I wasn't able to find a difinitive how-to for this realatively straightforward mod, and as I wanted to try it, I thought I'd put one together.
Again, all the thanks should go to the other members of this forum, who's posts and tips enabled me to do and write this!
Requirements
1x BMW Z4 3L
1x Medium-sized flathead screwdriver
1x Plaster for inevitable cut finger.
Costs
Zero.
Step 1
Open the bonnet and look for the plastic tube that leads from the air intake tubing, into the cabin.
Standing at the front of the car, the tube is located at the back right side of the engine
Step 2
Gently pull the tube out of the hole that leads to the cabin. Mine felt a little tight to begin with, but a gentle bit of twisting whilst pulling and the tube came straight out.
Step 3
At the other end of the pipe, it is secured to the main air intake trunking with a jubilee clip.
Using the flathead screwdriver, loosen this clip. Once it's loose, attach the plaster to wherever the screwdriver slipped and entered your finger.
Step 4
Under the middle section of the sound generator is a small clip that keeps the pipe attached to the side of the engine block.
Unclip this clip, then lift the piping up until the plastic groove on the top edge of the generator clears the rim of the engine block top.
Step 5
With both clips now unclipped, the jubilee undone, and the far end removed from the cabin, you should be able to remove the entire sound generator from the car.
Step 6
With the sound generator removed, you can now seperate the rear pipe from the big front section.
Using the flathead screwdriver, carefully prise the small pipe from the main unit.
Step 7
With the pipe seperated, you should see a peice of dark coloured foam in each end:
Remove both peices, so that the small tube is now empty:
Step 8
Re-assemble everything in reverse order and you're done!
It's a pretty easy mod to do, and only took me about 20 minutes including taking the photos.
I recorded a soundclip (from inside with the roof and windows closed!) so you can hear what having no foam in sounds like.
http://blog.ianmellor.co.uk/images/car/sound_generator/Recording4.mp3
TBH, for me, I found it extremely loud under heavy acceleration (wouldn't hear stereo!) and when moving slowly, it sounds like you've got a hole in the exhaust.
I'm going to put the foam that sits closest to the engine block back in and retry to see what that's like... I'll probaby edit this with another sound clip once done.
However, here's the complete HowTo - and it's not hard, so go do it yerself
Again, all the thanks should go to the other members of this forum, who's posts and tips enabled me to do and write this!
Requirements
1x BMW Z4 3L
1x Medium-sized flathead screwdriver
1x Plaster for inevitable cut finger.
Costs
Zero.
Step 1
Open the bonnet and look for the plastic tube that leads from the air intake tubing, into the cabin.
Standing at the front of the car, the tube is located at the back right side of the engine
Step 2
Gently pull the tube out of the hole that leads to the cabin. Mine felt a little tight to begin with, but a gentle bit of twisting whilst pulling and the tube came straight out.
Step 3
At the other end of the pipe, it is secured to the main air intake trunking with a jubilee clip.
Using the flathead screwdriver, loosen this clip. Once it's loose, attach the plaster to wherever the screwdriver slipped and entered your finger.
Step 4
Under the middle section of the sound generator is a small clip that keeps the pipe attached to the side of the engine block.
Unclip this clip, then lift the piping up until the plastic groove on the top edge of the generator clears the rim of the engine block top.
Step 5
With both clips now unclipped, the jubilee undone, and the far end removed from the cabin, you should be able to remove the entire sound generator from the car.
Step 6
With the sound generator removed, you can now seperate the rear pipe from the big front section.
Using the flathead screwdriver, carefully prise the small pipe from the main unit.
Step 7
With the pipe seperated, you should see a peice of dark coloured foam in each end:
Remove both peices, so that the small tube is now empty:
Step 8
Re-assemble everything in reverse order and you're done!
It's a pretty easy mod to do, and only took me about 20 minutes including taking the photos.
I recorded a soundclip (from inside with the roof and windows closed!) so you can hear what having no foam in sounds like.
http://blog.ianmellor.co.uk/images/car/sound_generator/Recording4.mp3
TBH, for me, I found it extremely loud under heavy acceleration (wouldn't hear stereo!) and when moving slowly, it sounds like you've got a hole in the exhaust.
I'm going to put the foam that sits closest to the engine block back in and retry to see what that's like... I'll probaby edit this with another sound clip once done.
However, here's the complete HowTo - and it's not hard, so go do it yerself
Thanks for the positive feedback all 