Pictures/description of exhaust mounting for a non-kat

[bmw-slangen]

Does anyone here have any pictures/descriptions of how the exhaust system is mounted at the gearbox?

I need to collect the parts needed, but I have a hard time to find what exactly is needed.

There is a number of variations, so I'm only interested in the 320i/323i (from 02/1984 and onward and without catalytic converters).

(Now my version is Swedish, so it differ in some areas, but in this specific area it should be roughly the same).

So what pieces are actually used? How does it look like?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=1471-EUR-01-1985-E30-BMW-323i&diagId=18_0106

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=1471-EUR-01-1985-E30-BMW-323i&diagId=18_0107

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=1471-EUR-01-1985-E30-BMW-323i&diagId=18_0108

[essi1553]

I just did this today on my us spec 325i. You'll need everything from 12-28 in that picture. The upper two bolt holes on number 12 mount on the bottom of your transmission, about 3 inches in towards the front of the car from the guibo (once you hold it up to your trans you'll know exactly where it mounts to). Everything else is explained in that picture pretty well.

[bmw-slangen]

Finally I solved it - I finally got all the ***correct*** pieces after quite a lot of trial and error.

Turns out that ETK is completely wrong in many places. Even BMW was puzzled and couldn't make sense out of the information they had - had long talk with them and they were very helpful. One more complicating thing is the policy here, if you request on your own initiative a spare part that is not located in the Nordic central distribution center, you can not return it. So sometimes it could be quite an expensive gamble...

Here's a couple of things to keep in mind.

ETK is missing several components for the 323i model, one example is detail #12 in the picture above. The correct part is NOT even listed for the 323i model - you can't find it - you have to know what it is. The number given (1 178 294) is NOT the correct one for everyone with the standard gearbox - ask me how I know this :-)

You don't really need to buy the big expensive set 9 057 722 - even though ETK states it's a must - it depends on what country and model you have. For my model it didn't contain the correct clamps - although it contained a hell of a lot of various clamps and stuff but none of them was correct for this specific vehicle (323i makes it special, 01/1985 makes it special, Sweden configuration makes it special).

Keep in mind if your car is built for Sweden/Switzerland as my is - we have some unique parts here. Details #16 and #22 was quite funny - there are three different variants of these depending on the exhaust pipe size and you need to pick the right one to get a proper installation.
Also here ETK was contradicting itself at two places, so you basically had to guess and do trial and error to find out which was the correct one.

ETK is also contradicting itself in one more place about what part should be used, so that throw me off as well.



But after a lot of puzzling I nailed it and got all the correct parts!