Please Help Identifying Akrapovic Exhaust

[jagman]

I bought a 2008 E92 M3 last week. It came with an Akrapovic exhaust. I'm trying to determine what exactly was done. It appears to not be the slip on but it also looks different than the photos of the full Evolution kit on the Akrapovic webstite. Please help me determine what I have going on. I took a series of photos working from the rear to the front of the exhaust system. Thank you to all in advance for your thoughtful input.

Tips:


Muffler:


View towards the front from the rear. Note the change in color of the pipes once they become parallel and close to each other. There is a segment roughly 16" (by eye) that looks stainless steel and it is not the larger diameter piece on the Akrapovic photo. The rest of the pipes have that same almost bronzelike hue:


Here is a close up of the lead up to the part welded in. Again this segment has a larger diameter in the photo on the Akrapovic website but does not have a larger diameter than the rest of the pipe on my car.


Here is a complete shot of the part welded in.


This is the part welded in going forward. You can see this definitely has an "X" pipe.


Here is the front part of the "X" pipe looking rearward.


Lastly this is the part just forward of the "X" pipe. This also looks different than the photo on the Akrapovic website.


I think the exhaust is more than a slip on since it has the "X" pipe, but it also looks like maybe the second cat was deleted? Is that correct? What about what looks like the first cat? That also looks different.

I ask all of this because a.) I'd like to know what I have, but b.) I'm thinking about flashing the car with the ESS tune designed for the Akrapovic exhaust but I want to be sure I can with this exhaust. Lastly, I'm thinking about getting a new intake air filter. I think those mods should be a great start.

I greatly appreciate any and all help.

[gatorfast]

Looks like a slip on with the resonators deleted and straight pipes welded in. Def looks like the oem x pipe (less resonators).

[GIdriver]

I think it is the Akra Slip on with stock x-pipe except for resonator delete.

[GIdriver]

Check the last photo of this post: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=710932

[Talk2meg00se]

what don't you just contact the dude who sold it to you and ask what he did to it?

[jagman]

Thanks. I bought it from a local dealer. I heard back from the dealer today who said it was done by Dinan and "cost something like $15k". They better have done something more than that for $15k!

[X2Board]

Originally Posted by jagman

Thanks. I bought it from a local dealer. I heard back from the dealer today who said it was done by Dinan and "cost something like $15k". They better have done something more than that for $15k!

Sorry, but that dealer is blowing smoke up your exhaust. Dinan does not do hack welding like that.

The question is; does it sound awesome? If so, them just enjoy it, until CA smog time. Since there is no way that is passing a visual.

[GIdriver]

Originally Posted by jagman

Thanks. I bought it from a local dealer. I heard back from the dealer today who said it was done by Dinan and "cost something like $15k". They better have done something more than that for $15k!

That is major from the dealer.

[jagman]

Originally Posted by Team Plutonium

:

My thoughts precisely. I think a 9th grader in shop class could do a better job welding. The funny thing is I asked a secondary salesman whether the exhaust was legal and the response was is it passed smog testing. I said, "yes, but is it legal". The response... "it passed smog testing". I knew right then and there that he was full of #)%& but I let it go because he wasn't the main guy and ultimately the car had too many other plusses. I asked him earlier today to get back to me with the shop that did the work so I could talk to them directly. He's supposed to call back with that info on Tuesday. We'll see.

The sound... I think it sounds pretty good though it drones on cold start and lower RPMs. Good thing I like to keep her up in the strength of the power band . But seriously, one of the reasons I am thinking about the ESS tune is to help with the cold start and of course taking advantage of the exhaust. I want to speak with the shop first, though, in case they already did some sort of tune.

[jagman]

Originally Posted by GIdriver

That is major from the dealer.

How do you like your tune? Even though my exhaust is a bit of a hack job do you think I would benefit from the same type of tune?

[GIdriver]

Originally Posted by jagman

How do you like your tune? Even though my exhaust is a bit of a hack job do you think I would benefit from the same type of tune?

I like the tune a lot. The car runs smoother and adds approx 15 hp, plus you can delete the cold start if you want, increase RPM and top speed limits.

ESS has designed a tune for the E9x platform, but tailored for specific exhaust options:

1. Stock
2. High flow cats
3. Catless
4. Akrapovic Evolution system (the tune I have).

From what I can see in your pictures it appears you have stock cats, and only the resonators were removed. You have the Akrapovic Slip-on/cat-back exhaust, not the Evolution system. You might want to share pics further up in the exhaust so we can see if you in fact have the stock primaries.

So to answer your second question, you may benefit from the ESS tune but when ordering choose the stock exhaust (once you confirm you have the stock primaries).

Hope this helps.

[aus]

What GI said. If you have the primary cats, you need the stock tune.

[EddyHruby]

Thanks. I bought it from a local dealer.

[slicer]

I like my ess tune but I have the akra full evo system / tune. As others have stated, it appears as if you have the stock cats. It should pass smog considering it has the cats. Isn't it legal in ca to alter the mufflers as long as cats are in place? My car is registered in mn so I don't have these concerns.

[dadealus]

Originally Posted by jagman

Thanks. I bought it from a local dealer. I heard back from the dealer today who said it was done by Dinan and "cost something like $15k". They better have done something more than that for $15k!

ROFL


is there any other business in America where they just flat out make off the wall bat shit crazy ignorant comments to its customers on a daily basis?