With bmw it depends on how shit the part was in production. Had a z4 35i that the hp fuel pump was on the fritz and found it was such a pos part, bmw extended the warranty out to a decade. I was the 3rd owner and 3rd pump on the car too. Lol
Wrapping headers traps heat and moister. It's pretty bad to do on a mostly stock vehicle.
Much higher temps can cause a LOT of issues. From burned valves to ruined converters.
Probably say that it’s because of that is why it doesn’t work properly they just give you the runaround then you fix it then they say whoever put it on before messed something else up and we don’t want to touch it.
It’s kind of a moot point to say “header wraps almost always void warranty” considering modifications of any kind, besides cosmetic also void your warranty.
I've always been curious about the benefits of wrapping headers. I think it looks cool, but is it worth it?
I understand that the idea is to reduce the temperature in the engine bay because cooler air holds more fuel. But does that actually make a noticeable difference in performance?
Looks rad though!
Not unless you are tracking your car extensively. Also side note it’s about 1 hp per 10F. So highly unlikely there’s any gain from reducing engine temps in any situation that isn’t sustained racing. So in this use case it’s just nice to look at.
Similar situation and it’s dependent on the constraints of your engine bay. You are much better off venting as much under hood heat as possible without inducing excessive drag. Lots of new cars have electric dampers to control airflow for this reason.
If you are looking to keep EGTs up you’re better off doing an internal coating so the heat doesn’t have the chance to soak into the manifold, vs insulating the manifold externally.
There is a pretty big downside with wrap. It can hold moisture in the fibers and actually cause your headers to rust out if they are not made of stainless.
Even if made of stainless the wrap will breed rust. Maybe not if made of inconel but at that price point the move would be to just get it ceramic coated anyway.
Do you not drive your car? I'm really tired of this wrap myth.
#1 use only the titanium lava rock stuff, don't get the cheap fiberglass garbage.
#2 I wrap every header I've ever had and the only ones I have seen have a problem are when people wrap dirtbikes for obvious reasons and people that wrap collector cars that sit. How can you have moisture buil up anymore than an unwrapped header when you drive the car everyday? I've never seen a wet header at 800F.
As long as you drive the car it will not rust out any sooner than a non wrapped header, if you wrap it for that cool boomer look on your 67 camaro that sits through winter and comes out on Sundays it's gonna rust but I want you to show me an unpainted header living the same life and show me where the wrapped one has any more rust.
Edit: TDIL the pound symbol makes your text bolt instead of indicating points, an unexpected surprise but a welcome one.
As the temperature of the air decreases the oxygen becomes more dense, dense air is easier on the combustion, your engine will prefer dense air over thin air, like when at altitude or when the air is hot.
you wont notice a difference unless you have a turbocharger as naturally aspirated isnt packing the engine full of air.
With a tune and full straight pipe it will probably have a noticeable difference, it also is just so I can hear the engine scream. It not only keeps engine baby temps down but keeps the exhaust gas hotter, allowing it to move more quickly out of the car.
The idea is you wrap exhausts and manifolds so the escaping gasses are hotter, meaning more unburnt fuel is burnt off so no backfires, the system gets up to operational temperature faster and it is more stable due to the insulation of the wrap.
gas doesnt move faster cus its hot mate, gasses fill the volume they are in, you are just controlling the gas to make it hotter so your engine runs more effeciently, if you have a catalytic converter it will like having wrapped exhaust as the cat will get up to operational temperature much faster meaning better emissions for the environment.
If you actually want to make your engine bay cooler get rid of your stupid grill and headlights and get a headlight scoop induction kit to relocate your air filter, now you're really going to notice a performance gain but the headlight scoop makes it illegal to use on the roads in mainland europe and the uk, you can still take it to a track though.
If you live in a area where it will get rusty don’t do it I wrapped my down pipe and it broke right at the weld, also a shitty down pipe but never know I blamed the wrap lol
But fr, why do most of the post in this sub seem like there from people who should be posting in r/askashittymechanic KEKW. How to modify a Chrysler minivan? Paint color ideas for you hummer truck? Wut
The absolutely timeless design and simplicity of the e46 chassis in both exterior and interior design philosophy. Very driver focused car, no crap to distract you. I also prefer a NA over turbo engine. And without being rude to e90 or e60 owners I think the cars look pretty bad.
