To headers or not to headers......

[Garageaholic]

I'm on the verge of buying headers for my M30..... Do you think that it's worth the money for the upgrade in power?? Is the upgrade in power really noticeable w/ and w/o the headers?


This question goes for anybody who's had headers on any one of their cars...

[Garageaholic]

Bump.. .does anybody have any experience? i was gonna make a decision tonight.....

[Bimmerfanatik]

Only full length - shorty headers give minimal (if any) gains, and are merely there for aesthetic "gains."

My sooon. ;)

[nando]

I don't have an M30, but when I put on my shorty headers I didn't really notice any difference. full length for sure - if my old exhaust wasn't leaking and I didn't get the headers on a trade, I probably wouldn't have used them. I think eventually I'll go with full lengths from bavauto with ceramic coating.

[rs4pro3]

If you do go headers, I'd be very carefull to make sure they clear when in the E30 engine bay. If they are E34 style you'd probally be ok.

[Garageaholic]

the ones from bavauto... are they shorty headers? or full length headers?

[Bimmerfanatik]

the ones from bavauto... are they shorty headers? or full length headers?

fullll

[Gus]

talking about the m20, but similar applies to m30 i have heard

leave the stock manifold on, its actually very good...unless they are really good ones (alpina, hartge,RD?) steer clear...you do gain top end, but at the expense of torque. racing stock manifold m20s, i would gain on top end, but lose on the gear change...the more torquey stock manifold feels a lot nicer too.

just my 2c...from my own observations with a not very good manifold (and a custom tuned length one)

[Garageaholic]

Any other websites where I can get a good set of headers for relatively cheap? (about or under 600)

[sweetride01]

So... Gus says keep the stock headers, and other people say change them. Which not-so-good headers did you try, Gus?

If I have some headwork done, and get headers, then will I actually notice a power difference just up high, or throughout the rev band? Are the long Bavauto headers really some of the best? How many hp should I expect to gain, exactly, with the headers? And I presume that a new midpipe and muffler would pretty much be a must for best power.

[n12frost]

im thinking in any case if u add more flow, responce will be better depending on what u have after the header. get rid of the cat and resonatore thats if u dont mind a loud car. or get long tube headers and a dual inlet/outlet performance cat with flowthrough muffler. you notice gain but not as much as a larger motor that needs a ton of flow. one thing u need though to make more flow at the exhaust is a better intake with e30 afm. it also helps to have 19lb injecters to help push out the extra gas you are going to use.

[AdironRider]

My buddies got em on his 325is, the long tube ones from Bav. As Scotty and Andy can attest, it sounds mean with a stock exhaust. When he had his triflow on, you could hear him from a mile away. He bought the car with em on though, so no opion on whether they will increase power or not.

Actually now that I think about it, I think you saw the car the day I was starting my suspension swap.

[silverfbimmer]

So it sounds like the best way to go is long tube for top end power at the expense of some low end torque. OR just stick with the stock manifold. Is that correct? I read in a the magazine performance BMW a while ago that some company in Europe made long tube equal length headers and gained 15hp? That is what the mag said and it wasn't even an advertisement. I wish I could remember what company it was. They were like $1000 though...

[digger]

So it sounds like the best way to go is long tube for top end power at the expense of some low end torque. OR just stick with the stock manifold. Is that correct? I read in a the magazine performance BMW a while ago that some company in Europe made long tube equal length headers and gained 15hp? That is what the mag said and it wasn't even an advertisement. I wish I could remember what company it was. They were like $1000 though...

18bhp with the following headers from BTB

http://www.xsperformance.co.uk/e30zo...0d1a36959c003d

[sweetride01]

Wierd, as Gus said, with those BTB headers, you lose power and torque below 3500rpm. Why would that be?