[GhOsT_E90]

Well luckily i have access to a lift at the base auto craft shop so that is a plus. But i think there are a few clearance issues that should be changed with the down pipes. I dont know how the non catted downpipes are in terms of clearances. The cats themselves were not the issue.

First thing once i got the old ones out, and did what it said and pushed the oem dp bracket back and found later if you leave it alone there isnt much of a clearance issue, but with it pushed back it causes an issue with the front dp rear 02 sensor. So i pushed it back into the original position. I didnt have the right E18 bit to just remove the bracket or i would of. Also I started by installing the rear short dp as instructed and noticed that a small heat shield bolt that holds a heat shield that covers what i think is a turbo oil line didnt allow any cleareance of the dp once in place. I dont have a picture sorry. But this little bolt was up by the turbo were the DP connects, anyway i just removed the bolt, the heat sheild is still held in place though. Rotating the DP some didnt help. But once this little bolt is removed it did not rub on the short DP and allowed the DP to be put in proper position.

Now on to the Front long DP, I had a cleareance issue were the DP would rub right on part of the transmission. It was only a small part the protruded out and really did nothing just look like part of the casting. I think i had to remove and reinstall the long DP about 10 times, what i ended up doing was filing down the corner of the casting on the transmission to give it clearance and wouldnt touch the DP. Once i got the right cleareance the long DP fit perfect and didnt touch. Also rotating the DP some didnt help either because once the clamp was tightened the DP would touch again.

Also the instructions say to remove one torq screw from a heat sheild that covers the rack and pinnion, well theres only 2 more screws left and just removing all the screws and heat sheild is better then pushing it out the way as the instructions say.

Last thing, I think that the 02 bungs that arent used and are plugged should be deleted from the DPs all together, I didnt see any reason in needing them except for maybe a external wideband 02 sensor, and also once i started installing the long DP i noticed that it was missing the screw in plug for the 02 bung that isnt used and that really pissed me off cause now i dont have a plug and nothing to plug it with, so i improvised and found a old 02 sensor laying around cut off the wires and screwed it in to plug the hole, if i didnt find anything i was about to just weld it closed. But now i have to contact Riss Racing and get the 02 sensor bung plug sent to me for a permanant fix.

And second to last thing I think now after doing the install the coating that is used for the coated versions of the downpipes is kind of a waste, it scratched off easily, not totally scratched off but in certain areas while trying to install the DPs. A heat coating of some kind is useful, say maybe sending the DPs to Jethot coating of something, but thats cost much more. But this is only a small grip other thing that I am sure it will do its job.

Other then these issues the quality of the weld and material is top notch. I just think a few adjustments need to be made of the manufacturing of the DPs. You can diffenantly hear the turbos spool up now, and throttle response greatly improved. I do have the RennArt resonated exhaust and the downpipes really finished off the exhaust system nicely, I also have the AFE intake so next is a tune. I did install the 02 sim and had a service engine soon light after about 40miles of driving but reread the instructions and found what i did wrong so i got to correct that in the morning and get the codes cleared. For a while i have been waiting on the 02 sim from RR i ordered, and luckily a friend of mine had one from the RR DPs he ordered before, but he sold his car and bought a M3 so i got to give him mine when it comes in.

I dont know if the 02 sim is needed for catted version, but RR could chime in but they will be installed anyway.

Well thats all i have, thanks for reading and any input from others or questions please ask.

[cn555ic]

I think the O2 sims from what I've read need to be installed even with the catted ones...I want DP's, but reading so many posts of how hard it is to install has subsided my need to buy and install them....Everything so far I have installed myself and this mod, I know I will need a good mechanic to do, which I am not willing to pay!!

[ontopofm]

if the code is thrown, is that mean it will pass smog test even w/ catted?

[NM_BMW]

Thanks for the tip on coating... I think I will heat wrap my pipes instead when I decide to drop the ball on some pipes.

[ATSR]

Originally Posted by cn555ic

I think the O2 sims from what I've read need to be installed even with the catted ones...I want DP's, but reading so many posts of how hard it is to install has subsides my need to buy and install them....Everything so far I have installed myself and this mod, I know I will need a good mechanic to do, which I am not willing to pay!!

+1

That is the same reason I'm looking to get just the secondary cats deleted. Even though the horsepower gains are MUCH better with the DP's, I am mainly looking to get my car to sound a bit stronger.

As for the horsepower gains, I'm getting a JB3 and intake for that

[meinauto]

Originally Posted by GhOsT_E90

Well luckily i have access to a lift at the base auto craft shop so that is a plus. But i think there are a few clearance issues that should be changed with the down pipes. I dont know how the non catted downpipes are in terms of clearances. The cats themselves were not the issue.

