Everything You Need to Know About E46 Headers, Including Dyno Numbers!
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- čas přidán 10. 03. 2020
- eBay headers are one of the most popular upgrades for the BMW E46 non-M, however, it's not as simple as cheap, bolt-on power and sound. What do you need to know about buying them, and installing them. Also, do they actually make power? I head to the dyno and get real world wheel horsepower numbers. This is everything you need to know about eBay headers.
One option for buying E46 headers: amzn.to/3icL0LY
#bmw #e46 #headers - Auta a dopravní prostředky
The O2 sensors do not make any changes to the fueling when the car is at full throttle. The MS42/MS43 ECU takes the fuel trims made when cruising and just multiplies them by a set amount whenever it enters the full load state causing the so called full load enrichment. You just need to alter the base fuel map, or change the multiplication factor for the Full load state which should give you the lower AFR and thus more power.
Vanos is where the big gains are when installing aftermarket headers. The EX vanos can be altered and then the IN to match. I won't go into to much detail, since I am not really sure as to what the tuners actually change, but there is some info on the net which I am attempting to decipher with the help of datalogging.
1. Ebay headers are the worst aftermarket sport headers on the market.
2. You eliminate the cats, so you losing lot of exhaust gas pressure (that is studied in the original project of the engine).
3. The Ecu is still on original parameters, that is absolutely wrong if you want to get power by your exhaust and not only loudness. You're talking about afr... that's it and many other things that your ecu should know now to work at 100% on your engine.
By the way.. the video is good, keep up man. I'm an e46 owner too. 330ci.
And sorry to all for my BAD english, i cannot explain very well the same things that i would say in Italian :)
Will require a tune to actually see the benefits.
shark injector.
Great video! Thanks! Will be watching for more!
Great video. I like how you approached things with an open mind and a reasonable hypothesis
Very well done video, deserves many more views
Great and helpfull video! Thank you!
Awesome video bro! Better than other more “popular” car review channels. Hoping your channel gets more views because it definitely deserves it with the quality work you put into everything. Overall keep up the great work
Good quality video...I was gonna buy headers instead of reinstalling the factory exhaust manifold. Leaving the factory pipes and mufflers. My hope is the headers will be easier to install because replacing a head gasket is a pain in the ass.
I bought that same header for me e46. I had to go through everything u went through. Front 02 still had mad issues. Plus grinding down my after market o2 90 to get it to fit. Bonus is the 90 gets a if of o2 light. I spent 450 on my 100$ eBay headers after it was all said and done. Hope to never have to go through that again.
the thing is after installing headers youll need a tune and thats where the performance gains will come in
Got to be honest the after dyno means nothing because by your own admission the check engine light is on and you aren’t running all the o2 sensors. The car has dropped into a base map. That’s why the afr is wrong.
Secondary 02s have no impact on fueling.
When doing this dyno tests you need to be sure, that you have fresh Air flow meter and intake is tight (especialy CCV). MS43 ECU works in open loop on WOT, based only on air flow of that vanos, ignition and fuel is adjusted, if Air flow meter does not see additional flow engine (due to numerous reasons) wont be working in perfect operating order and you won't see any gains. Additional super important thing is air temperature, M54 is very sensible for hot air in the intake so if you take test in two different days and ECU will take 2 degrees of timming due to temperature you can see easily 10-20 ponies out on the crank. So this test is only true if you have all of the above in perfect operating condition. Based on stock headers design ANYTHING you do in that area should provide significant gain if you do not have bottleneck anywhere else.
Very good video. Finally dynotest and fact about this.
Next video idea : Myth of "cold air intakes" and power gains? =)
If there is enough interest in this, I will do it. Cold air intakes are easy on this car.
Drive Break Fix Repeat please do so!
Just watch mighty car mods. They did it about a decade ago.
Great video! I bought EBay headers to delete the stock cats. Those stock CATs are ridiculous as they broke inside one of them and embarrassingly rattled all the time (I cut it open and the top honeycomb piece broke loose). Get the eBay headers and problem solved lol. Add a resonator in between the exhaust and a good 2-chamber or HKS muffler and it will be glorifying! 3- chamber muffler if you want it quieter. Always delete the CATs…
Yeah should have performance tuned with and without headers, what's the relevance if it's not tuned to optimize the Installed performance parts?
