Installing JVT (eBay) Headers on Z4M (S54)

[mousitch]

I know for a fact that the AA's fit perfectly and have straight, perfect flanges. I had a pair on my 2006 vert. Loved them. $1700 though. You might look into the Turner Stepped header. Cheaper but have not heard how they fit. Coming from Turner they should be fine.

[Starscream]

I found a set of euro headers,

But from memory these don't fit without modification right?

Also found a Super Sprint V2 set,

Is there anywhere online that even has these JVT headers in stock? Or can you only buy them used now?

[inTgr8r]

^IIRC, one member(KAV) has installed Euro headers.

[wrh3]

Euro headers should bolt right up, the only difference between these and ours is that they have no cats- probably the easiest to swap out other than required mods to relocate post cat O2 sensors and EGT sensor- pal installed these.

The SuperSprint V2s should work well too, I think the V2s bolt up to our OE section 1, the V1s require SS section 1s?.

JVT are NLA for the S54, but I did have a link to someone who is selling a similar header somewhere in this thread but with thicker flanges so the E36 studs have to be used. One of the reasons I opted for the JVTs over some of the SuperSprint competitors was that all of the O2 bungs and EGT bung were already present on the header so with software none of the section 1 mods were required.

[onebluemcm]

wrh3
How's it going with the re-re-reflash? How many miles now?

[wrh3]

Originally Posted by onebluemcm

wrh3
How's it going with the re-re-reflash? How many miles now?

So far so good, not many since last report, maybe up to 550 miles now?

[Starscream]

Looking into it you need to modify Euro headers with 2 bungs, and an EGR port,
Shouldn't be too hard to do,
Just need a supplier of the bungs and EGR threaded pipe and I can weld them in,

Would anyone know where to grab these?

I think Euro's might be my way of going, This way I'll get the correct fitment,

[inTgr8r]

^don't mod the headers
Relocate the sensors to the secondary cats; several guys have done this.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showpost...3&postcount=18

[Starscream]

I'm not sure I want to cut into my pipes,

[Starscream]

Also,

I already HAVE the ESS tune, (but not the one for the headers)

If I do the above mentioned mod to my 2nd Cat pipe, Wouldn't that generate less power than sending the DME back to ESS to tune for headers?

If not then I might be persuaded to just mod my 2nd pipes and look for a stock replacement down the road,
I now HAVE Euro headers, My auction just ended a few seconds ago, So there is no other options now,

(REALLY sorry to hijack your thread Bill, I'll make me own if you wish)

[F360C]

Originally Posted by Starscream

Looking into it you need to modify Euro headers with 2 bungs, and an EGR port,
Shouldn't be too hard to do,
Just need a supplier of the bungs and EGR threaded pipe and I can weld them in,

Would anyone know where to grab these?

I think Euro's might be my way of going, This way I'll get the correct fitment,

Any local exhaust shop should have the bungs for the 02. When I had one of mine moved they just used a standard bung they had. As far as the EGR.. this one is harder to find. I have read that most people just cut the one of the stock headers.

[Starscream]

I found the bungs on Amazon,

But yes the EGR escapes me, Does anyone know the thread?
might be able to find a steel threaded rod around the shop and weld that in

[fatmatt0116]

the ess tune only turns off the SES light, and it doesn't always even reliably do that. Even if it DOES turn off the SES light, you will still throw codes and fail inspection. Thus, you will need to relocated the sensors as crfine88 did in order to pass inspection.

