[T i h o r]

So basically after reading an encyclopedia on the "Golf Tee Mod", I decided to give it a try.

Problem: I have no clue where to get a 7/12" ball bearing.
Does anyone have a spare, or know where I can get one?

TIA!

[Soni]

not necessary need 7/12" ball bearing...just make sure the tube seal block...no air leak out. ball bearing just fit nicely!!

[benyl]

Have you tried the hardware store?

[Ratan]

Um, why doesn't anybody just unhook the thingie in the trunk?

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...85&postcount=1

It took me about 42.6 seconds to do this.

[benyl]

Your link is broken.

[halB]

Just use a golf tee like the name suggests!

[Ratan]

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...85&postcount=1

[benyl]

Originally Posted by Ratan

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...85&postcount=1

Cool. That is the first thing I am going to do to mod the car when I get it.

[AndreTheGeek]

I'm surprised doing this mod doesn't cause a little triangle with a golf-tee and an exclamation mark to come up on the OBC

[phantom330]

Use a BB from a BB gun. Works perfect.

[iPodAddict]

Has anyone done this in the toronto area?

Any problems other then that "freak coincidence" in the link that Ratan posted about the o2 sensor failing?

[who's ur daddy?]

Originally Posted by iPodAddict

Has anyone done this in the toronto area?

Any problems other then that "freak coincidence" in the link that Ratan posted about the o2 sensor failing?

I've done this both on my previous gen e46 and now to the 335xi. No issues.

[iPodAddict]

Originally Posted by who's ur daddy?

I've done this both on my previous gen e46 and now to the 335xi. No issues.

The unplug method or the ball-bearing one?

[phantom330]

Originally Posted by iPodAddict

The unplug method or the ball-bearing one?

don't do the unplug method, it's been known to cause some CEL.

[eleven11]

Originally Posted by phantom330

don't do the unplug method, it's been known to cause some CEL.

I agree, don't unplug.

Just go to a bicycle shop to get the bearing - they gave me some for free. Yank the hose off, push the bearing in slightly (use a little screwdriver, whatever to push it a little), put the hose back on. That's it. Takes seconds.

[PiperD]

Originally Posted by phantom330

don't do the unplug method, it's been known to cause some CEL.

Can you provide links to the known cases please? Not being a dick, I seriously want to know. I've had the solenoid unplugged for some number of months now.

You'll likely find that in all cases where a CEL was thrown, there was some other fault that was the root cause. That the system logs the flap as non-operational isn't enough to throw a CEL.

Having said that, I would recommend the ball-bearing method as well - same end result, no codes. It's just my personal preference to turn things "off" rather than stuff foreign objects (however benign) in the vacuum system. If nothing else, I'll be the long-term e90post guinea pig for the solenoid method.

[phantom330]

Originally Posted by PiperD

Can you provide links to the known cases please? Not being a dick, I seriously want to know. I've had the solenoid unplugged for some number of months now.

You'll likely find that in all cases where a CEL was thrown, there was some other fault that was the root cause. That the system logs the flap as non-operational isn't enough to throw a CEL.

Having said that, I would recommend the ball-bearing method as well - same end result, no codes. It's just my personal preference to turn things "off" rather than stuff foreign objects (however benign) in the vacuum system. If nothing else, I'll be the long-term e90post guinea pig for the solenoid method.

Look in the original golf tee mod thread......I would post the thread but I'm too lazy to do the search for you.

Also, strange that you recommend one method, yet you use another??? Confused.

[iPodAddict]

Originally Posted by phantom330

Look in the original golf tee mod thread......I would post the thread but I'm too lazy to do the search for you.

Also, strange that you recommend one method, yet you use another??? Confused.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...lf+tee&page=14

That's the link to it... yeah I read all 14 pages of it today

What I don't understand is how does a ball-bearing (a metal unit with a hole in the middle) block the passage way inside the tube when it has a hole in the middle?! Isn't the point of this exercise to restrict the vacuum inside the tube so that the flap doesn't close?

I kinda need some clarification on this step or pictures to get the gist of it.

[benyl]

A ball bearing does not have a hole in the middle.

It is just a BB. Round (like a ball) made of steel or some other type of material.

[eleven11]

By ball bearing, we don't mean this:




But this:

[PiperD]

Originally Posted by phantom330

Look in the original golf tee mod thread......I would post the thread but I'm too lazy to do the search for you.

Off the top of my head, HyperM3 is the only person to have reported a CEL/SES light in relation to the exhaust flap. However, he didn't throw a CEL because of the solenoid; IIRC it was because of a faulty O2 sensor.

If you're going to throw FUD around, then back it up. You're not doing the search "for me", you're providing evidence to stand behind your statement. There is no well-known phenomenon linking CEL's to the exhaust flap solenoid, therefore the burden of responsibility is on you to provide that link vs. making people search for something that may not exist.

Also, strange that you recommend one method, yet you use another??? Confused.

I don't want to shove ball bearings in vacuum hoses on my car. My preference is to unplug the solenoid rather than having it cycle pointlessly. However I acknowledge in the same post that a ball bearing is "benign" (you can do that search yourself) in the context of a car's vacuum system. So ultimately I can recommend that method, but I don't prefer it. If one is comfortable with having stored codes, then I'd recommend the solenoid method.

There is no contradiction, no reason for confusion and no strangeness.

[who's ur daddy?]

Originally Posted by iPodAddict

The unplug method or the ball-bearing one?

I'm a traditionalist -- the golf tee method. None of this silly screw or ball bearing crap. A good ol' white golf tee. Just like the old days.