Downpipe, CAT, Exhaust! Fitted

mazzy

mazzy

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I've just had my audi s3 done from MIJ Performance. Excellent job, My battery was low on my digicam so i've only managed to upload a few pics.

web: www.mijperformance.com

This is what i was charged:

£399 - cat back system *FITTED
£399 - Sports CAT *FITTED
£450 - Custom Dowpipe* FITTED (got charged that much as i had the cat aswell) I think the alone price is £499 ex fitting.

3" Downpipe


3" Downpipe


Downpipe fitting 1


Downpipe fitting 2


Single Sports CAT


The twin CATS which i didnt go for:


They even let me off another £50 odd quid and charged me £1200. Bargain!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

If i hadnt had gone for the downpipe i would have had twin CATS, but as i opted for the full works i got a single CAT. May go back and get a DE-CAT pipe made up.

The cat back system is a free-flow 1. Its not too loud, sounds just right. I'll put a videoclip up as soon as i've charged the cam battery. U actually lose performance in the baffled box setup (flat pan shape) as you wait for the chambers to fill up b4 the fumes exit.

Conclusion:
Its made hell of a difference, the car runs so much smoother, You can feel the G-force, not rollling roaded it yet. Also the engine feels so much more at ease when footing it. The sound is great. Recommended!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/woohoo.gif all da way home!!
 
Nice on mate. It looks like quality kit, and polished, lovely.

Although 1200 quid is a lot of money, when you look at what you have got, and compare it to stuff available from APR and Milltek - you have actually got a bargin.

APR's down pipe, which comes with their sports CAT (which I don't think you can opt out of), comes in at £900 quid alone from Awesome Gti!!!

Anyway, you planning on having the car rolling roaded?

AL
 
That looks like a top job - I think we need some pics of the exaust from the back of the car though to see what the actual exhaust looks like on the car, the more I look at the pics the better the job looks like - well done! seems cheap for what you got too!
 
Possibly, i'm gonna be doing the upgrade on the turbo soon. So then i'll be doin a map. May aswell get everything done and then do it.

APR dont give a CAT, its a DE-CAT pipe.

But its made a hell ov a difference, the car feels so much smoother. I know everybody says that milltek are good etc. But it aint much different to a standard cat back system, only diff is that its stainless steel, and that the slight restrictions are taken away.

WIth my system all restrictions have been taken away beside that of the manifold which will happen soon with the upgrade. By the way its not loud. I'm gonaput a video up 2moro hopefully and more pics.
 
Look forward to seeing/hearing the video Revdup.

I think it would have been great had you got your car RR'd in standard form, then another RR'd after this full exhaust system was fitted.

It would have been interesting to see if any performance (small or large) is "released" by such a system on its own. Without any remap or anything.

Previous people have tested before and after on a RR, with Milltek cat-back and Milltek race cats + cat-back. The results being little, if no gain at all. So it would have been interesting to compare a system with a 3" down pipe.

Anyway, nice mod. I'll look forward to seeing the others. Think you could be one of the first people to have a custom 3" downpipe on a standard K04'd S3.

AL
 
looks good!

How long did that take to make and fit?


I understand the downpipe is a pig of a job to make and fit. ?
 
I knw i shud've got it rolling rd'd but cant do it now so no point dwelling on da past... lol.

Yeah jojo, i'll c u b4 the weekend or on the weekend. Just make sure u dnt have ur toolbox with u to take it off ;-)

As for fitting of the downpipe, Its was a big job but, it didnt look hard, as they were just getting on with it without headscratch! lol. They had to remove the front subframe and powersteering rack and then take off the dp etc. My car was with them for most of the day.
 
did you get 4x4 wheel alignment done after?


Ive heard Audi inist on it after the subframe is touched.
 
Looks like you've got a sweet kit there Revdup, nice polished bits, the downpipe looks huge, I would of thought it would make a lot of noise. (I can't even imagine how that'll sound on my car with the quads, already louad enough) top job though mate /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

P.S. Would the Down pipe look different if you went for the Twin Cam option? I mean would the DP have been two pipes as apposed to 1?
 
3" downpipe on mine and 2.75" exhaust,very loud!
 
i dont understand what ur trying to say, the standard is 3" and then splits into 2 and then connects to the CAT's.

