[Var]

I recently installed an ER catless downpipe and an AFE intake on my 440i. I really enjoy the increase in exhaust note but it's just slightly too quiet still. After doing some reading, it seems like the Remus axle-back is the quietest option out there and what I would probably spring for. The only reason I haven't ordered it and I'm still on the fence is I'm concerned about drone. Currently from the cockpit with the valves closed, there's no discernable difference between stock and catless DP. I can cruise around lightly accelerating or cruising on the freeway with basically no difference in sound.

In an ideal world, I could keep the same closed-valve sound and just go louder with the open valve but I don't think that's an option. So I'm willing to take a noise increase as long as it's not droney.

Does anyone have any experience with catless downpipe and Remus axle-back that can confirm yay or nay on increased drone?

[Solid67]

Originally Posted by Var

I recently installed an ER catless downpipe and an AFE intake on my 440i. I really enjoy the increase in exhaust note but it's just slightly too quiet still. After doing some reading, it seems like the Remus axle-back is the quietest option out there and what I would probably spring for. The only reason I haven't ordered it and I'm still on the fence is I'm concerned about drone. Currently from the cockpit with the valves closed, there's no discernable difference between stock and catless DP. I can cruise around lightly accelerating or cruising on the freeway with basically no difference in sound.

In an ideal world, I could keep the same closed-valve sound and just go louder with the open valve but I don't think that's an option. So I'm willing to take a noise increase as long as it's not droney.

Does anyone have any experience with catless downpipe and Remus axle-back that can confirm yay or nay on increased drone?

If you are just getting the axle back then it will not drone. Drone only occurs when you get rid of the midpipe since it has two resonators. If you got the Remus catback they do have an option for a resonated or non-resonated midpipe. In your case, you would want to get the resonated midpipe or just keep the stock one.

[SoCalCarGuy]

if you want more sound, I strong recommend going to good exhaust shop and ask them to cut off your resonators and put weld in some 3" pipes instead. (cost me $100 in Los Angeles) I have this with a DP and stock catback. it sounds amazing! No need to spend $x,xxx on an exhaust.

[Var]

Originally Posted by SoCalCarGuy

if you want more sound, I strong recommend going to good exhaust shop and ask them to cut off your resonators and put weld in some 3" pipes instead. (cost me $100 in Los Angeles) I have this with a DP and stock catback. it sounds amazing! No need to spend $x,xxx on an exhaust.

Not a huge fan of the midpipe delete sound. I run even bigger than factory resonators usually on my catless cars

[E90ROXS]

With aftermarket exhausts you will get drone regardless of which brand and what you do. I have Remus exhaust with resonated midpipe and dp. I even got the external flap controller so I can close or open at any given time. City driving is great. However if I take the car out on a long drive (highway) especially on a hot day, the drone is there. By the way, it's very important that you move the tips out from the bumper as far as possible. Some people like to leave the tips behind the bumper. That's how they get that nasty drone.

[Var]

Originally Posted by E90ROXS

With aftermarket exhausts you will get drone regardless of which brand and what you do. I have Remus exhaust with resonated midpipe and dp. I even got the external flap controller so I can close or open at any given time. City driving is great. However if I take the car out on a long drive (highway) especially on a hot day, the drone is there.

So you had the remus midpipe? I imagine that's a bit louder than the stock one right?

[mike@x-ph.com]

Get the REMUS axle back, with stock mipdipe drone is minimal if any

[E90ROXS]

Originally Posted by Var

So you had the remus midpipe? I imagine that's a bit louder than the stock one right?

Remus midpipe is 1-2-1. Meaning it splits from 1 pipe into 2 pipes then come back into 1 pipe then to the exhaust. This method supposed to make the sound more deeper. I think it's louder than stock midpipe since the stock one has that big ass cat or resonator. I don't know what it is.

[jinh123]

Originally Posted by E90ROXS

With aftermarket exhausts you will get drone regardless of which brand and what you do. I have Remus exhaust with resonated midpipe and dp. I even got the external flap controller so I can close or open at any given time. City driving is great. However if I take the car out on a long drive (highway) especially on a hot day, the drone is there. By the way, it's very important that you move the tips out from the bumper as far as possible. Some people like to leave the tips behind the bumper. That's how they get that nasty drone.

Yes I agree 100%. I have the Dinan axle back paired with a vrsf catted downpipe. The Dinan has no flaps so it's full on sound the entire time from comfort to sport plus. There is a bit of drone cruising at 1.5k rpms 60 mph-70 mph but otherwise in my experience, it sounds amazing in all other rpms. My solution to the drone though is if I throw the car into sport automatic . It raises the rpm to around 2k while cruising and drone is gone.

[Var]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Get the REMUS axle back, with stock mipdipe drone is minimal if any

Does the Remus axle-back require any cutting? Also is it the same part for the 340 and the 440?

