Im here at the shop till about 5 or so. Call and leave yoru number if i dont pick up and ill call you back up.

407-601-4950

 

It's a very straight forward R&R, but it's something that's WAY easier to do on a lift. The oem downpipe takes a lot of wiggling to slide out the bottom of the car. you're going to want an o2 sensor wrench, a very long (ratcheting) 10mm wrench and your basic hand tools.
If you get someone else to do it for you, make sure they're a "competent" mechanic so you don't end up like this guy.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...k-install.html

 

LOL, thats messed up man.

YOu can use a 7/8" wrench to get at the o2 sensor if you dont have the EL SPECIAL socket.

 

Or you can just have your car overheat, and warp the head. Then, when the car is torn apart the install is SIMPLE!! HAHAHA

 

I put mine on today. I didn't have any blinking lights afterwards

I did have some head-space-timing issues with the install (operator error). I gave up on installing the lower heat shield due to the difficulty of reinstalling it. If I put the heat shield in first, I couldn't get the DP to fit and vice-versa.
The flange on the milltek cat-back made it difficult to hook-up to the DP. With some help, I was able to get them matched. I think the OEM style exhaust will fit easier, but I am not sure.

Now for the important stuff - there is definitely a difference in HP. I took off without the "sport" button on and I thought.....hmmmm not too bad. Then I realized that I wasn't in sport mode, so I hit the button and WOW. You can definitely tell a difference in HP. It pulls like a little beast and it doesn't stop.

That was my first drive. I will update with more impressions as it get it out again.

 

Thanks for the feedback seth! Now you can adjust your sig.

The OEM c/b has a longer flex than the miltek system so it has a lot more give which makes it easier to get on. My guess is that hte invidia might need a little more muscle to get it on. IM going to see if i can modify the DP a little more to make it easier to get on.

Honestly, i would think your economy should go up on long highway runs. Keep me posted on that, never asked for that type of feedback on it.

 

Ha! How many people do you think are going to get the head-space and timing reference? That's the last thing I expected to hear on a Mini board.

 

Sorry Hector, I didn't see your post until just now about calling. Anyway, my main concern is about the end of the DP that connects to the cat back. The end going to the turbo is straightforward enough, what with the big holes for the bolts. However, the other end just stops. It gets wider and just ends. How does this connect?

Keep in mind I have never installed any exhaust components, and have not been under the car to check how it would connect (although I'm going to do that now). Thank you tons for any feedback. With that little piece of info, I'm sure it will be a pretty simple install.

EDIT: Nvm, I went out and looked and saw the clamp. For future readers who may not know, there is a clamp, similar to the ones on your intakes and other tubes, connecting the dp to the cat-back. I know this is obvious to most of you guys, but not to those who have barely been under their car. This is the first car I have modded.

 

The catback portion has a ball portion which would be the female part. It has alip on it too. There is a clamp that goes over the two to connect them. Teh clamp is tricky to play with because you cant split it to good, you ahve to move the ends left and right to get it off the stock setup.
Fully remove the bolt for the clamp, makes it easier.

Reusse the metal gasket thats concaved.

 

That's all it is. I never installed an exhaust prior either and the cat-back portion is the easiest. I used to screwdrivers to pry the clamp apart and I just slide the clamp on the cat-back. You will have to transfer the brass gasket to the new DP. Good luck!! It took me a LOOOOONG time to get the new DP on. The heat shield is a beatch!

Let me know how well the DP mates up to the exhaust.

 

make sure you get all the heat shields back on, they're there for a reason. If anything I'd like to see a ceramic coated option, anything to help keep the heat contained within the exhaust system and out of the engine compartment.

 

The lower heat shield isn't on and I am not sure if it is even possible to put on. I tried several times and I was not able to get it to work.

 

Did you get your heatshield back on? and did you do yours on a lift or jack stands??

 

I used a lift and no the lower heat shield is not on.

 

THe pipe is ceramic coated. You will have to cut up the lower heat shield up to get it on. The DP does not follow the same lines as the OEM one. The oem pipe has a stamped pipe on the top which makes it sit really close towards the turbo.

If you want to keep the temps even cooler you can put header wrap http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS/1202563/10002/-1

 

Hector - Will this make a big difference? I thought the Turbo itself is where most of the heat comes from? If it does make a difference, what exactly is the OD of the pipe and approx. how long is it so I can order one.

Also - have you heard of the brand thermo-tec? They claim to have the best heat reduction material? Thanks

 

The turbo is where most of the heat is at. The cat is the second. Its not as hot as the stock one because it flows so much better. The pipe is 2.5" With about 2-3feet of wrap you should be more than good. The rolls come with more than that. Use the rest to wrap the turbine of the turbo if you can get it around it. Thermo-tec is great stuff.

 

To give you a rough idea, most cats fire off (start working) around 600 degrees F and have an operating temp around 1200-1600 F. Essentially it's the temp of the exhaust gasses passing through + 100-500 degrees depending on how much extra fuel & oxygen leave the engine. Obviously all that heat isn't being pumped into the engine compartment, but a lot of radiant heat is, 'thus the heat shields. The hottest parts of you exhaust system, the turbo & the cat, are sandwiched between the block & the radiator (and the intercooler & a/c condensor). Hector's right about using the wrap, it does make a huge difference, just make sure the stuff you get is rated for 2000 degrees continuous heat & not the cheaper fiberglass stuff that's only good to about 1250.

 

D-unit, let me know if you'd like help installing that downpipe. I'm interested in purchasing one prolly by the fall and would like to check it out. (I also am very mechanically inclined and can bring tools).

 

Well, I was planning on doing it today, but after reading about this wrap stuff, I'm not so sure. Although, The OEM pipe didn't have any wrap. And this one flows better and is ceramic coated, so, is wrap really necessary?

 

got off-topic w/ the wrap because 1 person didn't put the lower heat shield back on. If you're using the heat shields, it should be as good or better than stock (just that stock underhood temps still want to melt the hood scoop).

 

The wrap seems very fairly inexpensive and easy to instal when the pipes off. Seems worth it to me.

 

Do you also wrap the cat?

 

pics pics pics and let us know about in cab noise

 

Not much to show with pics. The lower heat shield WILL NOT work with this DP, so the wrap is your only option. I drove mine around hard and it didn't seem any hotter than before. This of course is non-scientific just like my noticed HP gains.

The only thing that has gotten louder is the exhaust note. I am running a Milltek cat-back and it has a much deeper and meaner tone to it. It still sounds good cruising down the highway, but when I go WOT - WATCH OUT! It sounds good to me.

Like I said earlier, the car pulls very hard. The best part is that it continues to pull all the way to redline. There doesn't feel to be any drop off as the RPMs climb.

I could do this install much faster now, but it was a ***** the first time.