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Dinan exhaust too boomy at low RPM.

17K views 38 replies 10 participants last post by  Trizzuth 
#1 ·
Subject says it all- Dinan meets my criteria as far as higher rpm sound, but at idle to 1300rpm it resonates my interior so badly that it buzzes everything inside the car. Kinda cheapens the driving experience in my opinion.

I was thinking the supersprint cans might be quieter at low rpm? It's hard to judge this online as most peoples phones can't pick up that much bass. I have the supersprint headers and race cats so I was thinking maybe just have a complete system by them, but I'd welcome any insights from the board. I am not looking for a really loud car, just one with a really nice exhaust note.

Any experience/opinions much appreciated, thanks!
 
#2 ·
Is everything else in your exhaust system stock? Stock headers, cats, and resonator? Just curious because I've considered getting a set of Dinan mufflers myself. Currently have the Magnaflows which sound good, but I'm not a huge fan of the tip design. My car did have an X-pipe when I bought it though, which made the exhaust very boomy and loud. I quickly got rid of that...
 
#4 ·
I have the supersprint headers and race cats- stock resonators. Dinan exhaust will buzz you, the vents, armrest, and anything loose in the car dances around while buzzing (keys in center armrest cubby). Before I did the headers and cats it was bad, but its definitely worse with the headers and race cats. Cold start now resonates the entire inside. I've had very loud exhausts on my other BMWs (B&B I'm looking at you ) but none of them buzzed the interior like the Dinan; it's just too boomy sounding and whatever frequency its hitting at low rpms vibrates the cabin.
 
#3 ·
I’ve got the Supersprint Race mufflers on an otherwise stock car. They replaced the muffler delete that came with the car from the PO because it was too loud for me in a daily driver. It’s quiet at idle both inside and outside the car and drone free at 1500 RPM+ but has the boomy character you describe sometimes at around 1100-1300 RPM. It’s never boomy or loud enough to rattle the interior or anything like that and is really only noticeable when the car is cold. Interesting to hear this about the Dinan cans because I’d considered them as a replacement but opted for SS in the first place for their cheaper cost. I have the stock mufflers and thought about using them but the low RPM issue is not significant enough to bother at the moment, and I like the sound and character at higher RPM.

The SS Magnum might be quieter but the tips look too “non-stock” to me.
 
#5 · (Edited)
The SS Magnum might be quieter but the tips look too “non-stock” to me.
Are these the "magnum"
looks like they come with a slightly nicer (still not stock look ) tips

And these the "race"?

If you don't mind me asking did you pay less for the race ones than shown on turners website? The price on TMS/ECS is higher than the Dinan exhaust (like almost a grand more for the supersprint F1). Maybe the Dinan has come down in price and quality since Steve sold the company?

EDIT- sorry I see there is a race (non F1) version as well, seems to be about the same price as the Dinan ones (at least on turner).
 
#6 ·
If it is bass boomy have you tried messing with how it is hung? Maybe you just want a new exhaust? Hangers can have a serious effect on how much bass resonates in the car. You can test by wrapping a wire around a pipe and tension one of the hangers and see if there is a difference. If there is you might want to experiment. It would be a shame to buy a new system hang it on the same hangers and find the same issue exists.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I currently run the same setup, and I don’t mind the buzz that much (matter of opinion). Like the low rpm deep sound and the high rpm wail. Great combination that, in my opinion and despite the buzzing interior, is hard to replicate with other setups.

A resonated x pipe could help out with the interior buzzing. I also had good experience with vibrant resonators (that is if you are not running stock resonators).

I previously had a Borla catback. A little too quiet for my taste, but sounded very nice. Coupled with headers and race cats could sound better.

Supersprint magnums also would sound great with your setup, and would not be as loud as the F1’s.

Good luck with your pick.
 
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#8 ·
I also have Dinan mufflers and know what you are talking about. The rest of my exhaust is stock however. It doesn't rattle the cabin but it did rattle the muffler heat shields initially - I had to do some slight tweaking of those to not have an audible rattle. I think even the stock mufflers had that booming tendency off idle, its just not as loud.
 
