I am considering the benefits of adding the Akrapovic down pipe to my 2011 JCW 2dr. I already have had installed the basic "flash tool" tune from Revolution and the Helix intercooler upgrade.

I would appreciate you sharing any info and experience with this modification.
Will I experience noticeable additional hp and torque?
Is the installation totally straightforward, etc.
Any downside to doing this; ie; causing the check engine light to come on,
stress on the clutch, etc.
Many thanks, Ballyrick

 

The Akrapovic Downpipe is a great addition to your car. We just did one on a 2011 Clubman. You will feel the torque gain after installing it. Also it makes the exhaust louder and deeper. The car we did today did not have a check engine light from the cat, we will see over time, but we do tell customers to expect one and be ready to tune it out.

 

Have it in 2009 JCW and love it! Had the Riss Racing first and it was a little too loud. This is juuuust right.

 

Way

Never thought to ask before, but when you do get a check engine light, does it put the car in limpmode? Or does it just throw the light?

 

Way

have you installed any milltek downpipes?

do the millteks throw a code?

from what i have read, the stock downpipe is a 400 cell cat, the milltek is a 200 cell cat and the akrapovik is a 100 cell cat

thanks

scott

 

I though all DP will throw code. unless you tune it..

 

The Akrapovic will throw a P0420 code. But the Akrapovic Delete-R will keep them at bay.

 

someone who has the delete-r posted that while the light stays off, there is still a pending code stored ... that is a fail in illinois when you go for emissions test

scott

 

In the two weeks i've had it (1500 miles). I got a code once while going to redline real quick and letting off. Checked with my scangauge and had a pending code. After driving less then 20 miles, the next day it was gone and the scangauge status was ready.

 

thats encouraging ... keep us informed as you get more time/miles

scott

 

I live in northern NJ and having the check engine light on is certainly
grounds for state inspection failure.

Short of restoring the car to stock prior to inspections and living with the check engine light on or a code stored the rest of the time, it seems like the down pipe installation, despite the performance benefits, is not an ideal situation, at least for me.

I presume even by adding the complete exhaust system, this will not alleviate the potential for a problem. (Assume different cat comes with the down pipe)

Any other options or suggestions on how to enhance performance, beyond the basic "flash tool" tune I have from Revolution, would certainly be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ballyrick

 

NO it will not go into limp mode.

Yes the Milltek will throw check engine light, installed a couple.

I always advise customers that ALL brands of downpipes cause check engine lights and be prepared to deal with fixing or bypassing it.

 

Since you have the RMW tune you will NOT get the CEL if you do a catless or smaller catted DP like the Akrapovic.

Since the car will not throw a CEL you will not have a problem passing a NJ inspection.

Since I know you and what you want out of the car, my advice is to just leave it alone. The stock JCW exhaust does not need replacing.

I do have the full turbo back Akarpaovic exhaust installed on my 09 JCW. If I had to do it over, I would have saved myself the time and Money and left it stock. The car is already fast enough and loud enough the way it is.

 

i am not against "fixing or bypassing it", will an ecu tune do it?

how would this be done, bearing in mind that a "pending code" is a fail in illinois, where i have to pass an emissions test?

scott

 

Thanks "Onefish."

TTYS....

Ballyrick

 

My friend does smog. He told me that if I install a DP my car would still pass the sniffer. It would also pass a visual inspection......unless a tech was really looking to jam you up. I would not have a CEL present on my dash thanks to my AP................BUT.............he stated that once he plugs his machine into the ODP port it would realize that I have the car tuned and it would fail based on a computer error......pretty much no real way around passing smog without swapping the DP out every time you have to do smog. At least here in CA