MCS 'sound Generator' -how daft is that.

[roland2003]

Hi guys, at the back of the engine coming off the main boost hose (R56 turbo MCS) , BMW have installed a 'Sound Generator' . Its a round cannister about 4" diameter with a rigid plastic diaphragm inside it that 'wafts' racey sounds to the area at the base of the windscreen, Its not a valve of any type.
So basically upstream of this you have a silencer for the boosted air to 'shut the thing up' a bit , then further downstream they fit this 'Sound Generator' to re-create the racey sounds!
Why not just leave them both off ,save £50 and about 2Lbs in weight in the process.
Things that make nice sounds as a bi-product of their main function is fine ,but designing things that have no purpose except to make sound...that is truely naff/mad.
Best Regards Roland GTT.
Soon as Ive made a bung that things coming off, oh and a short length of pipe to replace the silencer.
Best Regards Roland GTT
I think I'll take the sound generator home for Wilson to play/chew/ howl down one end of .
(Wilson is my Doberman puppy/youth)

[Root Ginger]

How stupid is that. I'm sure there must be a reason for using it though. Can't see BMW using extra parts that aren't needed in this cost cutting age. Maybe some sort of noise regulation thing.

[roland2003]

No, this realy is a 'Sound Generator' (its called this on the BMW parts CD), its sole purpose is to make racey sounds and waft them out the engine bay. I'd prefer they wafted a few £10 notes back at me for opting to not have it!
Best Regards roland GTT

[Tonyt3]

Probably to satsify drive by regulations they have to 'silence' the engine from the outside, but then to satisfy the driver they have to engineer more sound into the cockpit......

Much more expensive cars than Minis have their sound engineered to appear more 'sporty'....

[Paul]

I think Tony is spot on in a possible reason for this. Drive by and interior noise regulations maybe conflict, and this is a solution to that issue.

I know they had on early prototypes (first gen), an application to bring sound into the cabin from the engine bay at the touch of a button, to make it sound more "sporty" when you wanted it, more civil for regular driving.

[roland2003]

...OK thats decided then...... Wilson.!!!!...heres your new toy!
They could just leave off some sound insulation material off the bulkhead if they wanted more noise to the cabin only.
Best Regards Roland GTT

[Vitesse]

Are these new noise regulations then, that each new model of car has to pass before it can be released into the marketplace? i.e. EU or US regulations?

You can once you bought it, put the biggest pipe you can find on it can't you? Judging by the size of some of the ones I have seen on Corsa etc......

Does the MOT have any limits to noise?

[Tonyt3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vitesse (original)

Are these new noise regulations then, that each new model of car has to pass before it can be released into the marketplace? i.e. EU or US regulations?

You can once you bought it, put the biggest pipe you can find on it can't you? Judging by the size of some of the ones I have seen on Corsa etc......

Does the MOT have any limits to noise?

World wide regulation compliance I would guess.....

And no, there doesnt seem to be a noise reg for the MOT, although there bloody well should be......

(says me that had a playmini box on my first Works.... real noise affair... ) Guess I'm just gettin old....

[Parc77]

Maybe it was to make up for the lack of the whine/supercharger

[zyo]

I think that they need a bigger sound generator cos when I tested the MCS I was a little dissapointed with the sound. The salesman had left the rear seats down to try and get a hint of the sporty exhaust tone in the cabin but that wasn't really working, and I tried it with the windows down but still I couldn't here very much, admittedly when you floor it you can hear it. Before anyone says it I don't want a really noisy car just one that sounds nice and sporty inside like it does on the outside.

[Goonery]

The R52 with JCW Airbox had a tube device which opened up to introduce "Aural Sex" to the cabin so I dont know what all the fuss is about

[roland2003]

I think a GTT De-cat 'sound generator ' pipe is urgently needed to give a decent power hike & a bit more zorst note. You never know it may even be UK road legal (mot pass) . I'm certainly going to try it.
Best Regards Roland GTT

[jamesbeaumont]

Perhaps this isnt linked in anyway but my R56 MC (non-s) has a whine between 2000 and 4000 rpm, it sounds kinda like a supercharger, I cant work out what it is? Maybe air flow in the engine?

[Root Ginger]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tonyt3 (original)

World wide regulation compliance I would guess.....

And no, there doesnt seem to be a noise reg for the MOT, although there bloody well should be......

(says me that had a playmini box on my first Works.... real noise affair... ) Guess I'm just gettin old....

There is a noise limit but not in figures. It's down to the MOT tester. This is the exact wording from VOSA:

Assess subjectively the effectiveness of the silencer in reducing exhaust noise to a level considered to be average for the vehicle

A silencer in such a condition, or of such a type, that the noise emitted from the vehicle is clearly unreasonably above the level expected from a similar vehicle with a silencer in average condition

[popey]

Quote: Originally Posted by roland2003 (original)

I think a GTT De-cat 'sound generator ' pipe is urgently needed to give a decent power hike & a bit more zorst note. You never know it may even be UK road legal (mot pass) . I'm certainly going to try it.
Best Regards Roland GTT

Sounds good to me, but is there a chance it wouldnt pass when the car aint so new?

P.S how does it sound without the sound generator on?