Headers on N52 and still pass emissions?

Spitfire007 · 09-27-2017, 07:56 AM

There's so much to sort through...with baby I don't have time.

What's the Cliff's notes on passing emissions with a set of headers on an N52?

Does it take much trickery? Don't want a racy exhaust, but would love the bump in power and a little attitude with a BPC tune and 3 stage IM

hassmaschine · 09-27-2017, 09:01 AM

AFE headers have built in cats and should pass just fine, but they cost more.

ECSTuning · 09-27-2017, 09:49 AM

As hassmaschine said, if you want to play it safe, aFe headers have cats in the factory location. Active, Supersprint, etc all would require downstream cats and harness extensions to maintain all the catalytic converter. Not a bad thing just more work... unless you want to play the cheating the system game.

-James

Spitfire007 · 09-28-2017, 09:08 AM

I don't mind cheating the system, it just has to be effective and reliable. I need to pass emissions in New York or possibly Pennsylvania but I think that's an easier state.

W37V · 09-28-2017, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

There's so much to sort through...with baby I don't have time.

What's the Cliff's notes on passing emissions with a set of headers on an N52?

Does it take much trickery? Don't want a racy exhaust, but would love the bump in power and a little attitude with a BPC tune and 3 stage IM

I have the setup you seek to get. (BPC off road tune, AA headers, 3im).

I have OBD fusion app on my phone which can tell you if your car is ready to (would) pass emissions in a selected state. Since you are interested in NY and PA, I’ll slect those states and let you know what it says. Not sure how much you can rely on the app, but it should give you some indication of what to expect.

I should have this info by tonight. Hopefully it helps.

Spitfire007 · 09-28-2017, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W37V

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

There's so much to sort through...with baby I don't have time.

What's the Cliff's notes on passing emissions with a set of headers on an N52?

Does it take much trickery? Don't want a racy exhaust, but would love the bump in power and a little attitude with a BPC tune and 3 stage IM

I have the setup you seek to get. (BPC off road tune, AA headers, 3im).

I have OBD fusion app on my phone which can tell you if your car is ready to (would) pass emissions in a selected state. Since you are interested in NY and PA, I’ll slect those states and let you know what it says. Not sure how much you can rely on the app, but it should give you some indication of what to expect.

I should have this info by tonight. Hopefully it helps.

Thanks!! Any other exhaust mods or changes

Rival · 09-28-2017, 11:35 AM

yea but will those non oem cats pass...??

Every hi flo cat ive seen in the past wont get by the sniffer.

Visual, yes, they will work......but not once connected up to the machine

Mavus · 09-28-2017, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

There's so much to sort through...with baby I don't have time.

What's the Cliff's notes on passing emissions with a set of headers on an N52?

Does it take much trickery? Don't want a racy exhaust, but would love the bump in power and a little attitude with a BPC tune and 3 stage IM

Here is one way of doing it. It passes every time in PA.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=896386

W37V · 09-28-2017, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

Thanks!! Any other exhaust mods or changes

here are results:
It says ready to test for both PA and NY. The only thing not set and ready is catalyst.

Details:

View post on imgur.com

3002 tii · 09-28-2017, 11:14 PM

I passed using o2 sims

Spitfire007 · 09-29-2017, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

I passed using o2 sims

So I take it you are catless? The O2 sims are there to simulate cats? AA headers?

Spitfire007 · 09-29-2017, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W37V

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

Thanks!! Any other exhaust mods or changes

here are results:
It says ready to test for both PA and NY. The only thing not set and ready is catalyst.

Details:

View post on imgur.com

Thanks!

3002 tii · 09-29-2017, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

So I take it you are catless? The O2 sims are there to simulate cats? AA headers?

