OEM ///M mufflers gutted

[v3.2mc]

oh yes.

but i'm not sharing yet.

[53Fatman]

Originally Posted by v3.2mc

oh yes.

but i'm not sharing yet.

Please share it

I wanna do an equal mod to my exhaust, if you can do a soundfile it would be perfect.

[v3.2mc]

Originally Posted by 53Fatman

Please share it

I wanna do an equal mod to my exhaust, if you can do a soundfile it would be perfect.

welcome to zpost!

i'm going to post a youtube video here and also place a link to last year's exhaust fest so there will be an easy comparison, but first i'll need to get the car put back together. with aero skirts and another top-secret project happening in tandem with the exhaust, and great plains weather delaying all of them, it may be a few weeks before I get it posted.

rest assured though... I think everyone will be interested in the results.

-eric

[abashoe]

Hi Eric

Any news?

-al

[v3.2mc]

Originally Posted by abashoe

Hi Eric

Any news?

-al

indeed.

ok... so after a technical oversight in the aforementioned "tandem project", I've had to temporarily postpone that portion in order to move forward on this exhaust project for you guys (which is what most people here are likely to care about most anyway). the last two weeks were shot as I was dealing with a family emergency out of state, so i'm just getting back into pace.

the update:
no joke, the cans are in my garage drying after their first coat of paint right now. one of them must have had a bit of grease on it though, so it will need two spots redone on it. as soon as they're ready, they'll be bolted on for initial idle tests and curing.

remaining steps before a proper vid is made:

* finish paint on the mufflers
* pick up the new rear bumper from the paint shop (this is in order to delay the "tandem project"). it was delivered there today and should be done this week.
* install and align the mufflers.
* DIY on retro and install of the 80mm tips

once the above is complete, I would like to get a good drive in so there is feedback on noise, vibration, drone, etc... and then video! please understand that I'm still at the mercy of weather. it was 72 today, but the forecast is calling for lots of rain and then temps into the 30's for the rest of the week/end. even if this were done today, there wouldn't be any vid ready soon. this will be done, I just need the opportunity. you have my word.


alright, now a few random thoughts:

* the tandem project... for those interested, this is a large diffuser opening in the rear cover. this involves a diffuser from an f13 650i sport, which is heavily modified and paired with some custom grille-work, and a lower engine shield from an MB E-class ( yeah... I know... deal with it). the goal is to create something like a hybrid between the z4 gt3 and the z4 gte. it was looking amazing until I got to fitting the exhaust... in order for this to work, the mufflers have to be raised ~1.5". the problem I've run into is that the higher they are raised, the more the system twists due to how the brackets on the car are made, and also the rigidness of the x-pipe's orientation. this means the tips are in no way parallel to the ground or each other, and it looks very wrong. "why don't you just have a custom exhaust made?", you ask... the answer is that the stock cans fill up the cavities they're in beautifully, and their flat bottoms help keep the lines under the car "correct". it also means I can keep the stock diffuser on the diff. long story short I ordered a new rear cover and am fitting it very soon. there is no ETA on this project, so don't ask.

* regarding the rear cover... there are 11 left in the world. that's it. if you need one and have been putting it off, get your piggy bank out and smash it, because you simply cannot wait any longer. they will be gone. you've been warned.

* 80mm tips... dubsesd had mentioned many posts ago that it might be possible to simply stagger the tips on the stock outlets. I had dismissed this idea earlier because I didn't like the idea that at certain angles, they would look a bit... not done. fast forward to 3ish weeks ago when I'm following an f30 335i sport and noticed that they were quite large on the outside, and tapered quickly in an almost "flat" roll. after measuring them on a car at the dealer, it became apparent this might work. the ID:OD ratio is perfect. it absolutely works, and I will absolutely be doing a rough DIY on this... likely this weekend. caution though! it will destroy your factory tips. this retrofit is not for you if you plan on keeping the stock tips looking good.

* the aero skirts are on the car... and they're goddamned phenomenal. who was the turd-blossom at BMW that decided it was ok not to make these stock? for those reading this and don't see the draw of this product, it's because you haven't seen them in person... I promise you... pics do not give these justice. you must make room in your mod budgets for these.

the end. that's enough news for now. hopefully it satiates for a bit.

[abashoe]

Thanks for the updates. I don't mean to be annoying. I'm just anxious to see what you've been up to!

I hope everything is ok with the family.

