2006 E85 3.0si Backbox undelete

[davidmudley12]

Hi, as a recent Z4 owner (after a 12 year hiatus) I would like to think I am now older and (unlikely) wiser. My issue is that I purchased a 2006 3.0si E85 with the back box delete and find it unpleasant, so am looking to going about an 'un'delete. I recognise that welding is likely to be needed, but I am struggling to get to grips with two key things:

• What silencer to replace it with [that is not going to cost the earth]?
  Finding somewhere in the surrey area to do this for me (preferably near Guildford)

Does anyone have any experience or ideas that can help?

 

[Chris_D]

I'm so glad I decided not to go down the backbox delete / straightpipe route.
I've heard others and they just sound obnoxious and the drone when driving must be proper irritating!
If pops and crackles and attracting the attention of da fiwf is your thing then fair enough but to me, especially after the cats and mufflers have warmed up the stock exhaust system is loud/tuneful enough.

I'd suggest trying to get it back to stock if you can. There must be plenty of 'deleted' second-hand back boxes out there...?

 

[davidmudley12]

I agree Chris_D, not to my taste but appreciate different strokes for different folks.

If anyone has a used silencer out there they’re looking to sell on let me know.

Thanks.

 

[Mr Tidy]

It's just a thought but you might get a better response if you post a Wanted advert in the Classifieds section.

It's not exactly local, but when I got my latest Z4 one of the Powerflow back-boxes had a hanger missing. I found a firm in Slough called Enigma T/A Powerflow Exhausts Slough who fabricated a new one and welded it on for a very resonable £30 and it was a quality job! If you did want to use them when you call ask for Nas.

 

[davidmudley12]

Thanks Mr Tidy, good point re the ‘wanted’ section, I hadn’t originally thought about sourcing a silencer here more some advice, but I think I’ll try and shift this into the other section.

Thanks for the pointer to Enigma, I’ll check them out as it’s not a huge distance to go to get the car the way I want it.

Ah, just realised I don’t know how to move the thread....doh! :driving: or use emojis for that matter.

 

[blunderthumbs]

Each to their own and all that but I'm so glad that the previous owner of my Z4 E85 had the back box delete done. It sounds awesome with no drone. Mike at the Zed Shed did it. He doesn't actually remove the back box he does some sort of modification inside the rear box. I actually turn the stereo off to listen to the noise it makes. Love it :driving:

 

[Mr Tidy]

Thanks for the pointer to Enigma, I’ll check them out as it’s not a huge distance to go to get the car the way I want it.

Ah, just realised I don’t know how to move the thread....doh! or use emojis for that matter.

I'm not sure you can move posts into different places, so it might be easier to just start a new topic.

Then again if you can't find one you could always consider having a Powerflow one fitted at Enigma!

I'm very pleased with their backboxes on my M - a bit louder than stock, but nothing like as loud as a 3.0Si with a backbox delete! They look like they are decent qulaity stainless too - the tail-pipes polish up nicely.

 

[Conrod]

Hi David.

I have a surplus original backbox - PM sent!

Alan

 

[davidmudley12]

The garages I’ve spoken to about welding a replacement back on have told me not to do and just buy a complete system.

Have anyone got any experience reversing out the back box delete? It’s making me a bit nervous now about how to go about this.

Thanks

 

[road warrior]

dont remove the back box unless your deaf or want to be ........

mean steve
https://studio.youtube.com/video/qoWPFW1ZzaQ/edit

 

[Smartbear]

Each to their own and all that but I'm so glad that the previous owner of my Z4 E85 had the back box delete done. It sounds awesome with no drone. Mike at the Zed Shed did it. He doesn't actually remove the back box he does some sort of modification inside the rear box. I actually turn the stereo off to listen to the noise it makes. Love it :driving:

You’ve not got a back box delete if it’s still fitted, what you have is a violated back box
Rob

 

[BMW Z4 2.5I SE 2004]

Has anyone had this modded back box long term. still sound amazing? Any problems. Engine etc