Yes catless
Supersprint

Bullet Ride · 10-05-2017, 04:01 PM

Catless headers with AA tune will give you no CEL and 1 not ready monitor.
This will pass e-test in most places.
Can confirm it passes in Ontario.

rick100 · 10-05-2017, 06:46 PM

Problem is some people are getting 2 cels instead of 1

Im in ontario too. Did u have any issues??. Did u have to come baCk to re do it

3002 tii · 10-06-2017, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullet Ride

Catless headers with AA tune will give you no CEL and 1 not ready monitor.
This will pass e-test in most places.
Can confirm it passes in Ontario.

This is not bulletproof as discussed many times here. I passed with AA in year 1 and 2, failed in year 3. Went back and forth with AA on multiple tune revisions but I couldn't shake the 2nd incomplete readiness monitor.

Bullet Ride · 11-06-2017, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick100

Problem is some people are getting 2 cels instead of 1

Im in ontario too. Did u have any issues??. Did u have to come baCk to re do it

At first I had no CEL with 2 not ready monitors. I went back to AA and they changed some parameter in the tune and sent me an update that reduced it to only 1 not ready and I was able to pass.

I haven't had it long enough to comment with regards to 3002 tii's comment of it not working after a couple years, but so far it's been working.

Spitfire007 · 11-07-2017, 05:26 AM

Yeah I'd love the header-power and some sound, but if I can't pass emissions, I can't drive the car. So then there's no point. And we all know how draconian NY is...

3002 tii · 11-07-2017, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

Yeah I'd love the header-power and some sound, but if I can't pass emissions, I can't drive the car. So then there's no point. And we all know how draconian NY is...

Between o2 sims and tuning you'll definitely pass.

Spitfire007 · 11-08-2017, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

Yeah I'd love the header-power and some sound, but if I can't pass emissions, I can't drive the car. So then there's no point. And we all know how draconian NY is...

Between o2 sims and tuning you'll definitely pass.

So what you're saying is: there's a chance?!

Great!

E92inAZ · 02-02-2018, 01:19 PM

FWIW: today in Arizona I passed emissions with no issues - plug in test only.

I was worried about emissions before doing the catless header tune myself.
In AZ we are also allowed 1 parameter not ready on OBD2 cars but I have to be honest: I havent looked. I get no CEL with the BPC tune and it passed emissions so I havent taken the time to look at a diagnostic reader since I did the tune in September.
I'm not sure if it would have passed a sniffer test because what is said on this forum about the car running noticeably stinkier is absolutely true, even just backing out of my garage this thing smells like my old v8 jeep.
However: even if I had to swap back to my stock exhaust (which is a massive pain) for 1 day every couple years to emissions test, I would. The tune is THAT good.

mods are: AFE cold air box, 3IM, AA catless headers and BPC stage 2 flash tune

Ali-E90 · 02-03-2018, 08:18 AM

I don't know about NY/PA emissions process, but a key question is:
Does the e-test use a sniffer or OBD?

If it's a traditional sniffer test, I don't think there's much you can do outside of using some form of cat.

You mentioned sniffer in a previous post so I thought I'd mention that. These other methods are mostly helpful for OBD tests, to trick the computer into thinking the cats are there etc.