[v3.2mc]

Originally Posted by abashoe

...I don't mean to be annoying...

you most certainly are not! i'm glad somebody is as excited as i am to see these done.

the family has imploded, but luckily none of them live near me, nor do they drive z4's. it's a little easier to ignore them on a day-to-day basis this way.

[v3.2mc]

i have the bumper.

reassembly starts tonight.

[v3.2mc]

quick update while I'm out driving...

I've put roughly 180 miles on today and can tell you for sure... there is ZERO drone from this system. maybe 15-20% louder at idle with a slightly lower tone. all through the rev range is smooth and linear... this is literally a straight through OE exhaust. there is zero rasp, and zero popping... it's perfect (for me).

if you're looking for an extremely affordable straight through exhaust with no surprises... gut your stock cans like mine.

-eric

[abashoe]

thanks for the update. cant wait to hear vids

[elwesso]

Thanks for the update Eric. I have my donor mufflers ready to be gutted, maybe I'll expedite the process now..

[switch311]

Really looking at doing this on my exhaust could you post a video or two of it?

[v3.2mc]

Originally Posted by switch311

Really looking at doing this on my exhaust could you post a video or two of it?

I highly recommend it!

as soon as the weather warms up a bit, and it stops raining, i'll be making a vid to reproduce the 2012 exhaustfest vid. obviously ambient temps and hardware like the camera and mic will be different, but hopefully it will give a good impression of what to expect.

in all seriousness... this sounds like a slightly louder OE exhaust. I've only heard it from inside the car, so will have to hand the keys over to my trusty sidekick/wife in order to hear what it sounds like outside of my comfy driver's seat.

[abashoe]

all right. almost video time!

[v3.2mc]

[sinbad4]

Looks very nice!

[Rick Hunter]

Yer left bollock is hanging lower than your right bollock.

While you're at it, can the cans be adjusted outwards so as to center the tips?

[elwesso]

I started this modification this weekend... I used a small cutoff wheel to cut the top off the can off. I certainly hope I don't end up with mesothelioma with all that fiberglass I pulled out of there... . My friend had the cut off wheel, and I've got a torch with a really fine tip, and a sawzall so I think that's how I'm going to tackle most of the innards.

I'm definitely glad I bought a spare set of mufflers...

[v3.2mc]

Originally Posted by Rick Hunter

Yer left bollock is hanging lower than your right bollock.

While you're at it, can the cans be adjusted outwards so as to center the tips?

yeah... i was in a hurry to get them back on, so didn't spend a lot of time in alignment; it didn't help i didn't have a lift. a friend will helping me this week in getting them straightened out.

f'n iowa weather though... it's supposed to be 86* tomorrow, and 35* on thursday. i'm really wishing i was somewhere a bit more moderate.

[v3.2mc]

quick update...

the exhaust has been aligned, but unfortunately, due to stupid high pressure cold fronts moving from the north (i'm looking at you, Canada!), there will be no video made this weekend as we're to get 2-5 inches of snow. dumb.

ok... i'm not mad at Canada... some of our finest friends are from there. it's just that i'm so f*n tired of winter!

as soon as this crap is over, and I can get away from work again, i'll have this vid made and posted for you guys.

-eric

[abashoe]

Originally Posted by v3.2mc

quick update...

the exhaust has been aligned, but unfortunately, due to stupid high pressure cold fronts moving from the north (i'm looking at you, Canada!), there will be no video made this weekend as we're to get 2-5 inches of snow. dumb.

ok... i'm not mad at Canada... some of our finest friends are from there. it's just that i'm so f*n tired of winter!

as soon as this crap is over, and I can get away from work again, i'll have this vid made and posted for you guys.

-eric

I'm mad at Canada! I want to see an exhaust video!!!

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to the video.

-al

[elwesso]

Originally Posted by v3.2mc

quick update...

the exhaust has been aligned, but unfortunately, due to stupid high pressure cold fronts moving from the north (i'm looking at you, Canada!), there will be no video made this weekend as we're to get 2-5 inches of snow. dumb.

ok... i'm not mad at Canada... some of our finest friends are from there. it's just that i'm so f*n tired of winter!

as soon as this crap is over, and I can get away from work again, i'll have this vid made and posted for you guys.

-eric

At this rate I'll have mine done before you, LOL! I've got both mufflers gutted, now just to reassemble.. That was a lot more work than I was expecting, even with my oxy-gas torch with a real small tip it was hard to cut around all those pieces.