OE exhaust system of 95 compared to 97

[BMWManiac]

I'm working on a little project and need to know if the exhaust layout is the same from a 95 to a 97. What is different? I know there are more O2 sensors, and the 96+ M3 had two pipes from the cats and 95 just has one...are there any other differences?

[nightkrawler]

afaik, the main difference i know of is the 2 o2 sensors as opposed to the 95 exhaust having only one. which is fine with me, one less $100+ part to replace. google for pics of the 2 exhausts and compare them.

[fgraziano]

i thought only the mid-pipe sections were different. the mufflers should be the same.

[BMWManiac]

I looked at the ETK for both and I guess they are the same exhaust from the silencer back to the rear. However, the cats looks different and the 97+ has additional piping between the cats and the silencer to accommodate an additional O2 sensor.

Thanks!

[magnetic1]

I also believe the tips on the newer ones are staggered. IIRC, the 99 had staggered tips... my 95 has 2 equal length tips.

[RogRacer]

.. my 95 has 2 equal length tips.

It did? Mine didn't. But....the '95 cat-back does have smaller diameter pipes than the 96+. That's why the 95s respond better to a muffler change than the 96+s.

[magnetic1]

It did? Mine didn't. But....the '95 cat-back does have smaller diameter pipes than the 96+. That's why the 95s respond better to a muffler change than the 96+s.

hrm, maybe not... but I seem to remember noticing the tips were different. :dunno

[///MacDaddy]

Here's the difference in the mid pipes: http://www.rogueengineering.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=CATS