Drove it to work. Then to a meeting with our 2 star CG. Then down range to get some more updates from my ARDEC QA buddies to see what new nightmares we get to deal with later. Another meeting, then home. Just got finished giving it a long overdue bath.
Spent two and a half hours this evening after work peeling off the ugly Clear bra on my hood. Had surface scratches and started holding mildew some how. Now the hood looks fresh and clean and gives me a reason to buy a new hood scoop and the JCW aero kit so I don't have to peel the bra off the scoop and front bumper. Haha
Drove the Helmet to work and then the amp bit the dust! I can’t find where they put it on an R58:mad2:
I changed the plugs on my MCS (R56), which was pretty easy. It has been a while since I've changed my own plugs, so of course I immediately tried to remove the plug from the magnetic retriever with my hand. Yeah, it was hot. Dumass. I was using a friend's shop, and he has a SnapOn torque wrench, so I used it instead of my Harbor Freight wrench. Then on to the air filter. I opened the airbox up, and was surprised to find a K&N filter. So, I can return the paper filter. I washed the filter this evening, and I'm going to let it dry overnight. Then I can oil it and put it back in the car. Third, I changed the cabin air filter. It was actually easier than I thought it would be, looking at diagrams on AllData. My TPMS light came on, for no apparent reason. I checked my pressures, and reset it. It seems fine, now. I have no idea how old the sensors (batteries) are. So, between the work at Sewell MINI, and my work, my car has fresh oil, oil filter, brake fluid, a clean air filter, new cabin filter, and new spark plugs. And the tires are all at the right pressure. In total, I'm about $400 poorer. Not too bad. Next, polish and coat the headlights. CD
messed around with coilovers on dark gray, then got tired of that and installed a Kenwood headunit in the blue car. 12 years newer technology than the car, and it shows - built in bluetooth hands free with microphone that now lives next to the tach. Music streaming, CD changer, usb and all sorts of other gizmos like Android rapid charge via the USB plug. It has pre-amp outputs (soon to be utilized) and it all works in the car like factory. Infinite color adjustment of the display light to match Mini orange, and even the steering wheel controls work. Not just volume, but I can skip tracks, even on my phone via bluetooth. The thing knows track names on CDs I created years ago from youtube video rips, no idea how it does that. And, it was $89 as a refurb at Crutchfield. Note that the required install kit with all the needed adapters was almost another $75 on top of that. I figured the car I'd be driving the most and modify the least, I'd give it a go and try a few things to upgrade the non-HK audio. this was stage 1 and a full success.
I like challenges like this! If it is the HK stereo amp, it is located in a cover box that looks like this: I can find the zoomed-in view, but can't find for sure where it goes in the car, but I did see a " Right Front Floor Cover" reference in some metadata, so maybe start there. That cover does look like the kind of panel that they would use to hide the wires under the glovebox. Minidave is right... on the R53 (2002-2006) and associated models, the HK amp was in the boot, under a plastic access door covering a space behind the right rear tail light. Maybe that's place #2 to look...
mine (R53) is on the passenger side rear bolted to the wheel well and somewhat accessible via that passenger side access panel. I don't think mine has that cover, but it's been a while since I looked in there. I am planning to install the aftermarket amp I have for the blue car in the same location, one main advantage being the short power line run to the battery.
Every thing says on both Gen 1 and 2 cars it’s in the same place. But I did not see it when I pulled the cover off. I don’t know why they would put it in a different place on the coupe. I had been in meetings all day and am sick so when I got home I did a quick look before laying down. Today I am in Tucson I will look agin when I get home tonight, we’ll in the morning.
Here's where I left off last night on the electric blue new kid in the garage - refurb Kenwood, but does it ever sound better than the stock Boost radio. Hands free, bluetooth, change tracks on the phone with steering wheel controls. Orange 2 preset in the color selection fits fine, no need to mess with RGB numbers to get it perfect. Kenwood KDC-BT365U Over the coming days I plan to get new speakers and the power amp wired up, but first I need to do a few more mundane jobs, such as fuel filter, engine mount and tensioner replacement, SC oil service, throttle body cleanup, new SC belt, coolant and brake flush. fun weekend coming up. Need to pick up the new tires, too, which are waiting at the installer, but currently no seats in the car
Installed some cheap ($13, shipped from China) collapsible sunscreeen covers for the Panofryer sunroof. Best mod I've made in a long time.
I love the "Panofryer" nickname. Those sunroofs were not designed for Texas, for sure. I have "Limo" tint on mine. CD
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Foldable-Car-Sunroof-UV-Sunshade-Heat-Isolate-For-MINI-Cooper-2007-2017-F55-R55-/263182675039?hash=item3d46e8ec5f:g:L20AAOSwUnFZqqGz
I had limo tint on my 2009, but the tint shop talked me out of doing it on my 2013 (seems that the sunroof, 'panofryer/panobaker' glass is darker, and they had a bulletin about glass breakage). The rev.1 glass does do a better job, but it was still a bit weak (although a late spring trip through the Big Bend showed no ill-effects). This is a great $13 solution for the six to nine months that the sun is relentless here. P.S. Your sig reminds me of my friends on the Klipsch forum. ;-)
My window tinter warned me about the glass breakage possibility. But, three years and no breakage. PS: It's funny you say that about my sig, since my home theater room is all Klipsch speakers, including my two main speakers, which are old-school Klipsch Quartets. I have outdoor Klipsch speakers in my garage for the garage and patio area, too. CD .
FedEx dropped off a nice little tube box at my house today. New RMW Grand AM Cam inside. :devil::ihih:
There were rumors of glass breakage on R50-53 sunroofs when tinted, but I've never seen anyone in the MINI cmmnity report one actually being broken. I'm gonna have mine tinted.