M3 Shooting Flames?

deltamonkey32 · 10-10-2012, 08:46 PM

A friend of mine was driving behind me on the way to a movie when he said he saw my car spit out a 6 inch flame from each exhaust tip. What happened was that I pulled up to a red light and there was a semi in front of me. When the light turned green I changed lanes and sped up around the semi and shifted from second to third at about 7k rpm which is when he said that he saw it shoot out small flames. I did a search already and found that this is normal if you are running a catless exhaust system, but I have an exhaust system that still has cats but has no resonators. It is an 08 e90 6 speed M3 with about 45k miles on it. I am concerned because my warranty goes out in a week and I do not have to pay a repair out of pocket. So is this normal? What could have caused this? Thanks in advance.

sergkoko · 10-10-2012, 08:56 PM

Ive seen lots of Turbo cars spit out flames, not so many Naturally aspirated ones with engines in the front, Porsches tend to do occasionally due to the exhaust being so short. I would say if there was anything wrong and your engine was running the wrong air/fuel mixture and it wasnt burning up properly your 02 sensor would catch that and throw a code. It could be residual fumes that mixed with the perfect amount of air to ignite. If the car is running fine I wouldnt worry about it too much. Hope this puts you a little more at ease about the situation.

rjd598 · 10-10-2012, 09:03 PM

ILSMKU · 10-10-2012, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjd598

LOL!

It's totally normal to shoot a flame here and there. It's just unburnt fuel. As long as the car hasn't thrown a check engine light, you're fine.

deltamonkey32 · 10-10-2012, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILSMKU

LOL!

It's totally normal to shoot a flame here and there. It's just unburnt fuel. As long as the car hasn't thrown a check engine light, you're fine.

Thank you for the responses, glad it is not something serious

mdosu · 10-10-2012, 09:18 PM

must be the nozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. j/k

Are you still using OEM cats or some type of high flow cats? Likely it's due to your aftermarket exhaust system. Your cats usually prevent any of this from happening.

deltamonkey32 · 10-10-2012, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sergkoko

Ive seen lots of Turbo cars spit out flames, not so many Naturally aspirated ones with engines in the front, Porsches tend to do occasionally due to the exhaust being so short. I would say if there was anything wrong and your engine was running the wrong air/fuel mixture and it wasnt burning up properly your 02 sensor would catch that and throw a code. It could be residual fumes that mixed with the perfect amount of air to ignite. If the car is running fine I wouldnt worry about it too much. Hope this puts you a little more at ease about the situation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdosu

must be the nozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. j/k

Are you still using OEM cats or some type of high flow cats? Likely it's due to your aftermarket exhaust system. Your cats usually prevent any of this from happening.

I believe that the cats are still stock, I will check with the previous owner though

osteome · 10-10-2012, 09:51 PM

VTEC must have kicked in, Yo!

sergkoko · 10-10-2012, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osteome

VTEC must have kicked in, Yo!

LOL, Nice!!!

surlynkid · 10-10-2012, 10:05 PM

i've seen it on 911s at the track. no big deal.

Krozi · 10-10-2012, 10:22 PM

I know my car did it running with a catless exhaust, but its kinda weird yours is doing it with 2 sets of cats lol...you'd have to be running pretty rich I would think?

positiveions · 10-10-2012, 11:21 PM

it's probably a high flow cat. Totally normal.

cposk · 10-11-2012, 07:50 AM

One thing about turbochargers that I miss, insane amount of backfires. I could pretty much spit fire on command with my old skyline powered 240sx. FI cars tend to target richer AFRs than NA.

UnaBomber · 10-11-2012, 09:24 AM

love me some flames

mdosu · 10-11-2012, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osteome

VTEC must have kicked in, Yo!

edit:

Double Vanos kicked in, yo!

weaksauce · 10-11-2012, 09:38 AM

Is your M3 a type r?

TVMA Doc · 10-11-2012, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjd598

Yeah, but I bet that they have a least a hundred grand under the hoods of each of those cars! Perhaps it's the money catching on fire?

mhabs · 10-11-2012, 11:28 AM

Nice...what are the mods that you have?

Sam@ModeCarbon · 10-11-2012, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sergkoko

Ive seen lots of Turbo cars spit out flames, not so many Naturally aspirated ones with engines in the front, Porsches tend to do occasionally due to the exhaust being so short. I would say if there was anything wrong and your engine was running the wrong air/fuel mixture and it wasnt burning up properly your 02 sensor would catch that and throw a code. It could be residual fumes that mixed with the perfect amount of air to ignite. If the car is running fine I wouldnt worry about it too much. Hope this puts you a little more at ease about the situation.

+1

kwike92 · 10-11-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjd598

Hahahahaha

But yeah my old 240sx blew fire out the exhaust when I downshifted. Then again it was boosting 21psi through a 3 in exhaust

ashleywebe · 10-11-2012, 07:56 PM

It could be residual fumes that mixed with the perfect amount of air to ignite

DARK_M3 · 10-12-2012, 12:27 AM

Ok I'll be the only one here to say that if you have a full exhaust system in place including cats...

Flames did not come out of the tailpipe. Your friend was mistaken.

