Once more, with feeling... the post on our Supersprint exhaust install experience:

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Car: 2002 MINI Cooper S (“MCS”)
Owners: Tom & Shannon Wiggins
tom@wigginsassociates.com & anim8@earthlink.net
Location: Pasadena, California
Car info: http://home.earthlink.net/~bmwmini
Exhaust: http://www.supersprintna.com/exhaust...ini_intro.html


"We pretty much decided on a Supersprint exhaust back in April 2001, when we ordered our MCS. We have had great experiences with Supersprint-- on a previous Neuspeed-equipped Jetta and on our current BMW Z3 (4 years with the Supersprint and we still love it). Additionally, we have had a number of other exhausts on other cars (Ansa, B&B, Comptech, Stromung, and custom exhausts) and know what we DON’T like… namely, systems that are embarrassingly loud or whisper quiet and/or have poor build quality (even under warranty, it’s no fun shipping exhaust systems back to the manufacturer). This is why we selected Supersprint on prior cars and again on our MCS.

1)Sound- it's sweet <Supersprint’s MCS ‘Sport’ mufflers require the addition of a resonator…>
2)Loudness- not too loud, not too quiet <Supersprint’s ‘Sport’ is way too loud as shipped- okay w/ resonator >
3)Piping- all mandrel-bent, optimized diameter
4)Quality- plate steel flanges, not stamped; seams welded & rolled, not crimped
5)Tuners- more contracts w/ top BMW tuners than all other exhaust manufacturers combined
6)Fit- Metric OE dimensions and true bolt-on <was definitely NOT bolt-on in the case of this MCS system>
7)Experience- since 1955... older than me
Testing- there's a reason top road & rally teams use Supersprint’s dyno facilities
9)Power- independent tests verify HP increases <waiting to see INDEPENDENT dyno tests of this MCS system>
10)Coolness factor- no explanation needed; Supersprint exhausts are works of art

"When we took delivery of our MCS in May 2002, we knew we wanted the Supersprint, but wanted to evaluate other exhaust systems as well (e.g. AC Schnitzer, Dinan, Hamann, Mini Mania, Rogue Engineering, and UUC Motorwerks). Of course the main problems is that none of these tuners had Cooper S systems available until just recently. We reviewed manufacturers’ information, dealers’ information, write-ups on the regular Cooper systems, information on BMW exhausts made by these folks, and of course lots of talks, emails, and Internet message board lurking. Based on this, we felt comfortable sticking with what had always worked in the past—Supersprint.

"Since our car is going to be a magazine feature car, it has quite a few upgrades (actually, the upgrade costs exceed the cost of the car). Although the majority of these expenses have been taken straight out of the Bank of Tom & Shannon, there are a few thousand dollars of upgrades that were contributed by a few sponsors. We were encouraged to take a free Magnaflow exhaust system by someone with contacts there, but obviously declined it (preferring to pay for our Supersprint and go with the “sure thing”). Evidently Magnaflow is claiming 18 horsepower (seems suspect- Borla claims 6 horsepower <and Magnaflow actually makes mufflers for Borla under contract> and other manufacturers’ claims range from 5 to 8 horsepower, except Supertrapp claims 13). Supersprint’s claim of 18 horsepower for a FULL system (including headers) seems more believable. Only a dyno comparison will tell for sure.

"In early October we laid out the $2,000+ for the Supersprint… the time we actually received it was a little over two months later. We purchased it through Jason Reich, President of Monster Mini (909-351-9566; hands down the BEST aftermarket MINI vendor we’ve worked with). Ara Manoukian, owner of EURasian Autosport installed the exhaust on Dec. 16-17 (626-793-5512; hands down the BEST aftermarket MINI mechanic we’ve worked with)… and did the follow up modification on Dec. 19th. The install was complicated! Since this time, Monster Mini has put a Magnaflow on their MCS and it took a total of 45 minutes, seems to provide a usable increase in power, and has a reasonable sound level (all what I’ve “heard”, not actually experienced). I look forward to comparing the two side-by-side someday.

"We are not mechanically inclined people and we do no work of our own… so I’m just repeating what Ara said. The headers require dropping the sub frame of the car and it is a major job (read: hours of labor expen$e). The factory head shield above the OE exhaust manifold does NOT fit over the headers and Ara modified it to fit (did I mention that Ara also builds Subaru WRX rally cars and race-preps BMWs?). Also the pipes that Supersprint sent and the OE pipes on the car… well, they require cutting and welding to get everything together under the car—not a problem for Ara, but not something to trust to the local Midas Muffler shop. Lastly, the turned-up twin DTM tips look terrific… but they weren’t just touching the bumper opening, they were pressed hard against it (hot metal tips and cool plastic bumpers don’t go well together). Again, Ara was able to modify things to get the DTM tips to clear the opening. And about the sound…

"When our MCS first came back after the Supersprint install the exhaust sounded great… for the track. Since this is a street car and we don’t want to announce our arrival blocks ahead of time, something was wrong. Supersprint neglected to tell their dealer (Monster Mini) that our system is a ‘Sport’ system (something that is NOT listed anywhere on Supersprint’s web site); it’s loud. Back to Ara and a 15” section of the center pipe was cut and a 15” resonator was welded in and now the sound is acceptable—docile at lower RPMs and aggressive as you put your foot into it (still a bit too loud). For any sane person, wait until Feb. for Supersprint’s ‘Street’ system!"