#13 ·
Ah I see- I have much more than a rattle. For instance if I put a quarter in the little tray under the “tiny little can holders” it will vibrate and dance around in the tray area. My e-brake handle buzzes, so does the armrest, all the vents, anything in a map pocket, anything light in the trunk, seatbelt buckles, sunroof shade, feels like a Subaru interior (I know because I have a Subaru for the winter when the M goes into storage). It’s not the volume of the sound that bugs me, it’s the fact that it’s resonating the entire cabin.

Dinan is coming off; I ordered the magnums with the bigger tips, supersprint resonators are being made but won’t come until December. Might be silly but I like the idea of having a one manufacturer all stainless exhaust system from headers to tailpipe.
 
#16 · (Edited)
If you sat in the car you'd see what I mean- it's the entire cabin resonating with the lower frequencies of the exhaust. Makes your scalp tingle. Does it sitting at idle, clutch in or out, not while moving. Rev the motor while stationary with the clutch in it does it. Rev it stationary with the clutch engaged while in neutral it does it. Start the car with the clutch in obviously, it does it. Drive the car, and anything over light throttle when below 1300 rpm does it. Really annoying for pulling away from a standstill.

Put the windows down and it stops some of it. It's pure sound, not a vibration from a moving part.

Aside from that, as part of the slow restoration I've been doing the guibo and driveshaft, plus the tranny, motor and diff mounts all got replaced at 68k, I'm at 72k now. Cars smooth as silk on the road, its the sound, 100%. CSB and clutch and flywheel are perfect.

In two weeks I'm swapping in the Supersprints, less low end from the reports I've gotten.
 
#17 ·
Just because it is loud and seemingly amplified does not mean that the exhaust is at fault. It is possible that the resonance that is being created is somehow being amplified by a particular length in pipe or wall thinness. Maybe your hangers are all fine, but just not capable of absorbing that one frequency that is driving you nuts.
Similar to suspension there is rubber in the system to absorb vibrations. Stretched old rubber has a hard time with lower frequencies. We see the same for brake judder, but if you consider how fast the brake rotor is spinning when the vibration occurs, it is clear the vibration you feel is not the same as the frequency of rotation which would be many times faster.
Most of the annoying things we feel are a resonance of one form or another. It certainly will not cost you much to explore the dampening side of the system. Pretty much any force you apply to the exhaust should change the characteristic of the damping system. What you do might make it worse or maybe better, the point being if you can affect it anyway by hand changing the damping system should be able to eliminate it, maybe.
It is a little more complex with exhausts because sometimes the resonance can't be damped, because of lengths and other things that are beyond me.
 
#18 ·
When were your engine mounts and transmission mounts changed? How is the guibo and CSB? This sounds like it is not from your exhaust but from the driveline. An exhaust shouldn't rattle a coin in your tray if it is hung correctly, meaning hangers are good and in the correct locations. Hanger locations can matter for resonant frequencies but the Dinan system uses factory mounting locations.
 
#19 ·
100% the exhaust. Mounted supersprint race cans my shop pulled off another m5 and let me borrow until my magnums come, and it’s fixed. It is the low end frequency the dianan exhaust makes, it is the correct frequency to resonate the cabin with windows up. Again if you sat in the car you’d know- it actually resonates you inside the cabin, also stops instantly if you roll down the windows, you can do it while holding 800 rpm (clutch in or out doesn’t matter).

I guess that’s the difference between buying and exhaust from an exhaust manufacturer who makes complete systems for the car vs a tuner who had mufflers made by someone else 20 years ago for a package car. Also a company that the owner sold and is no longer a part of. Really what’s Dinan without Steve Dinan?

To be fair, maybe the Dinan exhaust works great with the Dinan headers and factory cats, I can’t expect the same type of sound with different headers and cats from the original application.

Agian all motor, tranny, diff mounts, guibo, driveshaft have about 4K on them. CSB perfect. Exhaust hangers have less than 6k on them. Car has 72k. It’s perfect now, hope the magnums I ordered are loud enough because the race are pretty seeet.
 
#22 ·
I’d guess lowering the windows effectively changes the volume of the cabin “box”, which would change the frequency at which it resonates.

