Test Pipes vs Mid pipe vs Rear Section HP gains

[momo3605]

Originally Posted by f32458

This is a nice thread, helps me understand more on our exhaust games. I had iPE F1 catless setup on my E90. It was OMG loud and sounded like a beast. It had bad smell. Unfortunately, I lost torque. I had iPE did a custom job on my x pipe and they said now I have 200 cell cats. The torque improved and the smell stopped. But I am not sure if I have the best design X pipe in E9x M3. What is my X pipe really?
I am thinking to get TP's and a stage 2 tune. Along with my iPE axle back. But I just remember why spend extra money since I have the iPE X pipe sitting there. So probably no TP for me. What do you guys think? Since most of the sound is coming from axle back and the least performance gain from rear axle back, I will install my new iPE axle back since the sound is very good imo. For sure it weights a bit more than Akra but the valve control is a very fine piece.

Have you considered selling your Xpipe and getting test pipes? You'd probably make some money in the process (Assuming someone would buy your xpipe)

[Koldun]

Originally Posted by KmndntKlink

Ya don't listen to anything EAS has to say about anything. Every single post by them is pushing MS. I disagree with their quality, maybe the pulley is different, but I almost made the mistake of buying a MS intake. Worst quality I've seen! Plastic was very thin and cheap, the edges were frayed and didnt fit together very well. Very glad some more experienced people warned me off. Glad you like the pulley, seems harder to mess up on a quality point, but I wouldn't consider any other products by them. Also don't appreciate being hard sold by a biased distributor, that just turns me right off (ie what other cheap tricks are they pulling?).

Well, for what it's worth, I never installed the pulley. I finally decided I didn't want to risk any warranty issues, so I had a local Dinan dealer install their pulley. I still have the MS pulley, gotta put it up for sale at some point. I'm sure it's fine though, plenty of people run them with no issues.

[KmndntKlink]

Originally Posted by Koldun

Well, for what it's worth, I never installed the pulley. I finally decided I didn't want to risk any warranty issues, so I had a local Dinan dealer install their pulley. I still have the MS pulley, gotta put it up for sale at some point. I'm sure it's fine though, plenty of people run them with no issues.

I made the same choice, at the last minute backed out of the pulley upgrade. Will probably never do a pulley & do the test pipes instead. Same cost & you get actual power with a nice sound as a bonus.

[M3ree]

Im confused. I have a tubi exhaust and everything else under the car is stock. I want to supercharge my car with an ESS kit. I was also looking at their test pipes. Im no expert with this stuff but I want the most power tq/hp wise as possible while still passing emissions. Is the test pipe going to cause me to fail? Some1 please explain if you can. Thanks

[momo3605]

Originally Posted by M3ree

Im confused. I have a tubi exhaust and everything else under the car is stock. I want to supercharge my car with an ESS kit. I was also looking at their test pipes. Im no expert with this stuff but I want the most power tq/hp wise as possible while still passing emissions. Is the test pipe going to cause me to fail? Some1 please explain if you can. Thanks

Depends on the state I guess. In california, any tampering with the cats is illegal, so even test pipes will fail. But if some state has a mandate of just "having a cat", then you will pass.

[M0J0]

After two years in my M3 I finally decided to get a Megan exhaust for the sound. Also, my stock tips look like crap. I have also been thinking about an x-pipe/tune. I just can't justify spending two grand for 35HP. That is like an 8% increase? I live in Houston and I have nowhere to open up my car so what is the point. This is why I got a M3 over a GT-R. Where on earth besides a track can I drive a car like that? Not to mention our streets are crap. I know many people say you can really feel the difference with an extra 8%. I don't see how I really can without a track.

[momo3605]

Originally Posted by M0J0

After two years in my M3 I finally decided to get a Megan exhaust for the sound. Also, my stock tips look like crap. I have also been thinking about an x-pipe/tune. I just can't justify spending two grand for 35HP. That is like an 8% increase? I live in Houston and I have nowhere to open up my car so what is the point. This is why I got a M3 over a GT-R. Where on earth besides a track can I drive a car like that? Not to mention our streets are crap. I know many people say you can really feel the difference with an extra 8%. I don't see how I really can without a track.

Well, you can get test pipes for $400. A dinan tune is about 650. So for about $1000 you can have 35 horsepower! That's actually pretty reasonable from a cost per horsepower perspective. On my old civic Si, a 60hp supercharger was 3.5 grand. And that's for a CIVIC.

Anyway, I know I spent a lot of money on it for "only 35 hp" but it also really opens up the exhaust note. I feel giddy everytime I floor it or fire off rev matched downshifts. Haha

[M0J0]

I am surprised a Dinan tune is 350 less than other tunes.

[KmndntKlink]

Originally Posted by M0J0

I am surprised a Dinan tune is 350 less than other tunes.

dinan tune sucks IMHO, you get way less out of the deal than you do with say BPMsport or ESS. That's why its cheaper. Also dinan tune is actually $799 right now, not 650. As with much of dinan's gear its horribly overpriced.

Re: cat deletion, you need dinan's racing software which is 999=same price as everyone else and you get less hp & less features.

sources:
http://www.dinancars.com/products/M-...-Software.aspx

http://www.dinancars.com/products/M-...-Software.aspx