Easy way of opening exhaust valve on a 550i

I looking into the exhaust of my 08 550i and dont see a valve. It curves into the muffler. OR maybe mine doesnt have the valve?

Anybody got any pictures of where this solenoid is? I'd hate to go tearing into my trunk trying to find it, and be in the wrong place. Also, I have heard there is a mechanical linkage on the exhaust itself, and I haven't been able to locate that on my car. Has anybody with a 2008 or newer 550 with the Sport package done this mod? I believe the Sport Package included a more aggressive exhaust already, and so I'm questioning whether this "flap" exists on my car. Hoping for somebody who knows more about these cars to chime in here.

Thanks in advance,

Keith

I found a small valve or wastegate on the exhaust. Is that what I am looking for? What exactly do I need to look for in the booth? And is it behind the left taillight panel inside the trunk?

Originally Posted by Campfamily

Anybody got any pictures of where this solenoid is? I'd hate to go tearing into my trunk trying to find it, and be in the wrong place. Also, I have heard there is a mechanical linkage on the exhaust itself, and I haven't been able to locate that on my car. Has anybody with a 2008 or newer 550 with the Sport package done this mod? I believe the Sport Package included a more aggressive exhaust already, and so I'm questioning whether this "flap" exists on my car. Hoping for somebody who knows more about these cars to chime in here.

Thanks in advance,

Keith

Im still waiting for this answer too

valve inside the trunk on driver side. take two plastic pin, that is hold the left truck trim piece and remove it. So it's right below the rear light assembly. it's small thing about 1.5" x1.5".

Originally Posted by Kalil147

Would this work on a 545i?

Yes - I have a '04 545i.

OK, how do you remove the rubber vacuum lines, there are no clamps but they are locked on very tightly. I didn't want to break the plastic connections - any advice?

Originally Posted by Kalil147

Would this work on a 545i?

Yes - mine is a '04 545i.

Originally Posted by MSAMMY

OK, how do you remove the rubber vacuum lines, there are no clamps but they are locked on very tightly. I didn't want to break the plastic connections - any advice?

My lines were pretty tight. Its just the rubber lines installed on a ribbed plastic nipple. Just caress it.

Ah, got it, didn't have pliers with me when I checked. So aquarium line connector to join the two lines does the trick?

No need for another connector. Behind the left brake light, under the easily unscrewed trunk liner, is a little black valve hanging from a clip. Pull it up to discconect it from the car. Disconnect the vacuum lines from both sides of the valve. A small pair of wire cutters will let you wedge them loose, making pulling them off easy. Disconnect the 6" extension of vacuum line from the vacuum line coming from the engine. You'll know it's coming from the engine because if you put your finger on it, you'll feel and hear the suck. Attach the line from the exhaust to the line from the engine on the now exposed nipple on the end of the engine vacuum line. You can make sure it works by turning the engine on. When you connect and disconnect, you'll hear the valve open and close. The difference in tone at idle is apparent, but nothing like getting a new exhaust.

Hey I tried it. Great explanation! I disconnected both tubes and joined them together. But nothing happened. No changes! Does that mean I have a vacuum leak? I found the little waste gate right above the exhaust which opens and closes the exhaust. When I played around with it to manually open the exhaust and it worked. Now the question is, if I have a leak, where can it come from? And would there be a problem if I find a way to bolt the waste gate open permanently?

Originally Posted by Kalil147

Hey I tried it. Great explanation! I disconnected both tubes and joined them together. But nothing happened. No changes! Does that mean I have a vacuum leak? I found the little waste gate right above the exhaust which opens and closes the exhaust. When I played around with it to manually open the exhaust and it worked. Now the question is, if I have a leak, where can it come from? And would there be a problem if I find a way to bolt the waste gate open permanently?

