BMW E46 awaiting
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On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2016
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Two companies make swap headers. CX Racing sells for about $450 but are smaller primaries (a bit bigger than 1 5/8) and the welds don't look great. Vorshlag sells a set with bigger 1 3/4 primaries and they look well built, but they're $1,850...so that's not gonna happen. I may just have to find a standard set with the closest measurement and massage them a bit. Or find some mid-length or shorties. Or have a custom set built. Decisions, decisions.
yeah if 1800 is in the budget for headers have them made to fit.
there was a thread on here just recently a guy swapping his mercedes that did a clean work-around the mercedes rear steer (even less room than yours)
he ran a pass manifold on the driver side down and forwards and Wye'd into the passenger side after the flange. turned out really clean.
there was a thread on here just recently a guy swapping his mercedes that did a clean work-around the mercedes rear steer (even less room than yours)
he ran a pass manifold on the driver side down and forwards and Wye'd into the passenger side after the flange. turned out really clean.
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On The Tree
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Unfortunately the $1800 headers aren't in the budget. I still need a T56, clutch, tuning, custom driveshaft, and all sorts of ankle biters that will pop up. I'll take a look at that Mercedes setup. I may just have to run shorties or if I don't want the CX headers.
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Still going with it, slow and steady. The interior is stripped out, and I cut out the spare tire well. Picked up a M3 limited slip rear with 3.62 gearing that'll be going in sometime after Thanksgiving. I take the car to a fab shop in Nashville at the end of the month to get rear sub-frame reinforcements welded in, as well as a trunk floor and mounting cage for the fuel cell.
As far as the engine I picked up the front accessories from a 2005 GTO to mount up. The water pump turned out to be scrap, but I got the power steering pump and alternator mounted. Discovered that the car accessories all line up, but there is a hole drilled in the LS blocks that is not drilled on the LQ truck blocks. I got that drilled and tapped, with only a little drama (broken drill bit), and everything mounted up fine.
I'll try and get some pics posted up later on.
As far as the engine I picked up the front accessories from a 2005 GTO to mount up. The water pump turned out to be scrap, but I got the power steering pump and alternator mounted. Discovered that the car accessories all line up, but there is a hole drilled in the LS blocks that is not drilled on the LQ truck blocks. I got that drilled and tapped, with only a little drama (broken drill bit), and everything mounted up fine.
I'll try and get some pics posted up later on.
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On The Tree
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As far as your header situation goes, are you dead set on running a header? I know hooker makes a set of swap manifolds that hug the block pretty tight and flow pretty well. I had 2 friends that used them, one on a volvo 240 the other on a e36 that never got finished.
https://www.holley.com/products/exha...arts/8501-3HKR
https://www.holley.com/products/exha...arts/8501-3HKR
I used these -- https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Tru-R...iABEgJIzPD_BwE -- even nicer than the Hooker cast units, with an exit point/direction that keeps exhaust bits further away from the firewall. At peak, I doubt there'll be any significant difference in output; however, a good set of properly sized longtubes will perk up the bottom/mid a bit.
Attachment 713689
Attachment 714909
Attachment 713689
Attachment 714909
When I did my E36 LS swap I built the headers myself. I couldn't see $1800 for headers. I looked at the CX stuff but didn't like it. Bought the head flanges, collectors and "box of bends" from Speedway Motors and went from there. Took about two weeks of evenings to complete. I used 1.75" tubes.
Just took my time cutting and tacking one tube at a time. Finished welding on the work bench. I only have a wire feed welder. So after I finished welding each tube I ground the welds smooth and then welded the tubes to the head flange and collector.
The passenger side was easy. The driver side was real tight around the steering shaft. I did have to run the steering shaft thru the header tubes.
Per the guys on Bimmer Forums say there isn't a "stock" header that will work on the drivers side.
Just took my time cutting and tacking one tube at a time. Finished welding on the work bench. I only have a wire feed welder. So after I finished welding each tube I ground the welds smooth and then welded the tubes to the head flange and collector.
The passenger side was easy. The driver side was real tight around the steering shaft. I did have to run the steering shaft thru the header tubes.
Per the guys on Bimmer Forums say there isn't a "stock" header that will work on the drivers side.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 130
Likes: 9
As far as your header situation goes, are you dead set on running a header? I know hooker makes a set of swap manifolds that hug the block pretty tight and flow pretty well. I had 2 friends that used them, one on a volvo 240 the other on a e36 that never got finished.
https://www.holley.com/products/exha...arts/8501-3HKR
https://www.holley.com/products/exha...arts/8501-3HKR
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From: Central Cal.
Not only do the Speedway units look good, they have 3" outlets as opposed to the 2-1/4" ones on the Holley manifolds. Though I bet the Holley ones can be ported out a bit.
Good way to pass smog; I doubt many inspectors know EXACTLY what stock manifolds have to look like. These could pass as stock.
Good way to pass smog; I doubt many inspectors know EXACTLY what stock manifolds have to look like. These could pass as stock.
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Pulled the factory dash bar and the column to make room for the cage cross bar.
Cage for the fuel cell.
Just a little peek at the cell from behind. Only car people will notice this, and with a factory looking exhaust out back shouldn’t give away too much on the street.
Not only do the Speedway units look good, they have 3" outlets as opposed to the 2-1/4" ones on the Holley manifolds. Though I bet the Holley ones can be ported out a bit.
Good way to pass smog; I doubt many inspectors know EXACTLY what stock manifolds have to look like. These could pass as stock.
Good way to pass smog; I doubt many inspectors know EXACTLY what stock manifolds have to look like. These could pass as stock.
Car looks like it's coming along nicely.
Exactly!
BTW, one of the other benefits of a cast iron or cast stainless manifold is that they are so much quieter than tube steel. They help keep the exhaust sounds INSIDE the exhaust system. Mine runs so quiet underhood that you can hear the individual injectors clicking open/shut.
BTW, one of the other benefits of a cast iron or cast stainless manifold is that they are so much quieter than tube steel. They help keep the exhaust sounds INSIDE the exhaust system. Mine runs so quiet underhood that you can hear the individual injectors clicking open/shut.
Last edited by Michael Yount; Dec 5, 2017 at 08:20 PM.
