[TylerJamesInc]

Edited for those who don't like reading thoroughly.
Main reason for posting:
**Looking for anyone who has replaced the stock res with a smaller aftermarket res- like a Vibrant.**

Got some stainless 2.25", and deleted my secondaries.
I was going to do the res delete, because I want the crackles and pops that the PE delivers. I modified my muffler to mimic the PE muffler.
After lots of reading, I was convinced the secondary delete would give me better results than the res delete, and the res delete might be too raspy.
After finishing the job, I can say that deleting the secondaries made almost no difference in exhaust sound/tone. No cracks/pops at all. Pulls nice to redline, and I do feel there was some power gain, I am just surprised/disappointed in the lack of sound increase.

Now I want to delete the res, but don't want it to sound too crazy loud. Has anyone here replaced the OEM res with a smaller res- like a Vibrant res? I've heard of replacing the cats with resonators, but I am asking specifically about replacing the OEM res with an aftermarket res.

I appreciate any input!

Edit-
Yes, I finished welding everything. I just needed to take a break, and take pics. I'm no pro welder, but it'll do.

[N54_e90]

Just do the res delete. I have a muffler and res delete and it sounds amazing, not too loud unless taking up past 3K. It will be noisy on cold starts but thats it.

[Vicente Esteve]

I am in the exact same situation as you. I've got a 2012 euro 325i with the 2.5 engine and I have done the PE Mod whilst keeping the resonator and everything else stock. After a lot of reading regarding the removal of the secondary cats I expected it to bring the burbles and the pops without the drone since I would keep the stock resonator. In fact, yesterday I was about to go to a muffler shop to remove them but things came up and I couldn't. Now reading this thread makes me sad.

I don't want to take out my resonator because a lot of people have mentioned that it would make the car drone. At the same time I'm confused because the PE does remove the resonator, and no one states that the PE has drone.

I am looking for louder sound, burbles and no drone but it seems to be harder than expected.

This is how I modified the stock muffler. I am very pleased with the results, as it is deeper and louder whilst not causing any drone at all. Issue is, I want added sound and the all important burbles and pops.

[Crawlermonkey]

Guys i figured I would chime in.
For you none turbos guys. You really need to pe mod the muffler. Or delete it. Removing your cats won't do much on their own.
The 328 is so quiet it's ridiculous. I do pe mods and exhuast work for bmws. I am the guy doing the pe mod group buy.

The muffler is pretty baffled and crazy inside. I have done several 328/330s.
The best option is to just do a muffler delete. The car gets louder but not too loud and you really don't get any drone. I have done both muffler deletes and pe mods to the muffler. i prefer personally doing the delete. Saves time and saw blades.

If you choose to mod the muffler just know ahead of time it will require you to make a collector. The exhuast comes in as one pipe and leaves as two. You will have two 90* corners inside as well. One where it come in and one where it exits. I'll include a photo of what it looks like inside.

Hopefully this helps. You can see in the pics how restrictive your exhaust is.


Tyler I see you are in the pnw, so am I.
Also once you do whatever you decide with the muffler you might want to install vibrant resonators in place of your secondary cats.

[TylerJamesInc]

Originally Posted by Crawlermonkey

Guys i figured I would chime in.
For you none turbos guys. You really need to pe mod the muffler. Or delete it. Removing your cats won't do much on their own.

Post a pic how you do your NA mufflers.
Did you read my OP? I said I modded my muffler to mimic PE already
And removing the cats did give me a little more volume. It's actually PERFECT right now, I just wanted to hear pops and burbles on decel, and I'm not getting anything.
Even though my muffler is straight-through now, the small perforated section is still effective, and deleting the muffler just isn't an option for me.
Here's how I did mine-

[mike-y]

you can try replacing the muffler with just a resonator and see if that helps get the sound you are looking for without the extra volume.

[TylerJamesInc]

Originally Posted by mike-y

you can try replacing the muffler with just a resonator and see if that helps get the sound you are looking for without the extra volume.