I don’t know much of the m54tub28 but for the m54b30 I can’t say myself but through several forums people can gain 15-20hp with the m54 since the stock manifold is trash, but obviously needs to be tuned
I was about to ask why everything relevent to power and tuning,
Or even a remap needs to be a different story for another vid, tben i noticed i was 10 minutes in. Any car without a carb will compensate for changes to available oxygen. Was just wanting to know if the headers are any good.
One guy did schmidemann headers + full exhaust and remap and car did 235chp. Stock they put out 205chp. And runs 14.1 at 1/4 mile.
I put eBay headers on my 02 e46 325i and I had the same fitment issues with the o2 sensors and just plugged the hole up lol but the car has a strong gas smell while I’m driving or idleing with the window down which is kinda annoying
Simply speaking: "Headers" have the same principle as a burning chimney stock the higher the pipe is the more suction there is and therefore more combustion per One cycle.
The exhaust portion of an engine is important, however, these cars have ECU and it runs the same values all the time.
Headers will absolutely make the driving experience better, it is noticeable but an ECU flush may be beneficial.
You should get the ebay headers tuned in and dyno it again! Not much dyno data on this with a proper dial in tune.
LOL you need to optimized the VE Table after any Modification from Induction system to Exhaust system.
I installed ebay headers on my old E46 paid $400 CAD for install. Now, with my new E46 with stock headers, I was debating whether to get headers again because this time, I was hoping to get more out of them with a tune (since the tuners claim that you'll get more out of a tune with more bolt-on mods like headers/free flowing exhaust etc), but after watching this, it's clear that even with a tune, the headers don't make much difference. Thanks for this video - I will instead go with my original plan to keep the benefits of the cats (smell) and just go muffler delete with resonators. You rock, Jake. this video came at the perfect time.
Clearly u didn't pay attention, he had no tune
he didn't have it tuned? They just ran it on the dyno to get #'s, now tune the ecu for the new headers and your making an extra 5-15hp, my 330xi has ebay headers has ebay headers when I got it and their broken at the collectors (ebay quality metal lol) but at WOT it shits n gets, I got a new set for 170$ CAD and with new manifold studs and oem gaskets I'll be about 350$ in coat the headers with header paint and heat wrap em before install and I should get 5 years out of em
Can you tell me what are those wheels that are on car and are they same to ones that you've sat at the start of vid? BTW nice channel :D
Wheels on the BMW are VMR V705 18x8.5. The wheel I'm sitting on is an Enkei Kojin 17x9. Check out my Civic track car build for more info on them. 👍
I think everyone who has done fair enough work on cars knows that u have to tune your car with mods especial efi cars. U leaving out a tune isn't fair cause u need a tune to take advantage of it.
See weird thing is my 2000 323 came with the M54 inline 6, but then again its shipped directly from Germany
Also. You need to do intake header and exhaust together as they work together to get full potential from each part. Not to mention a tune (as u mentioned) when your done. Liked and subbed!
intake header?
@@jtg5238 it’s no wonder you look (in other peoples comment section) for two year old typos. You have no subs, no comments, And no one watches your videos. Safe bet that you have no friends either. Just replying to you is a drag on my day. Go back to your solitude now 👋🏼
engine should be tuned on stock manifolds, then swap the headers and then retune. this is how you test headers. both setups needd to be optimised. By the same taken if you are bone stock and add headers and a tune then some gains are the the optization of the tune that would have still occured even on stock manifolds.
This guy gets it
how much was the dyno tune at this location for you?
Thanks so much for creating this video and dispelling some common myths. First of all, don't understand why anybody would purchase no name parts from Ebay, although many people think it is a great idea. It seems that the only thing headers do well is create noise and do virtually nothing for power and efficiency. I will try to find some test data for the Active Autowerke Performance Catless Header Set, but at this point, things are not looking too good.
Did you find anything on active autowerke? I’m considering their headers also.
Hey @Brain! I'm also very interested to know what your results were on this.
@@geovannijames It has been a while, and I don't think I found anything on this item.
The m52tu2.5 only produced 168 at the crank and the 2.8 was 190 and we all know u loose about 20% through the drive train, so how are u getting so much whp? Jts.my understanding there really isn't a whole lot u can do to squeeze out any real gains from these very low hp but very reliable little.six bangers except cams. I mean u cam stroke em I guees but why when s54s or even LS motors swap pretty easily relatively speaking of course. Id be interested in knowing what u did sin e i.own 2 e46s both with m54b25s. Thanks for letting me in on the secrets!
What muffler are you running?
