Broken small hose above Air Intake N52

[kmyguy]

Hi all, I just swapped out the intake pipe in my 06 e87 130i, and there was a little hose which I noticed has broken off.

Please see pics, I am quite sure it broke off where the arrow is pointing (the under side of this larger hose which runs around the power steering). No leaking fluids or anything, and when I can feel a slight sucking on the loose tube end when accelerator is pressed.

Does anybody know what this tube is/does and if it is safe to drive to get it fixed?

Many thanks!

[jonwilli]

I think that vacuum hose is for the exhaust flap. Your exhaust flap will now be permanently open (if you have OEM back box). You either need to repair or plug the broken hose.

[kmyguy]

Originally Posted by jonwilli

I think that vacuum hose is for the exhaust flap. Your exhaust flap will now be permanently open (if you have OEM back box). You either need to repair or plug the broken hose.

Oh wow that could explain why it sounds a bit noisier haha. I have an n54 back box and y pipe conversion. Will anything happen if I leave it for a while as is you think?

[jonwilli]

Originally Posted by kmyguy

Oh wow that could explain why it sounds a bit noisier haha. I have an n54 back box and y pipe conversion. Will anything happen if I leave it for a while as is you think?

I think that will result in vacuum being lost to the brakes. I would block the hose that joins the bigger plastic pipe and then you won't get brake issues. The smaller hose can be left and you'll have a slightly louder exhaust for a while (which you may grow to like and want to keep).

Search for Golf T modification and it will give you a bit more info on the hose.

[summitp]

It shouldn't prevent vacuum to the brakes from being lost. There is a check valve between the brake booster and the intake.
However, you need to plug the hole on the intake where it broke off from. That lets in un metered air into the intake throwing off the air to fuel ratio. Your car will try to compensate using the info from o2 sensors, but you need to fix the intake leak. The intake leak would make it more difficult to vacuum for the brakes, but it won't get to where it can't build vacuum.
Fix the leak on the intake where the hose is supposed to connect to.