N54 w/Performance Exhaust and N55 mids... anyone running this combo?

[Dackelone]

Hey Guys,

I finally took the plunge and bought a BMW Performance Exhaust (PE) for my N54.

My problem is... I already have N55 mid pipes installed... and I don't really know WHICH route to go/do...


A). Re install the N54 mids and use the PE Y-pipe to delete the mid pipe resonator.

B). Install the PE rear section muffler with the N55 mids as is.

C). Install the PE rear section muffler and use the PE Y-pipe to delete the N55 mid pipe resonator.

[Suds]

Dackel if this a vote, option c sounds good, you will have catless mids and no mid resonator and I don't like cats. The question is how will it sound?

So, you will have to post a sound clip of whatever you decide.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Suds

Dackel if this a vote, option c sounds good, you will have catless mids and no mid resonator and I don't like cats. The question is how will it sound?

So, you will have to post a sound clip of whatever you decide.

Yea... I am also curious as to how LOUD it will be with that setup. Also... if I cut up my N55 mids... that might make them harder to sell them later on.

I am kind of leaning to reinstall the N54 mid pipe with cats and use the y-pipe to delete the rsonator. I have heard PE's with that setup and they just sound great!


Ohhh what to do!

[Cozy]

I have 'Option C'.

It's VERY loud when you cold start but as soon as the choke is satisfied, the revs drop down to a nice, little deeper than stock, purr.

Normal driving is a deep rumble, think E46 330ci but a little louder.

WOT is a scream, very exotic sounding and very loud but somehow still refined and 'nice' rather than a dirty great BAAAWWWP you might get with a Japanese-style Pringle's can rammed on the back.

If you feel childish and want to rev is up a little at a stop then you'll also be pleased to hear a nice exotic, racey sound.

Exhaust burbling and pops are lifted to an incredible amount; I've not heard many cars on par with it in this department.

The one thing about losing some Cats is that you'll inherit some turbo whine from the exhaust. Personally I lobe this sound but I appreciate that it's a personal taste thing. For me it suits the 135i well as no-one knows what it is/what it's packing and the sound of a turbo-6 puts fear into people .

I was surprised just how much taking the N55 resonator out did; it pretty much changes everything BUT beware, until the PE chokes up you may get some rasp. I experienced quite a lot of rasp because I went from PE + N54 mids and no Y-pipe to PE + N55 mids and no Y-pipe to PE + N55 mids and Y-pipe within around 500miles total.

The way I looked at it was this. The N55 mids are cheap in comparison to virtually whatever else you'll do so cutting them isn't really that major especially as you always have your N54 mids to fall back on. I would be more adverse to cutting up N54 mids since they retail at over $1500. If you ever want to resell your N55 mids then you have three options...

1) Get them welded back together and sell them at a slightly lower than usual second-hand price
2) Buy two additional exhaust clamps to clamp back on the resonator section and sell at a slightly lower than normal second-hand price
3) Sell your PE + N55 mids combo as one if you chop in the car. I imagine that this will be the most attractive option for a lot of buyers; a totally OE DP-back exhaust.

Personally I'll be going with Option 2 come the day of DP's. I am under no illusion that when I go fully catless it'll be a raspy little b*gger so the mids will need to be more robust i.e. Berk type.

You'd not regret doing this mod at all, it's absolutely beautiful but for a couple of weeks until you get used to it you may wince on a cold-start when your ear drums feel like they may blow. That, and the fact it's pretty raw sounding at this point and that doesn't seem to go away entirely ever as seems to be a characteristic of any non-resonated exhaust.

Here's a small sample...

[Bmwbreed]

Dack Kleach18 on here in the euro section has set up option c. Maybe you can meet up with him and give it a listen before you decide to cut anything.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Bmwbreed

Dack Kleach18 on here in the euro section has set up option c. Maybe you can meet up with him and give it a listen before you decide to cut anything.

Yea... Kleach18 's is local to me, we are on the same base. I have listened to his car and I like the way it sounds. But he has a N55 with downpipes on it(I have a N54). First he installed the y-pipe and it was loud(no cats at all). Now it sounds more err refined to my ears with the resonator on the N55 mid pipe.