[Var]

I installed the Remus axle back over the weekend. And lo and behold I was pretty disappointed. It's barely 5% louder than stock even with a catless DP. And I had to cut my factory midpipe to install it. I'm at an exhaust shop getting the resonators hacked off right now. Hopefully this "fixes" the exhaust situation.

[zeenon53]

Originally Posted by Var

I installed the Remus axle back over the weekend. And lo and behold I was pretty disappointed. It's barely 5% louder than stock even with a catless DP. And I had to cut my factory midpipe to install it. I'm at an exhaust shop getting the resonators hacked off right now. Hopefully this "fixes" the exhaust situation.

What do you think? I'm torn between the remus and Dinan myself.

[Astute]

Originally Posted by Var

I installed the Remus axle back over the weekend. And lo and behold I was pretty disappointed. It's barely 5% louder than stock even with a catless DP. And I had to cut my factory midpipe to install it. I'm at an exhaust shop getting the resonators hacked off right now. Hopefully this "fixes" the exhaust situation.

You could also do the Remus catback with the midpipe.

[Var]

Originally Posted by zeenon53

What do you think? I'm torn between the remus and Dinan myself.

I went ahead and chopped the resonators off and it's pretty raspy now. But it's the correct volume one would expect with valves open/closed now. So I can add a resonator back in and that would quiet it down maybe too much? Not sure. The Remus muffler is too conservative IMO.

I've heard Dinan and Remus are the complete opposite ends of the spectrum as far as volume. I don't have any experience with the Dinan stuff so I couldn't give you good advise on that specifically. I think it also really depends on your DP (catted or catless) and also if you're doing axleback or catback. It's the entire combination of parts that dictates the tone, volume, rasp, and drone.

I will just say this about Remus specifically. It seems like the system was not engineered to be used like i'm using it. The best way to use it is probably with the stock downpipe and the entire Remus catback system. Once you go catless all bets are off with non-resonated midpipes. Exhaust tone is so subjective and exhaust parts are so expensive. You should be very careful on what you choose. At this point I think I will probably just "settle" because I can't just keep buying new exhaust parts. The only thing I might do is add a small resonator back to the system if the rasp remains too annoying. I'm kinda getting used to it at this point.

[Var]

Originally Posted by Astute

You could also do the Remus catback with the midpipe.

Ya true but I basically achieved the same effect for $200 vs $700 plus labor. Although the divorced piped on the Remus might give a different tone, I don't know if it would do anything about the rasp

[Var]

I take back about it being raspy. I just had a friend drive it by for me and it heard it from the outside. Actually sounds pretty good.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by Var

I take back about it being raspy. I just had a friend drive it by for me and it heard it from the outside. Actually sounds pretty good.

[zeenon53]

Originally Posted by Var

I went ahead and chopped the resonators off and it's pretty raspy now. But it's the correct volume one would expect with valves open/closed now. So I can add a resonator back in and that would quiet it down maybe too much? Not sure. The Remus muffler is too conservative IMO.

I've heard Dinan and Remus are the complete opposite ends of the spectrum as far as volume. I don't have any experience with the Dinan stuff so I couldn't give you good advise on that specifically. I think it also really depends on your DP (catted or catless) and also if you're doing axleback or catback. It's the entire combination of parts that dictates the tone, volume, rasp, and drone.

I will just say this about Remus specifically. It seems like the system was not engineered to be used like i'm using it. The best way to use it is probably with the stock downpipe and the entire Remus catback system. Once you go catless all bets are off with non-resonated midpipes. Exhaust tone is so subjective and exhaust parts are so expensive. You should be very careful on what you choose. At this point I think I will probably just "settle" because I can't just keep buying new exhaust parts. The only thing I might do is add a small resonator back to the system if the rasp remains too annoying. I'm kinda getting used to it at this point.

Thank you!

[SoCalCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Var

I take back about it being raspy. I just had a friend drive it by for me and it heard it from the outside. Actually sounds pretty good.

glad you went with my my recommendation! I think our cars sound pretty sick for having stock mufflers and only changing downpipe/resonator delete. throw a stage 2 e30 tune on and we have mid-high 11 sec street warriors.

[Var]

Originally Posted by SoCalCarGuy

glad you went with my my recommendation! I think our cars sound pretty sick for having stock mufflers and only changing downpipe/resonator delete. throw a stage 2 e30 tune on and we have mid-high 11 sec street warriors.

I was honestly worried about the rasp but it ended up sounding good. I've heard much worse results from other cars. I guess it really depends on the muffler as well.


As for the tune, I have garbage fuel here so I'm running the BM3 stage 2 ACN91 tune. Better than nothing I guess

[SoCalCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Var

I was honestly worried about the rasp but it ended up sounding good. I've heard much worse results from other cars. I guess it really depends on the muffler as well.


As for the tune, I have garbage fuel here so I'm running the BM3 stage 2 ACN91 tune. Better than nothing I guess

Go get some E85 and switch to e30 tune!! Worth the 15 mile drive.

Download the Pearson fuels app