Last year I ran over a plastic airbox, at highway speed, that was sitting in the middle of the road (I kid you not) and made a split-second decision to take the impact down the center of the vehicle's underside. That was a good call -- would have been really bad if it had gone under a wheel, and it was not safe to swerve left or right more meaningfully. I ended up with next to no damage to the car. Wouldn't know I had any at all if I wasn't always diligently looking around at stuff.

That chunk of junk in the road, though, took out most of the rubber boot at the end of this part: BMW part number 11658605502, "air discharge duct for turbocharger," -- a part that is otherwise 100% metal and was pretty much uninjured.

Here are some pics of the exhaust duct, at an eBay auction. The rubber boot is easily discernible in the photos, which can all be zoomed in on.

This is weighing on me a bit -- the part on my car is fine except for the rubber boot. If I could figure out what kind of rubber it is, specifically, that will withstand the heat -- and source it -- I could replace the lost rubber boot (attaching it to the metal pipe is plenty doable). I don't exactly mind the cost the full part is going for used, I can deal with it if things come to that. But I would just as soon not go through all that disassembly and reassembly needed for the whole part. If I can just get or make the rubber boot, I don't have to start ripping stuff off the engine to effect repairs.

Thing is, the boot isn't sold as a separate part. So far as I can tell I'm going to have to make one if I'm going to go my preferred route.

Any input as to the specific rubber type (obviously, it survives metal exhaust component heat somehow), and possibilities for sourcing? Don't need a ton of the stuff, even 6 square inches would probably be overkill. Materials choices are not new to me, I was trying to figure out what flavor of Viton ring to stuff inside an R-series HPFP solenoid years ago, but I need a starting point.

I am aware that the replacement of this thing may well be fully optional. But I don't like it when my ride is broken. It's a principle thing.

Thanks!

 

Checked to see if one of the BMW that share similar set ups and i dont see its on its own.

Looking at the part it looks to just be a heat resistance hardened rubber. I don't see any marks on it from the pieces that would tell me rubber type. Should be marked on the rubber. But i don't have a new one here to check. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rchid=20770751

 

Appreciate you taking the time to look. Yeah I don't think the part is sold separately, I'm going to have to makeshift it if I take that approach. I might well have to turn to Google and McMaster-Carr to figure out how to wing it. In principle I don't mind buying the whole duct-thing, but I do NOT want to go through the disassembly/reassembly process!

Also, that is the cleanest starter I have ever seen, is that the model home version?

 

Yep,

Thats a guy that posted up his then new GP3 at the MINI dealer i believe.. yep you can almost eat on it. lol