Technic Headers w/cat install [Archive]

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pei330ci

05-09-2006, 12:16 AM

Recently, a set of Technic V.2 Headers was installed on my 330Ci. Upon recieving the headers, I was really impressed with the quality of the shipping packaging. The headers arrived without even a mild scratch on the ceramic coating. The build quality of the header is excellent as pictured below:

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/PEI330Ci/Headers.jpg

Before purchasing and installing the headers, I noticed a lot of questions with regard to installing aftermarket cats. It appeared a lot of people couldn't figure out how to fit a set of aftermarket cats downstream of the Technic (or SS) headers. Here is one of the cats as supplied by Techinic for installation:

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/PEI330Ci/RandomTechCat.jpg

IMO, they are well made, and don't affect engine performance negitively.

The installation of the headers requires a lot of physical work by an experienced mechanic. It quite simply is a PITA to remove the stock header bolts, and also install the bolts on the new headers. The Technic headers are not supplied with new header gaskets, as the stock ones use metal ones that can be reused without issues. There are other threads that cover the header installation in more detail, however the cat installation has not been covered. The pictures below illustrate how my mechanic fit and welded the Cats into my UUC TSE3 exhaust system:

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/PEI330Ci/Catsinstalled3.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/PEI330Ci/Catsinstalled2.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/PEI330Ci/Catsinstalled1.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/PEI330Ci/Catsinstalled4.jpg

The o2 sensor wiring did NOT need to be extended. My mechanic simply routed the sensor wires around the back of the engine block and down the side of the transmission case to easily reach the new post o2 sensor locations. There was actually a bit of extra slack that needed to be tied off.

The Headers coupled to the TSE3 without cats is incredibly loud. Installing the cats quieted things down a little bit, but the exhaust at WOT is still very very loud. It is most definitely not street legal, and most race tracks would have issues if you ran your car with this setup. What we did with my car was cut the back silencer section of the stock exhaust to meet up after the second set of resonators on the TSE3. The result is a good compromise between performance and sound. I found the complete stock exhaust (from the headers back) when mated with the Technic headers to be quiet, but a noticeable amount of power was lost. I'll probably eventually replace the stock rear muffler section with a custom set of silencers that are less restrictive but fairly quiet. I haven't dyno'd the difference between the TSE3 muffler and the stock muffler, but I would guess it to be around 5 Hp on my car.

xS3x

05-09-2006, 12:23 AM

congrats :jfj:

JC7727

05-09-2006, 12:44 AM

I am very suprized your o2 sensor wiring did not have to be extended.

russ330

05-09-2006, 10:51 AM

Great post. :thumbup:

GIO_21

05-09-2006, 10:55 AM

how does it sound??? any sound clips

BF330ci

05-09-2006, 12:22 PM

yeah i would be very interested in sound clips...i have SS headers w/ striaght pipe back to B&B muffler and my Sh*t is way too loud, i am in the process of adding two mufflers and hopefully that should do the trick...some what...bc i am still CAT-less

does anyone know of a good silencer exhuast (muffler) bc i will probably be replacing my B&B one with something a little quieter...

Thanks! Good luck with the car!

HighBoostin330

05-09-2006, 03:33 PM

I am very suprized your o2 sensor wiring did not have to be extended.

Mines didn't have to have mines extended either and my cats are located about 1 foot lower from where he had his welded in. I think SuperSprint made their calculations when they designed the location of the cats because my O2 sensor wires have no slack and are a perfect fit.

2003330i

05-10-2006, 12:23 AM

any sound clips yet

JC7727

05-10-2006, 12:28 AM

I have to post some clips of my technik headers -> magnaflow cats -> stock resonator -> eisenmann race muffler.

2003330i

05-10-2006, 12:31 AM

I have to post some clips of my technik headers -> magnaflow cats -> stock resonator -> eisenmann race muffler.

care to share

pei330ci

05-10-2006, 01:37 PM

Sorry...been busy and haven't checked this post in a bit. I'll run out and make a couple of short movies with the car to share how it sounds. In all honesty, it sounds like a stock 330, with a little more rasp. Inside the car is a different story though, as I've litterally gutted the car. It's a little noisey...