Mine is 3" all the way down n then connects to a single CAT which im gonna change possibly 2moro for a DE-CAT, and then into a 2.5" freeflow system.
 
[ QUOTE ]
3" downpipe on mine and 2.75" exhaust,very loud!

[/ QUOTE ]

mines 2.5" anyway maybe its ur box setup. So ryan wat wud i need for my turbo upgrade? i mean as in any internals if im gona run near 340bhp?
 
What year is your car and engine code?
340bhp should be fine on standard internals ,don't push the torque more than 320-330lb/t or you risk snapping a rod,not pretty.
Valves are also a known weak point so might be worthwhile changing these and perhaps a port and polish while the heads off.
 
audi upgrades
Not the first to do it. Did it about a year ago. 3" d/p and single 100 cell cat. Haven't rr'd it but, IMO, made absolutely no difference whatsoever. But if your changing the turbo, then a must.
Didn't have to drop the subframe on mine. Undone the prop and moved it to the side. Plenty of twisting and turning and the std d/p came out. Tight as f**k in there though. Looks like my bellows is in a different place to yours. Yours is lower than mine and better for clearance. Nice job. Don't expect miracles though.

Chris.
 
k, i can just swap ur numba plates with mine and hope dat u wont be able 2 tell i've taken urs. lol.

mY engine code is AMK

:)

so wats all these extra's gona cost? and can u name the parts and brand?

MIJ are gona do me the upgrade once they've moved premises. Which shoud be may/june.

Custom Manifold
Turbo
440cc Injectors or should i go bigger?
FMIC
braided hoses
ss. Intake pipe (im gona c if they can make my maf housing bigger)
Downpipe which i've already got will need the flange changing.

= £3000 approx fitted + just a remap which they'll be doin by that time.
 
440's good for 380bhp max,maf is big enough for the power your after ,above 380 and you can go bigger.

early amk's have 20mm pins but it' a bit of a lottery.
 
[ QUOTE ]
What year is your car and engine code?
340bhp should be fine on standard internals ,don't push the torque more than 320-330lb/t or you risk snapping a rod,not pretty.
Valves are also a known weak point so might be worthwhile changing these and perhaps a port and polish while the heads off.

[/ QUOTE ]

what aftermarket valves are best, also what will need upgrading if im to up the torque?

sorry if im asking to much is just that ur da daddy.... at da mo ryan :)
 
stainless inlet and inconel exhaust valves as used in the supercopa racing series are good .There about £400 a set.
Rods are a must above 330lb/t as there have been loads that have snapped and caused major damage.
pistons are good for 400+ if there the forged variety which yours should be.
Crank good for 450bhp.
Smallport head becomes a restriction above 380bhp.
 
Was that your back lights flickering or were the brakes on during the run ?

Chris.
 
sidelights were on to power the feed for the rev guage on the screen for the spectators
 
[ QUOTE ]
They even let me off another £50 odd quid and charged me £1200. Bargain!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

It's actually very expensive for something that has time and again showed no verifiably and replicatable power gains.

[ QUOTE ]
If i hadnt had gone for the downpipe i would have had twin CATS, but as i opted for the full works i got a single CAT. May go back and get a DE-CAT pipe made up.

[/ QUOTE ]

400cell OEM cats vs 200 cell sports cats vs 100cell sports cats. Dyno proven power gains - nothing, nil, zip and zero. Seems the cat is not restrictive in the S3 setup.

[ QUOTE ]
The cat back system is a free-flow 1. Its not too loud, sounds just right. I'll put a videoclip up as soon as i've charged the cam battery. U actually lose performance in the baffled box setup (flat pan shape) as you wait for the chambers to fill up b4 the fumes exit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Theoretically, but in the real world, theres little or no power to be had. The exhaust on the S3 mustn't be restrictive then either...

[ QUOTE ]
Conclusion:
Its made hell of a difference, the car runs so much smoother, You can feel the G-force, not rollling roaded it yet. Also the engine feels so much more at ease when footing it. The sound is great. Recommended!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/woohoo.gif all da way home!!