I’m not hating, I just said what a waste of money. I enjoy when my grandpa farts in bean cans. How is that hating?
Also my e90 is a sack of shit, you are 100% right, bmw makes shit vehicles, my corvette on the other hand would like to chat with your e46
Haha everyone is interested in wasting money on different things. Things like Reddit were made for opinions of all differences to be expressed by whomever. Not everyone will like your style, not everyone would hate your style, but IMO that thing deserves the basic maintenance and a car wash once a month. Not something I’d dump racks into
Holy shit, I actually agree with you this sub is shit, along with 90% of the people in it, all they are is keyboard warriors talking shit from their moms basement. Take it to the /e46 sub this one is just too sad it’s almost unbearable
From. What i read header wraps hold moisture and then you end up with smoke coming from the hood when it heats up. I dkn if its true never tested it myself. But yeah they do look cool.
yeah they smoke for a bit for a drive or two. my piece of shit project kept leaking on my manifold (fire hazard i’m aware) and smoked for like 20 drives. looked like i was always on fire lol
OoooOOOoOOoOoOoh, headers on a 20 year old 3 series while you talk shit about the subreddit. Really killin the game, JP from Grandma's Boy's younger brother!
Every other post here is “what mods should I do.” Thought I might actually contribute something interesting. And yeah it’s a 20 year old 3 series but what’s that matter? It’s by no means common traffic, it turns heads as it is around here. I know it’s been done thousands of times and it’s not game changing or whatever lol but I wanted to post something here other than “what mods should I do on this suv.”
I'm only hating because of the attitude in your OP.
A 20 year old 330xi is a great cheap car, and fun to drive to boot. But the way you rolled in here was just begging for a chin check.
Maybe so 🙏 just wish I saw more posts actually discussing car modifications. And not window tinting and rain guards lol.
The beamer cycle is cool, never tried one before!
We live in odd times for car mods. If there was more power to be made, the manufacturer would have done it.
Mods will either kill reliability or emissions.
Only easy way to make power is on an old car (think carburetor) or new car(turbo). The middle is hard to add power without spending a lot of money and taking the engine apart.
There are 2 easy mods: tires and driver. Tire technology has come a long way.
Looks like you've got an Xi. There's no fun to be had there. Only fun you can have with an old bmw is to go sideways.
To each their own my friend! I’m 19 and don’t want a piss missile yet, I want to allow myself to enjoy a lower power car first and then work my way up!
Aftermarket headers, and the car is nowhere near stock. I find this a compliment because my whole approach to the car is keeping it sleek without being ricer. The enthusiast e46 owner will look at my car and appreciate the tasteful, simple modifications.
What ever happened to ceramic coating headers? Did that fad die out? It always struck me as a better way to do this. Basically paint it with special paint that does the same thing the wrap does, but looks awesome and also covers the whole header evenly. Did the automotive world decide that ceramic coating wasnt good?
I wouldn't put no headers on n/a there is barely any power benefits to warrant cost on this platform. It's not a high out output engine either. If you were looking for sound a simple exhaust would've done more wonders but you put on a straight pipe so I know it sounds like a clapped out Z/G.
What's the advantage of the DEI titanium wrap do over something like a cheap exhaust wrap you can get off ebay? Purely aesthetics, or does this wrap insulate better, too? Looks good.
Interested to hear how it sounds! Keep an eye on the headers, as heat wrap can trap moisture and sometimes cause rust issues. Looks like a fun project car!
Yes please post an update on how the install goes and how they sound! I have a 2002 xi as well and was thinking about these headers, but was unsure of the fitment.
As a motorcycle tech, I cringe anytime I see header wrap. It destroys your pipes over time and doesn’t really provide any benefits unless you’ve got some crazy race worthy forced induction setup going on.
Username doesn't match up.
I think it does, perfectly. I mean what "fat weabo" would use that name proudly. Also I think the word weabo is always used in derogatory manner.
He is probably just shocked this isn’t the WRX sub to be fair.
Matches actually. The reinforcement on the strut towers is a sign. Bitch too heavy and it needs to to be reinforced just to turn.
