So finally I removed my noisemaker today but why on earth would MINI have incorporated this into their design in the first place? Do other turbo cars have this? All this thing does is make a horrible F'ing rattle in the cabin that sounds like you have a bag of loose screws in your vent. I just don't get it.....like, at all? Is there anybody that can legitimately explain the reason for designing and using this in production car of any kind?

 

Yeah, I'd like to know the reason too!



Dave

 

Probably trying to fill the cabin with induction noise so you don't hear all of the wonderful rattling

 

That's funny.

 

A marketing panel decided the rattle-trap noise of the valve train did not sound "right". I am sure it cost Mini a million bucks to figure that out, so instead of making an engine that sounded tight, they forced us to pay money to make it louder. I will be removing mine. As this seems to be an example of "fine German engineering" I will also never buy another BMW product.

 

Excuse my ignorance... but what is this "noisemaker" to which you refer??? My MINI makes noise - but most of it seems to be unintentional.


__________________________________________________ _______

 

Same here, what you guys talking about? Is engine sound piped into the passenger compartment, sort of like the Mustang does?

 

This:

http://waymotorworks.com/noise-maker...5-r56-r57.html

 

Seems this topic has been discussed a few times already. The noisemaker directs noise into the passenger compartment. Why do this? It's the result of some marketing poll that said the majority of those surveyed wanted more engine noise. It's marketing and that's all it is. MINI/BMW isn't the first and won't be the last to do the same kind of thing.

Here's something for you though. If it's not leaking, what's the inefficiency of the noisemaker in the system? The volume of the space is very small and once it's filled, it doesn't require any more pressurized air - it transfers sound waves. The air between the IC and the intake doesn't flow through it so it's not restrictive or disturbed. So, other than making noise that may be annoying to some and pleasing to some (or indifferent to some), what's the big deal? If you like it, leave it. If you don't, get rid of it. If you never knew it was there, I guess you are like me and don't care about it as long as it's not causing problems... Kinda like an appendix isn't it?

 

I am not claiming that the noisemaker is inefficient in as much as I am saying that it totally pointless. It transfers sound waves but the sound waves it transfers sounds like a loose vent or a bag of loose screws. It is a FAR, FAR cry from quality engine noise....AAMOF, it doesn't have any hints of engine noise. This is my beef. The real issue for me was when I actually removed it and saw the whole unit....I mean, that thing COST some money to design and put into production and for what? They could have left the pipe nice and smooth yet they design this boss with a few hoses and provisions cast into the intake manifold for a bushing etc. I mean...did anybody even test the acoustics of this thing? I don't know of anybody who likes the sound it makes do you? I have never seen anything like this before.

 

Judging from the number of posts on the subject of aftermarket exhausts and the sound they produce, my guess is that a significant number of MINI owners want more noise and MINI is aware of this. And the noisemaker offers more!

(I understand that aftermarket exhausts may offer increased power at higher RPM)

 

I don't agree with this at all. There are many other cars out there that have sportier exhaust notes stock. The noisemaker does not make any "good" noise, it just adds a little induction noise into the cabin. I took mine off and barely noticed a difference. It was a pointless piece, and seems to be unique to the BMW scene. The amount of engineering that went into the piece was probably far more than needed, considering the modification made to the manifold, drafting design, etc, compared to what the final product does. And what it does is add a little turbulence to the cabin and let about half a pound of boost escape from the system.

Overall, the noisemaker is

 

Perhaps some people seem to equate induction noise with power and acceleration. All in the perception.

 

I guess I'm lucky, mine doesn't make that "loose change" kind of noise, that would drive me batty. I'll get around to replacing the "cold side" piping and when I do, I'll delete the noisemaker as it's just taking up space. I'll be interested in hearing what it sounds like without it.

 

Agree it's perception and maybe it's just me but all that the noisemaker did for me was actually make a terrible noise. There was no hint of induction sound/noise (volumetric sucking sound) coming from this thing...it was a deathly sound. I have driven quite a few high performance motors and cars and good induction noise is nice but this thing sounds like a loose screw inside the dash. I don't know...I am just not getting it at all. It appears to me to be nothing but a complete waste and something that a poseur would put on (kinda like a fart can...makes the car sound like it's doing 80mph when it's going 10mph).

 

Wouldn't it have been nice if they gave us a fakkin' boost gauge instead? It's just ridiculous that they put this pointless piece of crap on our cars.

 

I know Ford does it on the Mustang but they pipe in some deep V-8 sounds...

 

You mean something that would be useful and could actually tell us something? Yes...that would have been nice! One thing I wish they did was upgrade the instrumentation to include a boost gauge.

 

FYI, Mazda also has piped in music on their Miata.

 

I have no idea what your talking about with your description of "screws loose in the dash"....out of every MCS I've driven I have never heard that noise....

You sure you don't have some other issues going on?

 

I understand the VW GTI also pipes in some noise to the cabin as well. I have no idea how the sound compares to the MINI.

BTW, I have also never noticed the "screws" sound in my MINI either. My ears must be hearing something else...

 

Has anyone tried this kit that WMW sells? If so, tell us about it.

 

Yep...sounded like there was a bag of loose screws being jostled inside the dash and the noise was coming from the vent closest to the speedometer. Since installing I haven't heard the noise but I hope that it's not coincidence!?

 

Maybe when you unscrewed the noisemaker, the bag of loose screws fell off of the other side of the firewall!

Dave

 

It's the kit I did on mine, and I'm very pleased. Installation was a walk in the park, and I'm personally thankful I took all that crap out. Some claim they don't hear much difference, but I certainly do! Nothing at idle really, but as RPMs climb towards the 5k mark, I don't have that annoying "howling" effect anymore.

Some think that noise is cool, I like my cars peppy and quick without annoying noise in the cabin. A good throaty exhaust tone though, now that's different...and I'm not talking ricer fart cans, you can get anymore crappier than that.