10-10-2012, 08:46 PM	#1
deltamonkey32 Private Drives: Matte White e90 ///M3 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: united states Posts: 53 iTrader: (0)	M3 Shooting Flames? A friend of mine was driving behind me on the way to a movie when he said he saw my car spit out a 6 inch flame from each exhaust tip. What happened was that I pulled up to a red light and there was a semi in front of me. When the light turned green I changed lanes and sped up around the semi and shifted from second to third at about 7k rpm which is when he said that he saw it shoot out small flames. I did a search already and found that this is normal if you are running a catless exhaust system, but I have an exhaust system that still has cats but has no resonators. It is an 08 e90 6 speed M3 with about 45k miles on it. I am concerned because my warranty goes out in a week and I do not have to pay a repair out of pocket. So is this normal? What could have caused this? Thanks in advance. __________________ Matte White e90 ///M3
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10-10-2012, 08:56 PM	#2
sergkoko Comrade Drives: 09 E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 117 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW M3 [0.00]	Ive seen lots of Turbo cars spit out flames, not so many Naturally aspirated ones with engines in the front, Porsches tend to do occasionally due to the exhaust being so short. I would say if there was anything wrong and your engine was running the wrong air/fuel mixture and it wasnt burning up properly your 02 sensor would catch that and throw a code. It could be residual fumes that mixed with the perfect amount of air to ignite. If the car is running fine I wouldnt worry about it too much. Hope this puts you a little more at ease about the situation. __________________ 09 Black DCT Coupe, smartTV, White Halos, APR Splitter, ZCP Spoiler, MS2 Intake, B&B Exhaust, 4 Rear GTS wheels 275/295 PSS.

10-10-2012, 09:03 PM	#3
rjd598 Brigadier General Drives: 10' M3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: San Diego,CA Posts: 3,186 iTrader: (1) Garage List 2010 BMW M3 [4.50] 2000 Nissan Maxima SE [0.00]	__________________ 10 E90 M3/dct/ztp/zpp/heated seats/eps/19'/iPod retired- 08 535i/nav/prem./L7/ipod retired- 06 325i/nav/prem./sat/xenons/style 128

10-10-2012, 09:18 PM	#6
mdosu Help! Can't decide btw MW & AW, 1st world problems Drives: 2008.99989 SSII E90 "Civic" Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 5,944 iTrader: (4)	must be the nozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. j/k Are you still using OEM cats or some type of high flow cats? Likely it's due to your aftermarket exhaust system. Your cats usually prevent any of this from happening. __________________ Yes, that's a xmas tree in my trunk

10-10-2012, 09:51 PM	#8
osteome Captain Drives: 2009 M3 E93 SSII/Bamboo Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Lansing, KS Posts: 949 iTrader: (2)	VTEC must have kicked in, Yo! __________________ 2009 M3 E93 Silverstone II over Bamboo: 6MT, Tech, Premium, Cold, Premium Sound, Ipod, 19'' Wheels, OEM Exhaust Mod.

10-10-2012, 10:05 PM	#10
surlynkid Lieutenant Drives: 2013 E92 M3 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: League City, TX Posts: 526 iTrader: (1)	i've seen it on 911s at the track. no big deal.

10-10-2012, 10:22 PM	#11
Krozi Deutsche Jung aus Kölle Drives: 2008 E92 ///M3 Alpine White Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SoFla - Bonita Springs Posts: 2,699 iTrader: (20)	I know my car did it running with a catless exhaust, but its kinda weird yours is doing it with 2 sets of cats lol...you'd have to be running pretty rich I would think? __________________ 2008 E92 ///M3 Alpine White//Fox Red//6MT// Florida Bimmer - Join us on FaceBook!

10-10-2012, 11:21 PM	#12
positiveions Major General Drives: 09 MKV JETTA 2.5 & E90 M3 :) Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: La Verne, CA Posts: 8,845 iTrader: (1)	it's probably a high flow cat. Totally normal. __________________

10-11-2012, 07:50 AM	#13
cposk Private First Class Drives: 08 IB M3 (E90) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Annapolis - Maryland Posts: 120 iTrader: (1)	One thing about turbochargers that I miss, insane amount of backfires. I could pretty much spit fire on command with my old skyline powered 240sx. FI cars tend to target richer AFRs than NA. __________________ E46 Auto to 5-Speed Swap

10-11-2012, 09:24 AM	#14
UnaBomber Private First Class Drives: 2012 X5, 2010 GTR Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Bluffton, SC Posts: 149 iTrader: (0)	love me some flames __________________ 2010 Nissan GTR,TopSpeed Motorsports TSM TE900 Built Motor, Heads, Shep Stage 3 tranny and GT2871s AMS Alpha 10 conversion in the works... 9.82@147 - TX2K13 GT2 Class Champion

10-11-2012, 09:38 AM	#16
weaksauce Second Lieutenant Drives: 2008 e92 M3 6MT SSII Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 211 iTrader: (0)	Is your M3 a type r?

10-11-2012, 11:28 AM	#18
mhabs Lieutenant Drives: M3 (E90) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: San Francisco Posts: 448 iTrader: (0)	Nice...what are the mods that you have?

10-11-2012, 07:56 PM	#21
ashleywebe New Member Drives: volvo Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: nice Posts: 6 iTrader: (0)	It could be residual fumes that mixed with the perfect amount of air to ignite __________________

10-12-2012, 12:27 AM	#22
DARK_M3 Banned Drives: 08 E90, 89 Grand Wagoneer Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: So Cal Posts: 1,294 iTrader: (3)	Ok I'll be the only one here to say that if you have a full exhaust system in place including cats... Flames did not come out of the tailpipe. Your friend was mistaken.

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