[secretsquirrel]

Originally Posted by mcpcolas

I understand the PE is expensive. But isn't all this research , trial and error into getting the stock to sound like the PE Time consuming . Not bashing just curious

Shared collective knowledge isn't too time consuming. Plus, its a lot of fun finding the right recipe. I've also met a couple of really cool people because of this process. That wouldn't have happened if I had just paid the extra $1000 and got a real PE.

[Glowin]

Originally Posted by mcpcolas

I understand the PE is expensive. But isn't all this research , trial and error into getting the stock to sound like the PE Time consuming . Not bashing just curious

Really? Someone with a stock exhaust, who wants better sound (since flow is really not an issue), can either spend $1000 plus for the PE, or $500 plus for a new exhaust (and for that much, its quality may be questionable) or for a few hundred $ (and maybe a bit of hassle) get their stock exhaust to sound the same as the PE.

So the decision is spend $1000 or spend $300...

Why is it so complicated to you?

At this point, all the research has been done (and I've posted it all in one complete PDF), and for a lot of people, the time they spent in getting us to that point, was probably fun and in the spirit of discovering something noone else had. Why so many of us mod our cars.

[mcpcolas]

Originally Posted by secretsquirrel

Shared collective knowledge isn't too time consuming. Plus, its a lot of fun finding the right recipe. I've also met a couple of really cool people because of this process. That wouldn't have happened if I had just paid the extra $1000 and got a real PE.

so basically its the journey, not the end result

[secretsquirrel]

Originally Posted by mcpcolas

so basically its the journey, not the end result

Pretty much, but the end result is pretty nice also. An extra G in the pocket while having a product that sounds similar is rewarding. I was VERY close to pulling the trigger on an authentic PE exhaust until people (Glowin, Ripley and WhiteFury, et al) broke through with the secret sauce.

[mikex25]

honestly if an after market exhaust flowed that much better I would of pulled the trigger. Since most ppl who buy an exhaust with a 335i is in it for the sound. This decision is a no brainer to me.

[mike_c79]

Originally Posted by secretsquirrel

Shared collective knowledge isn't too time consuming. Plus, its a lot of fun finding the right recipe. I've also met a couple of really cool people because of this process. That wouldn't have happened if I had just paid the extra $1000 and got a real PE.

Same here! Secret Squirrles really do exist! Lol
I'm hopfully dropping mine off Tom. So I'll be DP's and muffler free this wknd so stop by to hear it

[secretsquirrel]

Originally Posted by mike_c79

Same here! Secret Squirrles really do exist! Lol
I'm hopfully dropping mine off Tom. So I'll be DP's and muffler free this wknd so stop by to hear it

Definitely. I can't wait to see the faces of your neighbors when you start up your car. That shit's gonna be loud with no mufflers!

[mike_c79]

Originally Posted by secretsquirrel

Definitely. I can't wait to see the faces of your neighbors when you start up your car. That shit's gonna be loud with no mufflers!

It might even be just Open DP's! Lol
Might as well have them weld in the X pipe while it's off
I have this one neighbor in mind!
Shit I might scare myself!
Stinky drive home in traffic....
Oh well I'm sure I'll find me some un suspecting victims on the way home

[Glowin]

Wow, the irony... So I finally managed to put together a shortlist of good shops and visited the first one on Saturday. They are not an exhaust shop, but do lots of custom tuning and mods. I know nothing about welding, so am just repeating his comments as best as I understood them.

They said to do it properly, they'd need the car for the whole day! The owner told me that each side would take about 40 minutes just to weld back. To do proper full stainless steel welds (vs. partial stainless steel that he said most shops will do, and will eventually rust) is a slow process. You don't need to do TIG welding for sure, but even with MIG welding, you must use 100% stainless steel welds, which few do.

Any comments on the above?

And he said some shops (he's seen a few of their jobs apparently when the owners then came to him) have botched up the inside welds of the solid pipes, and later, they would start rattling.

He did scare me off a bit for doing the whole mod!

Great... I can see now why a few guys got rejected. I'll visit a few more before giving up.

[Jsoboti]

Originally Posted by Glowin

Wow, the irony... So I finally managed to put together a shortlist of good shops and visited the first one on Saturday. They are not an exhaust shop, but do lots of custom tuning and mods. I know nothing about welding, so am just repeating his comments as best as I understood them.

They said to do it properly, they'd need the car for the whole day! The owner told me that each side would take about 40 minutes just to weld back. To do proper full stainless steel welds (vs. partial stainless steel that he said most shops will do, and will eventually rust) is a slow process. You don't need to do TIG welding for sure, but even with MIG welding, you must use 100% stainless steel welds, which few do.

Any comments on the above?

