Active Autowerke Equal Length Midpipes Droning Issue

[blanketshaman]

Stock down + AA EL mid (res) + stock non-zcp muffler = drone ~3k RPM

Is this a common issue?

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EDIT:

I *feel like* it drones less in Sports+ than in Sports, though from the cabin Sports+ sounds closer to stock, and Sports sounds like we're taking off in a race car.

Great sound but droning is getting unbearable and feels like it's addressable.

I don't suppose throwing on an MPE or Akra muffler will somehow help with the droning?

Thanks in advance guys.

[rborane]

Do you have the valves set to fully open? If so, set valves to OEM

[RugbyBro]

Exactly what @rborane said. Even on OEM valve settings, you will audibly hear the valves open around 3k and if you lug the engine at 3k specifically you’ll still get the drone

[mike@x-ph.com]

Double-check your install. the equal length has very tight fitment, it needs to be installed perfectly or it'll drone.

I had the same issue on my car, turns out the pipe was off by a few millimeters. Looked fine when the car was off but at a certain RPM it was hitting the car's . Once the install was adjusted, the drone was gone

[1000hp]

Mine drones.

I hear it most when the car/exhaust are cold. Happens for the first 15-20 minutes of driving, depending on how warm the car already is when I start.

It happens at 3K RPM for me, too. It's a higher-pitched boooooooo sound. If I keep the car in efficient mode I only hear it in 6th gear at ~80mph (3K RPM), which is where the stock exhaust drones.
It drones in 6th gear at 3k RPM whether the valves are open or closed.

Mine is definitely not unbearable but it's annoying and embarrassing when the car is cold. I have started keeping the car in efficient until it's totally warm most of the time to avoid the boooooooooo sound, but that means driving what feels like a marshmallow Camry for the first 15-20 minutes, which is my entire commute to and from work.

I am also curious how changing mufflers will affect it. I'm looking for a muffler that sounds good and flows well with the valves closed, since this might get around the cold-start drone without the car sounding like a vacuum cleaner the whole time.

A cold-start delete or reduction with BM3 may also help, but only if it is the cold engine and not the cold exhaust that causes it.

[blanketshaman]

Just came back from the shop: No luck, still drones.

rborane RugbyBro
I added Akrapovic muffler with the sound kit to control the valves, so it's definitely fully open now

mike@x-ph.com
I've asked them to double-check the midpipes fitment and they said they went through it again. What kind of tweaks did you do?

Thanks for your responses fellas.

Hopefully I find something else to try as I really dig the AAEL Mid + Akra Rear - sounds insane. Worst case I'll have to fall back to a full Akra Evo set.

[ESB]

I get a drone in a very narrow range right above 3k on M2C with non-res version.

I suspect it's normal. I've seen tons of people mention it.

Personally not bothered by it since I don't hang around that narrow range with my driving style. I'll usually be below it or else quickly increase beyond it.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by blanketshaman

Just came back from the shop: No luck, still drones.

rborane RugbyBro
I added Akrapovic muffler with the sound kit to control the valves, so it's definitely fully open now

Did you have the midpipe on the car prior to adding the Akra muffler?
Any change in the drone between the two setups?

[blanketshaman]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

Did you have the midpipe on the car prior to adding the Akra muffler?
Any change in the drone between the two setups?

Originally Posted by 1000hp

Did you have the midpipe on the car prior to adding the Akra muffler?
Any change in the drone between the two setups?

Yeah i did.

Drone got louder 🤪

Nah all in all no real changes to the droning characteristics

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by blanketshaman

Yeah i did.

Drone got louder 🤪

Nah all in all no real changes to the droning characteristics

lol I hate this car

[blanketshaman]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

lol I hate this car

Cold start delete helps for sure - i just bootmod3ed today. Also gts transmission flash is an absolute blessing. Gts start roar not doing much tho

[blanketshaman]

Btw since akra install theres a noticeable exhaust smell. Im leaning towards theres a leak somewhere but idrk what im talking about - getting a second opinion from a separate exhaust shop tomorrow, will update what i find.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by blanketshaman

Btw since akra install theres a noticeable exhaust smell. Im leaning towards theres a leak somewhere but idrk what im talking about - getting a second opinion from a separate exhaust shop tomorrow, will update what i find.

Sounds like a leak. The muffler has nothing to do with smell.

My cold start isn't too bad. It's when the car is under load while the exhaust is cold, or when cruising at 3K (6th gear, ~80mph), that it sounds booey.
I have just been keeping it in efficient until the pipe is warmed-up.
Do you find that the drone is better with the cold start delete even after the first 30 seconds or so of actual cold start?

[1000hp]

Update:

My drone is gone after flashing Bootmode Stage-1 with cold start delete.
The exhaust still sounds a little more crusty when the pipe is cold, but there is no more boom.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

Uodate:

My drone is gone after flashing Bootmode Stage-1 with cold start delete.
The exhaust still sounds a little more crusty when the pipe is cold, but there is no more boom.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Yeah. Worth the $600 for that alone, honestly. And then there's the rest of the tune 😍

[blanketshaman]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

Update:

My drone is gone after flashing Bootmode Stage-1 with cold start delete.
The exhaust still sounds a little more crusty when the pipe is cold, but there is no more boom.

Vvvv happy for you my man 🙌

[blanketshaman]

For anyone curious - this is where my mid pipe was cut, no cuts on the akra

[IMG][/IMG]

[1000hp]

That's nice and clean!
Love to hear some sound clips.