I have noticed the past couple days that my exhaust sounded a bit different. Then driving home today I get 3/4 of the way home and all of the sudden the exhaust is super loud and backfires, etc.....

I jack up the car and find that at the point just after one of the cannisters (catalytic converter?) as it is still going down, there is a welded joint that is cracked all the way through and it is able to seperate.

I would imagine this is a pretty cheap fix for a muffler shop.

Anyone have this problem?

This is the link to the part, someone else had the exact same problem and posted a pic here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/olkeeton/2576493073/

I have a 03 MCS

 

That can't be repaired! It's really unfortunate, but it looks like you will have to get that OBX header with an OEM cat welded in!!

What a bummer!!

 

Not the dreaded "while I'm in there" disease! I had the old exhaust on my 240Z basically rip itself open after I stiffened my suspension up, and I ended up completely replacing everything. I'm sure it could have been fixed with a few additional hangers and some careful welding, but that just wasn't as fun!

It looks like that should be an easy weld to make, provided that collar can be moved... a bit hard to tell from the pic. But hey, if you have any intentions of doing the exhaust, now's as good a time as ever!

 

I really don't want to dump $1000 into a header. I figure the more more cost effective thing would be to have it fixed at a muffler shop and have them do the 1 ball mod as well.

 

Just a thought. It is an emissions device so it may be covered under warranty. It's worth asking.

 

actually, I was thinking that as well.

I remember that my wifes old Jetta 1.8T, EVERYONE was having trouble with the diverter valve. Eventually VW was forced into fixing ALL of them for free, because an emissions device has to be covered for 7 years or something like that. I think it is required by Calif state.

I guess I need to call a MINI dealer to find out before I have to pay someone to fix it.

 

I think cats are under warranty for 80,000 miles by law. Same with the OBD2 computer.

 

Great, thanks. Looks like I need to call my local MINI dealer tomarrow.

 

just called, Irvine MINI wants $140 just to look at the issue. WOW!!!! I can go get it welded for $50, or I pay $140 to maybe have it covered and maybe not?

The owners manual says emissions are covered 8 years or 80,000 miles, so I would think it would be covered?

 

If it's still under warranty, (unless you got out of it by mileage), the $140 "just to look at it" should be waved as well.

 

It is out of milage, BUT the manual says that the cat and manifold are covered for 70,000 in calif.

I just called Crevier MINI a few miles further away. Getting me in tomarrow AM, NO Fee to look at it, PLUS a much nicer guy to deal with, he admits it is probably a warrenty item.

 

I had an engine light on my ford so I ask Ford people " isn't this covered by the emissions warranty?" He said no just the cat and the OBD2 computer is covered by the 80,000 mile deal.