ABD Mini - Project Cooper S

ABD Mini Magnaflow Exhaust install on Project Cooper S 1. When you open the box from Magnaflow, this is what you will find inside. The Magnaflow exhaust for the Cooper S consists of 3 pieces. YOU have the front resonator with the mounting flange that bolts straight up to the stock catalytic converter. This connects to a center connecting pipe and is held in place with the supplied exhaust clamps. YOU also receive the most important part, the rear muffler section, which in this case is two Magnaflow mufflers, joined together in a halo shape of tubing and exiting the car in the center of the rear bumper from two polished trumpet style tips. The entire system is stainless steel, which will stay nice and clean without rusting or staining. Altogether, a very nicely engineered system that looks great as well. Now lets get down to the installation.
2. As you can see form this picture, the stock exhaust is only a one-piece system, so when you drop it form the car, make sure you have another person there to hold if up with you as it is very heavy! To take off the stock exhaust you will only need a few common tools. No exhaust cutter needed.
	3. The first step in the removal process of the stock exhaust is to remove the factory skid plate/heat shield form the chassis. This can be done with a socket wrench. Do not throw this piece away as it will be re-installed at the end of the installation.
4. Now follow the factory exhaust up towards the catalytic converter. You will need to remove this mid exhaust mounting bracket from the chassis as well. This can also be done with a socket wrench. After you have it unbolted, make sure you slip the exhaust hangers out of the rubber mounting bushings. Set this piece aside as it will also be reused.
	5. Now find the flange on the catalytic converter. This will have 2 bolts in it that both need to be removed. Be careful as you do this because the whole exhaust system is only supported by the two rear hangers on the factory rear mufflers. Make sure you have a friend hold the front section up after you undo the bolts or it will fly down to the ground.
6. Now go to the back of the car again and undo the factory exhaust system hangers out of the rubber bushings. This will free the factory exhaust form the car. This is also a good place to have that friend hold the system up while you undo the clamps. Once you have completed this step, the exhaust will be free from the car and will be ready to install the Magnaflow system.
	7. Here is a picture of the factory exhaust that you just removed form the car. You can see just how bulky it is, and if you removed it form the car yourself, you know firsthand that it is very heavy! The new Magnaflow is quite a bit lighter and easier to work with.
8. Now all you have to do is put the Magnaflow system on the way the factory one came off. The first step is to take the resonator section with the flange on it and match it up to the flange on the factory catalytic converter. Then bolt it together. The next step is to take the connecting pipe and slip it into the resonator pipe and clamp it down with the supplied clamp. This piece also slides into the factory chassis mount you removed earlier. Make sure you secure the hangers into the rubber bushings.
	9. The last step is to connect the muffler section into the connecting pipe. The best way to do this is to slip the exhaust hangers on the Magnaflow mufflers into the hanging rubber bushings first and then swing up the rear section and fit it into the connecting pipe. Then all you have to do is tighten down the supplied clamp. Now you should go back and check to make sure all your connections are tight ands that your exhaust tips sit straight in the bumper cutout. Ours sat perfectly the first time without any adjustment, but all cars are different. Before you put the car back on the ground, make sure you re-install the skid plate/heat shield!
10. Now you are all finished. Turn the car on and make sure you don’t have any exhaust leaks. The system is very throaty in sound and low pitched. Magnaflow claims an 18HP increase with this system over stock. We felt a definite difference over stock with the Magnaflow but the dyno will give us the real numbers when the project is all finished Here is a close up of the stock tips and the Magnaflow tips. Stay tuned… the Monster force Intake system is next!
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