Quote:
Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer
OEM CSL headers arrived today.
The Good: they seem exceptionally well-designed, at least as light (subjectively) as the Active Autowerke headers. I really wanted to avoid the sensor relocation but it looks like these are definitely the best way to go for an Alpha-N tune like the VT series.
The Bad: the rearmost runner coming from cylinder 6 is pretty severely dented. The seller (member of this forum) completely failed to mention any damage to the headers. The headers were exceptionally well-packed and damage definitely did not occur during shipping. The triangular mount where it bolts on for #6 is not even flush, which would certainly cause an exhaust leak. I will have to get it repaired as well as possible ASAP before the installation on Thursday. This is concerning particularly because the metal of this part of the headers (before the collector) is very thin. However, I am not comfortable installing them as-is because it could cause a hot-spot in the headers or even inside the combustion chamber. Less unexpected, one of the gaskets to Section 1 is baked onto one of the headers (still trying to get it off, it's just flaking) and all of the triangle bits need to be thoroughly cleaned as well. Perhaps most bizarrely, one of the headers had a /narrowband/ oxygen loosely mounted in it...lol.
If anyone from the Bay Area happens to read this and knows of a good metal shop that might be able to repair them, please PM me.
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Call me crazy but i do not think those headers are damaged. I have seen enough stock BMW parts in my life to recognize factory bends and flat spots. Look at our X Pipe, the crush bends look very similar to that. Plus a lot of the pictures i have seen of CSL headers online have the exact same flat spots and bends in the same exact areas (those are not coincidences). I would do some more research on these things before giving up on them. I would not try fixing them as I do not think they are damaged. Read the link below. The reason the flat spots are there are for clearance. Plus the metal around that area would be all scuffed up. It looks pretty clean.
http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=248739