MSDS Headers Installed....

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Ok, so here's the latest in my continuing modfcation list to my E30.

I got in touch with Martin Schneider of MSDS, he informed me that he makes a really nice set of headers for the E30 325i. Naturally I was intrigued and said I'd like a set for my own car.

About a week later, I picked up a set of his headers and down pieps for the E30 at his shop in Glendale, CA. I was impressed with his knowledge and facilities. Everything is made of custom jigs and is laser cut. You can see the quality in his products immedatley. Martin was more than helpful in telling me exactly what I would need to do in order to install the headers, plus he's a pretty cool guy to boot. (anyone that drives a 535HP twin turbo 914, is pretty cool in my book)

I got home later that Saturday and immediatley began removing the old mainfolds. I began by pre-soaking the nuts and bolts with liquid wrench, and letting them sit while I hit the headers and downpipes with my propane torch. This will burn off all the oil and cutting fluid still present on the steel. Once burned off, I hit the headers with Wurth aluminum heat paint. This will prevent the headers from rusting.

I then proceeded to remove all the old nuts and bolts holding the old exhaust sytem in place. Once loose, I followed the insructions, measured the collector tubes under the car and used my die grinder to cut off the old down pipes. The new down pipes are a slip fit into the tubes.

Next, I used new gaskets and put the headers onto the head, along with lining the new downpipes into place. They slipped right in, but i could see I would need to weld them into place. My stock exahust was a little tweaked and two hours with an acetelyne torch, floor jack and long steel bars bent it back into shape. I then tightened all the nuts and bolts and MIG welded the new collector pipes to the stock exhaust. I then started the car and let it sit idling for a little while, to burn out the coating on the inside of the headers.

Results....

Car sounds much meaner right from idle. a deep throaty sound that im sure will be even better once I replace the muffler. The car revs much easier, and feels like it's stronger. Driving the car, I can feel that mid-range power has increased greatly. I can feel the car stumbling a little at redline, but i think that is due to the muffler already in place on the car. Once replaced, I imagine it will go away. It sounds wonderful, I have been driving around the last few days ith no stereo just cause I like the sound of the motor so much. Another result of the swap, my fuel mileage has gone up substansially. I was getting about 18MPG on the highway, and that has gone up to 25MPG. Overall I'm quite happy with the results, and I imagine it will run even better once I change the plugs, O2 Sensor and rear muffler.


check them out...

www.msdsinc.com

[Yargk]

Originally posted by Jared at Pelican Parts
I was getting about 18MPG on the highway, and that has gone up to 25MPG. Overall I'm quite happy with the results, and I imagine it will run even better once I change the plugs, O2 Sensor and rear muffler.


check them out...

www.msdsinc.com

WOW, more power and better gas mileage, sign me up. First I need to buy the car though...

Know of anyone selling a 325is?

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

About two weeks later and no major problems with the car thus far. I replaced the spark plugs, adjusted the valves, changed the oil and checked the O2 Sensor. Everything checks out ok.

I noticed that the car seemed to run a bit sluggishly at high idle, also, it ran slightly hotter than before. Due to the scavenging effect of the headers, it makes the ECU re-calibrate the fuel injection and lean out the mixture. I spoke with Marty over at MSDS, and he confirmed that the car would indeed run a bit lean with the new headers. (so much for my mileage increase!)

To re-adjust the mixture, I had to access the factory sealed adjustment screw on the air flow meter and using the shop CO meter here at Pelican, re-adjust the mixture to 1.2 CO.

I found the adjustment port, which was right on the top of the unit under a blue plastic plug. I tried prying it out to no avail. I eventually toof a small drill bit and drilled the plastic out. (man thats a long plug) underneath is the allen head screw for adjusting the mixture.

I had Jason here view the meterwhile I did the adjustment with the car fully warmed up. The baseline CO was only 0.6, way too lean at idle for the headers. I adjusted in slight increments, gunned the motor to blow out the exhaust, then re-check about 20 times until I got it just right. I ut what was lef tof the plug back in the AFM, then took it for a little spin.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE! The car has a LOT more throttle response, and the sound improved greatly. More throaty. Not all the way there yet, but close. Once I get the free flow muffler on there it should sound wicked, asd well as free up any residual HP that I can still get out of it.

[modifiede30]

Once installed, did you find that the downpipes were lower than stock? I've heard that these headers lower the exhaust about an inch once installed.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

unfortunatley, yes, the downpipes do sit lower

[maddydaddy]

Do you think the lean problem could be fixed with a adj fuel press regulator, or would the computer just "fix" it back by shortening the inj. pulse duration? I want to get headers, but am worried about the whole mixture adjusted right afterwords like you mention having to do.

