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2Addicts | BMW 2-Series forum Technical Topics N55 (M235i) Engine, Transmission, Exhaust, Tuning Drone be gone help?

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      12-17-2024, 10:57 PM   #1
BringBackButtons
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Drone be gone help?

Guys (and gals)

Do not chastise me for not loving highway drone. I love exhaust tone and I bought a convertible so not looking for pristine quiet on cruises, but I need guidance.

My f23 when I bought it had a dinan midpipe (res removal) and VRSF racing exhaust installed. I love the spicy sound it CAN make, but not the drone.

I bought it anyway knowing anything regarding this can be changed, but I don't know the best avenue to go - I've never worked on exhaust before (that does not translate that I don't know what sounds good).

The tone, overall is ok. The volume is definitely there. Just 2700 to 3200 rpm is annoying. If it were you or was you, what would you suggest be the avenue to go with?

I can remedy the cold start roar with a slight input of throttle (or code it out) so not worried there...and since I have a manual, in sport or sport plus I can burble and pop galore, that's fun sometimes.

Fire away, I have ideas, but not sure they are good ones. Note, most economical is great too. Wife loves those ideas....

Thank you.



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      12-18-2024, 05:00 PM   #2
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Uhhhh....yeah. Your exhaust is literally a pipe from the turbo to the rear of the car. You're only muffler is the turbo itself. LOL. That has to be deafening.

Don't want drone and want to keep that downpipe? It ain't going to be cheap. You need to source a stock catback and mid pipe with the resonator or an M Performance catback and mid pipe with the resonator. Absolutely NO aftermarket catbacks if you're looking to kill drone.
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      12-18-2024, 05:33 PM   #3
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Yeah....


Its spicy.

Sounds like I suspected, oh well.

I'll look at adding in a resonator section, and an exhaust. To recap - keeping resonator out and adding in an AWE touring setup would be a bad choice for my expected result?

I've messaged some users on the classified section here but a lot of old posts that are probably sold by now.

Thanks for the insight...if your car goes to carmax...want to trade exhausts??? They won't notice....will they? Lol.

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      12-18-2024, 08:46 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BringBackButtons View Post
Yeah....


Its spicy.

Sounds like I suspected, oh well.

I'll look at adding in a resonator section, and an exhaust. To recap - keeping resonator out and adding in an AWE touring setup would be a bad choice for my expected result?

I've messaged some users on the classified section here but a lot of old posts that are probably sold by now.

Thanks for the insight...if your car goes to carmax...want to trade exhausts??? They won't notice....will they? Lol.
I have stock exhaust cut in two pieces that should clamp together with your car. You can also source or a stock or good aftermarket muffler.

Muffler really cancel out drone and the Resonator the rasp, but the Vibrant also helps with some drone as well.
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      12-19-2024, 02:19 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AmuroRay View Post
I have stock exhaust cut in two pieces that should clamp together with your car. You can also source or a stock or good aftermarket muffler.

Muffler really cancel out drone and the Resonator the rasp, but the Vibrant also helps with some drone as well.
Thanks! Are you stating you have one youd be willing to part with (bad pun?) Dm me for details, we can work on that and leave public stuff be public.

I have seen mixed reports of my dinan midpipe and a dinan exhaust being a good fit. I have no experience with any performance exhaust. Id take a stock exhaust with my midpipe to start with and if I wanted more, I could investigate another route? Seems spendy, but maybe what I may need to do.

I have to get over how it sounds with this current setup if I want to enjoy longer road trips (which is my goal for next year). Im wondering what my muffler delete is worth to someone second hand? Do people even want these anymore??

Anyone have a dinan cat back setup willing to report?

Oh one other thing while I have you, is there ANY difference between a rwd f22 and rwd f23 m235i? I see something exhaust callout that it will not work on an f23...I have no idea why it wouldn't but figured I'd ask the experts here.

