Headers! :)

The N62 (545/550) is fairly limited when considering a headers system. You've got three obvious options:

1) Custom made (significant financial commitment, but could yield high performance gains)
2) RD Sport headers (one piece construction. can't find any dyno sheets online)
3) Supersprint headers (multi-piece construction. dyno sheets available online)

Ended up deciding away from going custom due to the high financial commitment. It would end up costing a lot to build and test, and re-build and test a headers system until you feel you've found the best design. I guess this might be worth it if you were a tuning specialist and you wanted to replicate your design and re-sell it to cover your research/engineering costs as well as turn a profit, but not for me.

Making the decision between RD Sport and Supersprint wasn't easy. It would have been easier if RPi offered a headers system, cause I would have just gone with theirs, but they don't offer headers for the N62.

RD Sport didn't have any dyno sheets posted anywhere online that I could find, but here is a photo of the RD Sport headers from their website(http://www.racdyn.com/IC_01.cfm?ic=1300862631):
Attachment 115149

RD Sport claims the following
"By replacing them with the Racing Dynamics units, you will achieve a gain of almost 25 HP."

Supersprint has a little more detail shared on their product webpage (http://www.supersprint.com/USPG000bmwE608.asp). Here is a photo of the Supersprint Headers as well as a dyno printout comparing the OEM exhaust manifolds to the Supersprint headers:
http://www.supersprint.com/public/images/26305.jpg

Attachment 115148
+17HP, +18.2TQ above OEM(but look at all that low end torque around 2600 RPM's +68TQ over OEM!)

Gains aside, the installation of headers was something to consider as well. People in the ///M game are spending upwards of $1500 for the installation of headers on the e60. After speaking with Joe, he suggested these installation costs are due to the fact that the sub-frame needs to be dropped so the mechanic can have enough room to work around the exhaust manifolds. The more parts you remove (such as the sub-frame), the more labor, and hence higher installation costs. The supersprint headers aren't a one-piece build, but a multi-piece build, which might offer an easier/less-timely installation but I can't say for sure. The mechanic will have to pull the OEM exhaust manifolds out anyways (and those are a one-piece build), so the sub-frame might need to be dropped regardless. Hopefully the multi-piece build does not suggest a higher liklihood for exhaust leakage. Not too worried about that though.

Anyways, really looking forward to doing this modification. Still have some time to find a shop and decide if jet-hot coating or exhaust manifold wrapping is something that I want to do. Really looking forward to shedding the weight of those OEM exhaust manifolds.

Okay, now those are REALLY cool. Congrats :thumbsup:

Thanks. Been wanting headers on my car since I was a kid. Im SOOOOO stoked man!! :hyper:

HAHAHA put new headers on a few cars in my time, you're gonna LOVE them :thumbsup:

West, your just BEGGING for more power huh? Exhaust with gains, New diff, and now headers! I wanna see a dyno after!!!

:twoup: Headers, LSD.... Supercharger. Your car is going to be a beast. :hyper:

Damn west, I'm starting to wonder why you just didn't buy an M5. That's going to be one fast machine :twoup:

Stalker...just kidding. :) Will definately be doing multiple pulls on the dyno. Stay tuned.

Supercharger might be a good idea, but those guys at ESS haven't even posted a price yet. If the price is fair, it might be worth considering. If not, gonna do NOS instead.

There is always going to be a faster platform from which to start modding. I could have started with the M5, but probably wouldn't be able to easily afford keeping up with modifications. At this point, I'm already wondering why I didn't get a Civic. My goal was/is to build something unique and have fun along the way, and for me the 550 fits the bill perfectly.

Hey there's nothing wrong with civics! My DD gets me 35mpg and thats mainly city driving :P

I know what you mean. I can't wait to see some of the numbers you pull. Are you going to have them do a before and after dyno again...I mean afterall you should be getting free dynos with all the work you are giving them! As far as NOS goes, talk to Joe from Trinity. I think he was doing a 110 shot and with your mods and some NOS, that should be a fun ride. :twoup:

interested in the gains.