Test pipes and tune

[Rat3d ///M]

I am thinking about getting test pipes and a tune and had a few questions.

1. Whats the best combo out there for a combination of good sound (subjective, I know), performance gain and low cost?

2. When doing these two mods, what kind of whp gains can I expect?

3. What would the typical gain be for just a tune?

4. How about just test pipes? (I am going to do both, but I just wanted to get an idea how much of my overall hp gain is from the tune, and how much is from test pipes)

5. When doing a vehicle inspection, what is the best way to bolt the stock cats back on? (I was under the impression you have to cut the stock exhaust so you can't bolt the cats back up?)

Thanks in advance. Doing this mod 80% for performance gain, but 20% for sound. I love the way the car sounds as is, but I want a bit of a louder more exotic sound now that the car isn't daily driven.

[mxa121]

I am thinking about getting test pipes and a tune and had a few questions.

1. Whats the best combo out there for a combination of good sound (subjective, I know), performance gain and low cost?

Sound - All the same. It is just straight tubing where the cats were. No magic there.

2. When doing these two mods, what kind of whp gains can I expect?

Search around - plenty of dyno reviews. I got 12 whp from a BPM tune. Not sure what the test pipes did, seat of pants says pretty good.

3. What would the typical gain be for just a tune?
10-15 whp

4. How about just test pipes? (I am going to do both, but I just wanted to get an idea how much of my overall hp gain is from the tune, and how much is from test pipes)
Probably about equal, search

5. When doing a vehicle inspection, what is the best way to bolt the stock cats back on? (I was under the impression you have to cut the stock exhaust so you can't bolt the cats back up?)
If you leave enough meat on the stock cats, it's possible to clamp them back on but most test pipes do not have enough length for that.

Thanks in advance. Doing this mod 80% for performance gain, but 20% for sound. I love the way the car sounds as is, but I want a bit of a louder more exotic sound now that the car isn't daily driven.

My test pipes gave my car a throatier more 'breathing' noise, especially on upshifts. I think it sounds better, but not too much louder than only cat back.

Hope that helps you out.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

I am thinking about getting test pipes and a tune and had a few questions.

1. Whats the best combo out there for a combination of good sound (subjective, I know), performance gain and low cost?

2. When doing these two mods, what kind of whp gains can I expect?

3. What would the typical gain be for just a tune?

4. How about just test pipes? (I am going to do both, but I just wanted to get an idea how much of my overall hp gain is from the tune, and how much is from test pipes)

5. When doing a vehicle inspection, what is the best way to bolt the stock cats back on? (I was under the impression you have to cut the stock exhaust so you can't bolt the cats back up?)

Thanks in advance. Doing this mod 80% for performance gain, but 20% for sound. I love the way the car sounds as is, but I want a bit of a louder more exotic sound now that the car isn't daily driven.

1- The Turner test pipes have the best quality clamps .
For the combo as for the best sound it's the Megan/Race slip on in combo with test pipes .
Keep in mind that test pipes will increase drone at low rpm's .

2- Gains with test pipes and a tune stage II is about a average of 15-HP .

3-Just a good tune alone ? So a stage I tune will ad probably about 5-HP but the trottle response will be improved too .

4- Just test pipes is about the same as with an after market slip on , because it's the test pipes that makes the difference with more freely gas flow .
Downside is that test pipes with our Oem. exhaust will sound very raspy , some just love the raspy sound ..Others don't .(I don't)

5- That's the problem with our Euro-shit gass , smog test !
We would fail at the yearly car inspection smog test with test pipes that's 100% sure !
Yep and that is our yearly car inspection shit...wich means we need to swap the front cats (primary cats) back on .
This means troubles because every single year remove the clamps of the test pipes with the bolts ect...
And after a couple of times it will cause exhaust leaks..

But actually it's 2 times/year...Because you need to remove them to go to the car inspection and after the car inspection you need swap them back on ..
So you need the best test pipes with the best clamps and bolts on the market and from what I heard the Turner quality is just great .

Note: Of course test pipes makes it louder and will ad some HP in combination with a good tune , but drone it will .
Not to forget is the fact, it will ad some paint contamination on the rear bumber by dirtier exhaust gases and sometimes it's hard to remove .