Edit: A little note on the CEL. I installed the headers and ran the car without cats for about a week. It took all of about 30 Kms for the CEL to come on without the cats. We installed the cats, but didn't reset the fault codes in the ECU. After about 600 Kms of driving, the CEL has turned off. I'm not sure if this corresponds with me disconnecting the battery for some other work I was doing, but the car runs fine now and still NO CEL. So the Headers and cats as installed above seem to be no issue for the OBD II.

pei330ci

05-10-2006, 06:33 PM

I shot a quick little video from 1rst to 3rd gear and back to a stop. I'm running R compound tires and track pads that aren't warmed up, so the stop isn't as impressive as when the tires and brakes are warmed up. The interior has been entirely stripped out, so ambient noise is louder than in a normal "street" car.

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e29/PEI330Ci/?action=view&current=0to140to0.flv

UnBreakable

05-10-2006, 06:47 PM

Awesome pics and the video topping your car :clap:

xxxm3xxx

05-10-2006, 09:33 PM

Wait in your post you stated they were technik headers then you changed it SS .
So are they supersprint or technik , cause I was following the last thread that got deleted about how technik was using other companies products and software caliming to be theres .
Is this one of the cases ?

pei330ci

05-10-2006, 10:40 PM

I never said I had SS headers, I have Technic headers. If you re-read the post that I made, the statement was in reference to people using cats with Technic or SS headers. I was trying to make a blanket statement to cover all possible users that are looking to install post-header cats.

For the record, the Technic V.2 headers are quite different in design when compared to the SS headers.

Surk

05-11-2006, 10:31 AM

So, next question is..What is the power increase like with headers installed on a 330 with your exhaust setup??

pei330ci

05-11-2006, 01:06 PM

I don't think I can answer the "power" question about installing headers accurately.

1.) I've got too many mods that compound the effect of the better breathing.

2.) I don't have software to correctly match the added airflow at WOT.

3.) I never did a before and after Dyno to show power gains.

Did I feel a gain peak Hp? Yes. But there was a slight loss in torque below 4000 RPM.

I am happy with the results of installing the headers. I gained power up top, exactly where I wanted it. Now the head is the weak point, so I'll probably be working on that next. (After a software update) I'm chasing a goal that is a little different than most, so my power needs aren't skewed towards forced induction. Eventually I will go the forced induction route though...

IMO, putting money aside for a super charger is a better way to go. Tunning a N/A BMW engine isn't nearly as rewarding Hp wise as putting the same money into a blower.

To bluntly answer the question:

My car stock put out around 195 rwhp.

With intake, cams, pulleys, headers, and a TSE3, it puts out around 230 rwhp

Surk

05-11-2006, 03:06 PM

Interesting.. I would have thought it would be higher rwhp output then ~230rwhp.

My 328i has pullies,software,catback,CAI,10Ib LWF,3.38 diff.. No idea what my present setup is putting out rwhp but was considering installing headers also for better breathing as well.

Butt dyno increase in mid-high rpm range would work for me as my 3.38 diff gives lots of torque..

To bluntly answer the question:
My car stock put out around 195 rwhp.
With intake, cams, pulleys, headers, and a TSE3, it puts out around 230 rwhp

pei330ci

05-16-2006, 09:10 AM

As a footnote, it appears that I missed some parts that were shipped in the box with the Technic V.2 Headers and cats. The headers do include all mounting hardware including bolts, nuts, and gaskets for the install. Re-using the factory hardware didn't increase the difficulty of the install, the headers really are just a bolt up deal.

Some additional details of the install. The A/C compressor was unbolted and moved forward out of the removal path of the front header section. The right side engine mount had to be completely removed with the engine then supported by a transmission jack under the oil pan.

germanspec330i

05-16-2006, 10:36 AM

So did you have the headers/cats installed with the TSE3 stock before hacking up the TSE3 or was everything installed with the TSE3 already combined with stock exhaust?

