[Shinchan]

get the 7/32 ball from any bike repair shop. push the ball in with the s shape HEX KEY tool from ur tool set in the car... far enough

and stick the hose back in..

[PiperD]

Yesterday my wife and I are on the highway going ~120kph, windows down, and within literally 30 seconds she asks me "why does your car sound like that?" This was the first time she had been in my car on the highway since I pulled the cable on the exhaust flap actuator.

So that's my addition to the small number of wife/family feedback posts in this thread.

People here have been talking about more noise at 30-40% throttle, ~3000RPM. This would seem to be the sweet spot for highway driving, yet nobody is reporting increased noise on the highway (except yours truly).

It's not that the sound from the tip is louder; rather, it sounds like the exhaust system under the floorboard is resonating more.

I'm not trying to prove a point; I'm just wondering why it's so noticeable on my car, and if the "more noise at 30-40% throttle" crowd notices any difference on the highway.

[RiXst3r]

Originally Posted by PiperD

Yesterday my wife and I are on the highway going ~120kph, windows down, and within literally 30 seconds she asks me "why does your car sound like that?" This was the first time she had been in my car on the highway since I pulled the cable on the exhaust flap actuator.

So that's my addition to the small number of wife/family feedback posts in this thread.

People here have been talking about more noise at 30-40% throttle, ~3000RPM. This would seem to be the sweet spot for highway driving, yet nobody is reporting increased noise on the highway (except yours truly).

It's not that the sound from the tip is louder; rather, it sounds like the exhaust system under the floorboard is resonating more.

I'm not trying to prove a point; I'm just wondering why it's so noticeable on my car, and if the "more noise at 30-40% throttle" crowd notices any difference on the highway.

this is defiantly more noticable on the coupe... sedan people have the extra resonator that quites the exhaust note even with the golf tee mod

[HyperM3]

Alright, well I just reversed this mod.

Coming home from work today my "Service Engine Soon" light came on. Looked it up and its only emissions related. The only thing Ive done to warrant this is unplugging the line by the rear taillight.

It wasnt worth the sound to make the car not feel good.

[bman5150]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

Alright, well I just reversed this mod.

Coming home from work today my "Service Engine Soon" light came on. Looked it up and its only emissions related. The only thing Ive done to warrant this is unplugging the line by the rear taillight.

It wasnt worth the sound to make the car not feel good.

It's surprising that you'd trip an SES light from this mod. Only thing that might cause this is a vacuum leak caused by not 100% sealing up the vacuum hose.

It's good to hear that there's at least one low-buck solution to cranking up the exhaust volume a tad on the 335. It will help me miss my mustang exhaust a little less when I give it up next year! In fact, that was probably one of my few complaints when I test drove the 335i Sedan. It's too quiet! I've always heard that an inline 6 can sound great, albeit not like a muscle car but racy in a good way. I need to check out some of those exhaust clips!

Thanks for all the detail. Very interesting to read through this thread!

[HyperM3]

Originally Posted by bman5150

It's surprising that you'd trip an SES light from this mod. Only thing that might cause this is a vacuum leak caused by not 100% sealing up the vacuum hose.

I didnt undo the vacuum hose, thats the problem. I only unplugged the solenoid in the trunk by the taillight.

[bman5150]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

I didnt undo the vacuum hose, thats the problem. I only unplugged the solenoid in the trunk by the taillight.

Strange. . .

[Orb]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

I didnt undo the vacuum hose, thats the problem. I only unplugged the solenoid in the trunk by the taillight.

You did tape the electrical connection so they wouldn't ground?

Orb

[pittyinSC]

Originally Posted by sambonator

Yes. This was originally a mod for 2006 325/330's.

Thanks

[tintivilus]

I just did the (electrical) mod this afternoon. I didn't notice a whole lot of difference in the sound so far, but I think it's worth it just to lose the asymmetrical exhaust plumes in winter.

I'm surprised the plug was in such an accessible location; I wonder if that was just a coincidence, or if they expected people to mess with it.

[ScottyGams]

^good point... u know a real "car guy" in engineering made sure that fuse was easily accesible

[RMRC]

E90 335i here. While it's most noticeable between 2,000 - 3,500 rpm this is the range where I wished for more bark. Best $0.15 I ever spent.

[RedGT3]

Originally Posted by PiperD

Yes, droning with the stock exhaust.

Since performing the mod there's a noticeable, constant exhaust hum at highway speed. I usually drive at 120-140km/h on the highway.

That's just my observation, take it or leave it. Anybody can perform the mod and evaluate for themselves.

Ditto I can hear it at constant speed, 80 MPH.
BTW E90

[andrewflk]

I just “undid” this mod yesterday as it just didn’t sound right to me. Although I liked it at first, after some time the noise cruising at 2K to 2.5K was more of an annoyance then a pleasure. IMHO

Like mentioned by PiperD, “it sounds like the exhaust system under the floorboard is resonating more.”

[cn555ic]

did this mod today with the ball bearing...very simple 2 minute to do...I really didn't notice any extra significant noise coming from the exhaust even at 2000-3000 rpm...Oh well i guess my ears are shot from earlier in my teens when i used to have audio systems in my car that were toooo loud!!! I will wait and see on a cold start tommorrow

[cwoodffr]

anyone else notice that on deceleration in the 2k range you get a nice burble? You don't get that with the valve closed. I'm going to switch to the electrical disconnect so I can go back and forth without crawling under the car.

[RiXst3r]

update... this throws a trouble code, no CEL, but it is stored...
2F6C-Exhaust Gas Flap - sends the code on each engine start

Ball bearing meathod will not cause this, just the unplugging of the wires to the solenoid in the trunk method

[cn555ic]

well this morning i did notice a deeper sound coming from the exhaust from cold start up...Took it on the highway with windows up and notice also a deeper sound around 2500 to 3000 rpm...Nice little mod with the ball bearing...quick and simple...use ball bearing to plug the hose deep enough, then plug the hose back into the solenoid...Ball bearing MOD

[BoostedBMW]

I just unplugged the vac line, plugged it with a screw that I had, and capped off the valve with a vac cover. The difference in sound isn't too much, but its noticeable from 2500-3000 rpm where the oem exhaust is usually the most audible in stock form. For a one minute mod i'm happy until I swap this exhaust out.

[HyperM3]

Originally Posted by RiXst3r

update... this throws a trouble code, no CEL, but it is stored...
2F6C-Exhaust Gas Flap - sends the code on each engine start

Ball bearing meathod will not cause this, just the unplugging of the wires to the solenoid in the trunk method

Makes sense. Maybe I should have tried the other method.

[RMRC]

How does the plug come off? I tried pushing the metal clip and lifting but it wouldn't come out. I then tried sliding it with the same result. It moves around so much I didn't want to force it and break anything. How does it unplug?

[HyperM3]

Originally Posted by reb03

How does the plug come off? I tried pushing the metal clip and lifting but it wouldn't come out. I then tried sliding it with the same result. It moves around so much I didn't want to force it and break anything. How does it unplug?

You squeeze the metal clip against the connector. However, You DONT want to do this mod this way. This will throw codes and possibly set off your Service Engine Soon light.

DO THIS MOD WITH THE BALL BEARING!!!