[nicktsigos]

I had my kit installed the other day and noticed that my valve is randomly closing itself. its happened on longer and shorter drives but has also stayed open on other drives. Spoke with my dealer but they aren't super sure what could be causing it because I'm the first to have installed the kit. I can't seem to find a way to recreate it but I was wondering if there was something that I didn't know about the kit that may be closing itself.

 

[uke]

A valve, huh?

There can only be about 30 or so of those on the engine. Care to elaborate?

 

[nicktsigos]

A valve, huh?

There can only be about 30 or so of those on the engine. Care to elaborate?

JCW tuning kit has a valvetronic exhaust. its closing the valve in the muffler that is controlled by a bluetooth controller

 

[cookie1892]

i dont have the tuning kit on my cooper s (yet) but could it be a similar situation to the audio bluetooth problems i have whereby it drops out every now and then causing my spotify to stop playing through the speakers then picks up a few seconds later??

 

[uke]

My guess is that the default behavior of the valve in question is to close if Bluetooth connectivity is lost. That way rather than being stuck in Annoying Noisemaker Mode, the car will gracefully degrade down to the quieter exhaust mode. It would not be kosher if the thing got itself stuck on full belch and we woke up the orphanage while driving to work every morning.

Since the valve is managing to close itself, that tells us that there is no issue with the power to the valve (unless the valve is spring loaded somehow and will default to closed on power loss) That leaves Bluetooth as the suspect.

I would verify that the Bluetooth fob has a fresh battery. I would also experiment with location. Put the fob in various places and see if the problem recurs. Verify that the Bluetooth receiver on the valve is unobstructed. Try walking around outside the car with the fob and see if the valve closes uncommanded. Note where that happens, and whether or not the locations where Bluetooth loses connectivity are consistent; there may be one or more magic spots where Bluetooth just cannot maintain communication. There will be others where the signal is strong.

The best way to send information between two devices is with a wire. As soon as you add radio, you are opening a Pandora's Box of Glitchy. The MINI already seems to have a somewhat flaky Bluetooth. There might be something about how the car is constructed that makes that particular piece of the radio spectrum problematic for reliable Bluetooth.

 

[Balypu]

I had my kit installed the other day and noticed that my valve is randomly closing itself. its happened on longer and shorter drives but has also stayed open on other drives. Spoke with my dealer but they aren't super sure what could be causing it because I'm the first to have installed the kit. I can't seem to find a way to recreate it but I was wondering if there was something that I didn't know about the kit that may be closing itself.

Hi I am thinking about getting this kit, but am having trouble finding an insurer who will cover the car with it on, who did you go with and was the cost excessive

 

[nicktsigos]

My guess is that the default behavior of the valve in question is to close if Bluetooth connectivity is lost. That way rather than being stuck in Annoying Noisemaker Mode, the car will gracefully degrade down to the quieter exhaust mode. It would not be kosher if the thing got itself stuck on full belch and we woke up the orphanage while driving to work every morning.

Since the valve is managing to close itself, that tells us that there is no issue with the power to the valve (unless the valve is spring loaded somehow and will default to closed on power loss) That leaves Bluetooth as the suspect.

I would verify that the Bluetooth fob has a fresh battery. I would also experiment with location. Put the fob in various places and see if the problem recurs. Verify that the Bluetooth receiver on the valve is unobstructed. Try walking around outside the car with the fob and see if the valve closes uncommanded. Note where that happens, and whether or not the locations where Bluetooth loses connectivity are consistent; there may be one or more magic spots where Bluetooth just cannot maintain communication. There will be others where the signal is strong.

The best way to send information between two devices is with a wire. As soon as you add radio, you are opening a Pandora's Box of Glitchy. The MINI already seems to have a somewhat flaky Bluetooth. There might be something about how the car is constructed that makes that particular piece of the radio spectrum problematic for reliable Bluetooth.

Thanks for the help, I'm going to dig in a little more on my next day off and see if I can find a way to reproduce the issue consistently and get an idea of how to solve for it. I'm in the same boat that I think its the BT dropping connection and closing the valve, I've already been experimenting with where I'm keeping it in my car and trying to notice a difference. For the next few days I'll only be taking the car for short 2-5 mile drives so it might be tough to reproduce. I'll keep people posted if I find anything substantial

 

[nicktsigos]

Hi I am thinking about getting this kit, but am having trouble finding an insurer who will cover the car with it on, who did you go with and was the cost excessive

Unfortunately I can't answer the question as I'm in the United States. Good luck with the search for an insurer as I love the kit, and I'm sure you will as well

 

[chrisgVRS]

Interested in this also, being based in the UK I can't find any information on it, cost etc. All in really want is the exhaust, anyone have anything?

