[balkanbemve]

Car: 2011 E90 335i X-drive AT

New to BMW, have been a 15' GTI guy for a while.

I'm really looking to hear from people who have purchased the VRSF catted downpipe to provide an up-to-date review on the exhaust note, drone, smell increase, etc. Also, have any of you ditched the catted and went to the catless and were more pleased? I'm wondering if the other two smaller cats help out smell-wise with the catless.

Been reading the forums often to get the best all around sound out of this engine keeping in mind smell, but sometimes reading too many posts make you see criss-cross. Catted sounds deeper and refined, catless sounds raspier but more aggressive. Had a high-flow cat on the GTI, hated it when I got it for like the first 3-4 months, but then sort of became immune to it (secretly still didn't like it at stop lights in the summer with the windows down). Thoughts, comments, all are welcome here.

Links I have already seen (catted):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=pjdayi7MSb4

My favorite catless:

[JeanCa]

I have a e92 n55 with the VRSF catless downpipe on stock exhaust. There is little to no drone (I went full straight pipe and hated the horrible drone, thus reverted it to stock exhaust). The exhaust note will increase and will be more aggressive after 3000rpm, below that its a quite tamed sound. Yes, there will be some smell, but it will not go into the cabin with windows up, or while on the move with windows down. Overall its a pretty good mod, plus you will be able to run faster stage tuning if using JB4 or MHD.

[renizer]

JeanCa, stock exhaust in your case means only cats up in the downpipe, no intermediate resonator, only the stock dual-muffler out the back?
I guess that's true for all E92 N55 except X-Drive?

[JeanCa]

Originally Posted by renizer

JeanCa, stock exhaust in your case means only cats up in the downpipe, no intermediate resonator, only the stock dual-muffler out the back?
I guess that's true for all E92 N55 except X-Drive?

By that I mean that the only thing that has been altered is the down pipe (catless). It has stock resonators and muffler. I had it straight piped for a day (resonators and muffler removed) but had it welded back on the next day jaja.

[renizer]

I got that. I was just wondering what the stock "cat"-back setup on your car was to get an idea of your current setup, hence the specific question about intermediate resonators etcs

[maxihari]

Have VRSF catted with PE exhaust on a RWD E90.

1. Sound: Excellent - Loud enough - Even bit too loud at times, no drone. Aggressive when you want, less so with sporadic use of loud pedal.
Completely stock at idle.
Sounds a bit more refined, "posh" to me then catless setups which I've heard plenty of. With WOT, it sings.

2. Smell - none.

3. Power - there's a thread somewhere with Dyno - shows ~15-20hp increase for catted - if I'not mistake. Can't imagine being much more for catless..20%?

3. CEL - you're in the same boat for emissions. CEL is there and system not ready.

4. Environment - At this point, nobody cares with hugely polluting systems and cars. lol MAYBE little less with catted pipe... maybe...

[mike@x-ph.com]

Spot on fitment, no fuel smell and good air flow

Its a solid product

[carguy138]

It will trip a CEL and pose problems for annual inspection unless you live in an area where they aren't required.

Venders say that many don't have problems with CEL but I think this is a misleading statement. The likely complete answer is that "Many customers (worldwide) do not have problems with a CEL on stock software" In reality it appears that the BMW USA catalyst efficiency maps/specs are much tighter than other parts of the world. Meaning a XYZ high flow cat will pass an OBD2 check in Europe but not in the USA.

Commercial tuners won't touch that issue because of the enormous legal liability (modifying the ECU readiness efficency specs). One thing to turn them off "for offroad purposes" but entirely different to show ready on an OBD2 check.

FABSPEED appears to make one that will pass on the F30 N55 motors but no option for E90s. Plus they are very expensive.

[balkanbemve]

Thanks for the contributions! I will definitely be ordering the catted, but it seems that in another thread that was posted some days ago, the updated catted dp will be CEL free. It would probably be worth waiting for for cat readiness considering Im in Illinois.

[balkanbemve]

so how are you guys passing emissions then? dp fix?

[maxihari]

DP fix for me didn't work. I threw on stock dp to pass.
Simple as that.

Check with VRSF if they will guarantee CEL free (and as important - system readiness for test)
IF so, then that's the one to get...

If not, then really doesn't make the difference which you pick...

[tarheeldon]

My question is this ....If i get a VRSF high flow catted downpipe can i run my JB4 on map 2 or map 5 and could i use the E85 fuel mixture? currently running factory setup with JB4 on Map 1 with fresh coil packs, plugs and new chargepipe
Thanks in advance!!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by tarheeldon

My question is this ....If i get a VRSF high flow catted downpipe can i run my JB4 on map 2 or map 5 and could i use the E85 fuel mixture? currently running factory setup with JB4 on Map 1 with fresh coil packs, plugs and new chargepipe
Thanks in advance!!

Yes you can

[Hxngs]

If I buy their catted down pipe. Would I be able to pass smog in CA?

[TheGoodTheBadTheUgly]

Pain to install on xDrive. You could also look into Wagner Tuning high flow cattes dp, but I don't think it's in the same price range.