US Domestic Market Exhaust Systems onto Euro Spec

[handgrenade 189]

Hi everyone.

So today was a happy day. After 3 months, my Corsa UUC exhaust rsc36 arrived!

I promptly dropped everything and went to install it, super excited, waiting to hear some sweet aftermarket exhaust goodness.

However after pulling the standard exhaust off (1997 M3 Evo Sedan S50B32), I found that the method that the front (cat etc) system fits into the rear system (cat back) is by the front section slipping into the rear section, and then flanges being tightened.

Now after wiggling the stock system loose, I was left with two pipes to slip into the new system.

I lined up the new cat back system (which seemed to fit in the right spaces, right exhaust hangars etc) but then it turns out that the front stock section was TOO LARGE to fit INTO the UUC Corsa system.

Approximately the stock system is 0.25" wider in diameter than the UUC Corsa system. Which means that the stock front system would not slip into the Corsa system.

The total diameters are similar (outside diameters) however the fitment won't work like the stock system.

QUESTION: Are the US Domestic Market exhaust systems designed for their lower spec M3s (especially e36s?) and therefore did I purchase the wrong system? Or is it just a matter of having to cut and weld the exhaust to fit?

Does anyone have experience with using aftermarket cat back systems from the USA made for US M3s E36 on Euro/NZ spec M3s???

Thanks!

/sad /happy /sad /happy /sad/

[handgrenade 189]

Euro system is 63mm pipe

google mentions that the euro system is double walled so even though external diameter looks 2.5" or so, the internal diameter is around 2". the aftermarket corsa exhaust is single walled stainless at 2.25". seems to be doing fine! great sound

3pedals, sorry about the imperial numbers .. I only have an imperial scale.

Edited October 3, 2014 by handgrenade

[handgrenade 189]

Cut.

Weld.

Done.

Didn't mess with the manifold .. Only the centre section cat. Cut the smaller diameter pipes to remove the restriction and then the rest of the Corsa system is an appropriate size for the euro m3

[Michael. 2312]

VIDEO!

[handgrenade 189]

haha .. dave, mike, so what were your opinions on the noise?

possibly sounds like other tuned exhausts, but there is ZERO drone at cruise. can't even hear it. flat road maintaining 60kmh, no noise. 100kmh flat road, a little bit of hum, nothing compared to air noise. but any load or more throttle and you can hear it!

[handgrenade 189]

I liked it a lot actually. It's clearly been tuned carefully to sound good and actually preserves the M3 engine screech better than my Remus I think. And it looks very well made.

But as I said today, just a notch too loud for me (but I don't think it's obnoxious).

Cheers Dave, well chuffed at how it sounds etc .. sorting the fitment was a bit of a nuisance, but worth it in the end. It is a bit loud at WOT, and holding 100kmh up that steep sh20 hill going north west, it does get loud!

happy with it! fun to have it completely sedate and then nek minit vrooom! throttle or load controls the noise!

after 3 months and a lot of messing around! Finally! and as far as I know, the only rsc36 in the country