 

[mr.tourette]

Has anyone had this modded back box long term. still sound amazing? Any problems. Engine etc

Dont have my si anymore but know the chap the bought it from me.. its been on the car 4 years now and still sounds good (the new owner says its one of the things he loves most on the car) and she still runs great.. was one of the first mods i did on my e89

 

[Flyingfifer]

Has anyone had this modded back box long term. still sound amazing? Any problems. Engine etc

I have one of the modified back boxes, had it on now for several years and never had a single issue, I still love the sound from the car, personally I thought the standard box was criminal more or less silences that lovely straight 6 song :thumbsdown:

Its not "drony" and sitting at 70 on the motorway you can still have a pleasant conversation in the car but get on it and the car just sings, plenty of pops, bangs and gurgles on the overrun as well

[youtube]uKN3g9q9SbY[/youtube]

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

The garages I’ve spoken to about welding a replacement back on have told me not to do and just buy a complete system.

Well, they would wouldn't they... :-D

I've had one of Mike's adapted back boxes for over two years (I opted for a slightly softer mod than his normal) and it's still sounding great. He doesn't weld the box on, it's connected by using sleeved sections bolted on, which is the method you could easily use to un-delete yours. I would guess it all depends on how much was cut off when the box was removed. Beware of getting a replacement box with only an inch or two of piping attached - that would be a pig to work with and need welding; you probably want a box with around 7 inches of pipework attached. And make sure the box is post-facelift as the pipes are different I believe.

 

[Nota TR5 man]

After reading this I now know I am not the only one one who dislikes the popular trend amongst quite a lot of young drivers of all sorts of vehicles who delete their back boxes and annoy every one else as you can hear them coming from miles away. The Z4 does need to let the big six sing a bit more and if I could have it sound like an old Jag or Triumph it would be ace. When I built my special spring rates and silencing were the difficult things to get right, in fact my wife laughs at the many springs and silencers in the garage :roll:

 

[GP06Roadster]

Agreed, I hate the currently spate of pop pop droney (is that even a word?!) exhausts. How these things are passing mots

My neighbour has a Triumph GT6 which sounds ace!

 

[thecremeegg]

Go on ebay and message people breaking Z4s is one method, get a replacement box off them

 

[Inline 6]

The garages I’ve spoken to about welding a replacement back on have told me not to do and just buy a complete system.

Well, they would wouldn't they... :-D

I've had one of Mike's adapted back boxes for over two years (I opted for a slightly softer mod than his normal) and it's still sounding great. He doesn't weld the box on, it's connected by using sleeved sections bolted on, which is the method you could easily use to un-delete yours. I would guess it all depends on how much was cut off when the box was removed. Beware of getting a replacement box with only an inch or two of piping attached - that would be a pig to work with and need welding; you probably want a box with around 7 inches of pipework attached. And make sure the box is post-facelift as the pipes are different I believe.

Where can I get hold of ‘Mike’?
I’m interested to know more about the ‘softer’ sounding mod.
Is generally quieter?
What I’d really like is something that had a valve to alternate between a standard sound and a more open one.

 

[Zulu4]

After reading this I now know I am not the only one one who dislikes the popular trend amongst quite a lot of young drivers of all sorts of vehicles who delete their back boxes and annoy every one else as you can hear them coming from miles away.

#Me too.

A few years ago I had a Citroen C4 VTS (looked nice but it was a slug). It needed a new exhaust and Citroen wanted £1000, so I got a specialist in Walsall to make a stainless steel one. I asked them to make it a quiet exhaust. When I came back and tried it, it was the noisiest car I've ever owned and I felt like a complete plonker driving it. I asked them to fix it, but it was just as noisy.

I couldn't stand it so I part-exchanged the car a couple of weeks later. I told the salesman it was a bit noisy, but he didn't seem bothered. As I drove my new car out I heard the roar as the salesman started up the C4 and I felt bad

P.S. Sorry if you live in Walsall, but I never, ever want to go back to that place. It's horrible.