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Maybe The Best Modification I've Ever Made!

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Fishy Dave
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Maybe The Best Modification I've Ever Made!

Post by Fishy Dave » Wed Feb 08, 2017 11:56 pm

I've been out for a drive this evening and with the help of my wife I have a short video to try to show the difference in sound.

https://youtu.be/c4sV0p3FPqs


As always it never quite captures the sound perfectly but gives a fair idea of the change in tone if not the volume. The drive by picks up on the Eventuri as the car drives towards the camera. The pops and bangs on the overrun can be provoked with the lightest of throttles. Childish but fun. The conditions were cold and slippery so I felt that 2nd and 3rd gear were plenty with occasional use of 4th. The drive bys are actually on a dual carriageway with central reservation (70 limit) with my wife in a safe location. :)
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Post by Rally » Thu Feb 09, 2017 12:04 am

It's a great mod haters going hate lol, mine is a bit more aggressive than yours but I didn't want to cut into my miltech cat back exhaust and planned that it would be easily reversed.
Mine aren't perfect and rattle sometimes and blow a little but all is forgiven everytime I find a tunnel.
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Maybe The Best Modification I've Ever Made!

Post by dannytheduck1985 » Sat Feb 11, 2017 10:16 pm

Sounds awesome. My car sounds like the slightly open as stock lol. Think I'm going to look into having this fitted for the times I want more noise :D
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Post by BMWZ4MC » Sat Feb 11, 2017 11:00 pm

Sounds great on the video. I'd be interested to hear it in the metal and compare it with my Remus back boxes. I get no drone at cruising speeds but I would like the option of a straight through exhaust at the flick of a switch when having fun!
Do you know how reliable they M3 guy's have found them to be?
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Post by TomK » Sun Feb 12, 2017 4:14 pm

In between doing my valve clearances yesterday with Dave (big up that man!) we had need of a correction to my parts order. Perfect opportunity to hear what this sounds like in person while off to BMW Bath. Where to start, hmmm. It's OBSCENELY LOUD :lol: and then back to standard at a touch of a button. 8) For the outlay I'd have to agree with Dave that's it's one of the best things you can do. It also doesn't have to be that loud as he has explained, it's a cool system.
The actual noise, hmmm, well it's how do I put it, perhaps not the most cultured of sounds but if it's aggression you're after on a spirited drive then it certainly ticks that box.
The ability to go back to a stock noise when required is really cool though and something I wish I could do with my SS sometimes.
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Post by Fishy Dave » Sun Feb 12, 2017 9:33 pm

BMWZ4MC wrote: Do you know how reliable they M3 guy's have found them to be?
They seem a bit of a mixed bag, some have lasted 7 or 8 years whilst others have broken in 6 months. What I did notice was that money spent didn't always equal reliability. As someone mentioned earlier, for the price I paid if I had to replace a valve every year it would still be really cheap as I wouldn't need a complete kit each time and it's just three bolts to remove and an electrical cable. So far so good, the valve had a good work out today. :evil:
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Post by Fishy Dave » Sun Feb 12, 2017 9:41 pm

TomK wrote: It's OBSCENELY LOUD :lol: and then back to standard at a touch of a button. 8) For the outlay I'd have to agree with Dave that's it's one of the best things you can do. It also doesn't have to be that loud as he has explained, it's a cool system.
The actual noise, hmmm, well it's how do I put it, perhaps not the most cultured of sounds but if it's aggression you're after on a spirited drive then it certainly ticks that box.
The ability to go back to a stock noise when required is really cool though and something I wish I could do with my SS sometimes.
I agree with that assessment completely. My wife drove the Z today with me in charge of the remote control :D When appropriate I told her to change down a couple of gears and give it some welly. She ignored me and just put her foot down in the same gear at 3k revs, this resulted in a loud, Saxo like bean can drone (from the car, not my wife) and sounded pretty rubbish, so I closed the valve up again at a press of a button and we trundled along quietly for the rest of the journey. Later on I was in the hot seat and between 5k and 8k I think it sounds very race car like (LOUD) with the valve fully open, I'm really happy with the contrast. :)
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Post by BMWZ4MC » Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:32 am

I think the S54 was designed to scream rather than rubble through the low rev range. I'm warming to the idea of race car loud when my current set up isn't quite enough!
Fishy Dave wrote:
BMWZ4MC wrote: Do you know how reliable they M3 guy's have found them to be?
They seem a bit of a mixed bag, some have lasted 7 or 8 years whilst others have broken in 6 months. What I did notice was that money spent didn't always equal reliability. As someone mentioned earlier, for the price I paid if I had to replace a valve every year it would still be really cheap as I wouldn't need a complete kit each time and it's just three bolts to remove and an electrical cable. So far so good, the valve had a good work out today. :evil:

