E30 Zone

Hey zoners

For probably the 5th time now I've come around to the decision I'd like to get a shiny exhaust manifold. Current one looks odd, and needs to be removed so I can replace the heat shields. Figured I might as well treat the engine bay to something more aesthetically pleasing. Not really in it for any gains.

So I was wondering what are the current options? I've got a price from BTB for 1.5k, which is alot! I've also seen the £300 Ebay set's.

Just wondering if anyone has dabbled, or if there is any mid market options?

Thanks

Fritzbitz, £500, no too far from you either. http://www.fritzsbits.co.uk/exhausts-ma ... set-detail although if you're not interested in gains then why not just get an ebay cheapy? Whatever you get isn't going to stay shiny for very long! Back in the day a lot of people here bought the Hottuning manifold and, while they were a bit of a joke among the 'elite' they did the required job for not a big outlay.

the fritz bitz manifold is a copy of the magnex one.

yes the price of £1.5K for the btb is steep (almost vertical!!) but thet are the best you can get (yes i've got one).

as for the £300 ebay/gravity one? i fitted one to a mates car a while back & it went on without any problems, looks the part & for £300 what have you lost?

Does anyone know if the eBay/hottuning/Fritz Bits clear E46 purple tag conversion?

EDIT: The Zone wiki suggests hottuning doesn't clear E46 purple tag conversion. But I guess that's where DanThe's linkage comes in?

The linkage is for the different length, AFAIK it will still foul a standard manifold. BTB3 is made to clear the Purple Tag whereas the BTB2 did not.

If the Ebay one is a BTB3 copy then it should clear. I would imagine the Fritz one will clear also but may be better to give Rich at Fritz's a message to check before buying.

flybynite wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 11, 2021 12:22 pm

The linkage is for the different length, AFAIK it will still foul a standard manifold. BTB3 is made to clear the Purple Tag whereas the BTB2 did not.

If the Ebay one is a BTB3 copy then it should clear. I would imagine the Fritz one will clear also but may be better to give Rich at Fritz's a message to check before buying.

The ebay one looks like this. Doesn't look like a BTB?

Called up Fritz Bits. They were unsure about purple tag clearance but did mention that some customers have done it with their manifold with changes like fiddling with the engine mount height. Did mention that e36 rack wouldn’t clear. It’s a £500 gamble for anyone to find out I guess.

twenty wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:35 am

Called up Fritz Bits. They were unsure about purple tag clearance but did mention that some customers have done it with their manifold with changes like fiddling with the engine mount height. Did mention that e36 rack wouldn’t clear. It’s a £500 gamble for anyone to find out I guess.

the magnex 6 branch manifold wont work with either an e36 or e46 rack, i know i've tried.

Fritz manifolds do not give adequate clearance, I faffed around with one for a customer for the best part of a day, eventually got it to just about fit with solid engine mounts and the rack in the wrong position but it didnt last long because he couldnt put up with the extra vibration of the solid mounts so ended up using a standard cast manifold in the end

steve_k wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:24 pm

twenty wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:35 am

Called up Fritz Bits. They were unsure about purple tag clearance but did mention that some customers have done it with their manifold with changes like fiddling with the engine mount height. Did mention that e36 rack wouldn’t clear. It’s a £500 gamble for anyone to find out I guess.

the magnex 6 branch manifold wont work with either an e36 or e46 rack, i know i've tried.

Ah. That settles it then. I mean Fritz is a copy, right?

twenty wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:36 pm

steve_k wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:24 pm

twenty wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:35 am

Called up Fritz Bits. They were unsure about purple tag clearance but did mention that some customers have done it with their manifold with changes like fiddling with the engine mount height. Did mention that e36 rack wouldn’t clear. It’s a £500 gamble for anyone to find out I guess.

the magnex 6 branch manifold wont work with either an e36 or e46 rack, i know i've tried.

Ah. That settles it then. I mean Fritz is a copy, right?

yeah it is.

flybynite wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 11, 2021 12:22 pm

The linkage is for the different length, AFAIK it will still foul a standard manifold. BTB3 is made to clear the Purple Tag whereas the BTB2 did not.

If the Ebay one is a BTB3 copy then it should clear. I would imagine the Fritz one will clear also but may be better to give Rich at Fritz's a message to check before buying.

How sure are you BTB 3 fits the E46 purple tag?

The BTB3 was designed to clear the purple tag rack - but if they are copies, who knows.

There was a Hartge replica on eBay Australia - but I can't seem to to find it now

General consensus seems to be that BTB is pricey, but the only one that's really worth it...the others are really just cosmetic changes

What are the real life gains of the BTB though? For 1.5k I'd expect a very noticeable increase in performance and I'm not sure that any manifold on it's own can produce that.

Cloggy Saint wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:01 pm

What are the real life gains of the BTB though? For 1.5k I'd expect a very noticeable increase in performance and I'm not sure that any manifold on it's own can produce that.

Something like 15bhp I think? Apparently

For that money I'd want more than 'apparently'!

Cloggy Saint wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:22 pm

For that money I'd want more than 'apparently'!

https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.p ... :Btb12.jpg