And he said some shops (he's seen a few of their jobs apparently when the owners then came to him) have botched up the inside welds of the solid pipes, and later, they would start rattling.

He did scare me off a bit for doing the whole mod!

Great... I can see now why a few guys got rejected. I'll visit a few more before giving up.

That sounds like the kind of shop you want to go with. Although frustrating because they take forever, guys who are meticulous always do the best work!!

I wish I had a shop like that down here in Corpus Christi, TX. If anyone knows of one, please recommend.

[Glowin]

Originally Posted by Jsoboti

That sounds like the kind of shop you want to go with. Although frustrating because they take forever, guys who are meticulous always do the best work!!

I wish I had a shop like that down here in Corpus Christi, TX. If anyone knows of one, please recommend.

OK, but I'm not spending like $700 on this mod, LOL! I might as well buy the real thing then and have some resale value too!

[Jsoboti]

Originally Posted by Glowin

OK, but I'm not spending like $700 on this mod, LOL! I might as well buy the real thing then and have some resale value too!

Didnt know he wanted 700 bones for it. efff that

[MiamiOffshore]

Any good recommendations for getting this done in Miami-Dade County? I tried Miami Muffler but they want $450!

[mike_c79]

I just picked up my mufflers at lunch!
I will post pics of the entire process as soon as I get the email later tonight or first thing in the AM, I had this done at a private custom welder even he said it took much longer than expected he thought it would be two hours but it was more like 3 & 1/2 total, but he actually cut top & bottom of both ends welded in actual straight pipe not no pipe wrap cause he said same thing eventually it can come loose and start to rattle in there! I had him wrap the outter straight pipes with some fiberglass packing that I provided and then he stuffed extra packing in the sides that I had he remove 40% from the inner two chambers. My reasoning for this was the PE had no packing at all in the two outter straight pipe areas I actually had them wrapped up & filled really well and then I wanted a little more pop & gurgle sound but not too droney so I took a little bit from the centers and had them re sealed back up. I then had him spray it all with high temp flat black header paint to kinda give the look of the 335iS EXh. but the sound of a little bit more aggressive PE EXh. hey to each their own we will see how it sounds I will also post video / pics in a few days

[mike_c79]

Pics Of my process ....
I have a another few coats that I am putting on the mufflers then I will post painted pics .....

[secretsquirrel]

Originally Posted by mike_c79

Pics Of my process ....
I have a another few coats that I am putting on the mufflers then I will post painted pics .....

I'm looking forward to hearing it installed!

[mike_c79]

Oh what the hell lol
I still need to add one more coat & let dry it will look more matte black after its done ....
I am dying of the drone without no mufflers I don't think I will ever think my car actually drones ever again after driving it without muffler for 3 days!

[mike_c79]

Originally Posted by secretsquirrel

I'm looking forward to hearing it installed!

you will be the 1st!! lol
you still need to hear this beast in no muffler mode crazy!

[Scotte30m3]

Originally Posted by Scotte30m3

I love the all the available information in this thread thanks to all that have contributed. I have been wanting to do a complete Dual 3" exhaust on my car for a while and I think this is the direction I'm going to go...

I already have 3" downpipes (I will cut the taper and put V-band clamps on to remove the bottle neck where the DP meet the stock exhaust)

3" Resonators to replace the Second cats

3" Regular X pipe

and Modified stock exhaust here's how...

core the mufflers inside and out by replace all the internals on the outer sides of the muffler with 3" perforated and solid pipe internals as well as repacking all sound deadening material and keeping all the inner sides and crossover the same.

The only problem I think I will face is replacing the valve on the driver side with one that is 3"... Does anyone have any pics of the valve taken apart?

The goal is to improve air flow all over with out getting too obnoxiously loud.

Thoughts?

I bought all the parts for this exhaust build. I plan on using the stock actuator and add a 3" valve at the back. I'll let everyone one know it goes and post video when I can.

[mike_c79]

Originally Posted by Scotte30m3

I bought all the parts for this exhaust build. I plan on using the stock actuator and add a 3" valve at the back. I'll let everyone one know it goes and post video when I can.

sweet! take lots of pics too plz! can't wait to hear it!
I also left my valve in place just in cast it gets crazy loud I can undo golf clamp and still have that option ....

[Rat_House]

sorry if i missed it, but is there a video comparing the sound of the PE exhaust to the sound of a modified stock muffler?

[tiangco.a]

To all who have done this on the e92 - did you guys remove your resonators? I did this mod and it definitely sounds better but it is very tame.
I opened up both mufflers, on passenger side I replaced the perforated pipe with straight pipe and on driver I cut off the canister and replaced with straight pipe. I left the y pipes alone on both sides.
For mods I have:
Vrsf downpipes
Cobb ap
Vrsf chargepipe with tial bov