First thing once i got the old ones out, and did what it said and pushed the oem dp bracket back and found later if you leave it alone there isnt much of a clearance issue, but with it pushed back it causes an issue with the front dp rear 02 sensor. So i pushed it back into the original position. I didnt have the right E18 bit to just remove the bracket or i would of. Also I started by installing the rear short dp as instructed and noticed that a small heat shield bolt that holds a heat shield that covers what i think is a turbo oil line didnt allow any cleareance of the dp once in place. I dont have a picture sorry. But this little bolt was up by the turbo were the DP connects, anyway i just removed the bolt, the heat sheild is still held in place though. Rotating the DP some didnt help. But once this little bolt is removed it did not rub on the short DP and allowed the DP to be put in proper position.

Now on to the Front long DP, I had a cleareance issue were the DP would rub right on part of the transmission. It was only a small part the protruded out and really did nothing just look like part of the casting. I think i had to remove and reinstall the long DP about 10 times, what i ended up doing was filing down the corner of the casting on the transmission to give it clearance and wouldnt touch the DP. Once i got the right cleareance the long DP fit perfect and didnt touch. Also rotating the DP some didnt help either because once the clamp was tightened the DP would touch again.

Also the instructions say to remove one torq screw from a heat sheild that covers the rack and pinnion, well theres only 2 more screws left and just removing all the screws and heat sheild is better then pushing it out the way as the instructions say.

Last thing, I think that the 02 bungs that arent used and are plugged should be deleted from the DPs all together, I didnt see any reason in needing them except for maybe a external wideband 02 sensor, and also once i started installing the long DP i noticed that it was missing the screw in plug for the 02 bung that isnt used and that really pissed me off cause now i dont have a plug and nothing to plug it with, so i improvised and found a old 02 sensor laying around cut off the wires and screwed it in to plug the hole, if i didnt find anything i was about to just weld it closed. But now i have to contact Riss Racing and get the 02 sensor bung plug sent to me for a permanant fix.

And second to last thing I think now after doing the install the coating that is used for the coated versions of the downpipes is kind of a waste, it scratched off easily, not totally scratched off but in certain areas while trying to install the DPs. A heat coating of some kind is useful, say maybe sending the DPs to Jethot coating of something, but thats cost much more. But this is only a small grip other thing that I am sure it will do its job.

Other then these issues the quality of the weld and material is top notch. I just think a few adjustments need to be made of the manufacturing of the DPs. You can diffenantly hear the turbos spool up now, and throttle response greatly improved. I do have the RennArt resonated exhaust and the downpipes really finished off the exhaust system nicely, I also have the AFE intake so next is a tune. I did install the 02 sim and had a service engine soon light after about 40miles of driving but reread the instructions and found what i did wrong so i got to correct that in the morning and get the codes cleared. For a while i have been waiting on the 02 sim from RR i ordered, and luckily a friend of mine had one from the RR DPs he ordered before, but he sold his car and bought a M3 so i got to give him mine when it comes in.

I dont know if the 02 sim is needed for catted version, but RR could chime in but they will be installed anyway.

Well thats all i have, thanks for reading and any input from others or questions please ask.

Great detailed writeup! What you describe is EXACTLY what I encountered and what I did when installing the downpipes. Do provide an update if you get a limp later on

[Hunter399]

Very excited to install mine next week!

[GhOsT_E90]

Well if i get any of these limp modes because of these DP, I would almost just take them off so i wouldnt have to deal with it. So far i just have a service engine soon light because i didnt read the directions right when i installed the sim, but that light isnt so serious as it will not cause a limp mode.

I tried to write in decent detail because of all the downpipe install reveiw of those that did it themselves they say, they didnt say these things. And other reasons is that i thing these are things that needed to be addressed to Riss Racing to change a few things with these downpipes for future customers.

[DrewKo]

Hi, just to let others know, I have used catted DPs for over one year now (not from RR though) and have not experienced any limps or CELS bec. of the DPs, and thus have not had to use any O2 sims. It is strange that the RR catted DPs would require use of O2 sims.

[techforge]

Originally Posted by DrewKo

Hi, just to let others know, I have used catted DPs for over one year now (not from RR though) and have not experienced any limps or CELS bec. of the DPs, and thus have not had to use any O2 sims. It is strange that the RR catted DPs would require use of O2 sims.

Supposedly 2007 models don't require o2 sims very often, but 2008's will throw a code.

[NM_BMW]

I believe it has to do with what progman version your on. I'm not sure what version, but one of the progman versions remapped the O2 sensor making it more sensitive.

[GhOsT_E90]

I would say that these last few posts are true. I rewired the 02 sims correctly(made a small mistake), then went and got the service engine soon light turned off, the codes were P0430 and P0420. Then i went for a drive and 30 or so miles later the light came back on again. So now i got to put the inline resistors into the 02 sim harness.