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Sorry the above is long and un-edited, I just tried to get all the info in. To say that we were pissed (as the installer put it, "It sounds like a motorcycle running through the gears&quot and the sound level runs from quiet to quite tolerable. Still eager to see independent dyno testing results, however…

tom@wigginsassociates.com

 

i am installing a milltek now and would like to know if need the exhaust paste on all the joints.

 

Me too...

 

Use it for the header-> cat-back part, around the slip-joint(with the clamp), and also around the straight pipe-> y-split section. Basically use it to seal any crack... Let it dry and listen to see if you can here a leak(it will sound gassy and raw if leaking... put put put). It wont hurt your car if its leaking, but some people don't like the leaky sound.

-Brian

 

Whats the general consensus on the Alta exhaust system? Are there any un-biased(non-factory) horsepower readings showing decent gains? IM curious cause i would like to upgrade from the stock exhaust sooner or later and im looking at the different systems now. Thanks

 

Not sure about the new 3" system, but I heard the older system was less than satisfactory. Maybe they have fixed the fitment problems though...

Seriously, 3" makes power. No question. Maybe wait a few months to see if Randy can get his system out on the market. I assure you it WILL be top notch in power, quality, and sound.

If you don't want to wait, a Milltek is always a safe bet.

-Brian

 

i see, thanks for the info. i wont be "officially" in the market for a while, but i will definitely be interested in what randy comes out with, thanks brian.

 

very helpful write-up!

 

OK, I noticed that skid plate under your batter box. My car does not have that. Is that a stock thing or aftermarket? I purchased my car used from a mazda dealership that didn't know very much about the car. Thanks.

 

Wow this is a thread from the dead. That skid plate has all the structural integrity of a beer can. Yes they came on all of the MCS', if your MINI doesn't have one I wouldn't worry about it. Strictly car jewelry that serves no purpose.

 

word

 

I'll go out on a limb here. I think that bottom plate on the battery box channels air through the stock exhaust tips. The stock tips have a big opening on the bottom (the part that faces the front of the car). It looks like it could only be to catch air, but that air would need to be directed to them and that looks like what that plate does.

So I wonder why they would do that; 1. maybe to reduce tip temperature so people don't burn their legs, 2. help exhaust flow, 3. insert your guess here.

Actually the way that plate is designed, it would hold heat in to the batter box area since it is not between the box and the pipe (as a true exhaust shield would be.) Since that made no sense to me, I came up with the above theory

Looking on Real OEM I see that part listed as an "Air duct, underbody rear,51717056845, $34.23" so maybe I'm on to something.

So if my guess is true, this is not needed for a non-stock exhaust.

 

Automotive jewelry. Hans the designer had to make some more jewelry to go with the jewel like stock tips.

 

Hey did anyone happen to save a local copy of the OP's original how-to in this thread with images? The photo links are all broken, and they would be super useful.

I'm trying to determine whether or not swapping out the OEM exhaust from my 03MCS for a new Magnaflow is going to be doable for a DIY'er, or if I need to take it in to muffler shop, or a specialized Mini shop...

 

I have not installed a Magnaflow, but I was told you would have to unbolt some of the rear hangers since the back section is all in one piece. If your car has a bunch of rust on those bolts, they could break and I have no idea how you would replace them. If your car doesn't have rusty bolts, your all set to go.

Also if have rust on the bolts that bolt the exhaust to the cat, those can be a bear to get/saw/break off.

 

I got bored, so i did some ninja image cache googling:
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&s...=&oq=&gs_rfai=
there's all the pics, most of his how to pic
too bad it can't be blown up to real size







Here is an overview of the requirements for changing the S exhaust system.


Tools Required
Jack and stands or Rhino ramps
10mm socket
15mm wrench (2) and socket
giant Channel Lock pliers
ratchet
WD-40
cardboard box

Time Required
2 hours


1) Wait for the car to cool off. This helps immensely with removing the bolts from the cat.

2) Jack the rear of the car up, and put in jack stands! The first time we did this, we just used two jacks (and stands), but since, we've been jacking the car up and placing the stands under the factory jack points.

2.5) Remove the battery tray with a 10mm; there are four plastic nuts that hold it in place.

3) Unbolt the center pipe to the cat with a 15mm.



4) Support the cat with a box.



5) Remove the center body hanger with a 10mm.



