Just picked up a used JCW exhaust to replace my one-balled stock exhaust. I may be going over to use someones lift so I need to make sure I take the right tools (he doesn't have metric tools or I'd borrow his).

Is there any trick to swapping out the exhaust? What tools do I need? I've looked for a how-to but all I could find was a removal and replacement with non-MINI parts that required some modding to the support brackets. I assume none of that is required with a JCW exhaust?

Any advice would be welcome...

 

Question. I was looking at RealOEM and noticed that there is a gasket where the exhaust bolts onto the downpipe/cat. I have 30K miles. Does it make sense to replace the gasket when I swap the hardware? They cost $15 at the dealer. I figure it can't hurt but was just curious what folks thought...

 

here's a link to the how-to https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ll-how-to.html

FWIW, I bought a new gasket because I always figure if you're going to do that much work, you might as well replace the small parts

 

Thanks for the link but I already found that one (in fact, that's the one I was referring to in my original post that removes the stock exhaust but replaced it with a non-MINI exhaust). I have to assume that the bracket removal it discussed is not required (hence my question to be sure).

 

The JCW exhaust is/should be designed for the Mini, by Mini Engineers (little tiny ones) so I would assume no bracket mods are required.

I actually used a British Scorpion exhaust, and also no bracket mod was required.

 

It is a straight swap for the oem exhaust. Should take you less than an hour laying on your back in the driveway. FWIW I would buy a new gasket. If you don't you'll need it.

 

Check that you still have all of the rubber hangers you may need.

Make sure you still have the OE resonator side body brackets as well.

Sometimes, the nuts that attach the cat-back section to the header pipe can be corroded and hard to get off, but with that many mile and the LV location, you should be good there.

Consider a resonator eliminator pipe. Really makes the JCW exhaust come alive (sound-wise), IMHO.