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header power gains?

25K views 59 replies 19 participants last post by  mdc 
#1 ·
Anybody know what kind of gains you can expect from a header upgrade? This is assuming the setup listed below in my sig.
 
#7 ·
thats one thing that BMW did when they made the e36.. is a restrictive exhaust system... includeing the headers...

as many are saying, 3-7 hp... plus another 5-10 with the cat back... your looking at a total of around 15 hp...
 
#8 ·
so even if i just change my headers and retain my old stock exhaust, it can give me that 3 - 7 hp gain? and will it give an aggressive sound?

e36 316i does not have oxygen sensors right? if im not mistaken, m43 engine? so there should be no complications with changing them to headers without sensors?

btw, if ever, wat design should improve my acceleration? 4-2-1 or 4-1 headers?
 
#12 ·
frank de jonge said:
Vinnie got 18hp max added to his 328i

He installed a full M3 exhaust with euro M3 headers.

That thing is madness :O:O even without the M50 intake.

I ordered the M3 exhaust too.

Sound will be a bit less but much deeper :)

And the power gains are very good
can you post the dyno numbers? im always interested in checking out mods numbers when people dyno their car. also do you mean 18 hp? or 18rwhp?


speaking of rwhp (rear wheel horse power) most header companies only post or claim their crank hp not their wheel horsepower.
 
#13 ·
frank de jonge said:
Vinnie got 18hp max added to his 328i

He installed a full M3 exhaust with euro M3 headers.

That thing is madness :O:O even without the M50 intake.

I ordered the M3 exhaust too.

Sound will be a bit less but much deeper :)

And the power gains are very good
u forgot to mention his whole system starting from the exhaust manifold all the way to the muffler is off of a euro m3...
 
#14 ·
Cruzin 323is said:
thats one thing that BMW did when they made the e36.. is a restrictive exhaust system... includeing the headers...

as many are saying, 3-7 hp... plus another 5-10 with the cat back... your looking at a total of around 15 hp...
No catback will give you more than maybe, MAYBE a 5.x whp gain.
 
#16 ·
mdc said:
so even if i just change my headers and retain my old stock exhaust, it can give me that 3 - 7 hp gain? and will it give an aggressive sound?

e36 316i does not have oxygen sensors right? if im not mistaken, m43 engine? so there should be no complications with changing them to headers without sensors?

btw, if ever, wat design should improve my acceleration? 4-2-1 or 4-1 headers?
m43 engine, was an engine released in australian and japan, its a 1.8 not released in the states
 
#17 · (Edited)
M43 engine was also delivered in Europe ;)

M40 engine were the first, AFAIK not deliverd in an E36 in the USA, it is a somewhat changed version of the E30 1.6 / 1.8 engine

M43 was the revised model of it, an 16v edition :) The M40 is a 8v.

Then you have the M42, that is the 318is, also not deliverd in USA afaik, that later on has been replaced by the M44. This is a 1.9i 16v, the M42 is a 1.8i 16v

316i/318i had the M40, later on M43

318is had the M42, later on M44

For now these are the 4-cyl gas engines from BMW :)

Edit: in the E36, that is :D
 
#19 ·
Then you have the M42, that is the 318is, also not deliverd in USA afaik, that
later on has been replaced by the M44. This is a 1.9i 16v, the M42 is a 1.8i 16

We received the M42 and the M44 here in the states for the 318 and 318IS. As far as sixes, M50, M52, S50, S52. I believe there was a M54, S54 in the M coupe, not sure if that was an E36 or not.
 
#22 ·
I'll post it up for Jean sicne im not a vendor. I'm pretty sure active autowerke just came out with some headers for e36's this year. Seeing as how they are so new, I dont know how much they have made gains. It's been discussed on bf.c, but the general consensus was that for the price, it is really only a great option if you've got a s/c.

http://aatuning.com/exhaust/e36headers/main.php

It only hooks up to the AA Track pipe but im sure some handy work could take care of that. Call them for more info on that one.
 
#23 ·
I've done a lot of research into headers...

All depends on your cup of tea... there are but so many ways to wrap headers inside the e36 engine bay... and AA does it justice.

Only worth it if you have a highly modded engine.. cams to be precise...

My thoughts...

Les
 
#24 ·
sorry for editing jeans post, i have to protect our paying sponsors (part of being an asshole admin )... but yes AA carries headers, and they are very competitive with the market with them as they are a very stable company in terms of performance BMW parts.
 
#25 ·
Talk to deloriant he had a cat back system then put headers on and said that it made a bid diffrence I say that you could make 25hp - 20hp with headers downpipe and cat back, if u already have cams and intake manifold. I recommend cams, I rode in a m3 that had cams installed and it had alot more pull
 
#26 ·
buuhh99 said:
Talk to deloriant he had a cat back system then put headers on and said that it made a bid diffrence I say that you could make 25hp - 20hp with headers downpipe and cat back, if u already have cams and intake manifold. I recommend cams, I rode in a m3 that had cams installed and it had alot more pull
Every M3 has cams installed. It's a Double-Over-Head-Cam engine (DOHC).

I suppose I don't quite understand why new cams make such a big difference. I've seen the AA cam kit for $5K that promises about 300 hp out of an E36 M3. What's the big deal? Do they weigh that much less such that they don't eat up energy in rotational momentum? Why does such a simple part cause such huge gains?
 
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