So I took the plunge on the tuning kit and while I love the look (and have been dealing with the exhaust drone around 3k rpms) I can't seem to figure out why the heck I'm getting a rattle from the exhaust when it's cold and I'm at lower rpms (like driving off from a stop. I get that the frequency that it resonates at will change how the exhaust behaves at different points in the rec range, but a ratttle threw me off.

I brought it back to the dealer that did he install and they suggested that it was just the exhaust. Not sure I'd agree but I wanted to get the take from you all here that have had more experience with it.

Any thoughts? I'd love to cut the droning out too but I love the sound and look of the exhaust so long as I'm not on the highway.

 

Any thoughts from the group?

If you have the tuning kit, I'd love to hear about your experience, even if it has no rattle. At least that way I can assume that it is abnormal and I'm not losing my mind.

Also, I have seen some of the videos out there on spent resonators (mine only has 27k miles on it) and some issues with inverted down pipes. I've had them checked out and the seem to be fine.

 

Rattle while travelling over bumps/uneven pavement or just heat cycle clicking sounds from the cat or exhaust ?

I've facilitated a handful of JCW kits to be installed at my dealership, if rattle is happening due to resonance / RPM of engine or from when travelling over uneven ground, neither are normal / acceptable conditions.

Could be a simple matter of heat shield interference....

Contact your MINI dealer Service Manger and kick it up to their Regional Service Rep if need be.

 

Can you make a video of the rattle for us to hear? I think that would help a lot. If possible can you back the car up on to ramps and point the camera at different sections of the exhaust to get an idea of where it originates from too

 

Thanks, both of these are helpful.

The rattling isn't terribly loud but it does not sound like heat cycling (which should have more of a clicking noise) but I will hear a rattle from just after I start moving from a stop, around 1k-2k rpms. Makes me feel like the hangars and supports weren't on right since the heat shielding seems to be ok.

I'll get droning from 2,800rpms to about 3,500 rpms on the highway, but that seems to be more typical.

 

The only thing you can do is make sure the clamp that connects it to the down pipe is fine, the hangers are on right and the heat shields aren't bent and touching. Have you had the cat and turbo heatshields removed for any reason lately? Just making sure, it's not your timing chain right? lol.

 

lol oh god if it was the timing chain, we'd be setting off a whole new set of alarm bells on an N18 motor with 27k miles on the clock. But the timing chain is ok.

It could be any point on the exhaust since the header and exhaust were replaced as part of the tuning kit. I didn't see any sheilding touching from a quick visual inspection but I'lol have to get it up on a lift to really go over it. The hangars and clamp are a good spot to check. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

So after adjusting the exhaust hangars a bit and how it was seated seems to have helped. Now the droning is the only issue left and it isn't nearly as bad as when initially put on the car. I'm thinking a bit of dynamat in the trunk and on the hatch should help.