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      09-16-2017, 09:22 PM   #1
Kyle ///M
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Z4M Muffler Delete vs RPI Exhaust

So everything I hear about the RPI's is that they're extremely loud. I've done a few drives with my muffler off while I wait for my SS race adapters to come in. However, in my opinion it's not as loud as I thought it would be, and to me would be bearable for daily driving. How would you compare the sound level and drone level of a muffler delete vs the RPI's on a stock Z4M (I have the roadster)?

I'm assuming they'd be about the same, with the RPI's just having a more refined exhaust note.

Makes me question my decision on getting the SS race.
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      09-16-2017, 10:19 PM   #2
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I heard some RPI before on z4m and is louder than the SS race true, but not like a huge different. Give you SS race a change, if you want even more noise for a low price maybe you can delete the resonator in the original z4m xpipe.
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      09-30-2017, 03:40 PM   #3
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I just purchased RPI exhaust off eBay, can't wait to install it. Question; will I need anything other than jack stands/ramps, tools, to remove my RDSport exhaust and swap for the RPI? I guess what i'm saying is I don't really know if I need to replace any components between OEM X Pipe and mufflers.
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      10-01-2017, 10:31 AM   #4
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No additional tools or specialty equipment. Just a wrench or two and a set of sockets you'll be good.
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      10-02-2017, 01:41 PM   #5
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Great, thank you Arsonism!
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      10-02-2017, 01:54 PM   #6
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Ross, I swapped out my mufflers without even using jack stands -- twice. No kidding. I did Stromung and then Powerloops.

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      10-09-2017, 01:24 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaltyNC View Post
Ross, I swapped out my mufflers without even using jack stands -- twice. No kidding. I did Stromung and then Powerloops.

Salty
Is that you performing the task in your avatar?

That's good to know man, thank you! Will be getting the RPI's tomorrow, i'm quite excited. My next mod will either be a CAI by Eventuri or M Gruppe or RE X-pipe, not sure yet where i'll want more sound coming from after the RPI's
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      10-09-2017, 05:53 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RossBMWZseries View Post
Is that you performing the task in your avatar?
I was either installing the Intravee II or an LED light strip in the trunk. My wife's handy work with the camera. I thought it was funny when I saw it. No doubt, having a little more height under the car with jack stands is nice. Two sets of closed end ratcheting wrenches (or spanners for our euro friends) or one closed end ratchet wrench and one socket/ratchet makes the job quick and painless. I also had some old books of various thickness to place under the mufflers to keep them in position while I removed/installed them, and that helped a lot doing it by myself.

Can you hear an intake with RPIs? :-) The Gruppe-M was one of the best mods I did on my car from an enjoyment aspect. Whether it makes any power or loses a bit is up for debate, but the sound is pure joy. Passengers love it and people on the street seem to like it, too. I get thumbs ups and smiles when it kicks in. I can't even imagine what it is like to have a CSL airbox. I hope to hear one in person some day.

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      10-10-2017, 12:30 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaltyNC View Post
I was either installing the Intravee II or an LED light strip in the trunk. My wife's handy work with the camera. I thought it was funny when I saw it. No doubt, having a little more height under the car with jack stands is nice. Two sets of closed end ratcheting wrenches (or spanners for our euro friends) or one closed end ratchet wrench and one socket/ratchet makes the job quick and painless. I also had some old books of various thickness to place under the mufflers to keep them in position while I removed/installed them, and that helped a lot doing it by myself.

Salty
That’s a good creative solution! I have used cardboard boxes as ramps and spacers as well to good effect.
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      10-11-2017, 01:21 PM   #10
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Got my RPI's yesterday and installed them in the garage in a chilly rainy day. I used ramps and jack stands (safety first). Took about 2 hours to swap mufflers, then about 5 hours to try and perfect the fitment on the tips with the bumper. The driver's side hanged a bit lower. I followed the DIY posted on this forum by another member but for the life of me, I couldn't align both sides to be equally close to the bumper.

Also, there's what seems like a screw under the bigger pipe of each side, screwed from the bottom side up. It doesn't look like a silencer, unless that IS a silencer, just a screw. I also noticed that the bigger pipe on each side has some white hair looking stuff inside, what the heck is that?
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      10-11-2017, 01:31 PM   #11
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      10-11-2017, 01:39 PM   #12
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uh oh. You buy these used? The "white hair" is the material that serves to muffle sound. I see an insert on the right side there - does look like a silencer is installed. The "white hair" may be a feature of the silencer?
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      10-11-2017, 01:45 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RossBMWZseries View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reborn_ View Post
uh oh. You buy these used? The "white hair" is the material that serves to muffle sound. I see an insert on the right side there - does look like a silencer is installed. The "white hair" may be a feature of the silencer?
You do have the silencers in place. As Reborn mentioned you can see the silencer (which is an insert that effectively reduces the inside diameter of the large tip) in your picture, there's a slight gap at the top. Unscrew the fastener at the bottom and it should slide out.

As for the hair, I definitely don't have that in my RPi's or silencers. In fact, at a certain angle I can see daylight through the pipe as it's really just a resonator and not really a muffler. Perhaps take out the silencer and get a closer look at what it is.
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      10-12-2017, 03:59 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reborn_ View Post
uh oh. You buy these used? The "white hair" is the material that serves to muffle sound. I see an insert on the right side there - does look like a silencer is installed. The "white hair" may be a feature of the silencer?
Yes, picked them up off eBay for $750 used for a 100 miles according to the seller. No scratches, swirls, looked pretty new. A friend confirmed that the white hair is the fiberglass used to muffle the sound and that within time those fibers will be gone and not seen as they'll be burned

Quote:
Originally Posted by rockstar93 View Post
You do have the silencers in place. As Reborn mentioned you can see the silencer (which is an insert that effectively reduces the inside diameter of the large tip) in your picture, there's a slight gap at the top. Unscrew the fastener at the bottom and it should slide out.

