NME1022 Cat Back Exhaust Installation Instructions for MINI Cooper S

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Below are instructions for the Mini Mania Cat Back Exhaust System, Part Number NME1022. Please take all necessary precautions for working under your MINI or MINI Cooper "S".  Mini Mania is not responsible for any damages incurred during the installation of this part. Mini Mania recommends professional installation.

1) Wait for the car to cool off. This helps immensely with removing the bolts from the cat.

2) Jack the rear of the car up, and put in jack stands, or use a lift.

2.5) Remove the battery tray with a 10mm; there are four plastic nuts that hold it in place.

3) Unbolt the center pipe to the cat with a 15mm.

4) Support the cat with a box.

5) Remove the center body hanger with a 10mm.

6) Now it's time to move to the rear of the car. The factory mufflers are held to the rubber hangers with a bracket. You will remove the bolts that hold the mufflers to these brackets with a 10mm.

Be sure to support the muffler as you remove these bolts, as the exhaust system will come down after they are out.

7) Lower the old exhaust and slide out.

This is what the car will look like.

8) Before you slide the new system under the car, you will need to remove the factory muffler brackets. The best way to do this is to pull the two 13mm nuts holding the outside hanger in place, then pry the inner part of the bracket off of the hanger. Here's the bracket before it's removed:

9) This is what it looks like when the bracket is out and the new system is ready to go in:

10) You must also remove the center body hanger from the stock system and install it on the new system. The rubber hangers are bolted to this hanger with 10mm bolts. Remove the bolts and then remove the rubber hangers from the center pipe. Reverse the order to install it on the new system. Make sure that the forward part of the bracket is facing the right way! The bracket is held onto the car with six bolts. The bolt pattern has three bolts on each side, and two of them on each side are close together. You will want the bracket to have the 2 close bolts facing toward the front of the car.

11) Remove the rubber hanger from the factory muffler bracket that you unbolted earlier. Bolt up the rubber hanger back in place again. This is shown in the pic with the bracket removed further up the page.

12) Slide the system under the car. Be sure that when you put the system together, all clamps are in place, but not tightened yet.

13) Place the new muffler into the rubber hangers. Push them into the rubber hangers.

14) Raise the center pipe to the cat. Make sure to reuse the stock gasket! Get the bolts started. Hold the cat for support to the system, and tighten the bolts with a 19mm socket on one side and a 19mm wrench on the other.

Support the cat with a box again.

15) Line up the center body hanger bolt holes and get the bolts started.

16) Tighten the center pipe clamp.

17) Now line up the tip where you like it. After you have the tip aligned, tighten the clamps.