After Market Header Pipes

[The Prospector]

After reading a few threads it seems a good way to improve throttle response and get a little more grunt is to fit headers without a cat.
So far so good, now it seems you can get them from different manufacturers with a balance pipe and without a balance pipe.
So my question is this: what does the balance pipe do, as its a 2 into1 pipe the gasses meet lower down anyway, but I understand that pressure pulses in the exhaust system can have a significant effect on the charging and scavenging processes in the combustion chambers.
Which is best or does it make no difference, if so why did BMW put one in?

 

[Sgt Bilco]

As I sell the Keihan headers I'm hardly going to be objective but the Keihans are an excellent set of stainless headers made in Redditch

They are the exact same dimensions as the OE headers and retain the balance pipe. I'm no expert reference the reasons but I'm led to believe it's to equalize the exhaust gas flow. When we made the first set we figured the BMW design team had the right design for the job so designed them to be the same minus the CAT

Akrapovic retain the balance pipe but Remus do without it. They are a slightly bigger bore which I guess does the same job as the balancer pipe

 

[ThorH]

(You´d better close your ears for this one, Sgt SalesMan. )

Any reason not to simply cut open the cat, remove the cattiness thingie inside and weld shut? Or cut the cat off, weld on straight tube?

Edit: Had a look at your catalogue, yours aren´t as obnoxiously priced as some others I have seen. Will my BOS silencer work with it?

 

[GB.]

I've ran all three set ups, I recommend keep the balance pipe, it keeps or increases the mid range torque and sounds better, not so harsh and a lot smoother. If you just cut the cat out the exhaust gases lose their velocity and you lose low down mid range, but because it sounds louder you think it goes better but the dyno will tell you different.

 

[The Prospector]

Sounds like the Keihan are the way to go, so all I need now is someone with a secondhand set for sale.

 

[LBL]

If you have a twin cam i wouldn't bother, i had a set on of Remus Headers on my 2009 GSA and it improved things nicely, when i got my 2010 Twin cam i did not bother as it was enough without any headers.

 

[GB.]

Sounds like the Keihan are the way to go, so all I need now is someone with a secondhand set for sale.

Me and you both


Sent via tapatalk instead of doing something useful.

 

[APE]

If you have a twin cam i wouldn't bother, i had a set on of Remus Headers on my 2009 GSA and it improved things nicely, when i got my 2010 Twin cam i did not bother as it was enough without any headers.

Nobody seems to have bothered with this on a twin cam - not sure why but still waiting for a thread from somebody that's done it