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      12-24-2024, 08:28 PM   #6
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FYI,
This probably doesn't help you, but I have a AWE cat-back with factory DP. It sounds great. Pretty quiet when cruising, but a nice roar when you put your foot into it.
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      12-24-2024, 10:53 PM   #7
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Quote:
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FYI,
This probably doesn't help you, but I have a AWE cat-back with factory DP. It sounds great. Pretty quiet when cruising, but a nice roar when you put your foot into it.
It helps for anecdotal evidence. I can't afford a cat back awe exhaust... at least that's what the minister of finance said to me the other day. Sounds like purse tax might be coming soon...

I think I'm just trying to get a stock or similar muffler to test. Seems like most logical, easy way to tell without welding, and if it doesn't work, maybe easiest to resell if in decent condition for chumps like me that buy a modded f2x 😝
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      12-26-2024, 07:41 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BringBackButtons View Post
Oh one other thing while I have you, is there ANY difference between a rwd f22 and rwd f23 m235i? I see something exhaust callout that it will not work on an f23...I have no idea why it wouldn't but figured I'd ask the experts here.
There is a reinforcement bracket under the vehicle on convertibles that is much smaller on coups. Most likely the exhaust has a bend and/or flat portion to clear this bracket on the convertible.

The part number for the F22 version is only for F22 and F21, but I wasn't able to find the number for the F23 to cross check. I'd bet this is the problem.

I'd think you can run convertible stuff on coups but not the other way around.

To your original question on the thread. I'm running M performance cat back with a CTS catted DP and I love it. I guess you could argue it is alittle droney but I usually drive with the radio way up anyway. Window down I don't think I've ever driven anything that sounds better.
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      12-26-2024, 09:40 PM   #9
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Thank you for the input!

That makes sense if I was going for a full cat back exhaust, but in the picture I posted above of my under carriage, would there be a reason why a f22 muffler wouldn't fit and keeping my piping from cat as is? Yellow or blue bracing circled?

Ps, the image showed up weird...trying again.

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Last edited by BringBackButtons; 12-26-2024 at 09:42 PM..
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      12-28-2024, 03:17 PM   #10
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Not on a rack today but should be able to see what you need. I'm not sure about OE but the Mperf has a welded joint where you have a clamp, assuming you have the correct adapter section and the pipes are shaped the same, I'd think a stock muffler should be a relatively simple fit.

The two braces that meet in the center are going the be the issue that requires different parts on a convertible and coup.
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      01-11-2025, 11:39 AM   #11
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I ran into the same issue when buying my new-to-me M240i a few months ago. It also had a muffler delete on it. I was lucky that my resonator was still in place though.
By the time I made the 120 mile trip back from the dealership I bought the car from, I was so over that damn noise that I immediately ordered a factory cut-off from a junk-yard seller on eBay.
Got the genuine BMW muffler and the exhaust flap actuator in really pristine condition for about $300, shipped. It even came with the two rubber hangers that were gone off my car.
Super-easy to remove what you have and install the stock muffler. The only issue I ran into was finding a 2 1/4" (IIRC) muffler clamp to couple the two identically sized pipes (exhaust pipe & muffler). BMW sells one but I would have had to order it and I'm impatient. I was lucky and able to use the clamp that was part of the aftermarket setup to make the coupling on mine.
If you want to put it back bone stock, hopefully whoever installed the muffler delete just tucked your exhaust flap actuator connector up in your heat shield. That's were I found mine.
My car is SOOO much more quiet, and enjoyable, without that droning, bumblebee sounding POS muffler delete!
Having said that, I hear that the BMW M Performance muffler sounds pretty amazing without any drone. The list price on the muffler is ridiculous at about $1,200, but I've read you can find them from discounters for closer to $750.
If I had done my research, and hadn't been in a hurry, I might have put the $300 I spent on the stock muffler towards the M Performance, but for now I real happy with it back stock.
To the OP: I can't help but wonder with your resonator gone, if adding the stock muffler back might give you that "just right" performance sound, without the drone.

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      01-23-2025, 04:42 PM   #12
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The M Performance muffler is worth the money. I had it for nearly 8 years. Perfect sound, almost exotic with a catted downpipe, no drone, perfect fitment. Just perfect.
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      01-23-2025, 08:26 PM   #13
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Id love for an mpe to grace my way.

Im too cheap right now tho.

If my tune changes, I'll see what I can input.
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