R55 Cooper S

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Cobra 200 cell, the say that it will not throw and CEL's on an otherwise stock motor so will see, not planning on getting it mapped just yet, will also go with a custom made stainless cat back exhaust removing the centre box.

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old.....
2020-01-16_09-03-44 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Ebay special intercooler and new air con and water rads. Brackets on the intercooler are a touch out, my OCD may survive once it is hidden behind the bumper.

2020-01-16_09-04-42 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

All stop until the downpipe arrives now.

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Same design as the Airtec one, just £130 rather than £400 odd. Finish isn't as good but worth a punt.

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done rebuilds before, but not on a mini, my Haynes is getting grubby LOL. Nothing too difficult, if anything it is an easy motor to work on, once you can get at it!!

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Fed Ex just dropped my Cat/downpipe off, spannering tonight

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Work getting in the way of spannering :-(

Anyway, Cobra next to the stock downpipe, i see why they say it shouldn't throw a CEL as the 2nd O2 sensor is stepped away from the exhaust flow by an inch or so.

IMG_20200121_195428 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

IMG_20200121_200700 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

All in, just need to finish some hoses around the thermostat housing then the front is going back on, hopefully finished by the weekend.....

IMG_20200121_201958 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Keeping them stock for now, they are clear, I did soak them in gunk & blew them out, may be a job in the future.

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2.5" stainless cat back exhaust just bought, something else to fit. May not be ready this weekend now but might as well get all the spannering done in one go.

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rad hoses going on
2020-01-24_07-29-56 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

front end back on, bumper next
2020-01-24_08-56-51 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Edited by scrw. on Friday 24th January 23:07

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Arch liners and headlights, exhaust (new shiney one) top up oil, and fill the coolant and I think it will be done!

Capture by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Okayyyyyyy, daft question / have I done something stupid time. Is a Standard Cooper S exhaust stainless and 1 piece from the downpipe to the back boxes? I have a funny feeling it already has a go faster exhaust on


Oh and it running like a good-un :-) Seems very raspy (admittedly I have the cobra downpipe on) have a sneaky feeling it is an after market exhaust. Just have it idling at the moment to burn off all the oily bits off the engine, garage is a bit smoggy.

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Quick OBD scan reveals no codes, happy days. Being a tight git I may wait until feb 1st before I tax it, if I can, will see.
Anyway, this should be a video of the exhaust, is it standard?


VID_20200125_181951 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Edited by scrw. on Saturday 25th January 18:59

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Had a proper poke around under the back, seems it is a mini exhaust, will get the new one fitted up

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CoolHands said:

Did you have to mess about with the headlamp fittings? I replaced one on mine and it’s a bit of a faff. I guess it will have to be put on an alignment machine now (mine as well as yours).

Didn't need to move the adjuster mounts so hopefully they ill be okay, will check on the garage door.

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GaryF said:

Tremendous progress.
With the DP and the AEM induction kit mine was dyno'd at 239 bhp before the Manic map on top of that, so you may be somewhere about there.

Is that a JCW? if so what was the increase over stock?

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Well after discovering its a stock exhaust...it has to go LOL. And I can confirm swapping a 1 piece exhaust with a car on axle stands on your jack is bloody hard work!

2020-01-26_07-10-43 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

2020-01-26_07-11-02 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

2020-01-26_07-11-24 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Had to cut the centre section rubber mounts, so will need to fit some tomorrow before I finally get it all set up and wind down the exhaust clamps fully, not quite 100% happy with the back but no point messing until the rubbers are all in place. My cheapo ebay exhaust seems to fit okay, only idled it so far, a bit late for giving it some beans, will have a play tomorrow during the day.

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V6 Pushfit said:

What diameter is the new exhaust over stock?

2.5" all the way through, old one is 2"

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GaryF said:

Your new exhaust looks good quality from what can be seen in the pics if it is just "a cheap ebay" number - the pics are a bit blurry, but put that down to your hand shaking like a leaf having had to manhandle the old one off and new one on single-handed whilst on stands

Camera on my phone seems to be having a brain fart of late, blurry photos are becoming common :-/

Exhaust seems good, however not keen on the clamps that come with it, having to torque up with a breaker bar to get enough bite on the exhaust to stop it slipping.

Edited by scrw. on Monday 27th January 10:59

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front rubbers on, exhaust all tightened up. Not 100% happy with the exhaust tips, one is about 10mm further out than the other, but they are central in the bumper (despite not looking so in the photo below). Last job is to fir the cowel under the alternator, a job for later.

2020-01-27_10-54-28 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Just totting up what I needed to spend to repair the car (not including go faster bits)

Oil pump £105
Oil pump chain kit £68
Head set £120
Timing chain kit £130
Rad £85
Thermostat £25
oil, filter and coolant £50
Bumper fixing pack £20
Head skim/pressure check/valve seals £110

So just shy of £700, and I got the car for ~£2k under book price. Given I would look at get a chain done on an N14 regardless if I bought one, I think it was worth the effort. It has taken me a month to sort out, certainly not rushing, I think about 24hours in total, a garage would have done it in 1/2 that time I would have thought, so my £2k saving would have been wiped out getting a garage to repair it I expect. Will have it on the road on the 1st of next month, which was always my aim :-)

Edited by scrw. on Monday 27th January 11:56