What does one have to do to make a e38 sound like a proper v8

[toeknee 0]

I now own a e38 and plan on keeping this one till death do us part as I love the look of this model.

The only problem I have is it doesnt have that real v8 rumble like chevs. I have deleated the rear mufflers which did help a little, but still no where to the sound Im after. Any help will be much appreciated

[toeknee 0]

Just of interest I just added some led side mirrors to my e38 so if any one having issues I should be able to help.

Cheers

[polley 916]

Disconnect the exhaust at the manifolds.

[Michael. 2312]

Depends what kind of sound you want.

[BM WORLD 1261]

this one i wrecked long ago sounded like a proper v8 .

here's a pic of what it had

[Yankus 0]

Sell it and go buy a chev.

[Jono51 57]

this one i wrecked long ago sounded like a proper v8 .

here's a pic of what it had

yeah same, was working on one a week ago with a similar setup, gave a deeper exhaust note

[Apex 693]

Have often wondered this. I have only ever heard one V8 BMW that sounded great so I stalked the guy and he told me he had been through two systems to get the sound write. He didn’t tell me much but said they made the two pipes (from each side) feed into each other in the middle and then feed out into two again.

He said the double Honda sound is caused because of a separate exhaust for each 4 cylinder bank.

Made sense to me.

[zenetti 0]

We cut out the cats on ours and put a stainless straight through at the rear on each side. Sounds like a proper V8 and gets comments everywhere!

[toeknee 0]

this one i wrecked long ago sounded like a proper v8 .

here's a pic of what it had

Excellant, thanks Brent looks similar to what Im thinking of doing.

Did your one end up with the ( crossover 2 into one exhaust) taken out and a bit of pipe joined later down the exhaust for the crossover? ( looking at photo I think this is what I can see) Im thinking its that big crossover muffler where the sound is getting changed.

Any ideas peoples on Apex's idea about the 2 pipes going into one? isnt this the standard set up of what that big original crossover muffler does? yes the one which Im thinking is causing my problem. Hmmm

[smiddy 76]

Have owned a few small block Chevs in my time. They will sound like crap also unless a balance tube is fitted, normally just post of transmission. If your eng is well ie : compression and valves etc then remapping can sharpen exhaust note dramatically.

[MLM 57]

Any ideas peoples on Apex's idea about the 2 pipes going into one? isnt this the standard set up of what that big original crossover muffler does? yes the one which Im thinking is causing my problem. Hmmm

Apex is right about the cross over. I had a similar issue on an AC Cobra with a Lexus V8. They are essentially a paired 4 cylinder so if you run a manifold off one side you get a 4 cylinder sound x2. A balence pipe gets the right combined firing order for the v8 rumble.

[E30-323ti 66]

X-Pipe

Edited February 21, 2011 by E30-323ti

[Jacko 2078]

Mate had an XYGT Sitting in his shop for awhile, AFAIK stock engine, but it sounded very very tough (lumpy) with NO balance pipe in the custom exhaust. Sounded so tough, I asked how the exhaust was plumbed. Maybe its a firing order thing?

Edited February 21, 2011 by Jacko

[smiddy 76]

351Cleveland eng was the worst sounding without balance pipe. Lumpy would be cams/ lift and duration.

If you heard engine under drive load after 3000rpm you would beg to differ. Have worked on many.

[Apex 693]

Where are you from Tony. Maybe we can recommend a good shop.

The guy I use in Papakura is very good at getting the best sound out of V8's, its all he does.

[toeknee 0]

Hey cheers Graham (Apex) Unfortunately me down in New Plymouth. Any chance of his phone number or if you could ask him is there much involved in makingt a e38 bmw sound like a real v8. Getting confused some say its a balance pipe and some say its not.

Thinking I might go with Brents idea, and his photo set up

[toeknee 0]

Yip Wayney I know what you mean it sounds sweet under accelleration, but how come the holdens can sound like a muscle when idling and under acceleration?

[Michael. 2312]

Have often wondered this. I have only ever heard one V8 BMW that sounded great so I stalked the guy and he told me he had been through two systems to get the sound write. He didn’t tell me much but said they made the two pipes (from each side) feed into each other in the middle and then feed out into two again.

He said the double Honda sound is caused because of a separate exhaust for each 4 cylinder bank.

Made sense to me.

In my opinion the worst sounding V8s run dual then into a single then back out to dual, Awful 95% of the time, sounds harsh and thrashy, X pipes give the same effect, but are far better than running a long single section.

The best in my mind is true dual, Dont know what you mean by Honda sound, have you heard the Mercedes C63, SL63, CLK black etc, they all run true dual, no balancers and sound sublime, same with the Audi RS4, one of the best stock V8 sounds around, once again no balancers, BMW X5 is the same too!

H pipes give quite a good note, more throaty than an X at least, and somewhat of an American note.

However, in saying all that the header setup, catalytic converters and mufflers used are the key, if you cut corners there it is going to sound like rubbish.

[Docile 64]

hey brent how good was the sound on that crossover you had?

[Jacko 2078]

351Cleveland eng was the worst sounding without balance pipe. Lumpy would be cams/ lift and duration.

If you heard engine under drive load after 3000rpm you would beg to differ. Have worked on many.

Quite possibly true, only ever heard it idling and getting moved about in the shop, it did sound the business doing that though

[toeknee 0]

Will I just got the cats and the balancing exhasut cut out, didnt need to remove rear mufflers as I already had them removed. We put a 16 inch coby in and when we started it up it sounded awesome idling. Unfortunately when drove of down the street under power it was like wot the hell!! it was so noisey so I went back and we stuck the rear mufflers back on, Now its back to even quieter than before and I cant stand it. so going to book car in to take off rear mufflers and put something less restrictive on the back.

Does anyone know what sort of muffler to put on the back thats going to let it growl but not to loudly. Cheers guys for all your help so far, much appreciated

Brent - In that photo you kindly posted on here what did it have for the rear mufflers?

[Eagle 1524]

Got a setup that looks the same as the one brent posted on the E38 740i and it sounds good without being loud. Mufflers are def stock on mine

[twisted 45]

Go for flowmasters or something of that ilk.

I Never had any luck getting the exhaust tone right on my 540, but once i get the manual in there i'm planning on getting a full mandrel bent system made up by someone that knows V8's and BMW V8s, everything else i've tried sounds like ass.

[Michael. 2312]

Go for flowmasters or something of that ilk.

I Never had any luck getting the exhaust tone right on my 540, but once i get the manual in there i'm planning on getting a full mandrel bent system made up by someone that knows V8's and BMW V8s, everything else i've tried sounds like ass.

Haha, flowmasters, well they will give a hollow rattling American V8 sound, not very Euro like!