[KBMW69]

Riss Racing... U guys have any input on fixing these problems??

[GhOsT_E90]

Originally Posted by KBMW69

Riss Racing... U guys have any input on fixing these problems??

Well i wouldnt call these issues nessesarily a problem but more what i think would be input to make a design better in my oppinion. The downpipes them selves do work as they should and we all know that changing them is going to cause a SES with the known codes. Also as it has been posted before that the newer ecu software version makes the 02 sensors more sensitive i guess you could call it. I am just trying to pass on a review of my own that will hopefully help the next customer and make of these downpipes. But I would like Riss Racing respond back to me about the missing 02 sensor bug plug that wasnt sent. I didnt realize this until i started the install anyway. And as for the SES light, I luckily had a friend that bought the RR dps and had an extra sim so i could get mine installed and waiting on the 02 sim that i ordered originally but due to production of the sim i am still waiting.

[vegasspeed]

Very interesting.....

[meinauto]

Originally Posted by GhOsT_E90

Well i wouldnt call these issues nessesarily a problem but more what i think would be input to make a design better in my oppinion. The downpipes them selves do work as they should and we all know that changing them is going to cause a SES with the known codes. Also as it has been posted before that the newer ecu software version makes the 02 sensors more sensitive i guess you could call it. I am just trying to pass on a review of my own that will hopefully help the next customer and make of these downpipes. But I would like Riss Racing respond back to me about the missing 02 sensor bug plug that wasnt sent. I didnt realize this until i started the install anyway. And as for the SES light, I luckily had a friend that bought the RR dps and had an extra sim so i could get mine installed and waiting on the 02 sim that i ordered originally but due to production of the sim i am still waiting.

do you find that your steering vibrates more with the downpipes?

[**335i**]

@GhOsT_E90

as i checked in RR site they send all proper details that DP includes

[Andras]

Originally Posted by cn555ic

I think the O2 sims from what I've read need to be installed even with the catted ones...I want DP's, but reading so many posts of how hard it is to install has subsided my need to buy and install them....Everything so far I have installed myself and this mod, I know I will need a good mechanic to do, which I am not willing to pay!!

I have installed RR catless DP and not the O2 sims yet.
The error codes get thrown only if I cruise at let's say 50mph for quite a long time (huge lane restriction on a higway, etc). They never get thrown in any other condition, including "pedal to the metal" driving style

[GhOsT_E90]

Originally Posted by meinauto

do you find that your steering vibrates more with the downpipes?

No my steering isnt vibrating, but i do know that the rear downpipe does come close to the right lower control arm so maybe yours is rubbing.

[GhOsT_E90]

Bump, I think some so reread my review to help them with fitmet issues they may be having. Sure i had issues but i was able to work around them and adjust the DP enough so they would not rub.

You know everyone wants everything they buy to fit perfectly, and sure some things do. But you have to think that you taking something off and putting on a product thats not OEM and vehicle depending it may not fit so perfectly. I can tell you if you want that perfect fit you should try bending and welding you own pipes and see how hard that is. I work on apache helicotpers for the army and you know sometimes parts just don't go on as easy as they were to take off. So I just have to figure it out, any mistake could cost lives. Every nut,bolt,washer, etc is acounted for in writing so i guess the army has made me a mechanical perfectionist and i have done the job for almost 10 years. So my point is if something isnt right, you should look at it like a puzzle and adjust as needed. The downpipes work as advertise and yes i think some tweeks should be made in the manufacturing.

[vegasspeed]

I disagree. That is what the delay is before they release these downpipes. They should test, test and do more testing until they get a set that works out well universally. The complaints about the old set not fitting just make me want to cringe. If your new BMW is rattling like a Honda Accord than was it really worth it?

[GhOsT_E90]

Originally Posted by vegasspeed

I disagree. That is what the delay is before they release these downpipes. They should test, test and do more testing until they get a set that works out well universally. The complaints about the old set not fitting just make me want to cringe. If your new BMW is rattling like a Honda Accord than was it really worth it?

Well you know thats what BMW did when they first built the car. So unless Riss builds an exact replica of the OEM downpipes but without the cats they would have to test thousands of cars so that the smallest variables can be measured to build a universal dp. My DPs are not rattling or seem to show any rubbing. I did have to adjust and file down areas and tweek here and there so that they do fit right. Should I had to do all of this, well i wish i didnt but i used my mechanical experience and know how to get the job done.

Oh and i ended up ordering BMS downpipe fix O2 sim and my SES light went out, I am sure i have code stored but i take care of that when my AutoEnginuty OBD2 scanner comes in.