1st Gen R50 Cooper Clutch overhaul.

Discussion in '1st Generation: 2002–06 R50, R53 & 2004–08 R52' started by interzonearts, Dec 6, 2015.

  1. interzonearts

    interzonearts New Member

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    The clutch stated slipping few weeks back and it's getting worse pretty fast. First i was thinking of doing the work myself but i looked at the service manual and it calls for removing transmission entirely which requires a whole bunch of parts to be disassembled including the subframe and what not.

    Do you guys know if it can be done by just moving the tranny away from the engine without actually taking it out?
     
  2. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    No, you can't get the old clutch out and align the new one properly with the transmission in place.

    Do it right

    Do it once
     
  3. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Absolutely no way!
     
  4. Eric@Helix

    Eric@Helix New Member
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  5. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    What year/month is your Mini? Midlands box can be out, clutch replaced and back in 2 days tops. The Midlands does not have a bearing in the flywheel for the input shaft so aligning the clutch plate requires a special tool or you can make one.

    You can do the swap without dropping the subframe, bumper off, radiator/surround stays in place so no need to drop the coolant, remove battery/box. drop the gear box oil, pull out the axles, PS fan, remove the gear box housing bolts. shifter cables off. out she comes. The Midlands weighs 76lbs so you can do it by yourself. oh the Clutch plate bolts are Torx.
     
  6. interzonearts

    interzonearts New Member

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    2003, not sure which month. How can i tell?
     
  7. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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  8. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    No worries , the important year is 2004, June is the Midlands and July onwards the Ford gearbox. With yours being a 2003 you have the Midlands gearbox. congrats! LOL So what I said earlier applies to your Mini. A weekends work, and while you're at change the gear oil but when you do add 2.5 liters instead of 2 liters. Also check the drain plug for large amounts of iron, big bits of steel means the midlands is on the way out. How many miles ?
     
  9. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    found this for you. [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bzOCWOmvgk"]Time Lapse - MINI Cooper Clutch/Transmission removal - 2002-2006 Non-S - Dropcam - YouTube[/ame] They do way more work than me as I never remove the subframe. I can lift the gearbox up and in by hand.

    Shopping list: complete clutch, throw out bearing, both axle seals, throw out bearing guide, a little grease for the guide , Redline MTL gear oil , 32mm socket for the axle nuts, breaker bar. metric tool kit. torx male sockets. Check the axle CV boots while your at it.
     
  10. interzonearts

    interzonearts New Member

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    It's a bit over 80k now.

    Are there any clutches out here that are particularly good, any brand i should stay away from for sure?
     
  11. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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  12. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    #12 RallyMini370, Dec 9, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2015
    Stick with OEM, it made this far! Eminiparts all the way!
     
  13. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Having used at the OS Giken, OEM and Clutch Masters I'm now on the Valeo Clutch Kit for Gen 1. I'm finding it the best of the bunch for me.
     
  14. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    I love, and I mean love, the Valeo clutch that MiniDave and I put in my Cooper S three years ago.

    The Valeo clutch is so much better than the OEM dual-mass flywheel monstrosity that MINI originally fitted, and which I put up with for 10 years of ownership. That OEM clutch, to its credit, never slipped but using it became increasingly worse and worse over the years. Clutch pedal feel grew much stiffer and the damn thing's bite point on pedal travel moved steadily closer to the floor each year. Besides making the car crap to drive with that clutch, the idiotic dual-mass flywheel developed the infamous Chewbacca shriek. It would actually startle nearby pedestrians as I pulled away from stop signs. Frankly, as you can tell by my tone, I was very unhappy with the OEM clutch/flywheel and it tainted my ownership and driving experience with my MINI. I remember coming back from vacation where I had become accustomed to driving a rental Peugeot for a couple of weeks and then climbing into my MINI and being disgusted with how bad the MINI’s clutch felt compared to the clutch in the Peugeot.

    My attitude toward my MINI changed three years ago. Immediately after driving out of the garage with my new Valeo flywheel and clutch fitted, I was more than delighted. My MINI was transformed. I remember telling MiniDave at the time that my MINI shifted like a Honda (and I consider that a huge compliment). The clutch feel is perfect - light and progressive, with a wonderful bite point. There is no increased NVH as a result of losing the OEM dual-mass flywheel and going with the Valeo's conventional flywheel. The engine idles just as smoothly, there is no judder, no shaking --- nothing negative. This is the single most important change I've made to my MINI and I love it. I highly recommend the Valeo clutch.
     
  15. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    I presume the Mini in this thread is a R50?
     
  16. interzonearts

    interzonearts New Member

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    Yes, it's a R50, 5 speed. Does it still have the dual mass fw?
     
  17. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    Nope, just a standard flywheel/clutch like most cars. A very simple set up designed for 1.4 Peugeot's LOL
     
  18. Eric@Helix

    Eric@Helix New Member
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    ^This^. The above advice about using stock parts still holds true.
     
  19. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    Juicy clutch porn! Mine has a 7LBS aluminium flywheel!
    DSC08987_zpskbwodhd2.jpg
     

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  20. RallyMini370

    RallyMini370 Well-Known Member

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    A common sight for me! Thinking about it you might have to drop the subframe due to I don't have an A/C. I'm not sure how much allowance the pipes have on the A/C.

    DSC09819_zps9cxwry6x.jpg
     

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