I finally got the headers we had made. I'm hopefully going to try and install this week. So they are shorty headers that bolt to stock down pipes on the 550's

 

So these are made to mate to the existing cats and exhaust pipes? I am not an expert in exhaust systems, but I thought the whole purpose of headers was to pipe the exhaust out of the engine in a path as straight as possible with no right-angles like a "manifold" has. The ones I have seen are made to keep the pipe gently curved and they end up being so long that either the cats are removed, or moved back in place of the the resonators.

 

Rudeney, you are correct. There are typically 3 types of headers, Long tubes as you described, mid length and shorty headers.

Long tubes are def the best for performance. With them you will not have cats and need custom exhaust. I do not know of anyone that makes long tubes for the M273. I considered it because that is what i wanted, but i didnt know how many people would want to go cat less sales wise.

Shorty headers like this are made for lots of vehicles, because they do bolt in to the stock exhaust as you stated. Everyone's shorties are different. Being tubular and a little bigger piping they do flow better than stock. But i agree they are not like long tubes.

The only other companies who make headers for the 273 are Renntech and Kleemann. Renntechs headers are around $4,500 and look similar.

Kleemanns are the ones i wanted to buy, They are around $2500. They are also shorty headers but come with larger down pipes with high flow cats. They seemed like the best option, since the options are really limited. Cory has said they have been on back order for about 9 months now.

Thats why i decided to make these. Are they the best, no. They are available and the cost even with design wasn't close. I know they will be an improvement over stock, not as good as long tubes like you talked about. But my experience shorty headers on mustangs, camaros anything has always helped.

 

good luck with these, top speed headers will give you some gains from what others have experienced. Be sure to get new OEM gaskets and put them on right! a few members had issues with them leaking over time and cracking! Ive been wanting to get a set of EC shorties, but with CA emissions its too much of a hassle

 

Top Speed is right down the street from me. so we partnered in these. Mine is the test pair. I gave them the stock manifolds to design them of off of.

 

Awesome work, i've got the Mod Bug with the BMW now. Its weird, i always preferred stock. going to get some exhaust work done next month.

 

Looking forward to some before/after numbers.

 

Interested to know how much they will cost as a production set. Also, how easy/difficult is installing the headers?

More pics needed!

 

what pics would you like,

book time on replacing exhaust manifolds is about 4 hours.
they are going to be $400

 

Pics of them when they're installed

 

You have any for clk320? (V6)

 

ill take pics when they are on

 

installed them today. Took a couple hours did it from underneath the car. Bolt right in no modification required.

I've only driven it a little. Still sounds the same. Def feel like it pulls better from 5-7k rpm

 

We are running a sale for MB World members $369.00

 

There in?.........so where are the pics??? LOL!

 

I wish you had ones for the clk320

 

I did them from underneath, really didn't get a good picture

 

Passenger side

 

How is it?

 

only put then on yesterday. so i havent been to the track or anything for legit numbers.

but def feels better higher rpm's seems like the tach def moves quicker 5k and up. They are worth the $ as far as mods go.

 

Any videos of the sound? Curious to hear a CLK with headers.

 

no i havent made one, honestly didnt think of it. I really dont notice much of a difference considering the exhaust already on there and that they are shorty headers

 

It seems like the only way to go is LTH

 

nobody has long tubes. renntechs and kleemanns are shorties also. So its pretty much shorties or stock

 

we thought of making long tubes. but the extra cost to produce and higher sale price, then the issue of cats and people would need custom exhaust to make them work. We didnt think the sales would be there on a clk. Thats all they would fit also.
These fit the clk, e class, e coupe, cls , sl and slk55. So business wise it made no sense to make long tubes instead.