As for the hair, I definitely don't have that in my RPi's or silencers. In fact, at a certain angle I can see daylight through the pipe as it's really just a resonator and not really a muffler. Perhaps take out the silencer and get a closer look at what it is.

I noticed the gap at the top after you mentioned it. I also noticed the driver's side has more "white hair" than the passenger, I'm guessing those fibers are burning faster.
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      10-12-2017, 04:02 PM   #15
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I had a muffler delete on my Z4m, honestly if that's all you're going to do then it's a good mod for a fraction of the RPI, once I removed the section 1 secondary cats that's when it got loud, and i mean it droned at every rpm and screamed up top, then added headers, sounded insane.. miss the sound though a loud one is much more fun than a quiet one.
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      12-27-2017, 12:12 PM   #16
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Does anyone in SoCal, particularly in the San Diego are, have RPI's installed? I'd like to hear them in person. I have the Supersprint race cans installed (everything else stock), but its a bit underwhelming for my taste.
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      12-27-2017, 01:10 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyle ///M View Post
Does anyone in SoCal, particularly in the San Diego are, have RPI's installed? I'd like to hear them in person. I have the Supersprint race cans installed (everything else stock), but its a bit underwhelming for my taste.
Here is my car with
SS headers plus full catless SS pipes and rpi muffler. It's LOUD.
I had supersprint race mufflers before and the sound was pretty bad and lame.
I am in socal btw.



https://instagram.com/p/BXZB3ukFH2X/
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      12-27-2017, 03:31 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AriuSen View Post
Here is my car with
SS headers plus full catless SS pipes and rpi muffler. It's LOUD.
I had supersprint race mufflers before and the sound was pretty bad and lame.
I am in socal btw.



https://instagram.com/p/BXZB3ukFH2X/
Actually your M coupe looks very similar to one I saw racing at Bimmerfest this year; same color, looked like it had RPI's, and a wing. From what I remember it didn't seem loud at all from a distance, and driving past me back to the garage I sounded silent which I thought was strange.

Was the sound significantly different in tone and volume once you switched to RPIs?
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      12-27-2017, 04:05 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyle ///M View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by AriuSen View Post
Here is my car with
SS headers plus full catless SS pipes and rpi muffler. It's LOUD.
I had supersprint race mufflers before and the sound was pretty bad and lame.
I am in socal btw.



https://instagram.com/p/BXZB3ukFH2X/
Actually your M coupe looks very similar to one I saw racing at Bimmerfest this year; same color, looked like it had RPI's, and a wing. From what I remember it didn't seem loud at all from a distance, and driving past me back to the garage I sounded silent which I thought was strange.

Was the sound significantly different in tone and volume once you switched to RPIs?
There were 2 z4m blue at bimmerfest.

Mine didn't have a wing at that time.
The other z4m had a wing and he has stock xpipe and headers with only rpi muffler

My car I had oem muffler at bimmerfest cuz my rpi didn't come on time.
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      12-29-2017, 05:06 PM   #20
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The RPI's (along with Euro headers and DKF Spipe with 100 cell cat) in my car sound BEASTLY when revving the engine or going WOT. Other than that, if you hear a normal speed drive by, it sounds a lot more tamed, which is kind of ideal.

There's a video of my car (post #13) in this thread.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1444082

Car sounds loud in person. I'm 31 years old and standing about 6 feet behind the car feels like I'm going to lose my hearing if I don't move aside.
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      12-29-2017, 09:45 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RossBMWZseries View Post
The RPI's (along with Euro headers and DKF Spipe with 100 cell cat) in my car sound BEASTLY when revving the engine or going WOT. Other than that, if you hear a normal speed drive by, it sounds a lot more tamed, which is kind of ideal.

There's a video of my car (post #13) in this thread.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1444082

Car sounds loud in person. I'm 31 years old and standing about 6 feet behind the car feels like I'm going to lose my hearing if I don't move aside.
That's kinda what I'm looking for, loud when you want it to be but tame for cruising, though I don't have plans for headers. I've got an e36 m3 with a resonator delete and a uuc Corsa exhaust and it screams but is just quiet enough for a DD.

I know drone is subjective, but do you experience any noticable drone or does most of it go away once broken in? I imagine RPI on a stock Z4M would be fine for a DD. The suspersprint race cans I have now sound like what I would expect remus to sound like.
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      01-04-2018, 02:03 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyle ///M View Post
That's kinda what I'm looking for, loud when you want it to be but tame for cruising, though I don't have plans for headers. I've got an e36 m3 with a resonator delete and a uuc Corsa exhaust and it screams but is just quiet enough for a DD.

I know drone is subjective, but do you experience any noticable drone or does most of it go away once broken in? I imagine RPI on a stock Z4M would be fine for a DD. The suspersprint race cans I have now sound like what I would expect remus to sound like.
Can't give you my opinion on how the RPI's will sound without catless headers because I've never heard them other than youtube but i'm guessing they're still loud.

I can't believe you're saying that about SS! Again, never heard them myself but everyone here brags about their sound with SS. There was noticeable drone new and now that they're broken in but quite honestly, I NEVER focus on the drone simply because I enjoy the car 10x more than before. It's like all I do now when I drive the car is open up my ears to hear the nice sound. I know there's drone around 3k, but it doesn't bother me one bit.
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