540 Headers

[l8apex]

Does anyone know if SuperSprint e-39 540 headers will work on an e-34 540?

Dave Brennan
1994 540i 180,000 miles on Nikasil original block. Runs Strong.

[Springfield1952]

Why?? If I remember correctly that header set costs somewhere north of $3,000 and your 540 already has a set of stainless steel tube "headers" from the factory. Seems like the cost to benefit ratio is way out of whack.

Curt.
1994 530iT

[l8apex]

Curt,
You are correct insofar as the V-8 has "tube" headers from the factory. Their appearance is deceptive, however, in that they are "double wall" tubes with an insulating air space between the walls. Therefore, the outside diameter that you can see is significantly larger in diameter than the inner diameter that the exhaust gasses actually go through.
The main reason that I would consider the expense (if they fit), is that I am considering developing a custom twin-screw compressor setup with integrated air-to-water aftercooling. The logic is that if you push more gasses into the engine, you have to make allowances for the resultant larger volume of gasses to excape. Thus the headers. I can have a custom set of headers built if I have to, but I'd prefer ready-made.
Dave

Why?? If I remember correctly that header set costs somewhere north of $3,000 and your 540 already has a set of stainless steel tube "headers" from the factory. Seems like the cost to benefit ratio is way out of whack.

Curt.
1994 530iT

[AllanS]

What kind of a fool would pay over $3k or headers???? The material costs alone can't even be 1/3 of that :P

[632 Regal]

weld em up yourself, all you need is the flanges.

[l8apex]

AllanS,

Name calling and denigration are good indicators of a small mind.
This type of exchange is not conducive to the objective of this forum.
If you have nothing constructive to contribute, kindly keep your opinions to yourself, or post them in a more appropriate setting so that you can share them with those of like mind. I hope that the moderator is monitoring this exchange, and will take action against you.

[AllanS]

Excuse me? Name calling? What are you talking about? What name did I call you?

Anyone who would pay that much for headers is indeed a fool- I'm sorry to break it to you, or somehow hurt your feelings. We're not talking about a Ferrari here. If you bought those headers you'd be paying 1/3 to 1/4 the cost of your car for some overpriced stainless steel, which only give a tiny amount of hp on the e39 m5.

[l8apex]

My feelings are not hurt. I AM offended that you would unthinkingly use our otherwise excellent PUBLIC forum to demonstrate your small mind. If I want to pursue a certain course of enhancement, who are you to denigrate my effort? I have had this car since new, and it is my track car. I am in the process of developing an air-to-water aftercooled twin-screw compressor setup for the BMW V-8. This car will be my test mule. Most people know that if you stuff more air into an engine, you need to enhance the removal of exhaust gasses. Yes, I could weld up a set of headers, but have no convenient facility for this locally.
I noticed that you forgot to respond to my post in terms of answering my original question. Kindly refrain from making incorrect assumptions based upon inadequate information and then spewing your pronouncements as though you know something about the situation.

[AllanS]

Stop making mountains out of molehills l8apex. You said it yourself: PUBLIC forum. I'm not trying to denigrate your effort or intentions, I'm just telling you that 3k$ is a helluva lot of money to drop on headers. If you want to buy them, go ahead and buy them.

I'm in the process of developing an intercooled turbocharger setup for my 535i, and originally started with a custom stainless steel manifold. Stainless steel simply is not that much more expensive than mild steel, to justify such a high price. Any minute gains will be negligable due to the cost.

And in terms of your original question, no one who resonded answered it exactly. They don't have to, in fact, since this is, again, a PUBLIC forum. Once you post, you open yourself up to comment. All responding threads have the same vein- the supersprint headers are too expensive for what you get. I doubt anyone else on this forum has bought them.

Now, the stock headers on the e39 m5 are almost identical to yours. Obviously BMW didn't feel the necessity to upgrade them on their 400hp v8. European Car put them on an m5 a few months ago and got a whopping 25hp out of them.

[Martin in Bellevue]

I responded with what I thought to be good insight to his post & got abused.

I guess for some, it is easy to be bold in the anunymous internet forum.