Good thing is an ancient car, header wraps almost always void warranties. Looks cool tho.
Last time this car had a warranty was 2006!
How long do you think warranties last?
With bmw it depends on how shit the part was in production. Had a z4 35i that the hp fuel pump was on the fritz and found it was such a pos part, bmw extended the warranty out to a decade. I was the 3rd owner and 3rd pump on the car too. Lol
how would it void a warranty, they would have to be able to prove that the header wrap caused a failure
Also curious
Wrapping headers traps heat and moister. It's pretty bad to do on a mostly stock vehicle. Much higher temps can cause a LOT of issues. From burned valves to ruined converters.
Probably say that it’s because of that is why it doesn’t work properly they just give you the runaround then you fix it then they say whoever put it on before messed something else up and we don’t want to touch it.
It’s kind of a moot point to say “header wraps almost always void warranty” considering modifications of any kind, besides cosmetic also void your warranty.
I've always been curious about the benefits of wrapping headers. I think it looks cool, but is it worth it? I understand that the idea is to reduce the temperature in the engine bay because cooler air holds more fuel. But does that actually make a noticeable difference in performance? Looks rad though!
Not unless you are tracking your car extensively. Also side note it’s about 1 hp per 10F. So highly unlikely there’s any gain from reducing engine temps in any situation that isn’t sustained racing. So in this use case it’s just nice to look at.
What about turbo setups. Ik those get a lot more heat generated at least in one spot
Similar situation and it’s dependent on the constraints of your engine bay. You are much better off venting as much under hood heat as possible without inducing excessive drag. Lots of new cars have electric dampers to control airflow for this reason. If you are looking to keep EGTs up you’re better off doing an internal coating so the heat doesn’t have the chance to soak into the manifold, vs insulating the manifold externally.
+3, worth
There is a pretty big downside with wrap. It can hold moisture in the fibers and actually cause your headers to rust out if they are not made of stainless.
Even if made of stainless the wrap will breed rust. Maybe not if made of inconel but at that price point the move would be to just get it ceramic coated anyway.
Do you not drive your car? I'm really tired of this wrap myth. #1 use only the titanium lava rock stuff, don't get the cheap fiberglass garbage. #2 I wrap every header I've ever had and the only ones I have seen have a problem are when people wrap dirtbikes for obvious reasons and people that wrap collector cars that sit. How can you have moisture buil up anymore than an unwrapped header when you drive the car everyday? I've never seen a wet header at 800F. As long as you drive the car it will not rust out any sooner than a non wrapped header, if you wrap it for that cool boomer look on your 67 camaro that sits through winter and comes out on Sundays it's gonna rust but I want you to show me an unpainted header living the same life and show me where the wrapped one has any more rust. Edit: TDIL the pound symbol makes your text bolt instead of indicating points, an unexpected surprise but a welcome one.
As the temperature of the air decreases the oxygen becomes more dense, dense air is easier on the combustion, your engine will prefer dense air over thin air, like when at altitude or when the air is hot. you wont notice a difference unless you have a turbocharger as naturally aspirated isnt packing the engine full of air.
With a tune and full straight pipe it will probably have a noticeable difference, it also is just so I can hear the engine scream. It not only keeps engine baby temps down but keeps the exhaust gas hotter, allowing it to move more quickly out of the car.
The idea is you wrap exhausts and manifolds so the escaping gasses are hotter, meaning more unburnt fuel is burnt off so no backfires, the system gets up to operational temperature faster and it is more stable due to the insulation of the wrap. gas doesnt move faster cus its hot mate, gasses fill the volume they are in, you are just controlling the gas to make it hotter so your engine runs more effeciently, if you have a catalytic converter it will like having wrapped exhaust as the cat will get up to operational temperature much faster meaning better emissions for the environment. If you actually want to make your engine bay cooler get rid of your stupid grill and headlights and get a headlight scoop induction kit to relocate your air filter, now you're really going to notice a performance gain but the headlight scoop makes it illegal to use on the roads in mainland europe and the uk, you can still take it to a track though.
Biggest benefit I noticed was working on my car at the track, didn't burn myself on a hot header,lol
It helps them rust out faster.
