Calling All N52 Owners With Headers

[KevM2]

Originally Posted by Big Mexican Women

wow, that actually sounds quite good! far better than I thought it would, anyways.

will you be doing anything else to your exhaust system? I think some sort of high-flow muffler at the end and this exhaust setup would be just about perfect for me.

It says you also have a 3 stage manifold. I am hoping you will be getting a tune for this and your headers, because you won't be getting the optimal gains if you don't. The CEL will pop up in due time..

Does a CEL from a catless header indicate any real problems? Or can it safely be ignored knowing that no real harm is being done? My understanding from asking both Evolve and TMS about their tune is that they will delete the CEL light without actually writing a tune for the catless header... apparently the ECU is adaptive and will compensate for the catless header.

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by KevM2

Does a CEL from a catless header indicate any real problems? Or can it safely be ignored knowing that no real harm is being done? My understanding from asking both Evolve and TMS about their tune is that they will delete the CEL light without actually writing a tune for the catless header... apparently the ECU is adaptive and will compensate for the catless header.

Yes and no.

There are Catalysts efficiency codes that will be thrown if you add headers. Yes Evolve and AA can turn them off, but they shouldn’t tell you the car will ‘adapt’ to them. You need a header specific tune (BPC has one) to take advantage of the headers, including less cam overlap down low, and better ignition tables to take advantage of having lower egt.

[Big Mexican Women]

Originally Posted by KevM2

Does a CEL from a catless header indicate any real problems? Or can it safely be ignored knowing that no real harm is being done? My understanding from asking both Evolve and TMS about their tune is that they will delete the CEL light without actually writing a tune for the catless header... apparently the ECU is adaptive and will compensate for the catless header.

Originally Posted by Taskmaster

Yes and no.

There are Catalysts efficiency codes that will be thrown if you add headers. Yes Evolve and AA can turn them off, but they shouldn’t tell you the car will ‘adapt’ to them. You need a header specific tune (BPC has one) to take advantage of the headers, including less cam overlap down low, and better ignition tables to take advantage of having lower egt.

That's right. catless headers are big enough of a change where the ECU will NOT fully, or optimally adapt. almost half the of the gains will be achieved if you tune your ECU properly, so honestly, I don't recommend going catless at all unless you are going to tune the ECU. the car won't be running right.

[519.E82]

Those with the PE and Catless headers, still get them amazing burbles and pops?

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by 519.E82

Those with the PE and Catless headers, still get them amazing burbles and pops?

Yes, but it’s very loud.

[F13.KENN]

How loud would catless headers and no secondaries be with keeping the stock resonator and stock muffler

[Taskmaster]

Originally Posted by Blue_e82

How loud would catless headers and no secondaries be with keeping the stock resonator and stock muffler

A little louder than stock, but not much.

[Big Mexican Women]

Originally Posted by 519.E82

Those with the PE and Catless headers, still get them amazing burbles and pops?

oh hell yea. I get some subtle burbles when downshifting or letting go of the throttle even with my secondary cat delete and Borla muffler. no burbles until I got the high-flow muffler installed, though.

Originally Posted by Blue_e82

How loud would catless headers and no secondaries be with keeping the stock resonator and stock muffler

the exhaust wouldnt be too loud until high rpm, but the engine would be notably louder. t will smell like shit though. you might wanna keep the secondaries in place to deal with that and PE mod your stock muffler.

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by Big Mexican Women

wow, that actually sounds quite good! far better than I thought it would, anyways.

will you be doing anything else to your exhaust system? I think some sort of high-flow muffler at the end and this exhaust setup would be just about perfect for me.

It says you also have a 3 stage manifold. I am hoping you will be getting a tune for this and your headers, because you won't be getting the optimal gains if you don't. The CEL will pop up in due time..

Yeah I have a tune from Bimmerlabs, it's equal to a stock 130i - the 3 stage is optimized but the headers aren't yet. I do throw codes but no CEL.

I've been thinking about some sort of high flow muffler or resonator. I like the noise but it could be a bit more refined.

[Big Mexican Women]

Originally Posted by desertman123

Yeah I have a tune from Bimmerlabs, it's equal to a stock 130i - the 3 stage is optimized but the headers aren't yet. I do throw codes but no CEL.

I've been thinking about some sort of high flow muffler or resonator. I like the noise but it could be a bit more refined.

nice, car still pulls hard. do you plan to re-tune the ECU for the headers soon? I would certainly recommend that.

definetely, while your car does honestly sound quite good for having no muffler (most catless N52 setups I've heard, even with a full exhaust system still sounds like ass to me) I do agree that the sound could use just a touch of refinement. why not PE mod your muffler and weld that back in? if you just want a little bit of refinement to your exhaust sound but not much decrease in volume, weld a resonator where your muffler is supposed to be with the exhaust tips sticking out the end. don't forget to post another vid once you get your car re-tuned!

