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Author Topic: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre  (Read 4717 times)

Offline Matt81

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Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« on: August 30, 2016, 01:51:39 pm »
Hi guys,

Running a Stage 1 ED30.

Only engine mods are:
Pre-cat removal
DV+
Oversize RAM Air.

I'm looking for a little more sound out of my exhaust (not too much).

Do you think swapping the centre pipe for a Milltek one would achieve this?

Can you even just change the centre?

If so is it worth just going for a cheap centre pipe until I can afford a complete system at a later date?

Cheers.

Offline pudding

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2016, 03:55:31 pm »
Binning off the factory downpipe for an aftermarket 3" one (with or without sport cat) will make it a bit louder, whilst improving flow.





2007 ED30 | 2009 TDI 140 | 2016 BMW 330D

Offline Matt81

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2016, 03:59:55 pm »
Can you recommend one that won't turn on the EML?

Offline AJP

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2016, 04:09:54 pm »
Can you recommend one that won't turn on the EML?
You might as well get the Stage 2 map to go with it (which would prevent the warning light illuminating).

The best thing you can do for your turbo is giving it a chance to flow. The standard downpipe is far too small.

Offline Matt81

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2016, 04:23:13 pm »

Offline pudding

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2016, 04:39:56 pm »
Yeah that is a bit cheap.  R-Tech have found a few of these uber cheap Chinese downpipes to be only 2.5" diameter!  Believe it or not, this causes so much back pressure, the exhaust valves can't shut properly!

I have the APR downpipe on my Stage 1 ED30 and really like it. It comes with a 200 cell cat.  It's been on the car for about 1500 miles now and the EML hasn't come on yet.

APR stuff is big bucks, so why not jump onto the TFSI Tuning facebook group and get a Relentless Tuning 3.5" downpipe.  Folk on there seem to like them and they're not silly money either.


2007 ED30 | 2009 TDI 140 | 2016 BMW 330D

Offline AJP

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2016, 04:56:25 pm »
Whatever you do, don't buy a cheap and cheerful sport cat. They're often cheap because the innards are made of a lower quality metal, which fails years sooner than those with a better design and made with better materials.

You can sometimes get away with a 'budget' decat. But like Pudding says, make sure it's 3" at least. The Relentless pipes get good shouts.

I've got a full Powervalve with one of their (huge) sport cats. It wasn't cheap, but I'm happy that it's one of the best solutions available.

Offline pudding

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2016, 05:14:13 pm »
I'm not really convinced by sport cats to be honest.  The one on my APR is supposed to be some super duper 'GESI' cat, but honestly, the exhaust never smells sulphury like the OEM cats to, so it's catalytic conversion is minimal at best!  First MOT since fitting it next month, so I'll see if it passes the emissions or not!


2007 ED30 | 2009 TDI 140 | 2016 BMW 330D

Offline AJP

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2016, 05:27:17 pm »
If you give me a second I'll post up my emissions results.

Offline AJP

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2016, 05:33:15 pm »
Exciting stuff this...

Stock exhaust and stock map:



Full Powervalve (200 cell) and Stage 2 map


Offline Matt81

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2016, 11:33:53 am »
Looks like you passed with ease.

I'll be honest, I'm quite happy with my performance, I just wanted a little more noise currently (not much) and was hoping just adding a non-res centre pipe was the answer as a Miltek one is sub £150.
By going the sports-cat or de-cat route (which is in budget) it sounds like I would then need a stage 2 map at and extra £350 to the cost of the pipe and more than I had budgeted (achievable in the future bit not for a while)


Offline AJP

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2016, 02:11:11 pm »
Looks like you passed with ease.

I'll be honest, I'm quite happy with my performance, I just wanted a little more noise currently (not much) and was hoping just adding a non-res centre pipe was the answer as a Miltek one is sub £150.
By going the sports-cat or de-cat route (which is in budget) it sounds like I would then need a stage 2 map at and extra £350 to the cost of the pipe and more than I had budgeted (achievable in the future bit not for a while)
Do you think you'll ever go Stage 2 or beyond? If so, just put your money towards a proper downpipe. It'd be pointless spending money on a pipe that'd be coming out again.

If not, then yeah why not. You could put the Milltek pipe in, or get a custom exhaust place to put one in, or you could get an aftermarket catback system. Whatever you wanted really.

Offline pudding

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2016, 03:14:11 pm »
0.00% CO for the standard car, wicked!   Kind of at odds with all the soot these TFSIs build up on the tailpipes though!



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Offline flashp

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2016, 07:16:24 am »
0.00% CO for the standard car, wicked!   Kind of at odds with all the soot these TFSIs build up on the tailpipes though!
Not sure that 0% is actually possible but it's obviously below permissible limits  :happy2:

Gone but not forgotten :-)

Offline Matt81

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Re: Is it worth it?? Milltek Centre
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2016, 04:55:56 pm »
3" Down Pipe with Sports Cat in the way to me :-)

Will then be going Stage 2.