Exhaust on e90 330i

[yaseent381]

Hi guys, I don't know if this has been discussed before it probably has been but I couldn't seem to find anything, anyways I just wanted to know if I would need to do software on the car if I do either of the 3 things to my e90 pre-lci 330i:
1- Decat
2- Change the back box
3- Fit a full exhaust

I will only be doing either of these for the sound as the car is too soft for me now and I want it louder, obviously a bump up in performance will be good but as long I don't lose any performance. Any info will be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Ralf*]

If fitted and depending on location, a CAT under the body, with no probes, can be removed and replaced with a straight pipe, won't really add to the sound much, but will improve the performance

If you want more sound, then the only real option is to remove the rear box, which is responsible for over 80% of the silencing

replace it with smaller free flow in-line silencers, and then you will have nice sound

you might also want to fit a resonator about mid-distance, so that the exhaust doesn't set up a harmonic vibration causing a fatiguing "dronning" sound.

If you don't mess about with sensors then you won't have to worry about software

 

[yaseent381]

If fitted and depending on location, a CAT under the body, with no probes, can be removed and replaced with a straight pipe, won't really add to the sound much, but will improve the performance

If you want more sound, then the only real option is to remove the rear box, which is responsible for over 80% of the silencing

replace it with smaller free flow in-line silencers, and then you will have nice sound

you might also want to fit a resonator about mid-distance, so that the exhaust doesn't set up a harmonic vibration causing a fatiguing "dronning" sound.

If you don't mess about with sensors then you won't have to worry about software

Thanks man! This is good news, think I will most probably just change the rear box, will see howmuch the decat is going to cost first as I didn't plan on doing anything to the car this month but I just want to:tiptoe: lol

 

[Ralf*]

decat replace with straight pipe is normally around the R350 to R400 range at most exhaust shops

the rear set-up will be a lot more

Speak to Yuben (moderator) here on the Fanatics, he has a complete system on his 330

 

[yaseent381]

decat replace with straight pipe is normally around the R350 to R400 range at most exhaust shops

the rear set-up will be a lot more

Speak to Yuben (moderator) here on the Fanatics, he has a complete system on his 330

Really? I've heard of decatting to be around R1000-R1500, will phone around to hear, but the crap thing is nobody can give me a quote over the phone everyone wants me to come in so they can see 1st:thumbdo:

 

[Ralf*]

Really? I've heard of decatting to be around R1000-R1500, will phone around to hear, but the crap thing is nobody can give me a quote over the phone everyone wants me to come in so they can see 1st:thumbdo:

that is correct, because there are lots ov variations of the number of and location of CATS

CATS that are situated on the downpipe side just after the manifold, would be in the range that you mentioned, and they usually have sensors co-located, making software, or branches or CAT-foolers necessary

many times there are CATS located mid-distance under the body, these usually don't have any sensors, and it is a cut and weld job...easy easy

If you can get under your car and determine what your configuration looks like, w.r.t. amount of CATS and where they are, and if they have sensors sticking out of them, that information will help an exhaust shop make a quote over the phone, but yes...the usuall answer is to bring it in, to determine the level of intricacy of the work required.

 

[yaseent381]

Really? I've heard of decatting to be around R1000-R1500, will phone around to hear, but the crap thing is nobody can give me a quote over the phone everyone wants me to come in so they can see 1st:thumbdo:

that is correct, because there are lots ov variations of the number of and location of CATS

CATS that are situated on the downpipe side just after the manifold, would be in the range that you mentioned, and they usually have sensors co-located, making software, or branches or CAT-foolers necessary

many times there are CATS located mid-distance under the body, these usually don't have any sensors, and it is a cut and weld job...easy easy

If you can get under your car and determine what your configuration looks like, w.r.t. amount of CATS and where they are, and if they have sensors sticking out of them, that information will help an exhaust shop make a quote over the phone, but yes...the usuall answer is to bring it in, to determine the level of intricacy of the work required.

Ya I figured they have to check howmuch work is required, I actually have some pics of my exhaust, will upload them quick.

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[Ric_M]

Your decat will require two downpipes from both banks and will also need 2 CAT emulators/foolers on the lower o2 sensors, otherwise it will fuel erratically :coolShake:

 

[Ralf*]

Your decat will require two downpipes from both banks and will also need 2 CAT emulators/foolers on the lower o2 sensors, otherwise it will fuel erratically :coolShake:

or go the route that Yuben went, E36 328 headers, as they have the fitting already moulded into them for the sensor

another alternative is to do a set of branches

on the images posted I dont see any mid Cats onder the body, so it looks like to do a de-CAT on your vehicle will be in the R1000 to 2000 range

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[sam1801]

