never did a dyno. However the 0-60 times on the conti that I got were around 4.7 or so on average according to an app I used with 93 octane. Sometimes I got it into the 4.3-4.5 range if it was ideal and cold on the more aggressive tune but you loose some of that when its hot. Now saying that launching the conti is not easy when tuned unless you replace the motor mount as the default one is far too soft. You can definitely make it a much better daily driver with some power with a tune and performance upgrades.

In terms of regrets/differences I will state that here:
Comfort:
BMW M550 with run flat 20in rims 8/10
BL conti with performance Michelins 10/10
Standard vehicle in my opinion: 3/10

Performance:
BMW M550: far superior in terms of performance even in hot weather. No tuning required its a great out of the box beast in sport plus mode. Far faster than the Conti and potentially even a little too fast for street use. Transmission is far superior to the Conti as well same with handling.
BL Conti: easily enough power for most as a comfortable daily driver especially when tuned but very much biased towards comfort. Transmission is probably the worst part but tuning makes it much better in my opinion.

Interior:
Id say the quality is on par with both inside but the conti definitely in my opinion looks better. Outside is a mix of who you talk to. I got plenty of complements with both.
BMW M550: Better infotainment system, larger display, better speed/tach, and built in wireless android auto but terrible speakers so much so that I ended up having a shop replace them with better aftermarket ones to make it acceptable to me. Upgraded seats are comfortable but id give them a 8/10 and the a/c seats are not as good as the conti.
BL Conti: Far better speakers especially with the Revel Ultima. Probably one of the best speaker systems you can get. Even after the aftermarket additions the conti speakers are still better. 30 way seats are a 10/10 and I'm reminded of that every time i get into my wifes aviator. A/C seats are also superior on the conti.

Summary: The Conti is far better from a comfort and audio perspective. Doing performance upgrades will definitely make it better but you do get "use to it". Great car and very capable in terms of performance, comfort, and handling. So overall id say its more biased towards comfort overall which makes sense. The M550 is more of an in the middle between comfort and performance. You never get use to the amount of power it can put down in sport plus in my opinion, it handles insanely well around tight bends, its noticeably faster than the conti/most cars, and sounds way better. Its more of the I want a v8 in a 4 door sedan but I still want to be comfortable compromise. Overall its a great car but it really depends on how much performance you want, if you want the v8 soundtrack, don't mind the cost, and if you are ok with giving up some comfort for it. Its still a very comfortable car just not as comfortable as a Lincoln. Hope that helps for me it was all about the handling, transmission, and v8 but I still wanted to be comfortable as I commute to work. To be honest in the BMW you wouldn't notice its a v8 on the inside from a harshness or vibration perspective. You do however notice it when you put your foot down and you hear that sound which is just great and its AWD which was a requirement for me.

Very well put. While I do value performance, coming from a Town Car I'm pretty sure I'll find the Conti with the 3.0 plenty fast. Honestly I would love to move into another v8 but none of my daily driving will even take me onto a highway to really take advantage of that. Also living in upstate New York, the roads can be slick enough that really getting on it can be a costly decision to put it mildly.

What I really found interesting was your assessment of the Revel Ultima, that is an absolutely great thing to hear. I've always replaced the speakers in my cars, to not have to do that with the Conti will be a money saver for sure.

While the BMW does sound nice, my big drive for wanting a Lincoln is the fact that a dealership is within 5 minutes of my house, nearest BMW dealer is an hour and a half away.