Engine Drivetrain 2nd Gen Most liked posts in thread: Any way to get a little more power?

There are always compromises.....

Have you tried your "Sport" button?

 

There is a thread talking about this very thing and I saw it this morning, but I can't find it now. It is tucked in a forum someplace, so I'll keep looking.

Jim

 

And when you find it, make sure to let me know. Oh dear, this is 2nd gen:beer

Mark

 

Are you thinking of this one?

http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/experiments-prototypes-ideas/1956-cai-r56-justa.html

 

Not too many choices on the standard Cooper. I have seen a few modified R50s but nothing really yet in terms of R56 Cooper. CAI is an obvious choice as well as free flow exhaust. Maybe someone knows about aftermarket software/tuning.

 

I always wonder when a Justa owner starts asking for "just a little more" power what they're really after?

I mean that as a sincere question, not any kind of a putdown.....

Would 5hp do it? 10hp?

When you start buying exhaust systems, cold air intakes, aftermarket tunes, camshafts and so on, pretty soon cost wise you could have bought an S, and you still don't have the same HP as a S model does.

That's not to say the S doesn't have it's compromises too - the OP notes the run flats issue, which means buying a set of wheels and tires to get around it.

 

For most of my 03 justa mods, it is replacing worn out OEM stuff. I guess the gain is maybe 5-8 hp with intake/exhaust, on a good day. It is pulls good from 2000 rpm+, so I'm happy. No tune. S owners have to work to keep up in real tight twisties

 

I added the DDM CAI to my 08 Clubman. Hasn't really provided any 'noticeable' power improvement.

 

That be the one. Thanks, I saw it under "new posts" and didn't look there.

Jim

 

We've used and installed the DDM Cooper intake and even did dyno tests with it. It gained 8 ft lbs torque at the wheels. So I'd definetly recommend starting with it. Also the NM lower torque arm bushing is a must have mod on all R56's

 

One of these days I'm going to do all the motor mounts. The top mount engine damper I have on the 03 does butt dyno test as a good addition.

Mark

 

Just FYI, there's a spot for a mini spare under the floor of the Clubman - including the S that I have.

Truthfully tho, I've had non-runflats on both of my Coopers pretty much since I got them and never had a problem with a tire - *touch wood*.

I've done a number of cross country trips too - trips to Mini-sota, South Dakota and Wyoming, Colorado, Arkansas, North Carolina and all over Kansas and Missouri. I might be tempting fate by even mentioning it, but so far......

My point about the HP is, it's fine to add CAI and exhausts for sound and so on, but they make so little difference - you have what you have, if you want more it's probably going to be more cost effective to buy an S than invest more in a Justa....

 

If you dont use run flats just keep an emergency tire inflator kit and you ll be ok.

Just keep it simple of Justa, CAI and exhaust and you ll never have any problems

 

I know it has been said before and there are disbelievers, but add the sprint booster with the torque arm bushing and you get more go then you had before from from the sport button. Add the DDM intake and you get a bit more. I just don't buy the "what you have is what you have" statement at all. Will it be an "S"? No, of course not. Can you still get more performance? Yes.

Jim

 

I too

don't buy the "just get an S" mantra. I mean, if you wanted a fast car, why buy a mini at all? All those that mod Minis could be told "just should have bought a Porsche, or a turbo Solstace, or a fill in the blank....

But that said, it sure is harder to mod the base Prince engine, just like it's harder to mod the base Tritec. A much smaller percentage of the buyers are interested in improving power, so there isn't a ton of reasons why sellers will make parts for the base engine.

Then again, it's just an engine. Talk to those that improve engines, break out the checkbook, and have at it! Port the head and intake. Throw on some bigger valves. Get a camshaft (or two for the Prince) and go to town.....

Someone has to be first...

Matt

 

Well the stock S is much quicker to 60, 2 seconds, which is what like 30% faster? That is substantial. No way to get near that with bolt-ons. So I differ with you on the "S mantra" There are not many cars out there that I see driving the streets that are as, quick, good handling, solid feeling, economical, versatile, and nice looking as my wife's Mini S

 

Keepimg everything in the MINI arena it comes down to the fact that the "S" is faster in a direct line (like 0 to 60), but the justa gets better mpg in a direct line. Other then that, in given conditions, they perform in a simular manner. My point is only that the stock justa CAN be improved a bit. Not to become an "S", but better then stock. It is not a "dog" by any means.

Jim

 

No one is suggesting it's a dog, my point is still that it doesn't make sense to spend time and money eaking out a 5 or 10 hp gain when you could spend about the same and buy the car already thoroughy done by the factory - and that being the case it seems smarter to go with what the factory does.

By the time you make all those mods to a base engine, you still won't have the same HP as an S, and your mileage advantage will have disappeared too.

There are plenty of folks in England who have built hotter "Justa" motors, so of course it can be done. My question is - for a street driven car - why bother when a well developed higher HP engine is readily available, fully sorted out.

It seems to me there is a reason people buy the Justa instead of the S, so why then try to make it what it isn't, and lose all the good stuff you bought it for in the first place?