Negative effects of Golf Tee Mod?

[MarkR171]

I've read the DIY threads and various others, but I could never find a clear answer. Are there any negative effects from doing the Golf Tee mod?

I know there is no check engine light or any codes thrown... but will it affect performance in anyway? I've read speculation of the flap affecting torque down low but I'm far from an expert and don't know who to believe. Anyone have a concrete answer?

[ianc]

No concrete proof, but I thought I saw mileage drop slightly during the few weeks that I ran it. I did not detect any difference in the sound, so I removed it...

ianc

[MarkR171]

I'm also reading in some of the 335i golf tee posts that Sport button opens the flap anyway. I'll have to check when I go for a drive later...

[scott135i]

Originally Posted by MarkR171

I've read speculation of the flap affecting torque down low but I'm far from an expert and don't know who to believe. Anyone have a concrete answer?

That's like saying any more free flowing (every aftermarket) exhaust loses low end horsepower, which is NOT TRUE.

[NFIDDY5]

I think your IQ drops immediately when you do it. There is no way this good be good for the emissions systems or the performance of the car. Someone should make a few passes on a dyno with and without it to see. I would guess that it would actually hamper performance due to loss of back pressure. But I know very little about this car still. But a farking golf tee is not something I would stick in a muffler...maybe try a banana.

[escobar929]

as much as i love this forum, sometimes it hurts to see some of the responses

[MarkR171]

Well the actual "golf tee" is just there to plug the actuator hose after disconnecting it. Crude, but it does the job, some people just squeeze and zip tie.

I'm leaning towards just leaving it alone for now and waiting for more aftermarket N55 exhaust sound clips and going with an aftermarket system.

[sb335is]

Ive had it on my car for about 1k miles now.

i used the zip tie method. no problems here with codes since im not actually unplugging/plugging anything.

Originally Posted by NFIDDY5

I think your IQ drops immediately when you do it. There is no way this good be good for the emissions systems or the performance of the car. Someone should make a few passes on a dyno with and without it to see. I would guess that it would actually hamper performance due to loss of back pressure. But I know very little about this car still. But a farking golf tee is not something I would stick in a muffler...maybe try a banana.

are you serious?

[MarkR171]

Ziptying the hose is essentially the same as plugging it.

I'm not concerned about codes though, I'm concerned about performance. Also, noticed a lot more black smoke coming out of the pipes in the golf tee videos on youtube. Even if it was harmless and sounded better, it would look horrible.

[sb335is]

Originally Posted by MarkR171

Ziptying the hose is essentially the same as plugging it.

yes but its much easier to undo imo.

[sb335is]

Originally Posted by MarkR171

I'm not concerned about codes though, I'm concerned about performance. Also, noticed a lot more black smoke coming out of the pipes in the golf tee videos on youtube. Even if it was harmless and sounded better, it would look horrible.

I don't see how unrestricted air flow on a turbocharged vehicle would have a negative effect. Its debatable if an intake/golf tee getting more airflow actually worsens mileage or gains mileage but I cannot notice a significant difference either way. I think its worse since it sounds nice and you might want to step on the car to hear it more.

I've never noticed any black smoke, but there is noticeable amount of resin on my tips. Who cares though, they're black tips anyways. And when its cold in the morning and the cars warming up I do get a lot more steam coming out the back.... never black though.... lets note you've got an N55 and I've got an N54

[NFIDDY5]

Originally Posted by twoturboz

Ive had it on my car for about 1k miles now.

i used the zip tie method. no problems here with codes since im not actually unplugging/plugging anything.




are you serious?

About everything but the banana. Sticking a golf tee in your exhaust just sounds stupid. That is shat you do to Honda Civics. Not BMW's...

[sb335is]

Originally Posted by NFIDDY5

About everything but the banana. Sticking a golf tee in your exhaust just sounds stupid. That is shat you do to Honda Civics. Not BMW's...

Why don't you learn what the golf tee mod is and what were talking about and how a turbo motor works before you talk about my IQ.
It has nothing to do with a 'golf tee' thats what was originally used to discover the method. Its the plugging, tying off of the actuator on the muffler to hold open the resonator flap.

