[Julian2485]

Originally Posted by ian3924

Haha small world I'm in queens village too we've probably passed each other in the hood. You didn't happen to go to Slammed by the Bay car show in LI today did you? It was pretty nice, there was a bunch of 335's there. Anyway I don't go to many small meets but there's one going on at the Michael's art supply store in fresh meadows Saturday Sept. 30th around 9:30, if you wanna hear it we could meet up there.

We probably have crossed each other I work at the firehouse up the block for michaels

[ian3924]

Originally Posted by Julian2485

We probably have crossed each other I work at the firehouse up the block for michaels

Ahhh that must be your clean black e90 msport on 219's if I remember correctly?

[Julian2485]

Originally Posted by ian3924

Ahhh that must be your clean black e90 msport on 219's if I remember correctly?

I wouldn't say clean but yea that's me lol

[shreedamin]

Went back to the muffler shop this morning to talk to the guy. He said he would try mig welding instead of torch welding to try and get a cleaner weld. I snapped a few pics while I was there. After looking at the welds again today, i realized they are not as bad as i thought, just ugly haha. But he assured me he would check it all over before we put it on the car.

I'm excited to see how this turns out, will be installing it Wednesday. BTW if anyone is in the Raleigh, NC area and wants this mod done, i found a shop that will do it for $500 (not the shop i am at now). Only thing is you have to bring him the mufflers off the car with the canisters uncut. I unfortunately did not know this and brought them cut and he told me would do it for $500 still but he would rather cut them himself as has done the mod plenty of times and knows what to expect.

[bmwarg]

Originally Posted by shreedamin

Went back to the muffler shop this morning to talk to the guy. He said he would try mig welding instead of torch welding to try and get a cleaner weld. I snapped a few pics while I was there. After looking at the welds again today, i realized they are not as bad as i thought, just ugly haha. But he assured me he would check it all over before we put it on the car.

I'm excited to see how this turns out, will be installing it Wednesday. BTW if anyone is in the Raleigh, NC area and wants this mod done, i found a shop that will do it for $500 (not the shop i am at now). Only thing is you have to bring him the mufflers off the car with the canisters uncut. I unfortunately did not know this and brought them cut and he told me would do it for $500 still but he would rather cut them himself as has done the mod plenty of times and knows what to expect.

Was the original packing on both sides or did you have to redistribute the packing?

[bmwarg]

Update: turns out all the packing was put back in as original (passenger side only). He will open up the drivers side and put in packing from other BMWs he has done similar work for but was asked to leave the packing out. I don't think there is a drawback to having more packing left in the passenger side. Will let you know the results on Thursday. If drone is still there then I will replace the x pipe with the resonator.


Is the canflap always open after the exhaust mod? The JB4 doesn't seem to make a difference when using the setting to keep it always open.

[shreedamin]

Originally Posted by bmwarg

Update: turns out all the packing was put back in as original (passenger side only). He will open up the drivers side and put in packing from other BMWs he has done similar work for but was asked to leave the packing out. I don't think there is a drawback to having more packing left in the passenger side. Will let you know the results on Thursday. If drone is still there then I will replace the x pipe with the resonator.


Is the canflap always open after the exhaust mod? The JB4 doesn't seem to make a difference when using the setting to keep it always open.

He redistributed the packing. I also have the e92 coupe. I am getting mine installed on Wednesday, ill post back how it sounds. Everything else for the exhaust is stock for now. I am going to install my VRSF downpipes after my emissions inspection next month and probably upgrade to 3.5 or 4 inch tips. You might want to check that your exhaust is not bumping against anything and that everything is tight if you used exhaust clamps. My welder complained about the packing possibly catching fire and just turning into ash, hopefully this does not happen, as from what i am reading putting the packing back in is very important to getting the best sound possible.

I told him how no one else on the forums complained about this issue, but he was like, how would you really know unless you opened the mufflers back up....

[bmwarg]

Mystery finally solved!! I was trying to figure out why I had huge drone and thought it was x pipe or not redistributing packing to the drivers side exhaust. Lots of people on here replaced the resonator with the x pipe so didn't think that was the issue unless done incorrectly. So I thought maybe it was not putting packing into the drivers side (per whitefury). However, Ripley had no drone and he just left the y pipes and corresponding packing alone and didn't put any packing where the straight pipes are located (consistent with the passenger side PE exhaust).

So what was the culprit?

The exhaust technician didn't re-connect the vacuum line going to the driver side exhaust valve actuator. In essence it was the tee mod trick. I reconnected the vacuum line and now the flap closes and it sounds like stock below 3K rpm. Back to normal sound in highway.