My muffler is already straight through, with only a 4" section of perforated 2.75" tube in the center chamber of the muffler. I can't hardly imagine replacing that with another res would give me more pops and crackles.
I think the stock res pretty much filters that out, and that's why the PE really brings them out.
I'm surprised it isn't more common to replace the stock res with a smaller unit. I'll post a vid up here if/when I go that route. I think it would give me the perfect sound.

[Crawlermonkey]

I skimmed it.
Did not get the part about pops and crackles. I haven't had any do that so far. So. Hmmm. Not sure how to get that without getting burble tune.

I like that's 1-2 you made nice job

I removed everything inside. And made a 1-2 like you did. I used solid tube in the whole thing. No perforated. Sorry I don't have a completed pic of that muffler. Didn't take one. As I didn't plan on doing another one. I just prefer to delete them in the n52.

[Crawlermonkey]

So after I removed all the internals. I made a 90 elbow for it. Then made a 1-2. Then reused and changed up the original two elbows going to the tips.
I wish I had that picture.

I think you are right about just swapping out the muffler with an aftermarket one would be the best option of you didn't want to do a delete if you have removed that cats.

We should think up sometime so I can hear your car in person. I like seeing and hearing other people's work.

[TylerJamesInc]

Originally Posted by Crawlermonkey

So after I removed all the internals. I made a 90 elbow for it. Then made a 1-2. Then reused and changed up the original two elbows going to the tips.
I wish I had that picture.

I think you are right about just swapping out the muffler with an aftermarket one would be the best option of you didn't want to do a delete if you have removed that cats.

We should think up sometime so I can hear your car in person. I like seeing and hearing other people's work.

Thanks man, I appreciate it. I'm happy with how it turned out too!
Actually I am talking about replacing the res with a smaller one- not the muffler.
I'm in Sandy, OR, so next time you're gonna be in the Portland area, feel free to hit me up. I'll try to remember to do the same if I'm headed up there.
We actually bought the car from the Magnolia neighborhood right by the port of Seattle. Pretty cool little hood.

[atmosphericM]

I think the only way you're doing to get "pops and burble" is to throw a turbo in that exhaust system.

[Rival]

magnaflow bought from summit is about the cheapest route unless you just chopping it and are done.

Id really like to do a PE mod but all the time n bs isnt really worth it when i am just replace it with a direct bolt/weld in manga flow and then drop the 2nd cats.

muff del's often result in so-so sound. for another 100 bux the magna flow is worth it

[TylerJamesInc]

Originally Posted by atmosphericM

I think the only way you're doing to get "pops and burble" is to throw a turbo in that exhaust system.

Heyyyyyyy, now we're talkin

Originally Posted by Rival

magnaflow bought from summit is about the cheapest route unless you just chopping it and are done.

Id really like to do a PE mod but all the time n bs isnt really worth it when i am just replace it with a direct bolt/weld in manga flow and then drop the 2nd cats.

muff del's often result in so-so sound. for another 100 bux the magna flow is worth it

I don't think a different muffler is going to give me any more sound than my already straight-through modded muffler.
I did find a member that happened to do the exact thing I want to do, and used the same Vibrant res I am looking at- 1794.

Definitely planning on going this route. Although I found a pic of the stock res cut open, and- after seeing it cut open- I am surprised how much it lowers the volume!

[cheeseforlunch]

So, OP/anyone else willing to chime in, are you saying that there is no difference between a secondary cat + muffler delete and just a muffler delete? I hear burbles on my NA with just a muffler delete only when it is in sport mode/SMG...

[TylerJamesInc]

Originally Posted by stellarbaboon

So, OP/anyone else willing to chime in, are you saying that there is no difference between a secondary cat + muffler delete and just a muffler delete? I hear burbles on my NA with just a muffler delete only when it is in sport mode/SMG...

No, not quite. Deleting the secondaries definitely turns up the volume a little.

