Magnaflow cat serious fitment issue!!!
I bought the Magnaflow “1988-1991 BMW 325iX Magnaflow Catalytic Converter –M662355431) for my iX of course.
I was told that it was a nice unit and pretty much bolts right in. Well – I am very unhappy with it and do not know what to do. Should I try and make it work or should I get my money back and look elsewhere.
The cat looks like it was designed to fit.
The problem is that … well… there is a a problem with all 3 items.
And now not a direct Magnaflow issue but it was caused by the poor fitment: I managed to wreck the thread on the header exhaust studs which eventually stripped the threads on all but two and I also broke one stud in half when trying to remove a stripped/stuck nut from it!! Tonight I will have to remove the headed and try to salvage it…
WHAT A PAIN!!!
I already spent over 3 hours dealing with the above and now looking at another who knows how many hours more to deal with something that should have bolted up in about an hour!!!
Now what do I do?
Do I call Magnaflow and demand my money back or should I try and re-drill and or die grind the holes on the flanges to allow them to bolt up?
I was told that it was a nice unit and pretty much bolts right in. Well – I am very unhappy with it and do not know what to do. Should I try and make it work or should I get my money back and look elsewhere.
The cat looks like it was designed to fit.
- It has two flanges that are the right size for the header flanges and the flex joint on one downpipe.
- It narrows to one inlet just before the cat but than it splits into two outlets to fit the factory muffler and
- It has the mounting tab for the transmission mount.
The problem is that … well… there is a a problem with all 3 items.
- The flanges are indexed wrong. If I slide one flange on the other will sit ½ inch off. Even if I persuade it by prying (utilizing the flex joint’s give) to go on the holes are not lining up. As if the flange was welded with a few degree rotation error.
- I already fixed that problem. It looked like the welding heat warped the alignment of the parallel dual pipes. They were not true and parallel. Thee end was off about ¼ inch so the dual pipes were miffing the dual inlets on the factory muffler side. I managed to bend them so they now fit…
- I haven’t even got there yet because I was still unable to conquer the issue #1 but it’s clear the tab is of a different shape and orientation than stock.
And now not a direct Magnaflow issue but it was caused by the poor fitment: I managed to wreck the thread on the header exhaust studs which eventually stripped the threads on all but two and I also broke one stud in half when trying to remove a stripped/stuck nut from it!! Tonight I will have to remove the headed and try to salvage it…
WHAT A PAIN!!!
I already spent over 3 hours dealing with the above and now looking at another who knows how many hours more to deal with something that should have bolted up in about an hour!!!
Now what do I do?
Do I call Magnaflow and demand my money back or should I try and re-drill and or die grind the holes on the flanges to allow them to bolt up?
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