So check that the vacuum line to the driver side exhaust valve actuator is connected.

In conclusion, this is what was done:
1. Resonator replaced with x pipe.
2. Driver and passenger side perforated straight pipes replaced with solid straight pipes.
3. Packing put back in place (so passenger muffler packing around straight pipe and y pipe; driver side packing around y pipe only)
4. Vacuum line to valve actuator reconnected

Details of my car:
1. 2008 pre-lci e90 335i sedan with sports Package
2. 3" catless downpipes
3. Stock Secondary cats
4. Stock exhaust tips
5. JB4 map 5, MHD BMW backend flash, xHP transmission flash

Exhaust sound:
1. Quite around town and when cruising same as stock but nice loud and exotic tone on hard acceleration
2. Need to test burbles and pops. Heard them when canflap was left open and maybe a little less now that canflap closes at low rpm

Remaining thoughts
Putting packing in the drivers side muffler may reduce cruising noise further to below stock levels. I don't think it would hurt to put packing around drivers side straight pipe. However redistributing may reduce sound insulation in passenger side so better to find a shop that has extra BMW packing. Also if you want to do the golf tee mod / keep the driver side valve open all the time then definitely put packing around the driver side straight pipe.

Exhaust works in Belmont did a fantastic job and was super responsive to my concerns. He just forgot to reconnect the vacuum line, which was an understandable thing to forget.

[shreedamin]

Originally Posted by bmwarg

Mystery finally solved!!

Nicee!!! Glad it worked out for you and that it was a simple fix

Any chance you can post some sound clips?

[Meatos]

Think most of the people doing pe mod dont use the valve anymore including myself. But if you want it more quiet during crusing then that must work fine

[bmwarg]

Originally Posted by Meatos

Think most of the people doing pe mod dont use the valve anymore including myself. But if you want it more quiet during crusing then that must work fine

Yes it makes sense then why it would be important to put packing on the drivers side too. I think the driver side CANflap valve opening is an important variable that has only been lightly touched upon in this thread. If you want the valve open then you need packing in the drivers side. If you keep the valve as OEM then you are fine without packing in the drivers side.

I might ask the exhaust technician to put packing on the driver's side so that I can test whether the drone goes away with the valve open. At least I now know I can keep the valve closed (as designed) and not have the drone.

The PE exhaust has a valve on the driver's side and it seems to also stay closed at low RPMs. We don't know what the PE exhaust drivers side exhaust looks like but if the same as the passenger side (no packing on the straight pipe) then I guess it doesn't either. The difference here is that the welding of the straight pipe by the exhaust shop is likely not all the way around the tubing, which would create resonance that needs to be absorbed by the packing.

Do you run it all the time with the valve open? Does keeping the valve open help with pop and crackle?

[bmwarg]

Originally Posted by shreedamin

He redistributed the packing. I also have the e92 coupe. I am getting mine installed on Wednesday, ill post back how it sounds. Everything else for the exhaust is stock for now. I am going to install my VRSF downpipes after my emissions inspection next month and probably upgrade to 3.5 or 4 inch tips. You might want to check that your exhaust is not bumping against anything and that everything is tight if you used exhaust clamps. My welder complained about the packing possibly catching fire and just turning into ash, hopefully this does not happen, as from what i am reading putting the packing back in is very important to getting the best sound possible.

I told him how no one else on the forums complained about this issue, but he was like, how would you really know unless you opened the mufflers back up....

I'm curious if those with the PE mod done 4-5 years ago have any issues with increasing drone over time. This would indicate to me that the packing is turning to ash and losing its sound absorbing characteristics. Better yet would be if someone has opened the chamber a year or two later.

Because the PE exhaust does not have packing around the straight pipe I wonder if the straight pipe gets hotter than the y-pipe and can cause the packing to burn. Breaking up the packing to redistribute may also make it more susceptible to burning.

The exhaust tips are already coated in black so hard to know if they are getting more coated from burning packing.

Nevertheless, I don't think this has ever caused a fire.

[Meatos]

Originally Posted by bmwarg

Yes it makes sense then why it would be important to put packing on the drivers side too. I think the driver side CANflap valve opening is an important variable that has only been lightly touched upon in this thread. If you want the valve open then you need packing in the drivers side. If you keep the valve as OEM then you are fine without packing in the drivers side.

I might ask the exhaust technician to put packing on the driver's side so that I can test whether the drone goes away with the valve open. At least I now know I can keep the valve closed (as designed) and not have the drone.

The PE exhaust has a valve on the driver's side and it seems to also stay closed at low RPMs. We don't know what the PE exhaust drivers side exhaust looks like but if the same as the passenger side (no packing on the straight pipe) then I guess it doesn't either. The difference here is that the welding of the straight pipe by the exhaust shop is likely not all the way around the tubing, which would create resonance that needs to be absorbed by the packing.