09-27-2017, 07:56 AM	#1
Spitfire007 Captain 189 Rep 682 Posts Drives: 09 328i Sport 6MT Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Baltimore, MD iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW 328i [0.00]	Headers on N52 and still pass emissions? There's so much to sort through...with baby I don't have time. What's the Cliff's notes on passing emissions with a set of headers on an N52? Does it take much trickery? Don't want a racy exhaust, but would love the bump in power and a little attitude with a BPC tune and 3 stage IM
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09-27-2017, 09:01 AM	#2
hassmaschine Major General 3973 Rep 7,215 Posts Drives: "NBO" 330i Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: earth iTrader: (0)	AFE headers have built in cats and should pass just fine, but they cost more.
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09-27-2017, 09:49 AM	#3
ECSTuning New Lifetime Replacement Policy 815 Rep 11,738 Posts Drives: Independent Tuning Specialists Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ohio iTrader: (18)	As hassmaschine said, if you want to play it safe, aFe headers have cats in the factory location. Active, Supersprint, etc all would require downstream cats and harness extensions to maintain all the catalytic converter. Not a bad thing just more work... unless you want to play the cheating the system game. -James
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09-28-2017, 09:08 AM	#4
Spitfire007 Captain 189 Rep 682 Posts Drives: 09 328i Sport 6MT Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Baltimore, MD iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW 328i [0.00]	I don't mind cheating the system, it just has to be effective and reliable. I need to pass emissions in New York or possibly Pennsylvania but I think that's an easier state.
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09-28-2017, 11:35 AM	#7
Rival Captain 66 Rep 790 Posts Drives: 95 z28 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: shytown iTrader: (0)	yea but will those non oem cats pass...?? Every hi flo cat ive seen in the past wont get by the sniffer. Visual, yes, they will work......but not once connected up to the machine __________________ 2010 335i M sport 2008 328i 2006 325i 1995 Z28 6spd - 377rwhp rip
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09-28-2017, 11:14 PM	#10
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2285 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24]	I passed using o2 sims __________________ Follow for latest mods
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10-05-2017, 04:01 PM	#14
Bullet Ride New Member 14 Rep 10 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Garage iTrader: (0)	Catless headers with AA tune will give you no CEL and 1 not ready monitor. This will pass e-test in most places. Can confirm it passes in Ontario.
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10-05-2017, 06:46 PM	#15
rick100 Colonel 551 Rep 2,293 Posts Drives: 328 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: canada iTrader: (0)	Problem is some people are getting 2 cels instead of 1 Im in ontario too. Did u have any issues??. Did u have to come baCk to re do it
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11-07-2017, 05:26 AM	#18
Spitfire007 Captain 189 Rep 682 Posts Drives: 09 328i Sport 6MT Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Baltimore, MD iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW 328i [0.00]	Yeah I'd love the header-power and some sound, but if I can't pass emissions, I can't drive the car. So then there's no point. And we all know how draconian NY is...
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02-02-2018, 01:19 PM	#21
E92inAZ Private 39 Rep 74 Posts Drives: 2007 E92 coupe Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Glendale, AZ iTrader: (0)	FWIW: today in Arizona I passed emissions with no issues - plug in test only. I was worried about emissions before doing the catless header tune myself. In AZ we are also allowed 1 parameter not ready on OBD2 cars but I have to be honest: I havent looked. I get no CEL with the BPC tune and it passed emissions so I havent taken the time to look at a diagnostic reader since I did the tune in September. I'm not sure if it would have passed a sniffer test because what is said on this forum about the car running noticeably stinkier is absolutely true, even just backing out of my garage this thing smells like my old v8 jeep. However: even if I had to swap back to my stock exhaust (which is a massive pain) for 1 day every couple years to emissions test, I would. The tune is THAT good. mods are: AFE cold air box, 3IM, AA catless headers and BPC stage 2 flash tune __________________ 2007 E92 328i coupe. 19" staggered VMR v710, front: 19x8.5 et35 continental 235/35 19, rear: 19x9.5 et33 continental 265/30 19; 1 inch front lowering perches; Msport rear bumper; roof spoiler; trunk lip; Bavsound UF110; carbon fiber wrapped interior trim; 3 stage BMW intake manifold; aFe magnum force stage 2 si pro 5R cold air intake; active autowerkes catless header; active autowerkes gen 2 signature exhaust; BPC stage 2 header tune
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02-03-2018, 08:18 AM	#22
Ali-E90 Colonel 379 Rep 2,365 Posts Drives: 2007 E90 323i (Cdn) Join Date: May 2013 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (3) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [8.00] 2007 BMW 323i [8.50]	I don't know about NY/PA emissions process, but a key question is: Does the e-test use a sniffer or OBD? If it's a traditional sniffer test, I don't think there's much you can do outside of using some form of cat. You mentioned sniffer in a previous post so I thought I'd mention that. These other methods are mostly helpful for OBD tests, to trick the computer into thinking the cats are there etc. __________________ Check out my Mod Thread Here
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