Stupid question, but is the car running when you go to look at the valve?

well yea of course! No pressure what so ever. I checked both hoses WITH THE CAR ON. However, I found another solution to permanently keep the exhaust valve open without messing with the hoses. I placed two zip ties to hold the valve open from the top of the exhaust. I know its a "ghetto" solution. But it works very well

Originally Posted by Kalil147

well yea of course! No pressure what so ever. I checked both hoses WITH THE CAR ON. However, I found another solution to permanently keep the exhaust valve open without messing with the hoses. I placed two zip ties to hold the valve open from the top of the exhaust. I know its a "ghetto" solution. But it works very well

Can you take a picture of this solution?

Keith

Yea sure. I am not familiar on how to post pics on here. But send me your email and I will send them tomorrow afternoon. kevin.kalil47@yahoo.com

Originally Posted by Kalil147

Yea sure. I am not familiar on how to post pics on here. But send me your email and I will send them tomorrow afternoon. kevin.kalil47@yahoo.com

Sent you a PM.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Kalil147

Hey I tried it. Great explanation! I disconnected both tubes and joined them together. But nothing happened. No changes! Does that mean I have a vacuum leak? I found the little waste gate right above the exhaust which opens and closes the exhaust. When I played around with it to manually open the exhaust and it worked. Now the question is, if I have a leak, where can it come from? And would there be a problem if I find a way to bolt the waste gate open permanently?

Sounds like you do have a leak. The line was a regular hoover for me. Did you never get the deep growl of the engine at high, hard revs? You might have been limping on one pipe for a while.

I'm not so sure about those ties. How hot does it get where they are?

The rumble is fun. I'm not sure my wife would prefer it, though. I also periodically get some kind of rough resonance periodically while barely holding down the accelerator in 1st gear at around 1100rpm. That rough spot seems to be gone.

Originally Posted by Campfamily

Sent you a PM.

Thanks!

Cna you post those pictures here or send me a PM.

I am loving this simple mod! Car sound as it should have from the start, pardon the pun!

You are right! Thanks for the idea. I had been looking for an exhaust or eliminating the small muffler. But I was afraid my 545i would be too laud. With this mod it sounds almost exactly how I want it. I couldn't do the mod you did by making a union of both tubes that are attached to the valve in the trunk. Seems like I have a vacuum leak. Temporarily, I strap two big zip ties to the waste gate above the exhaust and it has been working fabulously. The best part is that the waste gate does not heat up enough to melt it. It is a temporary mod until I find my vacuum leak, which I think I know where it is, and hoping that by replacing a thin cracked vacuum hose in the engine will solve my issue.

So basically the exhaust flap NEEDS vacuum for it to be open(louder)?

I remember doing this to my old 335i which has the dual exhaust. But one exhaust had the flap that if I disconnect it (no vacuum) it will open to be louder.

Yep, on the E60, it needs vacuum to keep the exhaust flap open. In the case of the 550i, that flap when open full-time results into a nice GROWL on startup and a very sexy Burrrble on idle. Other than that, acceleration or cruise speed sounds the same in the cockpit.

Originally Posted by Gerry550

I am loving this simple mod! Car sound as it should have from the start, pardon the pun!

I remember your Exhaust purchase, and the disappointment that followed. Good to hear that you found a cheaper, practical and working solution.

So I spent some quality time last night laying on my back under the rear of my car in the garage, and couldn't for the life of me find what you guys are referring to. Using the photos sent to me by Kalil147, as well as some diagrams from realoem.com, I looked all over my rear mufflers, both input and output ends, and didn't find any wastegate or vacuum lines. So, I'm back to one of my original questions. Has anybody with a 2008 or later 550 with the Sport package done this? Reason I ask is that in the 5-series brochure describing the Sport Package for the 550, they use the words "The exhaust has been tuned with a sportier sound, delivered through distinctive 550i exhaust tips." I'm wondering if BMW simply eliminated the valve on the second muffler with the sport package to achieve this.

Over the weekend, I'm going to lift the car up (or park where the rear is farther from the ground), since the car is too low for me to really get underneath it completely (my wife was kind enough to point that out, rather than comment that I was too fat!!!LOL), and update after that, but any comments would be appreciated.

Keith