Here my personal fav.video with the Megan/Race slip on in combo with test pipes .

[Gizmo 335i]

This is the perfect example of why there are dozens of posts regarding the same topics. mxa121 says the stage 2 tune gave him 13 whp and that test pipes typically add another 15. But not one post later, ///MPower states that a stage 2 and pipes will only yield 15 total w/ 5 of it coming ftom the tune.

Why are consistent answers so hard to come by? 😖

[mxa121]

Originally Posted by Gizmo 335i

This is the perfect example of why there are dozens of posts regarding the same topics. mxa121 says the stage 2 tune gave him 13 whp and that test pipes typically add another 15. But not one post later, ///MPower states that a stage 2 and pipes will only yield 15 total w/ 5 of it coming ftom the tune.

Why are consistent answers so hard to come by? ��

You are correct. Let me back up my claims here.

Here is confirmed 12 whp from my tune. Flashed the tune on the dyno, no adaptation driving. Car already had test pipes.
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1097063

And here is a confirmed 15 whp in the midrange (8 peak) from test pipes alone.
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=964661

I guess it varies person to person, but in general 10-15hp for a tune and the same for the test pipes. That at least can be found in dyno results all over the web.

[Gizmo 335i]

Originally Posted by mxa121

You are correct. Let me back up my claims here.

Here is confirmed 12 whp from my tune. Flashed the tune on the dyno, no adaptation driving. Car already had test pipes.
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1097063

And here is a confirmed 15 whp in the midrange (8 peak) from test pipes alone.
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=964661

I guess it varies person to person, but in general 10-15hp for a tune and the same for the test pipes. That at least can be found in dyno results all over the web.

Thanks for the clarification. Seems reasonable to conclude a tune and test pipe can give close 30 whp. Seems we can squeeze out another 5 with a freer flowing axle back and a real cai. Nice gains.

[pbonsalb]

Changing the tune resets adaption. Just resetting adaption alone will usually increase power. It is challenging to judge just the gains from a tune if run right after flashing. European Car got just under 5 rwhp from an ESS tune, dyno tested just like yours.

[Gizmo 335i]

^^^ round and round we go

[pbonsalb]

I have read of anywhere from 5 to 25 rwhp from tunes. I think 5-10 is more realistic. You can't increase timing given pump gas. The AFR are targeted so you can lean a little. You can play with vanos a little but that is often a compromise.

There is a motoiq article on test pipes and tune with very favorable results you can search for.

[besiktas]

1. Whats the best combo out there for a combination of good sound (subjective, I know), performance gain and low cost?

I have the bpm. i am sure all of them are pretty much the same.

2. When doing these two mods, what kind of whp gains can I expect?

based on dyno, I had about 6-8% gain for for whp and torque. If you want to feel actual difference in performance, on these M3's you need to go the supercharger route.

3. What would the typical gain be for just a tune?

i dont know maybe around 10 I guess

4. How about just test pipes? (I am going to do both, but I just wanted to get an idea how much of my overall hp gain is from the tune, and how much is from test pipes)

I personally dont think this makes sense, you need a tune to kill your emission sensor anyway.

5. When doing a vehicle inspection, what is the best way to bolt the stock cats back on? (I was under the impression you have to cut the stock exhaust so you can't bolt the cats back up?)

They cut mine off, it would be pointless to weld them back in there just for inspection, In my view, it doesnt make sense. I suggest find a place that would be "flexible" with their emission inspections.

Thanks in advance. Doing this mod 80% for performance gain, but 20% for sound. I love the way the car sounds as is, but I want a bit of a louder more exotic sound now that the car isn't daily driven.

I think you should do this mod for 20% performance gain because it is there but you only feel it when the car pulls better after 120 mph. 80% sound effect. the cold start is amazing, the entire car becomes alive. I keep the stock rear section of the exhaust so its not crazy loud.

[BPMSport]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Changing the tune resets adaption. Just resetting adaption alone will usually increase power. It is challenging to judge just the gains from a tune if run right after flashing.

This is not necessarially true. If you're going to make blanket statements like this, you should at least provide supporting evidence or documentation. Not everything you read on the interwebs is correct.

[pbonsalb]

Even you are qualifying by stating "not necessarily." Since you probably do know the details, please share.