Do you run it all the time with the valve open? Does keeping the valve open help with pop and crackle?

When i did pe exhaust i used exhaust holts flexiwrap http://www.halfords.com/workshop-too...p-exhaust-tape

So I do not have the problem with not be able to weld all around. Much quicker! And you can take it back to stock whenever you want. The resonator in the drivers side muffler i just cut it in half without taing it out and covered the pipe the perforated pipe inside with the tape. There are alot of packing inside the resonator that i used to fill the hole muffler with. Plus some from the passenger side so it is 50/50.

That is how i did it. It pops and crackles when you let of the gas for 1 second. Stock setting

About the worries about burning the packing there cant be an problem because of the pe mod. The resonator is stuffed with packing and in there i promise it gets VERY hot. And it cant burn without oxygen

[bmwarg]

Hey man, the exhaust tape is definitely the way to go. Wish I had seen that earlier.

Still considering adding packing to driver side so that I can open the canflap to get more volume when I want it without the drone. Ill see how much he charges for it.

[shreedamin]

Modded mufflers are officially on the car and damnn boiiii it sounds good af. The sound is nice and exotic, not too loud and not too quite, just right. When you start it up, it has a nice growl/rumble. Gears 1-4 city driving max speed 63mph i did not notice any drone or annoyance, i also have my flap open all the time and packing distributed 50/50.

I will try and get a sound clip later today for those who are interested.

[bmwarg]

Originally Posted by shreedamin

Modded mufflers are officially on the car and damnn boiiii it sounds good af. The sound is nice and exotic, not too loud and not too quite, just right. When you start it up, it has a nice growl/rumble. Gears 1-4 city driving max speed 63mph i did not notice any drone or annoyance, i also have my flap open all the time and packing distributed 50/50.

I will try and get a sound clip later today for those who are interested.

Awesome! I’m going to add packing ($100 labor) to the drivers side so I can keep the flap open and not get drone. Nice to be able to switch the flap on for an even quieter ride when traveling long distances or having others in the car.

[shreedamin]

Originally Posted by bmwarg

Awesome! I’m going to add packing ($100 labor) to the drivers side so I can keep the flap open and not get drone. Nice to be able to switch the flap on for an even quieter ride when traveling long distances or having others in the car.

Does you car sound like this guys car by chance?

You could always look into getting this controller thing for your flap instead of adding the packing back in. That way you can have the best of both worlds.

http://exhaustmeister.com/store/?model_number=999888999

[Julian2485]

Originally Posted by shreedamin

Modded mufflers are officially on the car and damnn boiiii it sounds good af. The sound is nice and exotic, not too loud and not too quite, just right. When you start it up, it has a nice growl/rumble. Gears 1-4 city driving max speed 63mph i did not notice any drone or annoyance, i also have my flap open all the time and packing distributed 50/50.

I will try and get a sound clip later today for those who are interested.

Did you cut out the canister on driver side and put a straight pipe in ?

Originally Posted by shreedamin

You could always look into getting this controller thing for your flap instead of adding the packing back in. That way you can have the best of both worlds.

http://exhaustmeister.com/store/?model_number=999888999

Exhaustmeister is a very cool product indeed. Great for on-the-fly adjustability...I have one for sale, PM if anyone is interested.

[shreedamin]

Originally Posted by Julian2485

Did you cut out the canister on driver side and put a straight pipe in ?

Yeah, but I did both the driver side and the passenger side

I think the guy with the white e92 only did the driver side

Here is the sound clip of what mines sounds like. Sorry for the wind noise.

[bmwarg]

Originally Posted by shreedamin

Does you car sound like this guys car by chance?

You could always look into getting this controller thing for your flap instead of adding the packing back in. That way you can have the best of both worlds.

http://exhaustmeister.com/store/?model_number=999888999

I can do that with the JB4 now. Currently have it so flap is closed during cruising. I’d like to leave the flap open at times using the JB4 — so the packing would allow me to do that without drone (per comments on this thread).

[shreedamin]

Originally Posted by bmwarg

I can do that with the JB4 now. Currently have it so flap is closed during cruising. I’d like to leave the flap open at times using the JB4 — so the packing would allow me to do that without drone (per comments on this thread).

well thats my question without packing in the driver side does your car sound like his with the flap open? Because he only modded the driver side and since the driver side doesn't have packing anyways i don't think he added any.

He also has a n55, and i believe those mufflers are designed slightly different from the factory. I think someone opened one up in this discussion but i'm not sure what page.