Four years ago I viewed a HyTech header that set the standard for any header comparison in my mind. HyTech was too busy to develop a MINI specific model so I gave up on them. A few years later Bob (SpiderX) shows a photo of a custom built header that has the features I’ve been looking for. I kept that picture in the back of my head until I was ready, and as fate would have it, custom fabricator Juston Poole (404-625-1882) was also ready, with tested prototypes and units in use, plus a willingness to begin production.

I muck with the established working design and Juston is accommodating; my ideas cause at least one installation issue and my propensity for jinxing products causes more install hic-ups, but the important part is what works, and this header works. Notice the unique sequential cylinder pairing taking advantage of the MINI’s unique firing order.


D-shaped flange ports with correctly centered primaries, unlike some other headers I've seen.


The workmanship is outstanding. Although merge angles are not critical for the MCS, added effort has been applied to the merging collectors on this build.


An extra bung for wide band use is a part of this package. I’ll let Juston speak for the importance of throat diameters; a venturi can also be seen here.


A high flow cat and V-band flange.


The lengthened primary and secondary tubes require moving the pre-cat O2 sensor down about six inches. Cutting the upper engine harness wire sheath frees up an extra 7.5 inches of sensor wire length.




The header heat shield needed massaging and trimming to fit the header’s power hump shape. Heavy handed work with a hammer caused small cracks to grow into larger ones. Holes drilled at the end of the cracks stops them from going further, straps help support the shield preventing further stress, and assist maintaining space above the primary tubes.



My request for an accordion style flex section increased overall length from the original design.


Had I been aware of the ramifications, I would have done a few things differently like having V-band flanges on the end of the cat and on a transition section, but one must move on to things one has control over. To fit the OEM cat back, a section of the exhaust’s pipe is cut out and a coupler used.


On the road the effect on performance was/is noticeable. From 3,600 rpm torque was pronounced and the motor really came on the pipe above 4,000 rpm all the way to the top. However, anything below 2,000 was flat dead, fortunately that only effected school zones and stop light-to-stop light situations. The power delivery reminded me of a motorcycle motor I had built by a drag racing shop; apply throttle, pause, then, bam. As a side benefit, the exhaust’s sound was wonderfully rich and round like a larger displacement motor; I loved the idle note (and still do).

After living with the header for a while, I realized a resonator was needed. It wasn’t full throttle under load that was bothersome; it was a 2,300 rpm angry buzz. Also, a secondary resonance hovered around the 2,800 rpm area; the hopeful solution, Flowmaster Hushpower II.


After installing, the entire power and driving experience changed. I am so pleased with what that short resonator provided. Power delivery returned to a linear state and the motor gained low-end torque. Part of the power return may be from improving transitional diameters, but I also believe there is some real magic in that Flowmaster piece. The offending resonance wasn’t eliminated, but it sounds off in the distance now rather than engulfing the cabin and the noise duration is clipped short.


I’ve been counseled in the past about the importance of a properly designed header in extracting the most out of a modified head (Endyn’s in my case), and I minimized its role, because after all the OEM part performs adequately. I am now a believer.

 

Fantastic write-up & great attention to detail. Thank you very much for taking the time to post photo's, explain timeline, reasoning, etc. I'm looking forward to your performance analysis.

 

Dyno before and after?

Total Cost?

Too bad the header isn't stock length, now you'd have to modify essentially the entire exhaust system (and add resonator).

Looks like you have a stock exhaust?

 

Great write-up, thanks for taking the time to do it.

Please keep us informed of dyno figures if you go that route.

 

Very nice

What is he charging?

 

Thank you for the kind compliments, Fracky, MiniMM, & Johan.

Sorry to disappoint but there will be no dyno until later. There are before and after dyno plots from another functioning unit but they are not mine to share.

minihune, yes, I’m using the wonderfully sounding OEM exhaust. One of the beauties of this header is prototype testing using the stock exhaust.

Juston has header versions that are direct bolt up to standard cat backs. He is a custom fabricator so he can build to suit, that is why I won’t mention pricing, but the ball park for a complete package is little different than other premium offerings with their add-ons included.

 

Based on our talks earlier in the week, I think he's adding the resonator to mine next Saturday. He mentioned the torque pick-up as an aside at the end of our conversation...

My car is already strong (and loud), so I just wanted to reduce the noise a bit.

But hey, I'll always take a little more punch.

 

Mine came with the resonator, Very nicely done, too. I hope on a complete install tomorrow. Will report how it went. The cost varies as each header is custom made but I thought the cost to be both competitive and very reasonable.

 

Looks great. How much louder is the setup with the hushpower muffler/resonator compared to your stock setup. I was thinking about an obx with the stock cat but this setup with the resonator may not be too loud.

BTW, does anyone have this header with the M7 USS, and are there any problems?