[308win]

Originally Posted by TylerJamesInc

My muffler is already straight through, with only a 4" section of perforated 2.75" tube in the center chamber of the muffler. I can't hardly imagine replacing that with another res would give me more pops and crackles.
I think the stock res pretty much filters that out, and that's why the PE really brings them out.
I'm surprised it isn't more common to replace the stock res with a smaller unit. I'll post a vid up here if/when I go that route. I think it would give me the perfect sound.

n 52 fully custom exhaust *WITH PICS* http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1382199
i have NO secondaries and aftermarket resonator. ni pops for me, you probably need catless headers for that.

[TylerJamesInc]

Originally Posted by 308win

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1382199

i have NO secondaries and aftermarket resonator. ni pops for me, you probably need catless headers for that.

But the PE brings them out- without headers or even touching the secondaries- so I should be able to get them without headers. Headers would be sweet though!
Side note, necking your exhaust down to 2.5" seems like it would hurt performance- did you not feel any high end loss?
The stock exhaust is 2.75" out of the resonator, and taking two 2.25" midpipes and necking them down to one 2.5" doesn't seem big enough. I would think anything smaller than stock would be detrimental to performance.
Check out the tail end of this vid to hear some pops/crackles from just the PE.

[308win]

Originally Posted by TylerJamesInc

But the PE brings them out- without headers or even touching the secondaries- so I should be able to get them without headers. Headers would be sweet though!
Side note, necking your exhaust down to 2.5" seems like it would hurt performance- did you not feel any high end loss?
The stock exhaust is 2.75" out of the resonator, and taking two 2.25" midpipes and necking them down to one 2.5" doesn't seem big enough. I would think anything smaller than stock would be detrimental to performance.
Check out the tail end of this vid to hear some pops/crackles from just the PE.

yeah i Was a little worried about the 2.5 being a bottleneck but at the same time 2.75 is Only 5 mm more ø. ni performance loss att all, Only gains high up.

does anyone know why my car does not burble with my setup? it is proven that the PE muffler is basically a straight trough style muffler like mine?

[TylerJamesInc]

Originally Posted by 308win

yeah i Was a little worried about the 2.5 being a bottleneck but at the same time 2.75 is Only 5 mm more . ni performance loss att all, Only gains high up.

does anyone know why my car does not burble with my setup? it is proven that the PE muffler is basically a straight trough style muffler like mine?

Well, even though both are straight through, the PE has no resonators- you have two, and is reported to actually use 3"- you used 2.5".
Exhaust really is very scientific, and every change will have an impact.
Just going from no tip, to a 10" tip, made a huge difference in sound on my buddy's cummins. I didn't think it would, so we took it off- and put it back on- a few times to listen. It acted like a trumpet horn, and made an unbelievable difference in sound.
Another buddy made a custom tip for his, and it caused it to have rasp like Ive never heard a cummins have!
Tuning material also has a significant impact on sound. The stock material is a stainless, and if you use a softer material, it will change the tone quite a bit.

[Alexdevera]

*Cough*X-Pipe.*Cough*

I'd like to see how the vibrant's sound over the regular delete like I went for.

But if anything, the inspiration that I got for the X-Pipe came from the E36's. X-pipes, plus secondary and muffler deletes sound fantastic on those cars. Although it's not the same exact system from the M52 to the N52, the sound should be close either way. Check out some clips on YouTube, and you'll know what I mean. The exhaust notes are perfectly aggressive.

[308win]

Originally Posted by Alexdevera

*Cough*X-Pipe.*Cough*

I'd like to see how the vibrant's sound over the regular delete like I went for.

But if anything, the inspiration that I got for the X-Pipe came from the E36's. X-pipes, plus secondary and muffler deletes sound fantastic on those cars. Although it's not the same exact system from the M52 to the N52, the sound should be close either way. Check out some clips on YouTube, and you'll know what I mean. The exhaust notes are perfectly aggressive.

Before i build my setup, i did a resonator delete only and got drone and lost power down low.

as of the sound, it sounded quite good, exept the drone when doing 100~ km/h