Side exit exhaust.

[MR 325]

My reasons for doing a side exit are: Less weight because of less piping having to be used, cheaper, always liked the look of a side exit exhaust, and it's annoying to have to remove the exhaust everytime the tranny or driveshaft has to be removed. I know a lot of people won't like it, but I'm not really concerned too much about others liking it. Just wondering if anyone had some ideas for hanging it?

You're going to save so much weight with 3 foot less of piping, damn, what a great idea

[screamingbmwe30]

omfg mr325youso mean

[SA E30]

Waste of Time !

One thing I want to know is how u gonna keep the Back Pressure ? Only ever seen a Turbo or Superchared Car with this setup, cause they don't need backpressure to operate... also that is going to be unbearably loud

[Operator62]

You're going to save so much weight with 3 foot less of piping, damn, what a great idea

Hey asshole. I didn't say I was going to save a lot of weight, but there will be less weight nonetheless. It doesn't matter how much. I honestly don't see why so many of you people are so skeptical about this. You are all so set in your ways that anything out of the ordinary is stupid and unrealistic just because you don't have the balls to be an individual. As for all you guys talking about the damn backpressure need to calm down. There will be turboing down the road so I'm not going to make two different exhaust systems for the car.

Now if anyone here with some common decency for a fellow BMW enthusiast would like to help me find somewhere that I can buy some flanges to bolt to the '89 735i manifolds I would be greatly appreciative.

[Operator62]

Nooo. That's not what he's saying.

Since this is something that not many e30 guys do, and involves fabricating hangers and bending pipes, it involves a level of complexity that can result in a high frustration factor. Unless you are a competent welder and have metal cutting and bending tools or unlimited time to pfutz around, this is a job best left to someone who does it all the time.

The biggest problem with side exit is noises associated with pipes touching the body anywhere. You also have to allow for expansion with the mounting system or the welds won't hold. Also, having pipes so close to the ground on a lowered car risks crushed pipes.

I don't understand the rationale of "it takes too long to drop the exhaust so I'm going to spend lots of time and/or money to improve access to the driveline." With air tools, dropping the rear of the exhaust takes less than 10 minutes tops. Frankly, I don't disassemble the exhaust when working on the driveline. I just drop it down a few inches. Replaced diff and driveshaft in this manner!

Well, I do have all the tools needed to do the exhaust. I'd say that I am a competent welder. I've already gotten heat shields and wraps to prevent the passenger's side floor pan from getting too hot. Which will also help in keeping the noise down. The only real concern here like you guys are saying are crushed pipes. That is the only deciding factor, but I don't think that I will really have much of a problem.

[Fidhle007]

I'm turbo-fying my car next spring and have been thinking about doing a side exit exhaust. I'd like to have pipes out of both sides although I'm not sure that's logical. Maybe oval piping would help clearance? Just my

[rede30]

I have stayed out of this topic for a while but i think i have to post. If i had a nice track car i would so rock side exit exhaust i think its badass. I would do it only if i had side skirts and it would have it come out the middle of them. I have nothing to prove its better but i think i looks good, thats all.

[joshh]

I think it's funny to still hear about back pressure. That's an old myth. Cars don't need backpressure like we used to think they did.

[erik325i]

I would do it only if i had side skirts and it would have it come out the middle of them.

Why would you want them to come out of the middle of the sideskirts? If I were to do it, I would want them to exit near the end of the sideskirts.

[rede30]

i didnt really mean middle even though i said that. I would want it at the rear of the skirt.

[Rob]

do it. The worst that can happen is you have to patch up your side skirt, no big deal. I'm a fan of side exhausts.

[Jordan]

A couple racecar 2002's at TSA have side exit exhaust.

All of them have sections of the floorpan cut out, and a tunnel welded in so the pipe is recessed into the floor. Also a section of the rocker panel needs to be removed for the actual exit.

This isn't a mod for street cars.

[erik325i]

I found this m3 with side-pipes so I thought I would share. I thought it was pretty cool.

http://e30m3performance.com/now_show...l_details1.htm

[joshh]

That looks pretty good.

Why don't you just have the exhaust end and point on a slight angle down BEFORE it gets to the sideskirt. You wont even see the exhaust unless you get down and look. And that way the exhaust doesn't get trapped under the car while you're in traffic.
That's what I did to my Integra and it worked out pretty well. I have the cat, resonator and muffler in line then a pipe goes out to the side and exits before the rear tire.

[glenn s62]

i like side exit exhaust's.
i'm thinking of doing it to the project/reshell.
i like the look and sound of the merc/mclaren slr but i dont think it would be possible/practical to have front exit on both sides of the small e30.
may have to settle for side exit in front of the back wheels.
operator62, i think they look good