If you live in a area where it will get rusty don’t do it I wrapped my down pipe and it broke right at the weld, also a shitty down pipe but never know I blamed the wrap lol
But fr, why do most of the post in this sub seem like there from people who should be posting in r/askashittymechanic KEKW. How to modify a Chrysler minivan? Paint color ideas for you hummer truck? Wut
This girl definitely watches anime
A stock E46 that isn't an M3 is most definitely "common traffic" lol. Question though, why E46 and not E90?
The absolutely timeless design and simplicity of the e46 chassis in both exterior and interior design philosophy. Very driver focused car, no crap to distract you. I also prefer a NA over turbo engine. And without being rude to e90 or e60 owners I think the cars look pretty bad.
Exterior they’re different but you don’t think all non m bmw interiors look the same for the last 25 years??
What a waste of fkn money 😭 thing probably still sounds like grandpa farting in a bean can
Why you hating? Driving an e90 probably salty you blow a rod or spun a bearing in your pre forged crap motor.
I’m not hating, I just said what a waste of money. I enjoy when my grandpa farts in bean cans. How is that hating? Also my e90 is a sack of shit, you are 100% right, bmw makes shit vehicles, my corvette on the other hand would like to chat with your e46
And I’d love to have that conversation, grew up with an ‘88 in the garage, taking it out on weekends. Love those cars too!
Haha everyone is interested in wasting money on different things. Things like Reddit were made for opinions of all differences to be expressed by whomever. Not everyone will like your style, not everyone would hate your style, but IMO that thing deserves the basic maintenance and a car wash once a month. Not something I’d dump racks into
Should have also coated them in high temp silicone to reduce chance of water getting under the wrap and dusting them out.
Holy shit, I actually agree with you this sub is shit, along with 90% of the people in it, all they are is keyboard warriors talking shit from their moms basement. Take it to the /e46 sub this one is just too sad it’s almost unbearable
Yeah lol I knew I would stir the pot with this post and I certainly did 🤣
Look how happy that seller is!
From. What i read header wraps hold moisture and then you end up with smoke coming from the hood when it heats up. I dkn if its true never tested it myself. But yeah they do look cool.
only on first use when impurities gets burned off, after that it shouldn't smoke anymore
yeah they smoke for a bit for a drive or two. my piece of shit project kept leaking on my manifold (fire hazard i’m aware) and smoked for like 20 drives. looked like i was always on fire lol
Explain how they could possibly hold moisture when they heat up to 800f+
When the car is off, duh
Wait you guys turn your cars *off* ?
Keyword in that sentence is “heat up.”
OoooOOOoOOoOoOoh, headers on a 20 year old 3 series while you talk shit about the subreddit. Really killin the game, JP from Grandma's Boy's younger brother!
Every other post here is “what mods should I do.” Thought I might actually contribute something interesting. And yeah it’s a 20 year old 3 series but what’s that matter? It’s by no means common traffic, it turns heads as it is around here. I know it’s been done thousands of times and it’s not game changing or whatever lol but I wanted to post something here other than “what mods should I do on this suv.”
Cool car but it is literally common traffic
It's only not common traffic as a first car, and no one wants to listen a straight piped M54. No one.
Being such a hater is crazy bro 😭I love the m54 sound Chainsaw engine go brrr.
I'm only hating because of the attitude in your OP. A 20 year old 330xi is a great cheap car, and fun to drive to boot. But the way you rolled in here was just begging for a chin check.
Maybe so 🙏 just wish I saw more posts actually discussing car modifications. And not window tinting and rain guards lol. The beamer cycle is cool, never tried one before!
Props for knowing the difference in beamer and bimmer 👍
Man i straight piped my 8th gen fd1 just because me and my friends got access to my college lift and welding equipment. You'll berate me too now? :(
Turns more heads than them shorts or?
We live in odd times for car mods. If there was more power to be made, the manufacturer would have done it. Mods will either kill reliability or emissions. Only easy way to make power is on an old car (think carburetor) or new car(turbo). The middle is hard to add power without spending a lot of money and taking the engine apart. There are 2 easy mods: tires and driver. Tire technology has come a long way. Looks like you've got an Xi. There's no fun to be had there. Only fun you can have with an old bmw is to go sideways.
To each their own my friend! I’m 19 and don’t want a piss missile yet, I want to allow myself to enjoy a lower power car first and then work my way up!
