MPE Installed: Ruined my X5; am I crazy?!

[Taran.J]

Installed it last week waiting on black finishers from Ben (Yes he can get em and paint for you) Only drove it about 100 miles and thus far I am not enjoying my quiet luxury SUV now.

Let me explain myself. It sounds badass on the exterior cannot complain one bit.

But the interior may need sound insulation tape. Between 1700-2000 rpm in comfort mode I am experiencing drone at load (Highway speed pulling/passing).

Now before anybody says stop being anal with reading countless threads I'm surprised nobody commented about it.

When kept in sport or sport + (never needed use) there is no problem since it keeps itself over 2000rpm when passing or you miss that pitch of the exhaust from a standstill.

Now for the resolution which I am in need of help. My car has no space saver in the boot. So it is an empty hollow space that needs to be insulated with black foam tape or needs a space saver in the trunk to help seclude exhaust noise into my cabin. Because sport mode isn't exactly activated every time I start my truck

Taran.j

[X5Jouster]

does that mean that without the finishers, the exhaust terminates before the bumper outlet? so the pipes dont protrude past the bumper?

i have a drone in the same range only when in comfort. eco pro-sport-sport + all fix the drone by keeping it out of that range....i HATE drone.... i love HELLA LOUD EXHAUST. im satisfied. sounds like your stuck with that drone on that exhaust, its just the nature of it...then again i am in sport+ almost always unless my GF is in the car, then its Sport with only the chassis tightened, not transmission.

[Taran.J]

Originally Posted by X5Jouster

does that mean that without the finishers, the exhaust terminates before the bumper outlet? so the pipes dont protrude past the bumper?

i have a drone in the same range only when in comfort. eco pro-sport-sport + all fix the drone by keeping it out of that range....i HATE drone.... i love HELLA LOUD EXHAUST. im satisfied. sounds like your stuck with that drone on that exhaust, its just the nature of it...then again i am in sport+ almost always unless my GF is in the car, then its Sport with only the chassis tightened, not transmission.

Yes the exhaust will sit inside of the bumper area since it had to be chopped. This could be the issue that's why I went ahead and ordered the finishers because either way I keep or remove the MPE I will need new finishers lol

I completely agree with you just have to deal with it. But reading and watching cabin videos I knew it was too good to be true haha

[stewy604]

Performance exhaust...nature of the beast my friend. Just get in the habit of running around in Sport mode...first thing I do when I fire it up, boom...sport mode. It should get slightly better once the tips are on, as the sound will exit from behind the vehicle, not under it.

[twelve535i]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00020...ywords=dynamat

People use that if they have expensive audio equipment to keep road noise out or if they have a loud exhuast.

I used it in my g35 when my exhaust had a lot of drone. The best way I can describe it is a rectangular foil pad with a tar like substance applied to the back. It has a wax paper backing that you peel off. The correct way to apply it is to remove the carpeting in your car and the slap the tar side directly onto your panels.
I didn't want that messy stuff all over my car so I just spread out the pads (with wax backing attached) in my spare tire well. Since you're only covering a small Surface area, your not going to catch all the noise, but with the small amount of exhaust from he MPE, I think it should do the trick.

[stewy604]

+1 for Dynamat...great product.

[Taran.J]

Exactly what I was thinking of lining the trunk storage compartment after removing that grey carpet liner since it's just hallow down there.

[Kzang]

Wow, first I've heard of this issue on a MPE. I'm perfectly happy with mine but as with anything, not everyone is the same..

[Taran.J]

Originally Posted by Kzang

Wow, first I've heard of this issue on a MPE. I'm perfectly happy with mine but as with anything, not everyone is the same..

Realistically I didn't know there was going to be a substandard noise increase on the interior. As most members have only praised the system since it was only a muffler.

But hopefully installing the tips to protrude out of the bumper instead of my old ones. Installing some Dynamat I'm hoping for some reduction.

Second step will be buying a space saver spare since I'll be changing to non run flats soon anyways. To fill up that dead space.

[r33_RGSport]

Drone is subjective to each individual.
The older you get, the stronger you will become sensitive with lower frequency and less sensitive to high frequency, hence how our parents always complaining with our bass thumping speaker, yet they are listening to their music with a maxed out treble setting.

[Alan l.]

I think the main reason why you are getting drone is because you don't have the tips for the mufflers yet and its being let out into the spare tire cavity of the car.

While i'm not a huge fan of the way my MPE sounds on the road either it does not drone at all. Asiding from the popping in Sport mode nobody even knows I have an exhaust on the X5.

Alan

[X5Jouster]

Originally Posted by Taran.J

Yes the exhaust will sit inside of the bumper area since it had to be chopped. This could be the issue that's why I went ahead and ordered the finishers because either way I keep or remove the MPE I will need new finishers lol

I completely agree with you just have to deal with it. But reading and watching cabin videos I knew it was too good to be true haha

be very careful with this!!! in the right conditions, the exhaust gasses will heat up the rear bumper causing it to warp....ask me how i know?(not the X5)

[Taran.J]

Originally Posted by X5Jouster

be very careful with this!!! in the right conditions, the exhaust gasses will heat up the rear bumper causing it to warp....ask me how i know?(not the X5)

Thus why I only have driven it for 100 miles and those were because I couldn't take my lifted 2500 into the city

The passenger side is my main issue. The driver side one sits fine

[Kief]

I don't have drone with mine either
I love the sound

[Kzang]

Taran.J install the tips and report back lol.

[Taran.J]

Originally Posted by Kzang

Taran.J install the tips and report back lol.

Waiting on them to get the black out treatment then shipped from Ben.

Yeah that's going to be my next report

[Tyler_Durden]

My MPE is going on the car tomorrow ... fingers crossed for minimal drone

Do you guys think some carbon build-up would help?

[Kzang]

Originally Posted by Tyler_Durden

My MPE is going on the car tomorrow ... fingers crossed for minimal drone

Do you guys think some carbon build-up would help?

Mine was installed last summer, so its been a while but I don't recall any droning at all the first day with eco-pro, comfort, and sport settings. Just recently when I was driving in Eco- pro just to see how much gas I would save, I did notice a slight drone ( I think because in Eco pro the RPM is in a lower range than other driving modes). But even this slight drone wasn't an issue for me.

[twelve535i]

I didn't read your original post carefully enough. Didn't realize you didn't have the tips on yet. I had the same experience on my old car when I couldn't decide on what style tips I wanted
It was loud as hell inside but once I put some tips on, inside noise became much more tolerable.
Once you get your tips in the mail, you probably won't even need the dynamat.

[Taran.J]

Originally Posted by twelve535i

I didn't read your original post carefully enough. Didn't realize you didn't have the tips on yet. I had the same experience on my old car when I couldn't decide on what style tips I wanted
It was loud as hell inside but once I put some tips on, inside noise became much more tolerable.
Once you get your tips in the mail, you probably won't even need the dynamat.

I used my factory tips and welded those one. But passenger side one sits a little flush with the bumper. So now I am waiting on the finishers kit to see if that 3" will make a big difference

[Tyler_Durden]

I just got my car back with the MPE/finishers and the drone is barely noticeable to me. It could be that I have 3rd row seats, but hopefully the finishers help you.

[dubsesd]

i have zero drone.