'91 325iC Exhaust Install - Any Walk Throughs?

[TedV]

The Bosal Exhaust and install kit arrived from BavAuto this morning exactly 48 hours (to the hour) after being ordered. Anyone have a walk through or tech piece they can point me to? I know roughly how to do it but was hoping to find an online tech piece somewhere.

Thanks!

[jimpanzee23]

come off. Break the bolts at the junction between the pipes from the cat and the pipes to the muffler. Then just unbolt the muffler and let it drop. get something to rest the new muffler on the will hold it kind of to the height it will hang, thread the bolts at the junction. The only hard part is getting the muffler brackets back on, I laid on my back with the muffler on my belly with the brackets lossely around it, used a pair of vice grips to get the bracket closed enough to thread the nut. now just tighten all of your bolts and you are done.

Those who doubt me suck c0ck by choice~Tom Nutall.

[bevo]

them from the dealer. The BA ones are much harder grade of material and more difficult to install. Mine both broke within 3 months too. Chances are I damaged them trying to pry them on. The dealer ones slipped on easily by hand.

[9kguy]

Here's a walk-through, but I don't think it's any more helpful than the responses you've already received.

http://www.bmwe30.net/cgi-bin/datacgi/database.cgi?file=articles&report=view&ID=00084&Section=14

I just moved a 6 month old Bosal exhaust system over to another e30, and would have to agree with bevo -- the donuts that came with the bracket and hanger kit are already hard and cracked. If you're doing the entire system (from the manifold back) you'll have to loosen the motor mount on the right side and jack the engine up for the flanges to clear the exhaust manifold studs.

Hope this helps!Jim /'88 325/'89 325i/'88 735i

[BMWPower3]

or else you will have to find an aternative way to make it work like me.
Mark
1990 325i, Zinnoberrot on Black 108k
AIM: Markman5551

[TedV]

1. The Bosal exhaust seems to be pretty high quality and is fairly heavy. BavAuto's bubble wrap skills are sorely lacking as the "sleeve" of bubblewrap they put on to cover the tips and muffler can completely fell off at some point and was sitting on top of the exhaust pipe when left at my door. The muffle can has a few dings, dents and scratches but it looks completely functional. The warranty on this pipe is only 1 year, if I had to do it again I might have paid the extra $90 and bought through the dealer for the now much longer warranty on BMW parts.

2. The exhaust install kit looks to be quite complete.

a. It does come with two very different pipe gaskets, I would guess which to use on which pipe will be apparent once I climb under.

b. The kit come with 4 steel bolts, 4 steel nuts and 4 copper nuts - I assume (correct please if I am wrong) that I tighten down with the steel nut and "lock" it with the copper nut?

c. Lastly, the two donuts for the exhaust can are indeed a bit harder than the donut for the mid-pipe, will warming them up a bit make them easier to install?

3. I called BavAuto to let them know about the poorly wrapped muffler, they seemed unconcerned so I am hoping the dings and dents will have no affect on the operation of the muffler.

4. When I do install this, I take it I just blast it with PB Blaster and hope I can get them loose. If not, I guess I try and cut the nuts off the bolts with a hacksaw? Further, when replacing, do I use anti-seize? Loc-tite? Nothing? Is it worth buying a dremel or will a hacksaw blade work well enough?

Thanks folks! I do mean to completely write this up, there seems to be no good article out there for a 325.

[TedV]

[TedV]

[bevo]

up in shipping. They get them bulk tossed together on a pallet without any protection and break them out individually for resale. They are shipped pre-abused, as it were. I then spent the extra money on the dealer version.

[HELLO THAR N00B]

try and hit the nuts and whatnot with your penetrating lube the day before, then again when you go to remove them. i would try a propane torch to loosen them, but a hacksaw will work too.

usually if they're rusted enough when you lay some torque to them, the bolt will just twist apart.

[TedV]

Looking at the parts I wasn't quite sure how they went together so I looked it up on the BavAuto site. As you can see from the pics, I got two of the "top" pieces with the mount welded on, and none of the second piece down with the mount at just the end (this mount is removeable.)

I'd hate to get the exhaust off only to realize my straps were wrong, it is my daily driver. Anyone mind taking a look and seeing if I am OK? I can't seem to find a pic anywhere of what straps are needed where.

[jimpanzee23]

hangers? You will need at least the hangers. You could use your old bolts and nuts, but you should've got them with the kit. If you are missing the rings you can also use your old ones.

Those who doubt me suck c0ck by choice~Tom Nutall.

[TedV]

I couldn't get those damn bolts off to save my life so I packed everything in the trunk and paid a local shop $70 to install the new muffler. I think if I had a lift or ramps I could have done it, the car just sits too low to do it with ordinary jackstands.

Looks great, sounds great - only problem is that hitting a rather large ripple in construction on I-95 at 60mph during my regular commute produced a noticeable "thunk", I am guessing it is a little excessive play in the hangers of the new pipe (they give a bit too much when fully extended?) Maybe too much flex in the BavAuto donuts? I gave it a push/pull by the exhaust tips and it didn't seem to give any more than before.