6) Now it's time to move to the rear of the car. The factory mufflers are held to the rubber hangers with a bracket. You will remove the bolts that hold the mufflers to these brackets with a 10mm.



Be sure to support the muffler as you remove these bolts, as the exhaust system will come down after they are out.

7) Lower the old exhaust and slide out.

This is what the car will look like.



This install was with the Borla system. The Magnaflow is very similar to this as far as installation goes. Here are some shots of the Borla system:






The Borla does have the "nubs" for the rubber hangers. This makes installation more fun :D .



The Magnaflow doesn't have these, which makes it a much easier install. Again, the Magnaflow is the best system I've seen as far as fit and finish go.



You can see the way the Magnaflow hangs on the factory rubber hangers without the "nubs"



8) Before you slide the new system under the car, you will need to remove the factory muffler brackets. The best way to do this is to pull the two 13mm nuts holding the outside hanger in place, then pry the inner part of the bracket off of the hanger. The tool to use is a GIANT plumber's ChannelLock and some WD40. Here's the bracket before it's removed:



This is what it looks like when the bracket is out and the new system is ready to go in:



10) You must also remove the center body hanger from the stock system and install it on the new system. The rubber hangers are bolted to this hanger with 10mm bolts. Remove the bolts and then use the ChannelLock method to remove the rubber hangers from the center pipe. Reverse the order to install it on the new system. Make sure that the forward part of the bracket is facing the right way! The bracket is held onto the car with six bolts. The bolt pattern has three bolts on each side, and two of them on each side are close together. You will want the bracket to have the 2 close bolts facing toward the front of the car. This is what it looks like installed on the new system (for this picture, the bracket is actually facing the wrong way):



11) Remove the rubber hanger from the factory muffler bracket that you unbolted earlier. Bolt up the rubber hanger back in place again. This is shown in the pic with the bracket removed further up the page.

12) Slide the system under the car. Be sure that when you put the system together, all clamps are in place, but not tightened yet.

13) Place the new muffler into the rubber hangers. Once you have the nubs started, use the ChannelLocks to push them into the rubber hangers. If you are doing the Magnaflow, they just slide right on - very nice 8)


14) Raise the center pipe to the cat. Make sure to reuse the stock gasket! Get the bolts started. Hold the cat for support to the system, and tighten the bolts with a 19mm socket on one side and a 19mm wrench on the other.



Support the cat with a box again.

15) Adjust the center pipe so that the s bend is higher toward the cat.

16) Line up the center body hanger bolt holes and get the bolts started.

17) Tighten the center pipe clamp.



18) Now line up the tip where you like it on the Borla. One of the nice aspects of the Magnaflow is that the "racetrack" is all one piece, so there's very little adjustment to be done. After you have the tip aligned, tighten the remaining clamps.



19) Start up the car and listen for any leaks. Adjust any of the clamps as necessary.

20) Another advantage of the Magnaflow is that the battery tray needs no modification. For the Borla, you need to fit the tray, mark where it rubs, and file or trim an area for the tips. Reinstall the tray.

Here is the installed system:



Here is the Magnaflow resonator that comes off of the cat:



Here's the Magnaflow installed:



The Quicksilver system is similar to the other two installs, except that the muffler is only on one side, so you don't have to replace the hanger when you take it out on the driver side. Here is the Quicksilver system:




Feel free to ask any clarification questions. Check out the available systems in the Exhaust section of the catalog.

Randy
720-841-1002
randy@webbmotorsports.com

 

Im going to be needing this for tomorrow. I got my Magnaflow in today along with a Alta Intake system. Its going to be my first big DIY

 

I did my own install last weekend with the Magnaflow. The only problem I had was getting the bolts loose from the CAT. My car is an 05. I had to actually take a floor jack to my long wrench to get enough pressure to loosen the bolts that were stuck on from rust and heat. All the rest of the install was easy. Don't tighten any of the bolts until it's all together and you go back to the rear tips. Tap or lightly kick the tips a bit and listen for any sounds of the pipe or resonator hitting under the car. Once you're sure of good clearance, then tighten it all down. The resonator for my car barely clears the heat shielding under the car. It took two tries to get it to clear. You would hear it rub when the car idled at just the right rpm. Drove me crazy so I had to get back underneath and loosen the push the resonator back about 1/4 inch more to the rear of the car. I've heard people talk about "drone" from this exhaust. I drive on the highway every day and don't notice any. You can barely tell it from stock exhaust on the highway.

 

^^ I had to take my car to a shop and have those two bolts cut cause i stripped them trying to take them out. The only problem i have is that i cant get rid of an exhaust leak i have at the mid pipe. Ive tightened both of the clamps to hell but one still leaks.

 

JackVM, to install the Magnaflow did you have to loosen the nuts that hold the orange rubber hangers in place at the rear of the car? I ask becuase mine are so rusted that the studs would probably break. My guess is they would have to be loosened since that back section of the Magnaflow is all one piece and probably couldn't be twisted into place.