The wait is over, the headers have arrived.

[JimLev]

I haven't told her yet. Just bought a 50" 4k UHD TV so I need to wait for the right moment.

[philly98540]

They look good. Some nice savings too! Miters on connectors vs bends, but angle is not that much. Should run great. Wifey going to love the new sound!

[BMW540san]

I haven't told her yet. Just bought a 50" 4k UHD TV so I need to wait for the right moment.

Tell her so she can have some rest from you acting like big child, lol

[auaq]

So, any fitment issues?

[JimLev]

Not much time to do anything until after Christmas, gotta make 2 runs to the airport to pick up our kids.
They want to use our cars to visit their friends while they are home so the 540 has to stay together...for ME to drive.
Then after Christmas make runs back to the airport, 2nd week of Jan were going to Cary for 4-5 days.
The real fitment issues (if any) won't be known until I install them.
I will do a test fit and then take them to High Temp Coatings in Rockland for them to ceramic coat, then the real install will start.
This is all I have for ya until I get going on the install.

Dscn0454.jpg

Dscn0451.jpg

[philly98540]

Made in Italy! SS subcontractor maybe? I wonder if there is an affiliation.

[auaq]

I love the fact that the collector part is all sorted and welded together. I don't know about SS but on Evolve that part is separate and is not easy to slide/couple in all the individual pipes together.

[tptrsn]

Looks pretty sweet Jim, can't wait to hear 'em!

[JimLev]

Made in Italy! SS subcontractor maybe? I wonder if there is an affiliation.

I'm 99.9% sure they are made by PowerSprint in Italy.
They look exactly the same, just cost a boat load more.
These are PowerSprint
PowerSprint.JPG

These are Schmiedmann
Headers.JPG

[philly98540]

I bet your right. Those look just about identical.

What's your timing for starting to take the car apart and begin install? I guess no rush as you take the car off the road when the snow comes.

[Cereal]

Woo hoo glad you finally got them. Look forward to install and fitment. Enjoy your holidays and now you can think about family and not car parts arriving!

[JimLev]

auaq, the collectors being welded on are good. The short pipes that slip on to them that have the O2 bungs are a good fit, not to hard to slip on and spin them, hopefully they will align OK with the pipes to the main CAT's.
I can't wait to hear this either.
Hope to start doing some wrenching soon, if this weather keeps up it won't be anytime soon. 65 today, maybe 70 tomorrow. Gotta keep driving it if the weather holds out.

You guys have a nice Christmas and New Years. The Christmas cheers have just started here.
Safe travels if your not staying home.

[auaq]

I actually meant to say the part where the pipes merge together into one (4>1). I like that feature cause you don't have to fight with it like you have to on Evolve headers since the pipes all come separate in the box when purchased online. Redshift had to go through this and it took a bit of effort and time to slide in the merge collector into those pipes. It wasn't that easy to be honest. There were four of us including myself working on one side/bank at a time. So, the welds are good which is nice. Next thing I'm curious to know is how low will it be to the ground once installed in the car.

[JimLev]

So the Evolve must be similar to the SuperSprint, 4 tubes that slide into the collector?
What do the Evolve sell for?
Not sure how low they are going to be, hopefully not to low or I'll have to raise my car up again.

[auaq]

I'll have to look at SS headers but, yes, on the Evolve you have to loosely mount the individual pipes onto the cylinder heads (nuts holding them in place but not tightened down yet) and then you fiddle around trying to slide in the collector all at once. This was quite a challenging part as one or two of them would not go in while other one or two would go in. If you had the pipes all torqued down then there was no way that you'd be able to slide in the collector because of slight offset angles from each of those pipes. So, you had to keep it loosely held in place, have someone hold it in right position and guiding in at right angle while the other try and slip the collector on. These Schmeidmann headers on the other hand have been pre-assembled for you which is what I'm liking about it. My only concern was the fitment quality and how low it will hang once installed. So far from your pictures everything appears to be great. Next thing is ground clearance.

[MrTeeThyme]

Jim, are you bringing the 540 to NC? I'm dying to see the plumbing up close.

[auaq]

Jim, are you bringing the 540 to NC? I'm dying to see the plumbing up close.

He better install those and definitely drive it down here. At least I'll get to see it in person and hear what it will sound like.

[JimLev]

I'll have to look at SS headers but, yes, on the Evolve you have to loosely mount the individual pipes onto the cylinder heads (nuts holding them in place but not tightened down yet) and then you fiddle around trying to slide in the collector all at once. This was quite a challenging part as one or two of them would not go in while other one or two would go in. If you had the pipes all torqued down then there was no way that you'd be able to slide in the collector because of slight offset angles from each of those pipes. So, you had to keep it loosely held in place, have someone hold it in right position and guiding in at right angle while the other try and slip the collector on. These Schmeidmann headers on the other hand have been pre-assembled for you which is what I'm liking about it. My only concern was the fitment quality and how low it will hang once installed. So far from your pictures everything appears to be great. Next thing is ground clearance.

Your description sounds just like the SuperSprint headers, wonder if they copied SS?
Found a few pics of these headers on an M5, the 540 should be the same.

image.jpg

image.jpg

- - - Updated - - -

Jim, are you bringing the 540 to NC? I'm dying to see the plumbing up close.

I have in the past, however I never drive it in the winter. I doubt the roads will be spotless in Jan.

[auaq]

Even from those pictures, it doesn't appear to be hanging that low and in fact is similar to Evolve and maybe SS regarding ground clearance. I think these headers were worth the purchase.

- - - Updated - - -

I have in the past, however I never drive it in the winter. I doubt the roads will be spotless in Jan.

Well, this time you should drive the 540i Jim. You'll only have to deal with snow up North but once you're half way through the trip the roads should be clear.

[JimLev]

He better install those and definitely drive it down here. At least I'll get to see it in person and hear what it will sound like.

Nope, also need to pull the M62 manifold off to put all of the plumbing/injectors that are now on the tu manifold.
Probably going to do this while the headers are sent out for ceramic coating.
My car has never seen snow or salt, going to keep it that way.....I HATE rust.

[jstern]

Jim-those look great and the welds at the intake flanges look smooth and free flowing as apposed to my I6 Schmiedmann headers which needed much porting. Glad you found a local ceramic coating company.

I was worried about ground clearance too but the Scmiedmann exhaust system fit nice and tight under the car with no rubbing on any body parts either. I can't imagine you'll have any problems either.

[BMW540san]

I love the fact that the collector part is all sorted and welded together. I don't know about SS but on Evolve that part is separate and is not easy to slide/couple in all the individual pipes together.

Don't know about Evolve but Superpsrint fitment was on the spot when it comes to lining individual tubes in collector. Another advantage of Superpsrint using springs at collectors is that they allow for movement and thermal expansion (less chance of cracking). But, you can't argue with price of Schmiedmann as they're 1/2 cost of Supersprint and add almost $500 extra for Evolve.

[auaq]

Evolve have those springs too.

Now it makes you wonder who made who or who's copying who .....

[mapleridge]

Jim, look great. How about the welds on the outside of the manifold. Is it welded all around there as well or just spot welded? If this all comes out positive, I will order them asap.



EDIT***

Can you also confirm the OD of the connecting pipes.

[angeleye540i]

What great timing... I've been waiting for your build thread jim, very excited for you/"my future self"