Anyhow with the new mufflers seems I don’t need to worry, but I am hoping the Magnums are loud enough, the race ones sounded really good on this setup, but I already ordered the magnums before I had any clue I could test the race ones!
 
#24 ·
I’d guess lowering the windows effectively changes the volume of the cabin “box”, which would change the frequency at which it resonates.
The vents should allow for that, but there is resistance in the vents and the vents only work one way, out. Maybe you should check your vents just to be safe. In many a car they have been removed then re-installed backwards. Seems to be that common sense tells people to try and let air in rather than out. Some even find them and switch them around just because of that logic. If you find dirt in the space near the vents they are likely backwards. Of coarse the resonance might be released on the vacuum side of it. Again very interesting situation.
 
#26 ·
Magnums are on- and might be too quiet. Dammit. Before I go swapping these though I’ll wait for the SS x-pipe to arrive. I guess if that setup is too quiet I’ll swap to the race mufflers. Never ends...

Monday I’ll finally be flashing the ECU for the headers and sport cats.
 
#27 ·
Hmm, I love the deep boomy bass of the low rpms with my Dinan exhaust... I do have a rogue X pipe now, but the low RPM bass boom was there before I installed the X pipe. If things are rattling that piss you off because of the boom, fix them tighter so they stop rattling! I am SURE the people behind my car love it even more than me, OH I WISH I COULD LIVE BEHIND MY CAR WHEN I DRIVE IT!
 
#33 ·
I had a few clips from the day I removed it, totally last second so no phone holder, sorry!

So idle outside the car- LOVE the sound.



Windows open, driving always above 2000 rpm. LOVE the sound.



Pull from 1300. The phone can't pick up the low frequency bass of the exhaust (its too low for the mic so sounds silent), but that little buzz you hear is the ignition key's ring (no other keys on it) and center armrest buzzing. If there is ANYTHING in the car (like my house keys, change, literally anything not tied down it does that). If the windows are up it vibrates things in your pockets, your scalp, your watch.

Phone was on a little towel otherwise it buzzes around so bad I can't record anything below 2k. So from idle up it vibrates like a Subaru interior. Might not seem like a big deal from this short clip, but imagine every single pull from a stop doing this. Anyhow bugged me enough to replace it. Others might love it, just not for me.
 
#35 · (Edited)
I swapped the Dinan for Supersprint magnums, the buzz is gone, but the high rpm wail is not as nice for sure. Now I’m thinking of switching to the supersprint race. It’s too bad I loved the Dinan anywhere above 2k (after the sport cats anyhow).

so now I have supersprint headers, sport cats and mufflers, I’m waiting on the x pipe from them. I’ll wait and see if that livens up sound a bit.
 
#38 ·
Lol m3augy that’s exactly what happened to me! I literally saw the only video of this on YouTube at that time and immediately could not get it out of my mind. Here’s why..

I’ve done research over the past two years on the available options for the E39 M5 and all seemed to detract from the airflow design of the stock setup, or compromise something in the process, and the stock exchange brakes are incredibly good for what they are.. i wasn’t particularly looking for a power gain but really wanted to open up the intake sound of the S62 more.

Come along the Eventuri intake and I love that the cones are near the fender, shielded by the gorgeous carbon fiber obviously, but they can yank air from the ducting that now routes down to the fiberglass fog light surrounds that come with the intake. The filters are high and not sitting down near the road like the Dinan or similar (lessens concerns about driving in really wet conditions). I already have HPS Silicone intake tubes so did not want the much cheaper AFE with molded centerpiece, which was sort of appealing but does not integrate airflow from the bumper foglight surrounds. So I may have gone for that otherwise, I had an AFE on my E46 330i and loved it.

No you cannot hear the intake noise in the cabin nearly as loud as this, but with my exhaust already loud on WOT, it adds sound in so you cannot discern the intake noise specifically. But the combination of both in the cabin is just insanely heavenly. I yearn for on ramp pulls more than ever before now. Car is also woken up a bit at higher RPMs and screams to redline. A very expensive kit, but you are likely assured to get your money back or some of it over time should you ever want to sell it at some point. They probably won’t make these for long and I think the only reason they did is that the owner has an E39 M5.


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