[Jayden_F87]

I installed a VRSF catless downpipe myself with my friends.
My car is a 328i with the N26.
When my engine is running, I can smell the exhaust gas from the engine bay, not the rear of the car. I can still feel fair amount of exhaust coming out from the back, but I'm worried if I have an exhaust leak.

People with catless downpipes, do you also smell the exhaust gas from the engine bay?

[f30nick]

Originally Posted by sand.roh

I installed a VRSF catless downpipe myself with my friends.
My car is a 328i with the N26.
When my engine is running, I can smell the exhaust gas from the engine bay, not the rear of the car. I can still feel fair amount of exhaust coming out from the back, but I'm worried if I have an exhaust leak.

People with catless downpipes, do you also smell the exhaust gas from the engine bay?

Yes you will smell it from the engine bay when idling or sitting still.

[RMachuca3d]

Did you change all the gaskets\clamps or reused the old ones?

[Jayden_F87]

Originally Posted by RMachuca3d

Did you change all the gaskets\clamps or reused the old ones?

I reused the clamps on the top(manifold to dp).

[Zabiz]

Originally Posted by sand.roh

I installed a VRSF catless downpipe myself with my friends.
My car is a 328i with the N26.
When my engine is running, I can smell the exhaust gas from the engine bay, not the rear of the car. I can still feel fair amount of exhaust coming out from the back, but I'm worried if I have an exhaust leak.

People with catless downpipes, do you also smell the exhaust gas from the engine bay?

I did the same exact thing as you, installed in my garage with a buddy of mine, reused the v band clamp but bought a new gasket and clamp for mid pipe and downpipe o ring, I had an exhaust leak for a while coming from the downpipe to mid pipe, would make my garage smell really bad,

Now that my exhaust leak is fixed I have made the following observations:
When you do a cold start with an exhaust leak, the car has exhaust note from the front of the car, instead of mechanical engine noise
After it was fixed, it no longer smells in the car or the garage
I couldn't use the A/C because the smell would come in the car, now it isn't an issue.
Your car just sounds super LOUD

[Jayden_F87]

Originally Posted by Zabiz

I did the same exact thing as you, installed in my garage with a buddy of mine, reused the v band clamp but bought a new gasket and clamp for mid pipe and downpipe o ring, I had an exhaust leak for a while coming from the downpipe to mid pipe, would make my garage smell really bad,

Now that my exhaust leak is fixed I have made the following observations:
When you do a cold start with an exhaust leak, the car has exhaust note from the front of the car, instead of mechanical engine noise
After it was fixed, it no longer smells in the car or the garage
I couldn't use the A/C because the smell would come in the car, now it isn't an issue.
Your car just sounds super LOUD

Good to hear that it was fixed on your car.

For my car though, I can't smell the fumes in the cabin.
A/C smells fine as well.

[Zabiz]

Originally Posted by sand.roh

Good to hear that it was fixed on your car.

For my car though, I can't smell the fumes in the cabin.
A/C smells fine as well.

Hmmm when you do cold starts, is the sound coming from only the rear? As it should? Or does it sound like your exhaust is by the engine as well?
Basically a car that has no exhaust leak only produces exhaust note from the rear of the vehicle, and at cold starts it is most noticeable

[mike@x-ph.com]

Since you do not smell anything inside the cabin, it think you are fine.
That being said, it would not hurt to double check install

[Jayden_F87]

Originally Posted by Zabiz

Hmmm when you do cold starts, is the sound coming from only the rear? As it should? Or does it sound like your exhaust is by the engine as well?
Basically a car that has no exhaust leak only produces exhaust note from the rear of the vehicle, and at cold starts it is most noticeable

When I do a cold start, the sound only comes from the back, but there is this "tractor" like vibration noise that comes from the front. Sounds almost like a diesel engine. But again, the sound comes from the back.

[dfwF30bmw]

I used same V band and the little cardboard asbestos gasket on the turbo when I installed mine. I also made sure it was very square on the turbo without nothing else on it and tighten it up but not quite all the way. Then I put the copper high temp silicone on the down pipe to the mid pipe connection using its original band. All worked good no leaks. With proper downstream O2 sensor spacing there has been no codes in 3000 miles. Now with BM3, which I have only had for about 200 miles, I think it might be clearing codes but I checked again before I flashed to BM3 and did not have any.

[Jayden_F87]

Originally Posted by dfwF30bmw

I used same V band and the little cardboard asbestos gasket on the turbo when I installed mine. I also made sure it was very square on the turbo without nothing else on it and tighten it up but not quite all the way. Then I put the copper high temp silicone on the down pipe to the mid pipe connection using its original band. All worked good no leaks. With proper downstream O2 sensor spacing there has been no codes in 3000 miles. Now with BM3, which I have only had for about 200 miles, I think it might be clearing codes but I checked again before I flashed to BM3 and did not have any.

Nice!
Maybe I should do something like that just to make sure.
I've been driving around 500 miles since install and still no CEL (yet).

[1N54E92]

isn't it recommended to buy all new V clamps when doing this ? it's like $20 per clamp

[Jayden_F87]

Originally Posted by 1N54E92

isn't it recommended to buy all new V clamps when doing this ? it's like $20 per clamp

I forgot to get them before install :/

[Imperial328i]

Originally Posted by sand.roh

I forgot to get them before install :/

I didn't get new clamps at first and the turbo-downpipe clamp loosened up extremely badly after a few thousand miles. I bought a new clamp and then lock-wired the clamp bolt just in case lol.

[dfwF30bmw]

My car was fairly new and only about 18K miles on it so for the life of me I don't know what you would get out of new clamps. Mine were as about as new as you could get. Maybe a little loc tight on it might be a good deal on the V Band clamp...