I'm curious how much louder installing the headers/cats is when compared to just having the TSE3. Is it a huge difference?

pei330ci

05-16-2006, 12:07 PM

I'll list the exhaust combinations I've had experience with from quietest to loudest:

1.) Stock Headers + Stock Exhaust

2.) Technic Headers + Stock Exhaust

3.) Technic Headers + Cats/TSE3/Stock muffler

4.) Stock Headers + TSE3

5.) Technic Headers + Cats/TSE3 (full UUC exhaust with Cats installed)

6.) Technic Headers + TSE3

The stock rear muffler is the biggest noise killing device in the exhaust system.

It's been said many many times before; Headers + TSE3 is unbearably loud for a daily driver. (Supersprint, Technic, or custom; they all result in increased exhaust noise)

e330zhp46

05-21-2006, 05:58 AM

that is a really nice setup you have going there....do you ahve a Part Number for the Random technoligy cats......thanks......when you get your software you will not have that 4K dead spot that you mentioned earlier.....:thumbup:

headers are so nice

if you guys ever see tecnik headers thay have wrapped them all up and they look kinda funky....those headers are as close to tuned as you can get(tuned is equal length in each tube) and creates a spiral exhaust flow in the exhaust pipes.....thanks tecnik:thumbup:

ice330ci05

05-25-2006, 09:11 PM

so what would be the best exhuast setup from headers to muffler for the most HP gain and not as loud.. i was thinking of geting the TSE3 now and doin headers+cats later on but i don't want it to be too loud....

russ330

05-25-2006, 09:15 PM

headers + TSE3 is supposed to be loud enough to wake the dead. :yikes:

ice330ci05

05-25-2006, 09:18 PM

headers + TSE3 is supposed to be loud enough to wake the dead. :yikes:

oh ****, i don't wnat that lol, what would be another good setup to do that gives the same or better hp gains?

BTW i'm not planning to do s/c or turbo in the future...

:thanks:

russ330

05-25-2006, 09:22 PM

Maybe something like Borla or Supersprint, I don't know for certain all I know is that people have said that the UUC/headers combo is loud.

ice330ci05

05-25-2006, 09:53 PM

Maybe something like Borla or Supersprint, I don't know for certain all I know is that people have said that the UUC/headers combo is loud.

do u have a sound clip from borla? it's 300 $ cheaper then the uuc :clap:

JC7727

05-25-2006, 11:22 PM

I have a sound clip of headers with stock res and eisenmann race if some one can host it for me.

JC7727

05-25-2006, 11:48 PM

See if this works:

http://209.245.59.246/Gimme/66447878/183112124/98696878/1E0F2125-0497-40B6-9AA4-425A2CBB8F49/0.0997084/2/MVI_4306.AVI

http://209.245.59.252/Gimme/66447878/683007210/98696880/1E0F2125-0497-40B6-9AA4-425A2CBB8F49/0.480864/2/MVI_4307.AVI

http://209.245.59.251/Gimme/66447878/542301390/98696881/1E0F2125-0497-40B6-9AA4-425A2CBB8F49/0.231388/2/MVI_4308.AVI

http://209.245.59.246/Gimme/66447878/683006826/98696882/1E0F2125-0497-40B6-9AA4-425A2CBB8F49/0.395619/2/MVI_4309.AVI

2003330i

05-26-2006, 04:14 AM

ice330ci05

05-26-2006, 09:03 AM

david05111

05-26-2006, 06:09 PM

Hey I'm thinkin of doin a combination of SS or Technik headers with SS race cats and a SS exhaust...

Any thoughts on this setup, other than its expensive?? There was a clip awhile back of the setup, but it was in a dyno garage and I couldn't gauge the sound very well. Anybody have any experience with this?

JC7727

05-26-2006, 07:29 PM

This website I hosted the files on is stupid, any other suggestions for hosting let me know.

