1st Gen JCW Refreshing Rufus - 2005 MCS JCW

Discussion in '1st Generation: 2002–06 R50, R53 & 2004–08 R52' started by agranger, Aug 21, 2017.

  1. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    I replace my Belt and Tensioner every 2 years now. I have a spare set hanging in my garage.
     
  2. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    I buy everything I can online - avoid my dealer like the plague. Not only expensive, but they don't know R53s (shop opened after the R56 was released) nor do to they care to work on them.

    My gray car runs on Colin's coilovers - not a problem since the day I installed them. Car needed new suspension anyway, after the previous owner had installed garbage lowering springs that broke, as well as destroyed the Hotchkis junk camber plates (would never touch their stuff after seeing that happened there). Helix control arms in the back and you are good to go.

    I've learned my lesson with that car and now only buy bone-stock lady-driven R53s - those seem to get into the higher miles with a lot less issues than cars that come with the big brake kit and have been lowered for autocross or track days.
     
  3. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    I have a few of those myself. Also been collecting other spares that seem to be needed frequently, such as upper engine mount, belts, all kinds of plastic clips that break every time you take the wheel wells out. There are brake parts, bushings, dip sticks, idler pulleys and all kinds of Mini parts on my garage shelves :D
     
  4. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    Never driven a car with those, but the Mod Mini guy on youtube has them on his highly modded R53 and is quite happy with them. Not perfect, but he feels they are a good value for the money. I didn't want to take chances and just got the Greeneperformance coilovers. We'll probably throw some home-brew BC modded coilvers with swift springs on our red car when the time comes. Or just grab some Bilstein PSS10 - those are getting mighty affordable for this car.


    what exactly is that? The tie rods? I am not aware of adjustable end links in the front of that car.

    but isn't wheel shopping fun? :)


    Strut brace is cool. Don't think I felt a difference (M7 bar added to lowered car with sticky summer tires). Given how stiff my car is (lifts a wheel every time I turn into my driveway), I don't see the need for any additional bracing under the car. I'm thinking roll cage anyway, so weight is becoming a concern. Rear sway bar should be the first upgrade from that list.

    my gray car is at 94k, the red one barely at 30k - both already have new tensioners and idler pulleys. Cheap insurance. Engine damper on the high mile car is now aftermarket, original was still fine. Left it alone on the low mile car. both have had SC oil changed. Will do it gain on the high mile car this month. new water pump going in as well.

    Rubber hoses are all fine, but there were a bunch of leaks at dip stick tube and crank position sensor on both cars. All Minis leak there. Fix when you do SC service.

    I have Wilwoods on one car, and just completely refreshed bone-stock brakes on the other, both stainless braided lines all around. Akebono pads on stock, Akebono rear/Wilwood pads front on the other car. Driving on public roads, there is zero difference between the cars when braking. Brake feel is very similar. I am replacing rotors on the Wilwoods this month, though, so who knows. the old rotors were a bit warpy and pulsated at higher speeds. Maybe the new stuff will be better, but I am not planning to do anything to the brakes of my new blue Mini.

    JCW should have even better brakes than stock - if that's what is on the car, just get pads and rotors, flush, braided lines and be done with it. Everything else is for track day use or looks.


    Never heard of a really good short shift kit. What I did upgrade was the shift knob. Got the carbon JCW (I think Outmotoring still sells it at a good price) and I love it so much, I am getting it for all my cars.

    Bushings on shifter mechanism is on my to-do list. never felt like there was an issue. Stiff engine mounts, especially lower, make shifting easier, but be ready for other vibrations you may not like when you install that stuff. I tore out the poly bushings from the lower mount after one week. Could not handle the exhaust rattle I was getting.

    As for upgrades - mine have a 15% pulley and intakes (DDM works for the perfect in-cabin super charger orchestra sound). I am about to get a Detroit-Tuned bypass for the more-modded car, and if it feels good, it'll go into all cars.

    check your radiator fan for resistor failure - pretty much fails on all cars and should be replaced with a better solution that lasts. Lots of writeups about that job online.



    other updates and services I did early on:

    fuel filter and pump on the high mile car, just filter on the low mile car. Both looked like tar was in the gas.