[phaques]

Jared -
This is a great thread - I hope you'll update it soon, if appropriate.

Couple of questions relating to your exhaust system mods:

Have you experienced any under-hood heat related problems since installing the msds headers? Didn't sound like you wrapped the pipes, so I was curious. I am assuming these headers run hotter than the stock ones, but maybe that isn't a good assumption.

Second question: I've started at the other end (did the cat back last week with a Billy Boat replacement, which I am very happy with. You started at the engine...what I'm curious about is the middle: are there any good high-flow direct replacements for the stock 325is converter?

Thanks.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

LOL I just took a sawzall to my converter... Cut it down the center, smashed out the inside, welded it back shut.. Smog isnt an issue, I know people...

Im not aware of any high flow replacements, but I can say that just about anything you buy today in a universal application is going to flow better than what is stock on the car. The technology keeps getting better and better....

I didnt need to wrap the pipes. I havent done any pyrometer checking, however it certianly hasnt been apparent if there is any problem. In fact, the motor seems to run a little cooler with them based on the temp guage. Not accurate, I know. I dont think wrapping them is really neccesary.

[phaques]

LOL...I object! I don't know how to weld. I have been thinking about taking it off and ramming a steel rod through there....

I've done the chip, the cat back portion of the exhaust, and will probably do the headers when I have a bit more time. Hate to buy a new converter because a) I don't want it on the car anyway b) they are 'kin expensive.

did you put a flexible stainless connector between the header down pipe and the converter? Do you guys carry these?

thx.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

The MSDS headers are a slip fit into the stock pipes... You cut off the stock downpipes a few inches fore of the cat, slip the new ones in and MIG them in place

[phaques]

Yes, that's what I was wondering about. So in effect you have a rigid exhaust system bolted directly to the engine. I guess this is the stock arrangement too, but I have heard that you want to avoid having the whole exhaust system rotate with the engine if it twists in its mounts under hard acceleration. Not sure how much the engine actually rotates, or whether this is something to worry about or not....

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

uh, the exhaust is secured to the car with rubber donuts....

[phaques]

right.

[jase007]

Jared:

Nice writeup ... keep us informed.

Q: I have read elsewhere and you mention that the exhaust is 1" lower ... is this now the lowest point on the car? I am assuming you have lowered you car with srings / struts already.

Q2: Is the lowering of the exhaust where the downpipe bends to get to the Cat converter?

Cat Converters (for those like me who still need to use them)
There are other aftermarket 50-100 cell high flow cat converters.
I am sure they could be made to work somehow but you'll need a shop to do the welding if you don't / can't. There are plenty of muffler / tuning shops that can weld these headers for you. not a great expense when installing the system.

Jase

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jase007
Q: I have read elsewhere and you mention that the exhaust is 1" lower ... is this now the lowest point on the car? I am assuming you have lowered you car with srings / struts already. my car is already lowered... Once assembled i saw that they were lower, so i took them off and cut about 1 inch out of the down pipes right before they bend tot he cat. I've spoken to Mart at MSDS about this and he said that he is able to make them a bit shorter for those of us with lowered cars...

[midwest318]

so far , i love it . i painted and heat wraped it up as soon as i recieved it . install was kinda tricky tho . i had to remove the heat shield on inner / lower fire wall . then removed the tranny braket . i cut off about all 4 " of the pipe to the cat and running 8 inches of flex pipe , 4 clamps , and 2 more reducers to connect it all . then i tossed on a greedy import style tip. i opened up the air/fuel nut about 2 turns . runs a couple degrees cooler then before and runs smooth and loud at mid rpms. my only complant is that i can not find an exust shop to run a custom stainless pipe without a cat =(

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

hows the power increase on the M10?

[midwest318]

hmmmm, not sure how much of an increase it is , but i could feel a differance right out of the drive way . when it hits about 3500 rpms in does seem much stronger and will run 3rd gear to 85 mph with a 3 .9 rear gear . all i need now is a nice cold air intake to stick out the drivers side high beam =)

[jase007]

midwest318: Post a picture of the flex pipe connection ... sounds interesting.

Jared: can you post a pic of your headers from underneath the car with the mods you made?

TIA

Jason

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I dont have any handy, but I just marked 1 inch out of the downpipes before the bend, cut them out with the die grinder and welded them back together...