[Starscream]

Aghhhhh looks like the seller is pi$$ing me around with these euro headers,

Ok so I might NOT have a set after all, Unless a wave of honesty blankets this dirtbag overnight it looks like I'm still in the hunt for headers,

Sucks,
Really had my hopes up there
I hope this guy gets karma up the ying yang

[mfanatic325]

hah I say try the $200 Ebay ones. Worst case scenario, you're out $200. Best case scenario, everything works out perfectly fine and you get 20+ rwhp for only $200

[fatmatt0116]

imo, the labor costs combined with the price of new bmw gaskets (about $500 total) make it a costly experiment. I had the jvts installed and then removed when I came to Cali to pass inspection. In retrospect, had I been aware that I could avoid the codes by relocating the O2 sensors I would have sprung for supersprint stepped headers, not bought the ss powerloops, and had it done right. I had the jvts with my powerloops and imo there was too much drone. I'd like to know how the ss stepped headers would sound with the oem mufflers and x-pipe. At one point I had the jvt headers, ss x-pipe, and ss powerloops and the drone was super annoying for daily use. As it stands, I am pretty much satisfied with the car now as it is, I might be more likely to spring for a diff rather than shelling out all the dough to make headers work and risk dealing with all the inspection bullshit again.

I do wonder whether or not drone would have been as much of an issue with the full setup I had going had it been installed on a roadster as opposed to a coupe, I suspect the coupe may somewhat amplify the drone as it was not quite so annoying when I cracked the windows.

[Starscream]

There is so many on ebay and they all look alike
How do you know which ones are decent?

There's one on there for $65 that looks the same as all the other ones I have seen people install

[fatmatt0116]

they all look the same, they are all copies of the csl euro headers that are fab'd in China. Per O-Cha, the major gripe is the quality of the welds. I bought a set of jvts from another board member and he said some modifications had to be done for fitment, possibly including moving the O2 sensor bung so be prepared for some hassle and perhaps welding. The following link closely resembles what I used to have:
http://compare.ebay.com/like/3700158...=263602_304692

Initially I was very happy with the power and sound etc, then soured on the drone and, ultimately, when I had them removed I observed that there had been awkwardness of fit resulting in one of the heads backing out the bolts at some point, leaving some harmless, but nonetheless ugly exhaust marks on the engine block (they were easily cleaned, but I regretted going cheap is my point here).

If I were to do it again, right, the cheapest set of headers I would buy (other than a used set of authentic csl) would be the following from TMS which are not cheap but nonetheless cheaper than SS yet also ceramic coated for 1300:

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html...4&subcat_id=43

I prolly don't have to tell you this but you will absolutely need to shell out for a new set of gaskets each time the headers are swapped out. Only oem will do.

You might consider the agency power headers which will prolly suffice in terms of quality, though at that price (1000) you may as well shell out the bux for the real deal.
http://jdmultimate.com/i-152733.aspx

[mfanatic325]

I bought factory gaskets, header studs, nuts, and doughnuts for under $200-something I think through Tischer BMW in Maryland. And since I installed the headers myself, I was sure that everything would be done right. Already done a full track day without any problems. I got my headers through my buddy (used, off of his E46 M3). He's already tracked the car once prior to me taking over the headers. We made sure to check the flushness of the flanges and the welds leading up to the flanges for cracks. Then proceeded to ceramic-coat with VHT spray can.

[Starscream]

I'm not sure about going ebay headers route,
I did kind of have my heart set on these euro's but that deal looks dead and buried

Can anyone comment on which would make more power/run better?

Euro headers with modified cat pipe (or euro Z4M cat pipe IF I'm lucky enough to find one)

Or Ebay/AA/SS headers with ESS reflash with o2's turned off/down

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by Starscream

I'm not sure about going ebay headers route,
I did kind of have my heart set on these euro's but that deal looks dead and buried

Can anyone comment on which would make more power/run better?

Euro headers with modified cat pipe (or euro Z4M cat pipe IF I'm lucky enough to find one)

Or Ebay/AA/SS headers with ESS reflash with o2's turned off/down

That sucks re the ebay deal; sorry that it didn't work out.

re the ESS O2 off reflash.
There have been a few posts on this topic, where it didn't work.

[Starscream]

Aghhhh I'm so torn,

and yeah this euro header thing with the seller not working out really deflated me, But I have a few more contacts in Europe so I'm hoping I can find another set,