BimmerWorld - E46 M3 Street/Track Car Build

great setup james. i loved reading your 'wrap up' summary. i wish more people (incl myself) would take the same approach as you did when piecing the car together.

Nice write-up, James. I'm very glad to see that my car matches the specs you ended up running with almost exactly -- now I just need to reach out and have you supply that last 10% of go-fast goodies. :-)

For the people that asked, I have gotten my first small batch of race exhausts - the bulk will follow as they are completed, so if you want to be the first on your block...

I have released all the details of the product now - wanted to have it on the market and available before we told how we did it. Pretty happy with the results!
BimmerWorld E46 M3 Race Exhaust

James

Originally Posted by JamesC

For the people that asked, I have gotten my first small batch of race exhausts - the bulk will follow as they are completed, so if you want to be the first on your block...

I have released all the details of the product now - wanted to have it on the market and available before we told how we did it. Pretty happy with the results!
BimmerWorld E46 M3 Race Exhaust

James

Very impressive build James. Do you have any clips of how this sounds on an otherwise stock M3?

Originally Posted by T-Rex

Very impressive build James. Do you have any clips of how this sounds on an otherwise stock M3?

Not yet. Otherwise stock - including stock exhaust manifolds? We are working on some other components soon and I will try to get this done.

Originally Posted by JamesC

Not yet. Otherwise stock - including stock exhaust manifolds? We are working on some other components soon and I will try to get this done.

I'd be interested in hearing it with stock headers if possible - definitely curious to see how the sounds compared to the other options out there. The weight savings alone make it quite the attractive option

I may have missed it but what is the final curb weight w/ or w/o driver?

Originally Posted by JamesC

Not yet. Otherwise stock - including stock exhaust manifolds? We are working on some other components soon and I will try to get this done.

Wouldn't this size pipe be inefficient for cats in the stock location?

I would be hesitant to think that small diameter tubing, with a bottle neck such as the cats, dumping into 3.5 inch pipe would provide power gains.

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

I may have missed it but what is the final curb weight w/ or w/o driver?

About 2900 w/o from memory. I think it is up there somewhere.

Originally Posted by kk2

Wouldn't this size pipe be inefficient for cats in the stock location?

I would be hesitant to think that small diameter tubing, with a bottle neck such as the cats, dumping into 3.5 inch pipe would provide power gains.

Not really. Nothing inefficient about it - but certainly the cats would limit the potential gains. I am sure there will be gains because the faster you can get the exhaust out of the car in general, the more power you make. If we dyno a stock car and remove the exhaust completely you see about 10 more Hp.

Nice Exhaust! Definitely on my list of things to get.

James, Any way you post up (or pm me) pics of how you fabricated the stand offs to attach the Lip and splitter to the bumper support? Looking to do a set-up similar and I like the idea of that stuff being connected independently so I dont loose a bumper in the event of splitter hitting something.

Thanks,
Steve

Just a plate top and bottom with a tube connecting it. No pics readily available, but the E36 LTW used something similar, part #27:

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...70&hg=51&fg=15

Have you guys considered making a big ol' single exhaust like that for the non-Ms?

Nice build, btw.

We consider lots of projects like that

So with the motorsport CSL box and alpha-N tune, you were able to pass VA (emission) inspection?

Originally Posted by natty99

So with the motorsport CSL box and alpha-N tune, you were able to pass VA (emission) inspection?

Not the BW Street/Track car - my street car. And we don't have to pass an emissions inspection in our county.

But in general, if you DO have to pass a tailpipe test, most proper tuning shouldn't cause an issue. If you have to plug in to the OBD II port to pass, you have to have functional catalysts and the alpha-N won't cut it - both will throw stored faults visible to their computer.

Originally Posted by JamesC

Not the BW Street/Track car - my street car. And we don't have to pass an emissions inspection in our county.

But in general, if you DO have to pass a tailpipe test, most proper tuning shouldn't cause an issue. If you have to plug in to the OBD II port to pass, you have to have functional catalysts and the alpha-N won't cut it - both will throw stored faults visible to their computer.

Thanks for the response...so to clarify, there is no way to pass an emissions inspection using the OBD II port if alpha-N is installed on the car's DME?

Did you get past the "consider" stage?

I'm sure most of the system would bolt up. The muffler section would just need tweaking. That, and 3.5 might be overkill for me

Originally Posted by JamesC

We consider lots of projects like that

Originally Posted by natty99

Thanks for the response...so to clarify, there is no way to pass an emissions inspection using the OBD II port if alpha-N is installed on the car's DME?

Not a legitimate way.

Originally Posted by aggieE46

Did you get past the "consider" stage?

I'm sure most of the system would bolt up. The muffler section would just need tweaking. That, and 3.5 might be overkill for me

Yes, but the market has to justify it. You are correct - this isn't likely the right piece for you.

Originally Posted by JamesC

...

If you have a plug-in emissions test, you have to run some sort of cat and your mass air meter- otherwise you will throw some warning codes. We dynoed my street car which is pure stock except for normal catless headers (Jet Hot) and a rear muffler - we made 305 wheel. 10 for the race exhaust, 8-10 for the carbon plenum, 3-5 for pulleys, and the rest from the stepped headers. These are realistic gain numbers when added. So what intake - up to you. We have a carbon plenum that accepts a MAF and will make the most power. Otherwise aFe is my personal choice.

Even though you reprogram the DME to run MAF-less and everything works fine, is this solely because the MAF sensor is disconnected? Is there anyway around this so the DME shows the emissions test machine that all related sensors are fine?

Originally Posted by cntrvrsy

Even though you reprogram the DME to run MAF-less and everything works fine, is this solely because the MAF sensor is disconnected? Is there anyway around this so the DME shows the emissions test machine that all related sensors are fine?

No.

We can remove check engine lights and make the ECU feel good, but when they plug in, their machine knows some sensors aren't online as intended.