I have about $1000 burning a hole in my pocket (well, saved and budgeted actually) for some performance upgrades to my '08 MCS. All I've done so far is a K&N CAI (save the comments about how worthless it is, I've read them many times), Koni yellow struts and H&R springs and new rims. I'm considering doing one of the two below mods next, but not sure which to start with:


1. New intercooler (Forge, Helix or Alta) plus the NM charge pipe, outlet pipe and torque arm bushing inserts; or
2. New exhaust, most likely the Quicksilver performance exhaust.


Parts cost for either option is roughly the same. The end goal is to eventually have the ECU tuned, but I want to change the hardware before the software. This is my wife's daily driver (and my weekend driver), and I don't track drive it (for now), so I can't go totally overboard. (Eventually I will also be replacing the RSB and the rear lower control arms, but those will be down the road.)


So, which option would you choose between the above?

 

Hmmm tough choice. I say eventually go with both and get a tune to match, so to start I would get the exhaust. Mainly just for the sound and looks it brings.

 

The goal is to do both before the end of the year. Seems like doing the intercooler first in the heat (it's been over 100 here 3x in the last week) may give me some performance gains initially. However, for the reasons you mentioned, I am leaning towards the exhaust.

 

Honestly without a tune I can't tell the difference with either mod. The exhaust is much easier to install too.

 

Tuning is hard to do without an upgraded intercooler. The stock one sucks so bad with heat soak. You would get a super conservative tune if you didn't do an intercooler upgrade.

 

FMIC and Catless DP was one of those mods with the most noticable gain in performance. I have the Helix FMIC for about 3 years and I love it. FMIC took a a very long time to install so I recommend DIY and save some money.

Personally I would do FMIC. If you live in a hot area, heat soak is a major problem for turbo car.

 

That's why I'm doing these hardware upgrades before the tune.

 

Anybody have any experience with this FMIC?
http://new.minimania.com/part/G2NME3...56-57-Cooper-S

 

That looks to be a Forge. Description is a copy/paste right from Forge...

http://www.forgemotorsport.com/conte...oduct=FMINTR56

It's a very good intercooler, I have it in my MINI right now.

 

FMIC all the way. Exhaust will give you sound, not performance. Exhaust could add performance but we're talking after big bucks on uprated turbo, rods&pistons, ECU boost cut defeat, etc etc. Are you replacing your downpipe? If not, REALLY don't touch the exhaust if your goal is performance.

Why are you replacing your boost tubes? No benefit. If the stock boost tubes were a weak link in the system, why do the vendors make a replacement for the turbo->intercooler & hard pipe->throttle body but NOT intercooler->hard pipe tubes? Just replace the turbo muffler with a metal pipe (if you want, personally I doubt it makes a difference, but I have a metal pipe) and block your noisemaker. Don't buy new boost tubes. I may be wrong, but I'm yet to be convinced that it makes a bit of performance difference. I'd believe hard pipes would make a difference, but given that the engine moves and the intercooler does not, I see no logical benefit.

 

Great feedback - looks like the FMIC is likely the winner. (Now I just need to decide which one!) Thanks!

 

PM sent

 

http://www.wagner-tuning.com/Mini-Co...2010_p_67.html

Just throwing 1 more option for you.

 

Good choice. FMIC was the first thing that I did after RSB.

Not sure if your wife would appreciate it you put on a catless DP. They make the car smell like a 70s muscle car exhaust.

 

Exhaust! Because I hated the stock tips =P

I enjoy the sound of the MINI than the heat factors. It doesn't get that hot in SoCal anyways

 

Agreed!

And how can you drive a car you can't hear??? Sound is part of the 'experience' of driving!

Sent from my Nexus using NAMotoring

 

I'm torn on this one. I did exhaust then Intercooler. For the longest time I wished I did intercooler, just for piece of mind and to avoid heat soak. With the FMIC you actually get some sort of performance benefit. The only way to get benefit from doing exhaust is to do Turbo back. Either Cat-less Downpipe or a low cell cat for higher flow. Otherwise downpipe back exhaust will yield little to no performance results.

That being said. I love the sound of my exhaust. I have full downpipe back set up plus a decat downpipe. Makes for excellent sounds. And I agree with ra2fanatic. Stock tips suck, and you can't hear a thing from them! The only thing about doing a decat, for best results, do that with a tune. You'll get a check engine light and possible reduced power mode(this does not happen to everyone). So to avoid that headache don't decat until you're going to tune it right away.

I feel no matter which you choose, you'll want the other. But from a technical stand point, FMIC FTW!

 

So, with respect to the exhaust, I'm running into a problem. Does anybody know whether the second cat contains a ceramic brick? I'm being told by the local muffler shop that they cannot remove that cat if it has a ceramic brick or they will face a $25,000 fine.

 

It is a mesh/grid, I can take a picture when I get home.

Here it is:

 

My local Midas would not touch it as federal law prohibits removing emissions gear. I went with CNT as a dp back option and kept my stock exhaust intact in case I need to swap it back on come emissions time.

Sent from my Nexus using NAMotoring

 

that guy "everyone knows" that says there are no performance gains in a DP back exhaust is wrong ... I installed a milltek dp back system, no other mods, and in a 3rd gear rollon from 1500 rpm picked up 5 car lengths by 4500 rpm vs another all4 equipped same as my all4 ... before the milltek we were axle-2-axle from 1500 rpm to 4500 rpm in 3rd gear ... we did rollons to take the driver out of the equation and to spare the clutch

so I repeat there are huge gains to be had with a dp back system ... at least on the N18 engine

 

next up is to install my race version DOS CAI ... then some more rollons

after the DOS CAI I will install the tyrolsport FMIC that has been modified by tyrolsport to fit my all4

 

Perhaps on the N18 with your vehicle. I too have done rollout 3rd gear runs with a buddy and his Fiesta ST. No difference with DP-Back. Very little difference with cat-less system. We did 3 runs each time. But I'm running a '07 N14 with 60k+ miles. Perhaps anything restricting in the exhaust broke loose a while ago? Idk? I just go by what I got for results.

 

I want to post my reasoning on doing the upgraded FMIC after the DP back exhaust and DOS race CAI

I have a scan gauge 2 and so far the intake temp stays within 10F of ambient at all times except if stopped

after standing at a red light the temp will fall back to within 10F of ambient within a quarter of a mile

if I am moving, no matter how hard I am driving, ie running on a twisty road and running a lot of time on boost, I still see intake temp within 10F of ambient

at steady speed up to 80 mph, I see intake temps within 3-4 degrees of ambient

I wish I had the scan gauge 2 before the exhaust install, I would like to know if the exhaust effected the intake temp, but from what I see now, stock except for the DP back milltek exhaust, the uprated FMIC will do little for me on my cms all4

 

You already have a big FMIC. It's about 4x as large as an r56 OEM intercooler.