[Suhb]

Leaving this here. 135i Exhaust is a really good pair to the AA headers. Quiet and no drone until you rev it out past 4k, then it gets loud.

[Big Mexican Women]

Originally Posted by Suhb

Leaving this here. 135i Exhaust is a really good pair to the AA headers. Quiet and no drone until you rev it out past 4k, then it gets loud.

great sound! AFAIK, there is not much difference from the 128i and 135i muffler though, right? I believe the 135i one just flows a bit better, meaning you can just grab your OEM muffler and PE mod it.

is the rest of your exhaust stock? so AA headers, secondary cats, resonator, 135i muffler?

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by Big Mexican Women

great sound! AFAIK, there is not much difference from the 128i and 135i muffler though, right? I believe the 135i one just flows a bit better, meaning you can just grab your OEM muffler and PE mod it.

is the rest of your exhaust stock? so AA headers, secondary cats, resonator, 135i muffler?

The 135i muffler has much less noise-reducing measures than stock, but is less of a straight pipe than the PE, which helps with that big, full sound that makes it sound so pleasant compared to the PE (which, by no means, sounds bad)...

[Big Mexican Women]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

The 135i muffler has much less noise-reducing measures than stock, but is less of a straight pipe than the PE, which helps with that big, full sound that makes it sound so pleasant compared to the PE (which, by no means, sounds bad)...

Nice. it sounds really good. is your resonator and secondary cats still in place?

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by Big Mexican Women

Nice. it sounds really good. is your resonator and secondary cats still in place?

Actually, I'm completely stock exhaust-wise, I only recently did the exhaust flap mod

[Suhb]

The video posted is AA headers and 135i exhaust. Secondaries and resonator still intact.

I also tried

135i exhaust: basically silent, very close to 128 exhaust
PE Exhaust: Really great character, great daily set up. Burbles and pops. Sounds great in high rev range.
Secondary Delete + PE Exhaust: Not much louder than just PE Exhaust, if at all
AA heaeders + AA Muffler: Droned pretty badly, didn't sound that good
AA Headers + PE Exhaust: Droned, super loud. Above 4.5k sounds super aggressive and like a race car. Never failed to make me grin especially in tunnels and underpasses. Very hard to daily or do highway driving on.

[Big Mexican Women]

Originally Posted by Suhb

The video posted is AA headers and 135i exhaust. Secondaries and resonator still intact.

I also tried

135i exhaust: basically silent, very close to 128 exhaust
PE Exhaust: Really great character, great daily set up. Burbles and pops. Sounds great in high rev range.
Secondary Delete + PE Exhaust: Not much louder than just PE Exhaust, if at all
AA heaeders + AA Muffler: Droned pretty badly, didn't sound that good
AA Headers + PE Exhaust: Droned, super loud. Above 4.5k sounds super aggressive and like a race car. Never failed to make me grin especially in tunnels and underpasses. Very hard to daily or do highway driving on.

whoops lol I didn't even notice it was you who posted that AA header video, lol. your car sounds great! I havent decided on what headers to get. Currently my 328i has a secondary cat delete and custom magnaflow muffler, pretty happy with the sound so far. I'd say the secondary delete made a pretty noticeable difference when paired to the new muffler.

when you said you had the PE exhaust, what do you think of replacing your secondaries with some vibrant resonators? I suspect that would sound great.

anyways, I will be going for a very similar setup as what you have in the video. I am thinking of replacing the secondaries with resonators, but will most likely just keep them in place to deal with the smell. what do you think?

also, would you kindly be able to film some fly-by videos with your current exhaust setup? thanks man!

[Elias_E90]

Originally Posted by Suhb

Leaving this here. 135i Exhaust is a really good pair to the AA headers. Quiet and no drone until you rev it out past 4k, then it gets loud.

Looking for one to install on an e90. Does it have the vaccum flap ? My e90 doesnt, i may have to cancel it with the golf tee mod

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by Elias_E90

Looking for one to install on an e90. Does it have the vaccum flap ? My e90 doesnt, i may have to cancel it with the golf tee mod

The 135i does have the flap

[Elias_E90]

Originally Posted by Suhb

Leaving this here. 135i Exhaust is a really good pair to the AA headers. Quiet and no drone until you rev it out past 4k, then it gets loud.

Did you connect the vacuum flap ?

[Big Mexican Women]

Some more catless N52 goodness:





Here is a picture of the headers in question. I would say they are worth every penny of the $235 asking price, but are they good quality headers in general?

[mateofranko]

guys, movie is not mine. but what are you thinking? headers are oem, but there is not mid resonators only y pipe and n54 135i catback.

I really like this popping. I would buy same set for my 130