I think I will sell my N55 mids and reinstall my secondary cats with the y-pipe installed. I have to make up my mind soon though.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Cozy

...I was surprised just how much taking the N55 resonator out did; it pretty much changes everything...

Exactly! This is why the 1M's have so much drone. A good friend of mine with a 1M went with a new exhaust system. He sold his factory mid pipes to a friend who wanted to cut apart the resonator and bypass it. When he cut it open he found out BMW beat him to it!!! So... that is why 1M's drone so much and why a lot of 1M owners have gone with the N55 mid pipe mod on their N54T.








http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ight=Resonator

[2totalled2months]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Hey Guys,

I finally took the plunge and bought a BMW Performance Exhaust (PE) for my N54.

My problem is... I already have N55 mid pipes installed... and I don't really know WHICH route to go/do...


A). Re install the N54 mids and use the PE Y-pipe to delete the mid pipe resonator.

B). Install the PE rear section muffler with the N55 mids as is.

C). Install the PE rear section muffler and use the PE Y-pipe to delete the N55 mid pipe resonator.

As of today, I have a N54, 2010, with N55 mids and BMW PE. Little or no drone, semi quiet with windows up but OMG, windows down and it screams from 3500rpms up. Sounds exotic and true European. Grunts and groans as u push it, lots of raspy rumbling when letting off the gas. Def more responsive and turbos wind up much faster. No smell that I can tell.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by 2totalled2months

As of today, I have a N54, 2010, with N55 mids and BMW PE. Little or no drone, semi quiet with windows up but OMG, windows down and it screams from 3500rpms up. Sounds exotic and true European. Grunts and groans as u push it, lots of raspy rumbling when letting off the gas. Def more responsive and turbos wind up much faster. No smell that I can tell.

You wouldn't have a video or sound clip would you?

Does your exhaust gurgle and pop on decel ?


thanks,
Dackel

[Venom]

can't wait to see/hear what you decide!!

[2totalled2months]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

You wouldn't have a video or sound clip would you?

Does your exhaust gurgle and pop on decel ?


thanks,
Dackel

I will by the end of weekend. Im planning on recording one hopefully tomorrow. Def pops and gurgles on decal, very loud wide open too but slightly above stock noise level when normal driving

[Joeyb7]

I have option C and won't look back. The last thing I'm thinking about is ruining resale on my N55 mids...what a few hundred bucks years from now vs. a great note every time you press start?

[Bmwbreed]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Yea... Kleach18 's is local to me, we are on the same base. I have listened to his car and I like the way it sounds. But he has a N55 with downpipes on it(I have a N54). First he installed the y-pipe and it was loud(no cats at all). Now it sounds more err refined to my ears with the resonator on the N55 mid pipe.


I think I will sell my N55 mids and reinstall my secondary cats with the y-pipe installed. I have to make up my mind soon though.

I'm sure it was loud haha. That's exactly why I want n54 Mids

[Dackelone]

A). Re install the N54 mids and use the PE Y-pipe to delete the mid pipe resonator.

B). Install the PE rear section muffler with the N55 mids as is.

C). Install the PE rear section muffler and use the PE Y-pipe to delete the N55 mid pipe resonator.

I just realized I should tell everyone what I did... I went with option "A" and reinstalled the N54 mid pipe on my N54 135i and installed the PE's y-pipe and exhaust system.

I am quite happy with the end result!!


Here are some videos of what my PE sounds after a few thousand kilometers on my exhaust to carbon it up some. The more you drive the better the PE sounds!

[delta-9-ginseng]

Wow that video is super dope! Looks like a very fun drive

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I just realized I should tell everyone what I did... I went with option "A" and reinstalled the N54 mid pipe on my N54 135i and installed the PE's y-pipe and exhaust system.

I am quite happy with the end result!!


Here are some videos of what my PE sounds after a few thousand kilometers on my exhaust to carbon it up some. The more you drive the better the PE sounds!

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by delta-9-ginseng

Wow that video is super dope! Looks like a very fun drive

Yep, it was a lot of fun! First video was of a few of us Euro 1Addicts driving from Kufstein, Austria and over to the Black Forrest area. Second video was meeting some " other car friends" down in Munich area and then driving around the Bavarian Alps(Bad Tolz, Miesbach & Fischbachau) area. I never tire of driving around in Southern, Germany or Austria.

Dackel