[/ QUOTE ]

It's made a hell of a difference because you have had your wallet lightened by £1200 and have persuaded yourself it's better. Sure, the sound improves noticeably with these mods but NONE have made any meaningful and replicatable power gains. I know of a tuner who fitted a similar system including downpipe to an S3 and lost 10bhp... Smoother? There can be no logical explaination for that, and it's a load of money to have a sporty car that runs smoother.

I bet my shoes that back to back on a reputable dyno with an unbiassed operator you will see less than 10bhp gain and similar torque at best... 10bhp can be added or removed at the whim of the ECU based on ambient temperature, fuel grade and such like - something that is almost impossible to notice on a turbo S3...

Sorry to be blunt, but it's all been tried on the S3 with standard turbo and it doesn't work. The claims don't add up and if you had read some more objective stuff here you'd know that. Rave reviews are excellent but if someone follows the advice and spends all that money I think it's a shame you don't get what you pay for.

It's maybe good groundwork for a bigger turbo, but with the stock turbo and manifold you have found the biggest restiction. Cats and exhausts with zero restriction will not help.
 
[ QUOTE ]
audi talkin crap, Car feels fine. they marked the column and also sed that they'd track the wheels but i test drve it and it was fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really?

So, what you are saying is that if you remove the subframe - the part that holds and aligns most of the front suspension components then just by bolting it back on in what appears to be the same place the alignment is not affected?

Horsefeathers!

If you move the subframe you must recheck the alignment to ensure that the correct camber, toe and castor angles are maintained. Move the subframe forwards and you can add castor - it's really that critical.

I'm not surprised it feels fine though, the S3 has such a numb chassis as standard it would be hard to detect if the wheels were pointing away from each other as the car crabbed down the road.

In the interests of safety, tyre longevity and handling, a proper 4 wheel alignment is a must - it seems foolish to profess the contrary when it's clearly not the case and advise others to do the same...
 
David whilst discussing what can knacker geometry I've got a bit of a pickle, I'm having a new steering rack fitted and probably a new track rod on one side, but I've been thinking of replacing all the strut top mounts etc and I don't want to get the wheels alligned twice so do you know if the strut top stuff can affect the geometry - I'm guessing not (maybe ride height)...

Also is there anything anyone else can think of that's worth doing with the subframe off? Was thinking ARB etc but that can wait until I can afford to replace the whole lot.
 
The strut top mounts have no inbult adjustment as I recall, but to change them you are likely to disturb other connections and therefore require geometry.

I think that if you have any part of the steering / suspension off then it's expensive geometry time. No point spending brass on new parts and having them point in the wrong direction!

Subframe needs to come off for front ARB, defo worth doing at the same time to save labour and yet another alignment!
 
Cheers david, I'll be trying to sort the strut tops before they replace the steering rack then in that case, the ARB and suspension mods will have to wait - can't justify the money at the min and will get the whole lot (ARBs, springs, dampers, adjustable thingys etc...) done at once when / if I get it done.
 
As I said, did the d/p, 100c cat and milltek and didn't feel any different at all. And I did this having already read most of the threads on here. Learnt my lesson the hard way.
But, if your going to go the BT route, good groundwork.

Chris.
 
Exactly, im going for a turbo upgrade soon, i was only giving feedback to what i thought. My post got thrashed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I'm putting the other images up 2nite, i felt the performance change on my car, power delivery is smoother.

I should've done a RR before and after.

Mazzy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Exhaust is AMAZING mate. Perfect and just how i wanted it! very impressed with the service.

I RECOMMEND MIJ to all of you that want something different but not over the top, although i'm sure they can do that if u want... i'll post pics soon hopefully!

Dave
 
[ QUOTE ]
here's the pic. funny angle tho... must have been the photographer :p haha



[/ QUOTE ]

So is that a new back box now?
 
My system all ready to go up: i asked MIJ to paint the face of my backbox black so it was not noticable


Not many bends in the pipework, Free-flowing!:


My car: 8)






See the free-flow box setup:


The staff at MIJ are great, they did a grand job on my machine, im gona be working with them soon, get my car turbo upgraded... more power!
Been deen driving it a few days now, sounds good. Cant wait till this kit works with my turbo upgrade!!
 
Love the pipes Maz, exactly how I would have mine if it was my car, do you think there's any weight saving with this system over standard, as I know the factory S3 exhaust weighs quite a bit!.
 
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