HighBoostin330

05-27-2006, 01:28 AM

bmw_chuzo

05-27-2006, 01:05 PM

links don't work :(

JC7727

05-27-2006, 01:39 PM

Click here to watch MVI_4306 (http://media.putfile.com/MVI_4306)

Click here to watch MVI_4307 (http://media.putfile.com/MVI_4307)

Click here to watch MVI_4308 (http://media.putfile.com/MVI_4308)

Click here to watch MVI_4309 (http://media.putfile.com/MVI_4309)

JC7727

05-27-2006, 03:20 PM

links don't work :(
Above links work :thumbup:

david05111

05-28-2006, 12:01 AM

Perfect exhaust setup! :thumbsup:

Hey do you have this setup? Any advice on which headers to go with? Would I need anything else other than these parts?? (Resonator, etc.) I'm not really good with exhaust parts...

HighBoostin330

05-28-2006, 02:35 AM

Hey do you have this setup? Any advice on which headers to go with? Would I need anything else other than these parts?? (Resonator, etc.) I'm not really good with exhaust parts...

Yes I have this setup. I have the SS exhaust system complimented with the Technik Headers. I have the Technik Headers -> Supersprint Racing Cats -> Supersprint Resonator -> Supersprint 80mm Exhaust. There are two options for you. Option one: Technik headers, Supersprint Racing Cats, Supersprint Resonator, Supersprint Muffler. Option two: Technik headers, Supersprint X-pipe (or have a shop custom a connection pipe, Supersprint Resonator (or have a shop custom a connection pipe), Supersprint Muffler. The resonator is for making it quieter. I think my exhaust came with a bypass pipe which connects the x-pipe or cats to the muffler. Also note that the exhaust comes with oval tips, RS tips, or round tips. The round tips give you an option of 73mm or 80mm tips. But the exhaust is basically split into four sections. I hope that helped. :)

BTW, if you change the headers or remove the exhaust system, I think you should get exhaust manifold flat gaskets.

Part #6
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BN53&mospid=47713&btnr=11_2183&hg=11&fg=50

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/AzN2k4/cat-muf.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/AzN2k4/resonator.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/AzN2k4/DSC009462.jpg

spartanwarrior

05-28-2006, 09:59 AM

From what i know the TSE3 was designed for the stock header and cats,, when i put the TSE3 on my car i already had the supersprint headers on so i ran the car with no cats,, and boy what noise did it make, so i ordered 2 americats and installed them under the car and it quieted down a little but after like 3000 rpm it was loud still to much for my taste so i had to cut the muffler off and i installed a supersprint muffler and may i say the car sounds awesome now, as for power after installing the headers exhaust and cats from 231hp i went to 242hp on the dyno but it added more torque i think it's worth the extra money.

david05111

05-28-2006, 12:10 PM

Yes I have this setup. I have the SS exhaust system complimented with the Technik Headers. I have the Technik Headers -> Supersprint Racing Cats -> Supersprint Resonator -> Supersprint 80mm Exhaust. There are two options for you. Option one: Technik headers, Supersprint Racing Cats, Supersprint Resonator, Supersprint Muffler. Option two: Technik headers, Supersprint X-pipe (or have a shop custom a connection pipe, Supersprint Resonator (or have a shop custom a connection pipe), Supersprint Muffler. The resonator is for making it quieter. I think my exhaust came with a bypass pipe which connects the x-pipe or cats to the muffler. Also note that the exhaust comes with oval tips, RS tips, or round tips. The round tips give you an option of 73mm or 80mm tips. But the exhaust is basically split into four sections. I hope that helped. :)

BTW, if you change the headers or remove the exhaust system, I think you should get exhaust manifold flat gaskets.

Part #6
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BN53&mospid=47713&btnr=11_2183&hg=11&fg=50

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/AzN2k4/cat-muf.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/AzN2k4/resonator.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/AzN2k4/DSC009462.jpg

Amazing Post...Everything I wanted to know. Thanks so much!

pei330ci

05-28-2006, 12:36 PM

My next step is probably going to be to try the SS resonators installed where the second RSC units are on the TSE3 and try running the TSE3 mufflers in place of the stock unit.

