7 replies to this topic

[pjm]

Just received my playmini full exhaust system, unfortunately the back box was damaged and the link pipe was the wrong one! Sending back to minisport tomorrow for replacements. How easy is fiiting the system (incl. manifold)? I'm a reasonable mech. and have garage and tools but no pit or lift or anything flashy like that, is it worth doing myself or getting the local garage to fit it for me?

And are playmini alway useless or have I been unlucky?

[TOMMO0302]

Having never ordered anything from them myself, i couldn't say, but i'm pretty sure they have a good rep so i guess you were unlucky...they might have had a new employee on the job?

As for fitting, you should be fine, with a good jack and axle stands i am sure you will have no troubles!!

[Jimmyarm]

It is pretty easy, all you are doing is taking bolts off and putting it back together. You will need axle stands to get under the car when you are doing it. Try not to disturb the carb too much when you take it off i.e. keep all the cables connected if you can.

Make sure you check the alignment of everything and ensure you have good seals around the manifold area (use new gaskets and paste) and exhaust joins.

Good idea to use threadlock on the exhaust clamp nuts as they have a habbit of virbrating loose (obviously do this on the final tightening). If you can, try not to have the U shaped clamps pointing down (ie nuts at the bottom) as they have been known to catch on things and rip the exhaust off.

Get a quote from the garage to fit it and see if you think its worth it. Should only take you a couple of hours as long as its easy getting the original off !

And dont forget to take it to a rolling road afterwards

[pjm]

It's f.i. not carb, if that makes any difference? Already got new gasket, thanks for the tip on the clamps. What do you mean by exhaust joins?

[TOMMO0302]

where the different parts of the exhaust joins together, manifold, link pipe, back box....just make sure they have a good seal is what hes saying.

Never done it with F.I so don't know

[Jimmyarm]

the joins (where the pipes fit together) will be slightly different on a FI model as you will have a Catalytic converter (or a replacement pipe) I havent done one but it shouldnt be any harder than a carb. Make sure you remember to reconnect the lambada sensore

[pjm]

Firstly an appology, when I asked are Playmini alway useless, I meant Minisport, as it was them who supplied the parts, after much messing about I got the right parts in the right condition.
Spoke to a local mini garage about fitting, they quoted over £150 (5 hours work), as the f.i. system needs to come off to remove the inlet manifold, before the exhaust manifold can be removed.
I did it myself and it took me 5 hours so I would assume the garage could have done it quicker, one of the manifold/front pipe studs snapped, but no real problem as the Maniflow one was going on. Apart from that the only other minor problem is that the back box rattles against the rear sub-frame, I've fixed an exhaust rubber between the zorst and sub-frame to hopefully eliminate this.
Very impressed with the difference this has made to the performance, I only changed the system as the original one was so rotten, didn't expect to notice such a difference!
When I next service the car would I be better fitting a K+N air filter rather than the standard item?

[Fat Boy Dave]

So did you keep the Cat or get a link pipe to replace it?

Cheers.