    Plug wires (don't touch the coil),

    new coolant tank

    I lost the rear seats and make your own GP seat-delete compartment cover.

    new battery - 5 years old? ditch it.

    HID bulbs for fog lights - matches HID low beams in color now and is brighter, but being fogs, they don't blind people like HID bulbs in regular low beam housings do. Will do that in my non HID car, too, but put yellow/warm HID bulbs in.

    full brake fluid flush, new rotors, etc

    Bluetooth OBD2 plug and an old Android phone in a cradle to run Torque app for engine monitoring (boost, temps, etc). Most expensive part was the phone mount.

    I'd have to look at the car to think if more, but the list is rather long
     
  5. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Coiling all sell Vibratechnics Rubber motor mounts (upper and lower) and transmission mounts. I have all 3 of the softer street version but he also has stiffer race mounts.

    The top motor mount is the best you can buy and will not fail and leak like the OEM one. Way of Walmart Motor Works made a copy of the upper VT mount that looks like a high school kid made it in his garage. :lol:

    https://www.greeneperformance.com/collections/mini-oem-performance-parts/products/vibra-technics-mini-cooper-s-r53-07-04-07-08-min906m-right-hand-engine-mount

    IMG_1397_1.jpeg
     
  6. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    So far I've shied back from spending the coin on these fancy mounts. I also seem to be jacking up my engine once every half gas tank lately, so I have plenty of opportunity to swap the leaky type before it fails, all at $45 a pop.
     
  7. Redbeard

    Redbeard JCW: because fast is fun!
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    I will beat a dead horse. When I was still running with the track racing crowd back in the day I watched all sorts of awful stuff happen to Meagan parts on the track and on the street. Don't waste your dollars on their stuff.
     
  8. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #28 agranger, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2017
    Wow! Lots of good info there.

    On my first R53, I decided that I'd replace the battery every 4 years (Texas summers are brutal on batteries). I never got to that point... the longest was 3 years. This car came with a 4 year-old battery in the boot, so it has already been replaced! (Autozone was running a $20 off sale that ended on the day I went to look it up).

    I got the seats back in last night and found a couple of spots on the fabric that need a little bit more attention. It looks like dirty water from under the upholstery was wicked up while they were drying. Oh well.

    I also got the new antenna base and stubby antenna installed. It was a bit of a PITA, but not awful. That job took a 22mm box-end wrench, going up through the alarm motion sensor panel in the rear headliner. I had to pull down the center bit of the rear headliner from the hatch opening to get to the wiring connections. Oh yeah... add a new headliner to my list, or at least headliner repair. I've got 4-5 spots where it's starting to sag and a couple of previously unnoticed scratches/cuts in the fabric. Oh well... such is a 12 year-old car. :D

    [​IMG]

    Edit: I found a mobile headliner guy with a bunch of 5-star reviews on Yelp. He just had a last minute cancellation, so he's on the way out! $175 to make it new again. I figured that I'd be into it for $50 of materials at least, and I've got more than enough projects to keep me busy for now. Perhaps I'll learn how to replace a headliner some other time... for now, I'll let the professional do it. + $75 for the sueded material, which looks a lot better than the black and grey options he had (which were nice, but would have looked a bit more at home in a classic car, IMHO).
     
  9. Dave.0

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    That's a personal choice that only you can decide. Add up all the money and time you spend on those $45 OEM mounts and you may see if differently someday. That's what I did.
     
  10. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    To the OCD detailer in me, it's the PITA of cleaning up the black goo that comes out of the OEM mount. The frame rail under mine is currently solid black. If I can get it back to red, I'll probably go aftermarket.
     
  11. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #31 agranger, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2017
    Later todayh:

    How to replace the rechargeable battery in an R53 key: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxRT5MzARTw"]Mini R50, R52, R53 Opening broken Key and Fix - YouTube[/ame]

    Part: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IOK2QS2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    FYI: the process went as shown and I was able to desolder the old battery and install the new one fairly easily... even with my awful soldering skills. I'll find out during my weekend jaunt if the key will take a charge and work again.
     