The stock unit is quiet, but I can feel a loss in power using it to quiet down the TSE3...

JC7727

05-28-2006, 09:43 PM

russ330

05-28-2006, 09:56 PM

I just checked 'em out, they work. Sounds pretty nice, thanks for sharing. :)

JC7727

06-04-2006, 02:36 AM

I just checked 'em out, they work. Sounds pretty nice, thanks for sharing. :)
no prob :thumbup: anyone else looking at a similar setup here is your chance to listen.

ATLZHP6M

08-15-2006, 09:39 PM

no prob :thumbup: anyone else looking at a similar setup here is your chance to listen.

Just wanted to tell you that your car sounds amazing! That exhaust note is exactly what I want for my car.

Question though, which headers do you have? cats?

Based on this thread, this is my planned setup:

Technik V2 Headers > RandomTech Cats > Stock Resonators(ZHP) > Eisenmann Race Muffler. :evil:

JC7727

08-18-2006, 01:35 AM

Hey,

I have Technik Headers -> Magnaflow Cat (Removed small resonator) -> stock resonator -> Eisenmann Race

Almost exactly the same as your above potential setup :thumbup:

2003330i

08-21-2006, 06:01 AM

spartanwarrior

08-21-2006, 06:59 AM

now i know what you guys mean by loud exhaust. i also have the technic headers and tse3. the only good thing i will say is that you will save gas because you will be scared of getting On it just in case a cop is a few miles away. haha i def have to figure something out with this.

P.S. just so you know how loud this thing is, i have a zx9 with a big bore kit and full muzzy exhaust and my car is way louderDid you put any cats on your car,,, mine was vicously loud and then the muffler person cut those 2 little mufflers that the tse3 has under the car where the drivers seat is and installed 2 americats and then i changed the back muffler put on a supersprint one and i must say it sounds nice now very happy.

HighBoostin330

08-21-2006, 06:42 PM

now i know what you guys mean by loud exhaust. i also have the technic headers and tse3. the only good thing i will say is that you will save gas because you will be scared of getting On it just in case a cop is a few miles away. haha i def have to figure something out with this.

P.S. just so you know how loud this thing is, i have a zx9 with a big bore kit and full muzzy exhaust and my car is way louder

Holy Cow!:yikes: That is freaking loud. LOL. But if you don't gun it, you don't hit boost!:mischief:

2003330i

08-21-2006, 10:56 PM

Holy Cow!:yikes: That is freaking loud. LOL. But if you don't gun it, you don't hit boost!:mischief:

gun it. i cant even accelerate. hahhahahah

schon weg

08-24-2006, 04:19 PM

gun it. i cant even accelerate. hahhahahah

are you cat-less?

2003330i

08-24-2006, 09:30 PM

are you cat-less?

yeah technic headers

beanfree

08-24-2006, 09:36 PM

yeah technic headers

Sorry to be off topic but how is your car doing?

2003330i

08-24-2006, 09:46 PM

Sorry to be off topic but how is your car doing?

the car is currently at rogue to see if they can fix whatever problem i'm having. i'm sure tha**** just the injectors that azvedo motorsports used

Nicholas_avis

08-28-2006, 05:38 AM

can anyone give some information on where these headers can be purchased from?

ATLZHP6M

08-28-2006, 07:40 PM

sure just email Samir: samir@technikpower.com

:str8pimpi

Limited_Slip

02-10-2007, 12:02 PM

hello. I also have technik headers and UUC TSE3. I am searching for cats. what is the tubing size of the exhaust pipes where you mounted your random tech cats?

AutoTalent

02-17-2007, 03:39 AM

glad you guys are happy

I believe the piping size is 2.25". Can double check on Monday if you send us an email

contact us if you would like TECHNIK headers special or cats :D