So you don't need to visit an exhaust fitter to replace the valve if it fails?
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Post by Beedub » Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:28 am

BMWZ4MC wrote:I think the S54 was designed to scream rather than rubble through the low rev range. I'm warming to the idea of race car loud when my current set up isn't quite enough!
Fishy Dave wrote:
BMWZ4MC wrote: Do you know how reliable they M3 guy's have found them to be?
They seem a bit of a mixed bag, some have lasted 7 or 8 years whilst others have broken in 6 months. What I did notice was that money spent didn't always equal reliability. As someone mentioned earlier, for the price I paid if I had to replace a valve every year it would still be really cheap as I wouldn't need a complete kit each time and it's just three bolts to remove and an electrical cable. So far so good, the valve had a good work out today. :evil:

So you don't need to visit an exhaust fitter to replace the valve if it fails?
can we swap exhausts!!! mine with the large bore pipe work and Race Cats is just really making me not enjoy the car!! i want as quiet as possible.

the RPI are super light and are in perfect condition and pass all the noise tests even with my setup....
Last edited by Beedub on Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Fishy Dave » Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:31 am

BMWZ4MC wrote: So you don't need to visit an exhaust fitter to replace the valve if it fails?
I wouldn't, no, as the welded part remains and that's the bit I paid the exhaust fitters to attach for me. It's just three bolts to remove the only moving part, swap it for the new one and tighten up 3 bolts. It is in an accessible part of the car so a jack with axle stands or ramps would allow you to get to the motor. :)
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Post by Viren » Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:58 am

This looks like a great mod and keeps a stock look! My only worry is whether any excessive heat would be sent somewhere problematic? Do you know if this is actually a problem or just a worry in my head!
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Post by Fishy Dave » Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:17 pm

Viren wrote:This looks like a great mod and keeps a stock look! My only worry is whether any excessive heat would be sent somewhere problematic? Do you know if this is actually a problem or just a worry in my head!
Some of the hot gases still come out both back boxes, the rest is directed through the stubby exhaust down and to the back of the car. Surrounding the valve is a decent amount of free space with the ARB and other suspension components being closest. The fuel tanks are of course under the rear of the car but this valve is further away than the standard exhausts, so no heat worries on my part. :)
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Post by Fishy Dave » Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:21 pm

Beedub wrote: can we swap exhausts!!! mine with the large bore pipe work and Race Cats is just really making me not enjoy the car!! i want as quiet as possible.

the RPI are super light and are in perfect condition and pass all the noise tests even with my setup....
Hi Beedub,

I'd have possibly given them a try before adding this mod but the silence is too important to me now. Maybe sell on the RPI but keep the cats? We will meet up at some stage I'm sure, you're welcome to hear the difference. :)
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Post by BMWZ4MC » Mon Feb 13, 2017 1:04 pm

Fishy Dave wrote:
BMWZ4MC wrote: So you don't need to visit an exhaust fitter to replace the valve if it fails?
I wouldn't, no, as the welded part remains and that's the bit I paid the exhaust fitters to attach for me. It's just three bolts to remove the only moving part, swap it for the new one and tighten up 3 bolts. It is in an accessible part of the car so a jack with axle stands or ramps would allow you to get to the motor. :)
Excellent, I think I'll give it serious consideration :thumbsup:
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Post by BMWZ4MC » Mon Feb 13, 2017 1:07 pm

Fishy Dave wrote:
Beedub wrote: can we swap exhausts!!! mine with the large bore pipe work and Race Cats is just really making me not enjoy the car!! i want as quiet as possible.

the RPI are super light and are in perfect condition and pass all the noise tests even with my setup....
Hi Beedub,

I'd have possibly given them a try before adding this mod but the silence is too important to me now. Maybe sell on the RPI but keep the cats? We will meet up at some stage I'm sure, you're welcome to hear the difference. :)
Beedub, Remus back boxes give a really nice sound and aren't seriously loud. With race cats, I expect it would be a little louder but I doubt it would be offensively so. They are fairly inexpensive too.

I need something modest for early morning starts / work / track day drive by noise tests etc and I'd like something raucous for those empty country road blats :evil: I think this could be my solution...
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Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

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