 

With Juston’s header, Magnaflow cat, and Hushpower II resonator, nothing drops below the under-chassis floor plane.


Sound is too subjective to make an accurate comparison to stock or prediction of how the resonator would sound with your combo choice. My version of Juston’s header is made of 16 gauge mild steel and just like a pipe organ, pipe diameter, length, and materials, will determine tone and volume. I will say there is automotive aural beauty emanating from both ends of my MINI.

 

beautiful looking header there. Could some one more informed them me plz chime in about stainless vs. mild steel in this application.

 

There are tradeoffs with each of those materials. For this build, material cost was the driving factor. Economy of scale [group buy, production consolidation (it's no longer custom)] could limit the price difference between SS and mild steel. Tooling and ease of construction also play a role in custom manufacturing. I can tell you mild steel has a more pleasant sound quality to my ear than SS. Each material has its strengths in regards to durability, and when mild steel is ceramic coated on both interior and exterior surfaces, longevity is about equal. Mild steel’s expansion properties are different than SS and arguments can be made both pro and con as to its benefit. Juston takes great care in producing the best quality weld with optimum integrity; a poorly executed weld can render material choice irrelevant.

 

That's a nice lookin' header there.
Dear Santa:
Please fix one up for my NA MC, stock length if possible so if fits right up
to my Miltek cat-back, and port and polish my head along with a mild
street cam, plus assurance that the aftermarket cat would clear visual
smog inspection, and throw in a better trans than my Midlands while
you're at it.
I'm sure the elves can pull that off.

 

I am really glad some really nice cars with "particular" owners have latched on to Juston...... more later....

 

One of those would be me. Very happy with the results.
A few pics. Have about 1400 mi on it now and it sounds even better!
http://imageevent.com/tl4x40/moremods11707

 

Count me in, as of today! After much knashing of teeth, consistent with my OCD personality, I removed the old Megan today, having to remove the two Al heat shields near the header to remove it (a pretty tight fit) and approached the installation of the CMC (Juston) header. Well talk about a let down--the thing just slid in--really I couldn't believe how easily it went in. It was harder to reinstall the heat shields, which produced a little surface scuffing of the ceramic in a few places, but not too bad. The header bolted to the gasket and head perfectly, and the barely longer o2 sensor fitted perfectly. I plugged up the wideband bung as I'm not using it at present, then slipped the V-band on, then the cat, then mated it up to the modified resonator-mid pipe. As K-Huevo says, nothing sits below the undercarriage--it's all baby bum smooth under there. The cat comes with a nicely placed bung for the other o2 sensor, all bolts and washers and gaskets supplied by Juston.
Hopefully will light it up tomorrow, as I still have to reinstall the 2X airbox.
So all in all, one of the simpler installs, and this was with the car up on jack stands only.

Great, thanks Juston.

 

I've had mine for about 7 months or so. Got it with the ceramic coating, and removable cat to insert straight pipe for track days.

Really great product, unlike a well-known header I had purchased earlier.

 

Well, we all better stop talking about this CMC header, or else it might become a well-known header and that's the kiss of death...

 

I have never heard of this header or of Juston before. Looks like the quality is top notch. I still really want the RMW works package though.

 

Juston's work is second to none. I've been very happy with mine since it was installed with my M62. I just swapped out my JCW exhaust for a Magnaflow. I'm probably going to swap in a Hushpower res at some point too. I think the header with v-bands and Hushpower is the way to go. Nice writeup.

 

When I was evaling headers a while back... Juston, whose shop is 8 mi from my home, contacted me on NAM (badhogan) and talked to me about building a header..... I visited his shop, we talked, he showed me some of his work for BMWs, Hondas, etc..... He started the project which is somewhat chronicled in NAM..... I think "hornguys" was next and then i started to get PMs .... concurrently Juston met up with Dave at DDM and "Way" of Way motorworks..... obviously all impressed.... started projects with Juston...... what you need to understand about Juston's headers is that he builds everyone by hand in his shop with NO help.... it is all him.... you get a handcrated product with the care and pride of a master craftsman. This is truly conception to completion in the mind and hands of one man.... very rare.

 

FWIW - Juston is a stand-up guy who makes sure his product works as advertised. And that the owner is more than satisfied.

Plus, the fact that he's an accomplished SCCA racer is great, because he can look at your needs from several - equally valid - angles.

 

Um, isn't the Tritec firing order 1-3-4-2 just like every other Chrysler? Like a Chrysler, the Mitsubishi-type coil packs are wired to fire 1 and 4 together, then 2 and 3.

If that is the case, this "reverse" Tri-Y setup pairs the 1-3 and 4-2 exhaust pulses just 90 degrees apart (should sound like a Ducati).

 

Yes, Bentley page 120-8 says firing order is 1-3-4-2.

 

Well, THAT would be fun.