E90 330i cats are based within the headers. That's when the 1000-1500 goes out the window. The cheapest quote I got was r2800 from prima force. Powerflow wants a cool r4200. They say its a creepy job now takes an entire day. That's a real bummer. Might as well fit new exhaust

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[yaseent381]

Ya the cats sits in my headers, will try noiseboys, because I met a guy also with an e90 330i manual that had his done at noiseboys, they made him a branch and his software, and I pulled with him, his car goes very nice opens cleanly from me especially after 3rd

---

Your decat will require two downpipes from both banks and will also need 2 CAT emulators/foolers on the lower o2 sensors, otherwise it will fuel erratically :coolShake:

or go the route that Yuben went, E36 328 headers, as they have the fitting already moulded into them for the sensor

another alternative is to do a set of branches

on the images posted I dont see any mid Cats onder the body, so it looks like to do a de-CAT on your vehicle will be in the R1000 to 2000 range

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk 2

Will e36 328i headers work on my car, and more importantly will it make a difference?

 

[Ralf*]

Will e36 328i headers work on my car, and more importantly will it make a difference?

correction, on Yuben's car it was an E46 330i using E36 328 headers
not sue of how much difference there is to the E90 330i from the the E46 330i and if they can still use/accomodate the E36 328i headers

difference would be better throttle response, and slight gain in power, mainly because of the smoother airflow, not needing to swirl and be forced thru a pair of CATS

 

[Jedi]

not sure if this will aid you in any way, but here goes...

i met a guy with e90 330i, he removed the CAT and the back box (put in a straight pipe).
the car sounded fantastic on idle and a slight touch of the pedal. but it was just too loud for normal driving, loud to the point where it could be annoying.

 

[Philip Foglar]

Varies from person to person I suppose - but temporarily had the exhaust flap on my 330i disabled, sounded nice for the first 10 minutes, then got tiresome for me and sounded too much like (not like in terms of sound, but volume) a polo with a cone...

 

[vicky1275]

Hi

I had the back box on my E90 330i removed and fitted a free flow one. Then I took it one step further and went the 4 pipe route.
Have a look at the pic - that was the finish and it sounded great.

Thanks to Ralf and his team - they did a wonderful job and it did not cost and arm and a leg. Complete job including the 4 new tips was around R1300.

 

[Lizzard]

We need a video uploaded with the sound of the new free flow box Vicky1275, please :rollsmile:

There is a couple of us who is considering this method as the E90 330i is just too soft in noise, man even a polo sounds louder then my 6 cylinder powerhouse :roflol:

Please post some videos so we can see if going the route of deleting the rear oem box and replace it with a free flow one is worth the money.

 

[vicky1275]

Hi

sorry, don't have any video or sounds clips
the car was written off a few months ago
but it did sound really good

got myself the E93 330i now, so considering changing the back box very soon. the car is just too silent with the oem box

We need a video uploaded with the sound of the new free flow box Vicky1275, please :rollsmile:

There is a couple of us who is considering this method as the E90 330i is just too soft in noise, man even a polo sounds louder then my 6 cylinder powerhouse :roflol:

Please post some videos so we can see if going the route of deleting the rear oem box and replace it with a free flow one is worth the money.

 

[Philip Foglar]

One thing where we are lucky is that we have the so called Euro style intake air box which provides much nicer induction sound compared to the type that they got in the US with its restrictive carbon emissions filter etc.

 

[yaseent381]

Damn! Now I'm stumped lol that 4 pipes also puts another thought in my head, very interested to hear how it sounds, but I doubt it very much that someone going to charge me R1300 lol here in Cape Town it will probably cost around 3-4k , will go speak to this guy Don, he makes up custom systems to the spec or sound you want, does some nice work, @vicky can you remember the specs of that 4pipe setup you had like what size piping was it and what boxes were used and was it twin pipes or a single pipe leading into the rear boxes with twin tailpipes? And lastly, did it affect the performance negatively?? Very afraid of that. Sorry for all the questions, just want to go the right way

 

[vicky1275]

Hi

With regards to the free flow box installed - it had just the one pipe leading into it and then had twin outlet. One outlet was used on the left side with twin tips and then the other outlet using 57mm pipe was run to the right hand side finishing it off with twin tips.
Performance was not affected at all - just great sound.

Damn! Now I'm stumped lol that 4 pipes also puts another thought in my head, very interested to hear how it sounds, but I doubt it very much that someone going to charge me R1300 lol here in Cape Town it will probably cost around 3-4k , will go speak to this guy Don, he makes up custom systems to the spec or sound you want, does some nice work, @vicky can you remember the specs of that 4pipe setup you had like what size piping was it and what boxes were used and was it twin pipes or a single pipe leading into the rear boxes with twin tailpipes? And lastly, did it affect the performance negatively?? Very afraid of that. Sorry for all the questions, just want to go the right way