1 week update of driving with the headers. Vehicle feels more responsive, feels like it accelerates a little faster which is nice. Definitely enjoy driving it.

Starting to remind me more of when I owned a e46 330i 5spd despite the weight difference (4.10 e53 diffs ratio helps), that linear M54 power band. Really wish they had a standard trans V8 option.

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Did you happen to weigh the headers versus stock? Just curious how much weight you might have saved.



I believe you that you actually got some HP gains though. Those factory cats cannot be great for power.

I didn't weigh them but they are definitely lighter & smaller than the factory manifolds.

Yeah engine just feels livelier/responsive.

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Nice install! I don't think it would pass emission tests in most of US. I have Dinan exhaust and it sounds great and very different than a stock X5 exhaust. For racing or lots of noise I have electric cutouts that can be opened as much and as little as desired. No drone using either. Just an option for others considering exhaust mods. You may be getting a small gain in HP/TQ using headers especially if they are equal length. In the good ol' days we installed headers so we could remove them from the collector, drop the exhaust down to connect to the bottom bolt only, so we had open headers.

In MA, only cars 15yrs old and younger need to pass an emissions test.

So, you're correct, in that it probably wouldn't pass an emissions test, but in MA, I don't need one for my '05..

Nice! In NC it's 25 years. A few more years for my E46 and E53.

My 1969 KG didn't need even need a visual inspection when I registered it. The only thing that is not working is the horn ATM but I got all the wiring sorted with the relay and just waiting on replacement horns ordered over the weekend.

Yeah that's a pain for all you down south subject to government mandated emissions testing. We use to have a program up here in BC but it's contract finished & they found no need to go on with vehicles being much cleaner now in general than when it began in the '90s.

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Nothing quite as permanent as a "temporary" government program....

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Coming soon….

https://youtu.be/GOajGlRxlEQ

It's been shut down since about 5-6 years ago. I feel for you guys down in the states..

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