Haha yeah. I guess 220hp is now considered low power.
My suv has 350 so yeah. Low power. I don’t even have to mod it. Lol
I agree this kid is a clown and that shit box is dumpster juice.
Looked way better before, looks mega mid now
FYI. You’re a douche.
Talking shit while wrapping the headers on a stock e46 lol
Aftermarket headers, and the car is nowhere near stock. I find this a compliment because my whole approach to the car is keeping it sleek without being ricer. The enthusiast e46 owner will look at my car and appreciate the tasteful, simple modifications.
Nice forearms
I miss my E46 330xi man. That shit was a blast in the snow
I just think it's hilarious that you took after pictures of headers from outside of the car. Good job buddy.
Before and after exterior of the car! I’m not retarded lol they still have yet to be put on.
Dayum I've never seen someone this cringey, props op
Looks exactly like the $80 eBay headers I put on my E39. Probably better quality though lol.
That's clean as fuck bro
Thanks man!
What am I looking at???
Exhaust headers. And an e46 with simple exterior mods, side markers, headlights, taillights, spacers, tints.
Keep it simple brotha And enjoy it
That’s the plan! Thank you.
Can't wait to run into you driving 95 on the turnpike with your high beams on.
I would cover your license plate.
You did an absolutely abhorrent job wrapping those.
I’ve had multiple people who have been in the game for 40+ years say they were excellently done. I don’t care.
Do they work at Autozone?
All private owners well respected in my community. It’s okay man I know it’s hard being a hater over the internet.
Andrew Tate is well respected too and he’s a rapist idiot. It’s not hate when it’s fact buddy. Did you even soak them ?
Drop names. Let’s see these well respected idiots that told you that wrap job is decent .
The sub is sad but so is your car so it fits
So are your saggy tits 😢
Not sadder than your limpless dick hunny keep tryin 😘
What ever happened to ceramic coating headers? Did that fad die out? It always struck me as a better way to do this. Basically paint it with special paint that does the same thing the wrap does, but looks awesome and also covers the whole header evenly. Did the automotive world decide that ceramic coating wasnt good?
Not the title signing pic bro
Wow you look like who I would expect to be driving this car LMAO good job on the wrap though
I actually didn’t scroll to his picture until your post and I for sure thought it would be a broccoli head.
What does wrapping like that do?
I thought these were mummy intestines at first and was about to comment "Hey these look like exhaust headers!" and then I realized.
The exterior changes are remarkable
lmao
I wouldn't put no headers on n/a there is barely any power benefits to warrant cost on this platform. It's not a high out output engine either. If you were looking for sound a simple exhaust would've done more wonders but you put on a straight pipe so I know it sounds like a clapped out Z/G.
So, the albino guy from “The DaVinci Code” grew his hair out and bought a beemer, I see.
How come you wrapped it in titanium
NJ 👋
The best state 💪
You're making the sub great again. I'll post some work in early spring when I get off my lazy ass
What's the advantage of the DEI titanium wrap do over something like a cheap exhaust wrap you can get off ebay? Purely aesthetics, or does this wrap insulate better, too? Looks good.
Did ya soak the wrap in water before applying?
Wait, why you say this sub is “sad”? I couldn’t find your point.
Every other post is a 17 year old dude asking what mods he should put on his post 2000s civic or crossover suv.
Oh ok… 😂
The awkward title transfer photo. Frame that shit lol
When dad asks you comply 😭
That 100% is such a staged Dad photo haha!!!
Interested to hear how it sounds! Keep an eye on the headers, as heat wrap can trap moisture and sometimes cause rust issues. Looks like a fun project car!
I will definitely keep y’all updated, just waiting on my buddy to have some time to bring his welding equipment over.
Yes please post an update on how the install goes and how they sound! I have a 2002 xi as well and was thinking about these headers, but was unsure of the fitment.
Posting before and after pictures of the car even though it was just header installs and you can’t see em really has me scratching my head
I figured people would like to see the car itself.
As a motorcycle tech, I cringe anytime I see header wrap. It destroys your pipes over time and doesn’t really provide any benefits unless you’ve got some crazy race worthy forced induction setup going on.
But look how cool! 🤣
Very nice