  12. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #32 agranger, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2017
    Headliner: I'm still a bit worried about my OCD and touch-prints on the Alcantera-like material, but it does look cool! Right now, I'm happy that I chose it. Just before taking these pics, I took a clean microfiber and gave the liner a gentle brushing so it was all raised in the same direction... 5 minutes, tops.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  13. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    I've done one myself last year (no sunroof), and it was about $100 in supplies once you add the good glue. An experience in tearing down the car in places you never thought you'd disassemble, but otherwise a royal pain in the arse. Mostly the removal of old glue from the headliner - HOURS or sticky scraping and inhaling solvent/goo-gone before it seemed fine. Then when it was all clean came the install and it was something only experienced guys will get right on the first try. I have some folds in the fabric on one side and there are corners that just came right back off the backing where the cleaning clearly wasn't perfect or the glue was sprayed on too thick.

    I'd never do this myself again unless the cost was far higher than what you've been quoted. Again, that cleanup, unless the guy has some magic juice that gets the glue off, is worth the money alone
     
  14. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    I'll get to these buggers sooner or later. Until then, I barely drive my cars anyway. They are more therapy than necessity for me :D
     
  15. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    That was my thought. The all in price of $175 seemed more than reasonable: Parts & 2 guys at 1 hour of labor. It was done in about an hour and it looks better than I could have done. Hell... I spent more than an hour watching you-tube videos last night on how to do this!
     
  16. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    problem for me - up north here, there's no place that does headliner work. No demand. Clearly a problem of the southern climates. My Florida Mini was losing the headliner the moment it was north of Alabama...
     
  17. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #37 agranger, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2017
    Gauge Faces:

    The package arrived from my eBay purchase, so I couldn't keep my hands off of the tools at lunch time! It came with a Blue/Red Union Jack speedometer face and a stock tach face. That isn't my style, so I decided to go for a dark GP look. It should go well with something a bit flashier that I've got planned for the painted surfaces of the dash. I'm also quite proud that I got the MPH needle replaced correctly. After my third or fourth time of taking the speedometer 'glass' off and repositioning that needle on Jango (and always being 1 or 2 MPH off), I just gave up and called it "close enough."

    Thank goodness I purchased that headlight/tail-light refurbishment kit. I was able to polish some tiny scratches right out of the speedometer lens with the plastic polish inside!

    [​IMG]
     
  18. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Nice job. Colin had exact reproductions made of the GP gauge faces and I got a set. They look awesome.
     
  19. Redbeard

    Redbeard JCW: because fast is fun!
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    Lookin' damn good. Love that headliner. Perfect.
     
  20. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    #40 agranger, Aug 26, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2017
    It's alive! The battery refresh and/or the dealership reprogramming wiped the emissions data from the car and I couldn't get the State inspection done. I've got an appointment at 7:30am on Monday to have it done again, so I got Rufus out on the road. You need some 50+ miles of data in there, so I hopped on a highway, cruised Dow the road for 40 miles, turned around and went home. The car behaved beautifully and it was nice to be in a moderately clean interior without tools, parts (aero side sills) and luggage everywhere.

    The key battery refresh didn't fix the non-functional remote buttons. It had a good hour to charge and it doesn't work. Oh well... it was a good try. I'm not desperate enough to pay for a new key and coding, so I'll make due with one working transmitter.

    I think my new Whalen handbrake handle arrives today (the stock one was peeling chrome everywhere) to match the shift knob. I still have my Whalen shift knob from Jango, for sentimental reasons and I was excited to put that on Rufus, but a previous owner already had a Whalen knob custom made with the JCW serial number engraved on the knob.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I've got to go shopping on Amazon to re-do a mod from Jango. I put a new Kuda mount on Rufus yesterday for the Garmin, but When I got it all working this morning I realized that something was missing. I HATE dangling cords, so on Jango, I installed a panel mount power socket, so the cord for the Garmin was tidy/hidden from the driver's view. Gotta go find parts to recreate it.

    [​IMG]
     

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