Considering taking the pre-cat out of the OEM Headers. Anyone have any feedback on modifying oem headers, I remember a post where someone cut out the metal mesh out of stock headers? Any reference to "poor man's headers"??

 

yeah....get a 2-400 cel high flow Magnaflow cat for $50 and save yourself the headache.

 

Or just take out the cat and pre-cat and really get the folks here going .

Buy an OBX header for 200 and be done!

 

Well spoken man!

 

What are your other mods? Do you have an MC or MCS?

It's likely that doing what you say would be a "fun" project but I doubt that once you've completed it, that it would dyno with any improvement.

While the stock header does look restrictive, it's functional for the most part and other parts of the MINI engine design are the bottleneck rather than the header itself.

Unless you are trying to make your MINI louder or you plan on many extensive upgrades to the cylinder head then you might want to look at other places to upgrade first.

 

was down in Florida or something. Wally69? I don't remember his name. Initial reports were good, but then he started chasing down something that was throwing codes. No clue how it resolved. Don't know if the codes were exhaust related. But he did it to keep the stock look, while improving flow.

Matt

 

I have the pre-cat removed on my stock header, I must say that I did feel a difference after. Definitely smoother with a little more pep. Another thing, the insides of my tailpipes are clean now, not black, and I didn't clean them.
I've had no codes or lights at all.

 

Old school thinking (no black tailpipes) would say that your car may be running leaner now, as opposed to pig rich.

 

Right, it's definitley not rich, I think it's running normal now. We'll see when I get to LDG.

 

I have been wanting to update profile for the last 6 months

Oh BTW 03 MCS the rest below

 

Sorry, I meant the "Pre-Cat", the honeycomb looking material?

Any suggestions for headers other than OBX or Meghan? Something that does not involve cutting cats??

 

I agree

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=59341

Matt

 

Grafting the cat is really no big deal.

 

More expensive, comes with cat, Cheap OBX doesn't. Take it to a muffler shop. A Sawzall, lift and welder (with a little time thrown in) and presto! The cat is welded onto the new header!

Modifying the stocker is the cheapest.
OBX welding some cat on is the next.
Then you get used headers in the MArketplace next
New other brands.

What do you want to pay? How much "customization" will you tolerate for a lower price?

Matt

 

I would never weld a CAT onto the OBX header.

 

Here is the proper setup.... you use a V-band clamp like this on the RMW header