[MarkR171]

The golf tee is just the term applied to the "mod." It's a hose that connects to an actuator. Whether you plug it with a plastic plug or a golf tee and zip tie is the same thing. All you're doing is disconnecting the hose so the flapper stays open. Once you disconnect the hose, you want to plug the open hole with something. Some of the first people to do this just happened to think of a golf tee, and it happened to be the right size.


On another note, anyone with Step/DCT/6MT notice if the flapper opens automatically with the Sport button on? Or in S mode on the transmission? I read a few posts on a 335i golf tee mod topic where people said the flapper was kept open in DS mode with the Steptronic, that would lead me to believe BMW installed it only for sound and it did not negatively affect performance.

[NFIDDY5]

Originally Posted by twoturboz

Why don't you learn what the golf tee mod is and what were talking about and how a turbo motor works before you talk about my IQ.
It has nothing to do with a 'golf tee' thats what was originally used to discover the method. Its the plugging, tying off of the actuator on the muffler to hold open the resonator flap.

Dude....a golf tee...in your exhaust system? And I am not supposed to question IQ levels? Is it rookie day?

[NFIDDY5]

Originally Posted by MarkR171

The golf tee is just the term applied to the "mod." It's a hose that connects to an actuator. Whether you plug it with a plastic plug or a golf tee and zip tie is the same thing. All you're doing is disconnecting the hose so the flapper stays open. Once you disconnect the hose, you want to plug the open hole with something. Some of the first people to do this just happened to think of a golf tee, and it happened to be the right size.


On another note, anyone with Step/DCT/6MT notice if the flapper opens automatically with the Sport button on? Or in S mode on the transmission? I read a few posts on a 335i golf tee mod topic where people said the flapper was kept open in DS mode with the Steptronic, that would lead me to believe BMW installed it only for sound and it did not negatively affect performance.

I know....I was just messing with Mr. Sensative Pants about the "golf tee". Dude just took it way to personal....so I kept running with it.

[MarkR171]

If it makes you feel any better, the same mod can be done by unplugging a wire beneath the carpeting in your trunk.

Edit: Your last post beat me to it

[escobar929]

Originally Posted by MarkR171

On another note, anyone with Step/DCT/6MT notice if the flapper opens automatically with the Sport button on? Or in S mode on the transmission? I read a few posts on a 335i golf tee mod topic where people said the flapper was kept open in DS mode with the Steptronic, that would lead me to believe BMW installed it only for sound and it did not negatively affect performance.

6MT dont have a sports button, sport mode depends on your right foot

and yes its a sound thing only, its funny on the e90x though, cause one exhaust is clean and the other is dirty. you can tell who drives like a grandma and who doesnt

[MarkR171]

Yea I figured it wouldn't

I'm gonna have to go outside and drive around the block to see if I can hear the flap open when I turn on Sport mode or move the lever to S/M.

[TreDirtyFive]

From trying it out on my N54 and from people like Terry to Long, it has been noted you lose a touch of torque down low...the car needs some back-pressure. Otherwise, outside of louder idle and possibly some freeway droning it's a safe enough popular mod.

[NFIDDY5]

Originally Posted by TreDirtyFive

From trying it out on my N54 and from people like Terry to Long, it has been noted you lose a touch of torque down low...the car needs some back-pressure. Otherwise, outside of louder idle and possibly some freeway droning it's a safe enough popular mod.

Amazing. I was being flaming for suggesting the loss of back pressure would be detrimental....but others obviously noticed it. Still would be interesting to see dyno results. That's funny.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by TreDirtyFive

From trying it out on my N54 and from people like Terry to Long, it has been noted you lose a touch of torque down low...the car needs some back-pressure. Otherwise, outside of louder idle and possibly some freeway droning it's a safe enough popular mod.

IF that is true... than does that mean a 135i with the Performance exhaust also looses power down low? Since the Perf exhaust has NO flapper valve.