 

[Balypu]

Interested in this also, being based in the UK I can't find any information on it, cost etc. All in really want is the exhaust, anyone have anything?

Just go to a mini dealer and they will help you, it's getting insurance that is the tricky part

 

[nicktsigos]

Just a heads up it looks like Mini blocked the part again for a coding issue. This might explain why my valve is randomly closing on its own. Dealership is going to keep me in the loop with when they get the new codes to plug in.

 

[Tiger]

Interested in this also, being based in the UK I can't find any information on it, cost etc. All in really want is the exhaust, anyone have anything?

Me too. If I add anything to the car, it's gonna be the exhaust. The 13 year old boy in me wants to be able to push a button and have a nice sound come out the back to impress my friends ha. I don't need one of those ear splitting Japanese drifter sounds, I don't want it to sound like a Harley, I don't want it on all the time... I just want my S to sound a little more... S

[and unless I get a new job, by the time I scrape together the money it will be time for a new car...]

 

[cookie1892]

Me too. If I add anything to the car, it's gonna be the exhaust. The 13 year old boy in me wants to be able to push a button and have a nice sound come out the back to impress my friends ha. I don't need one of those ear splitting Japanese drifter sounds, I don't want it to sound like a Harley, I don't want it on all the time... I just want my S to sound a little more... S

[and unless I get a new job, by the time I scrape together the money it will be time for a new car...]

I also wanted this and the prices i have been quoted is £1600 fitting for exhaust and engine tuning to 210. Unfortunately as far as i am aware you cant have one without the other.

If you have a desire for just the exhaust it is well worth looking at R99's build thread on here and listening to the remus system he bought which has the same bluetooth technology for opening a valve and such

 

[171jon]

Are you still covered under warranty though with the remus exhaust? The jcw dealer fitted kit is apparently full warranty approved?
Don't think the remus is that either, in excess on £1100 I believe...

 

[Tiger]

Actually I've been looking at the Remus (among others). From what I've found so far, it's the only "push button" option. There are cheaper catback exhausts for as low as $900 out there and Remus seems to have the top dollar slot at around $1607.00 (if you want the carbon fiber tips - which look pretty good if I do say so myself), but you get the whole remote control thing going on. Quicksilver has an attractive system too for around $1150 (same sound all the time, tho), so whatever you get, you're gonna drop about a grand. So, that's a down the road mod for me, but all the options sound nice.

 

[larryzhou]

the flap closes when you stop you car temperally and the auto start/stop is off.

by the way, did you code your car? do you feel a noticable power gain?

I code the car, but it seems the activation file is not need at all. what's your situation?

I had my kit installed the other day and noticed that my valve is randomly closing itself. its happened on longer and shorter drives but has also stayed open on other . Spoke with my dealer but they aren't super sure what could be causing it because I'm the first to have installed the kit. I can't seem to find a way to recreate it but I was wondering if there was something that I didn't know about the kit that may be closing itself.

 

[MoonieGT]

nicktsigos - Do you have a manual transmission? If so, did the reflash change the engine behavior at all? Specifically, does the engine still exhibit as much rev hang as it did when it was stock? Rev hang is my biggest complaint with my '15 MCS...

 

[subz]

Hi folks. First post here (hello!)

I've had my 2015 MCS (moonwalk grey) for 2 weeks now, and had the JCW kit fitted before I collected it.

Couple of points:

1. I don't have any particular concern about rev hang, but as I didn't drive a standard S for any extended period (only on an initial test drive a couple of months back) it's hard for me to make any objective comparison. All I can say is that the ECU in this JCW tuned mode doesn't seem to hang on to the revs a great deal - in fact the drop off is quite noticeable especially in sport mode with the valve open when it pops and bangs aggressively on the overrun.

2. For insurance, because of the 'modifications' my previous insurers (Admiral) were quoting me the same premium as the car the MCS replaced - a year old SQ5! Silly.
I gave Mini insurance a call and got fully comp with the JCW kit for £293 (38 years old, max NCD - protected, 3pts - SP50, live near Bracknell)
They stated (and upon my request confirmed in writing) that the kit (and any dealer fit option) would be treated as standard.

Hope that helps

 

[MoonieGT]

Thanks for that info. Is your car a manual or an auto? I ask because rev hang does not occur in auto cars.

 

[subz]

Thanks for that info. Is your car a manual or an auto? I ask because rev hang does not occur in auto cars.

Manual of course