Did a search and couldn't find an answer to my question...

Can I easily upgrade to the JCW CAI and is it worth doing without an immediate exhaust upgrade?

I'm not mechanical at all, unless it comes to mt bikes and computers (which the CAI is neither), but it looks like a very easy mod. Just unscrew 1/2 a dozen bolts and drop in the JWC unit. Is there more to it than that?

I may not get around to replacing my exhaust til my current one goes, so is having improved air intake going to be a problem without also combining with improved outflow?

Is upgrading the ECU a requirement too?

Thanks for the advice

 

Wait until the current exhaust goes? You mean.. fail? If you are wanting for the exhaust.. good luck, I never saw an exhaust "fail"..

The air intake will give the engine a nicer sound... and probably one or two HP.. and that's it! And I have no idea how easy or hard is the installation...

The question is what are you looking to get? HP? better sound?

For HP.. I will say get the money for the JCW Tune Kit (CAI, complete exhaust and ECU reprogramming), expensive, but it will keep everything under warranty. And you get the sound too.

If you want only a better sound.. Just get an aftermarket cat-back.. I'm guessing is not hard to install.

 

HP is what I'm, looking for, and unfortunately spending the money on the kit up front is not an option. Hence the question about doing this piece meal.

I posted the question about the exhaust a few weeks back but nobody replied. Is the stock exhaust on an MCS stainless? If not it will eventually rust out like every other exhaust on the market. If on the otherhand it's not a conventional cheap-o-stock exhaust, I can see you point about waiting for it to fail.

 

I don't know if the exhaust is stainless, but I'm pretty sure it won't rust.. or at least for a 100 years.. ?

If you want HP and you are not familiar with modifications the safest way is going with the tune kit.. like I said, you will stay under the warranty.

Since money is the issue, go aftermarket... but I believe you need to know what are you doing and in what are you getting into. CAI and exhaust I think it won't give a lot of HP... you need the ECU reprogramming and some extras for that.

Check the Drivetrain (Cooper S) section for the available options.

 

Yeah, you'll be waiting for a while for that exhaust to go.

You should get the Alta CAI. Better sound and more HP than the JCW, it's also quite a bit cheaper.

 

I guess I'll have to save up. Too bad, sort of, about the exhaust. I was looking for an excuse to replace it, eventually

 

Check the Marketplace. I bought my Alta CAI for $100.

 

Hmmm, good tip. I'll have to keep my eye out!

 

Personally, short of some of the costlier M7 intakes, the JCW is the only CAI I would consider. I prefer a quieter cabin vs. a riced out sounding engine, so if that is your thing, there are many other cheaper alternatives for you.

Morristown Mini is currently the best place to get the JCW CAI ($300). I have put in both the JCW exhaust and the CAI, then later had the ECU tuned. Prior to the tuning, there was a noticible bump in HP, how much I have no idea as I never dyno'd it. So no, you do not have to update the ECU. All in I paid about half of the cost of the tuning kit, then again I got a great deal on the JCW exhaust.

The CAI is as easy as it gets. I believe it is all of three screws. Mind you, the JCW CAI is just the top housing of the unit and new filter.

 

I prefer the quieter cab as well. So simply unscrew 3 points and drop the new unit in, that's it?

Also based on others comments that my MCS muffer isn't going to rust out, I won't be replacing that for a long time. Hopefully a new CAI without custom tuning and JCW exhaust will still yield some improved HP.

 

That is it. I believe three or four screws on the box itself and one more on the inlet hose. Word of caution, the inlet uses a 27 torq. I had used a 25, and nearly stripped it, and of course did not have a 27 bit. Be sure to have one when changing it, as the angle is pretty tough, and the 25 bit can strip it.

Once you have the old airbox off, you place the rubber seal around the bottom of the old box, but the new one on, attach the air inlet, put screw back on. 1/2 hour job tops.

The stock muffler is fine, I just wanted to have the JCW kit and was fortunate enough to piece it together.

 

ImCBParker... how you manage to get the ECU update separately? dealership? and they did the update?

Thanks!

 

That part is a little trickier. I bought my 07 MCS last October with 5K on it. Did a bunch of work on it, including adding CAI and exhaust. Went to schedule my first maintenance appointment and they could not find my car, so they refused to service it. Worked with Mini USA, they were eventually able to determine from the VIN that it was an Italian built car that must have been imported to the US (Explains the strange sticker in the door well). They had no specs on the car and could not retrieve the Italian info.

Long story short, they eventually certified my car, I brought it back for work including the infamous cold start issue, and had the entire ECU redone and now my car shows as a stage one in the Mini system (work order reflects tune as well), despite not having the engine sticker, and yes I have both badges on the car. So to answer your question, just dumb luck.

That being said, I know in the Chicago area that there are also several German Performance shops with ECU tuning capabilities. Prior to mine being done, I was contemplating dropping the $450 or so to do so, but again, got lucky.

 

If the original poster is interested, I have a brand new in a box JCW CAI. It came in my JCW Stage I kit.

I didn't install it because I have a cross bar and I didn't want to cut an original JCW CAI.

Let me know if you're interested.

Mark

 

pm sent

 

Likewise....