Please tolerate another headers thread

[wagz]

I have a 1997 2.8L and am finding that I have a weird car here.

• Second year of production but first year of the 6cyl
• Final year where roll hoops were a dealer-installed option
• Mostly OBD1 with a bridge/hack to OBD2
• No catalytic converters on the manifolds (three bolts on each downpipe instead of two)
• First of two years with M52B28 before M52TU replaced it

I have a magnaflow cat and cat-back in hand and I'm looking for headers. I have spent hours trying to figure this out. Finding the correct headers is confusing. I'm trying to not spend $1k on supersprints, so a passable ebay header and a welder may do the trick.

So the manifolds are specific to my year (1997) and the next year (1998). They connect the M52B28 to the Z3-specific drop pipe. So I have two sides to this:

• The M52B28 shares the same cylinder head with the M50, S50, and S52 - and the M52TU if I believe some references
• The Z3 coupe or roadster, M coupe or M roadster.

The headers that claim Z3/MZ3 support have two-hole flanges - the ones used when you have catalytic converts in the manifolds.

Does anybody have any recommendations? I'm rather close to just keeping the stock manifold.

 

[t-tony]

Some pictures of the system on your car may help identify what parts you need @wagz

Tony.

ps. If you're after HP gains most people over here look to fitting a different Inlet manifold, first off.

 

[wagz]

Thank you for the quick reply. I have the M50 manifold in place already. I'm looking for S52 cams before I get a tune done.

For pictures, I have found the exact pictures online already.

I have the 11121703637 cylinder head that is common to M52, S52, M50, and S50. According to some cross-reference parts the exhaust ports may be the same as what is found on the M52TU dual-VANOS head.

From what I can tell, the S52B32 headers on MZ3 would work the best if I can't find anything that works for M52B28 Z3. Can anybody attest to those exhaust ports being the same?

 

[Sean d]

Its about time we had a headers thread on here

 

[wagz]

Its about time we had a headers thread on here

I'm hesitant to create a new one anywhere :-/ My bravery comes from extensive research and finding no answers.

I'm staying away from the general E36 3-series forums because my research has seen a lot of "oh no not another header thread" fatigue

 

[wagz]

Fun fact: I discovered that they put the 2.8L M52B28 engine in a 7-series in Europe. That seems... small. That reminds me of the bet I won when I was challenged on my claim that there was a large Dodge truck with a 4cyl engine. That thing couldn't get out of its own way.

I have only one catalytic converter and it is downstream from the drop pipe connection. The oxygen sensors are on either side, so I don't have any need for bungs on the headers. I am also deleting the secondary air pump and am putting in a DIY simulator.

Here's the model list that I have compiled based on the cylinder head. M52TU is believed to have the same exhaust ports.

Same head, same body:
1997 to 1998 Z3 2.8 (Z3 E36) with M52 engine (CJ33 CJ43 )
1999 to 2000 Z3 M (Z3 E36) with S52 engine (CM93 )
1998 to 2000 Z3 M (Z3 E36) with S52 engine (CK93 )
1999 to 2000 Z3 2.8 (Z3 E36) with M52TU engine (CH33 CH43 )

Same head, 3-series body
1998 to 1999 M3 (3' E36) with S52 engine (BK93 BK03 )
1996 to 1999 M3 (3' E36) with S52 engine (BG93 )
1997 to 1998 M3 (3' E36) with S52 engine (CD93 CD03 )
1998 to 1999 323i (3' E36) with M52 engine (BF73 BF83 BJ73 BJ83)
1996 to 1999 328i (3' E36) with M52 engine (BG13 BG23 BK73 BK83)
1996 to 1996 328i (3' E36) with M52 engine (CD13 CD23 )
1996 to 1998 328i (3' E36) with M52 engine (CD33 CD43 )
1995 to 1995 M3 (3' E36) with S50 engine (BF93 BF03 )
1994 to 1995 325i (3' E36) with M50 engine (BJ53 BJ63 )
1992 to 1995 325i (3' E36) with M50 engine (BF33 BF43 CB33 CB43 )

Same head, 5-series body
1997 to 1998 528i (5' E39) with M52 engine (DD53 DD63 ) - those with manifold cats excluded because they have 2-hole flanges
1991 to 1995 525i (5' E34) with M50 engine (HD53 HD63 )
1992 to 1995 525i (5' E34) with M50 engine ( HJ63 )
1999 to 2000 528i (5' E39) with M52TU engine (DM53 DM63 DP53 DP63)

 

[wagz]

So I tried three different eBay headers. They come in three flavors.

"replaces the 1999+ manifolds that have cats in them" - the pipes ended in a good location, it barely cleared the engine mount, one o2 bung hit the wall, the exhaust flange had two holes where mine had three.

"long tube headers without flanges" - didn't fit around the engine mount

"shorty headers" - these were the most promising but were garbage - the rear set's drop pipe actually hit the engine block, which is a problem with all M52 and S52 - also cyl6 pipe had a nasty sharp u-turn in it.

I ended up buying a set of Turner Motorsport shorty headers as "scratch'n'dent" for $550. I hope they work.

 

[wagz]

Closing this up. I ended up using the Turner Motor Sports SH0RTYHEADERS. They fit well, just barely. I had to bend A/C piping away from where they were touching. None of the eBay headers fit - it was always something.

 

[t-tony]

Glad you finally got some you could make fit wagz. Good info for anyone wanting to do the same.
Why not post up some pictures of them and maybe some video of the sounds.

Tony.

 

[Dino D]

Closing this up. I ended up using the Turner Motor Sports SH0RTYHEADERS. They fit well, just barely. I had to bend A/C piping away from where they were touching. None of the eBay headers fit - it was always something.

How does it sound/feel?

You definitely have more choice in the US - don’t believe there is any off the shelf option for RHD cars here.

 

[m3toz3]

2000 z3 2.8 m52tu coupe. all stock

hello, i know this is old post and i don't want to post a new one about headers.
2020 is there any updates as to new headers that bolt on or little to no modifications.
all I see on eBay are te stainless steel headers which all look the same.

thank you,
louie