Totally should have did a cold air intake with the headers than your numbers would have been way different
So is it more of a placebo effect
2.5 horse power for 100 dollars in Bolton’s is worth it’s weight in gold. Specially with out a tune. For all those saying that people’s feelings got hurt, stick to your mechanic. With a tune these headers get 10-15 horsepower gain. At least my 2001 M54B25 did. Have know clue why know why a E46 would have a E36 engine but ok
anyone know which ebay or amazon headers fit the best with the least modifications for e46 330i?
I’d like to know also
Same I want to know too!
The ones that come with heat wrap never had any fitment issues. Bought them for a 330ci coupe and bolted right up, bought for a 325i sedan and also bolted right up with no mods needed. No issues with the exhaust on both cars
@@rubbadubdub4205 do you have link I’m looking for some for my 325i
Are you able to post the link to the headers. And do you just have a straight pipe from headers back?
The brand names seem to change all the time (Chinabay stuff), but I believe these are the ones I used: www.ebay.com/itm/STAINLESS-RACING-HEADER-MANIFOLD-EXHAUST-FOR-99-01-BMW-E46-3-SERIES-E39-96-01-Z3/283202675629?fits=Make%3ABMW&hash=item41f031e3ad:g:FScAAOSwZp5fGUyM
I have the stock 328i exhaust with a muffler delete.
Has anyone here actually fitted ebay headers?.and had a remap? Obviously if you dont remap ur efi they wont make any difference but im just wandering if anyone who had a remap had any good results from the ebay kit. Im on a budget and was trying to find out if the hype is real?
I have both on my ZHP and my current 330ci. Even without a tune the difference is NIGHT and DAY! Check my videos and you will see. You can feel it all over the power range. Several guys on Bimmerfest got 12-15hp (dyno proven) from ebay headers. Get the ones from DNA motoring and they fit fine (all 4 02 sensors fit just fine) and you can even sell your old manifolds to auto recyclers, I got $80 each for mine. Paid for the headers and gaskets.
Everyone that reads e46 forums just had their hearts broken.
😂😂😂
It means that stock manifolds are very good. That's a good news for E46 owners
If u know how cars work it shouldn't be u need a tune to take advantage of any mod
@@bax442 stock manifolds for m54 are terrible XD, guy near warsaw from m54b25 192 did 220 hp mounting sth like ebay headers and doing chip
Oh yeah really gotta spray that tire sticky on the dyno for the e46 loooool I can laugh at that I'm a long time e46 owner(and 325 owner at that lmao) lol
She's a real beast 🤣
What size tire are you running on your style 5s?
205/55R16
bruh you gotta get a tune for it😂
Just changing headers isnt gonna add power like that🤦🏽♂️now do an intake and TUNE IT yes. Cold air intake mounted behind foglight, M50 intake manifold, M54B30 cam and ebay headers with a good tune on a B28 should net you about 220-230 wheel
Mine made 234whp i only got a tuned ecu intake and shorter gears
yeah right
Is eBay the only place to get e46 headers or no cause I’m not trying to buy cheep China parts
There's some headers out there by big name brands but expect to pay big name prices, ebay headers are great if you go over them before install and check welds and sometimes clean up some weld boogers, than a ecu retune to account for the better flow. It's a cheap alternative to searching for 20+ year old aftermarket manifolds
New link
Why would it make significantly more power without a tune. It’s only worth it if you get a tune xD
Also if ur CEL is on. That will affect air/fuel, ultimately affecting power
Jesus christ lol.
I was expecting more. I ran into issues with my ebay headers hitting my frame and I have a small exhaust leak near where it mounts to my head. I should have tap the extra bolt holes for my headers when my engine was out.
You have to ensure that the header flanges are true. Sometimes super cheap thick flanges warp and wont sif flat against the head.
you need full exhaust to see any real difference. and you failed to mention a tune. did you have one or not. that is everything. to the people here late, do full intake and exhaust 3 in 3 out and get a proper tune and then tell me the difference. headers alone wont do much
That's an obnoxiously loud 178 whp.
you would see better gains if you got a tune
Coming on a future video. 👌
@@DriveBreakFixRepeat still waiting
Shit I want to like the video but the likes are 325. I feel i cant like this in respect of the 325i
323i M52 sounds much bettet than a M54 328i
328i = M52TUB28... same motor, more displacement lol
with a tune you will get the other 7hp.
wow! that's totally worth it
Horse power is horse power 🤷🏼♂️
I love when facts are actually proven, but stupid people still believe the advertisement!
Why are u talking like that?
GET A TUNE DORK 😂 HIT UP REVMATCH MOTORSPORTS