Engine Drivetrain 1st Gen Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Cam install options?

Which cam did you decide on?

 

Cool--be very interested to hear your impressions. I'm thinking of doing head/header/cam next year; trying to figure out which way to go...

 

It should be a reasonably straight forward install for whoever you go with. I'm sure it will time them a bit longer, but for reference, from start to finish, I've seen Danny at Minicorsa do it in about 15 minutes. Maybe he'll chime in and tell us what his record is.:lol:
That being said, I'm in the same boat as you, I'd rather drive up and have someone else handle it.

 

:confused5: I think I know a little about MINI cams?:ihih:
It takes 15 minutes to check and"properly prep" the new cam even before placing in the cam journals.:lol:

Some things you just don't hurry through!:nonod:

 

I believe Dan Zipkin (Grassroots Garage, Thomasville NC) charged me about 2.5-3 hours to do mine, if memory serves. Which it often doesn't these days. Dan's about 4 hours away from you - and he DEFINITELY knows what he's doing.

Edit: I actually think Dan took and charged less now that I think about it- more like 2 hours

 

I forgot you we the self-anointed king of cams.:crazy:

So it takes you 15 minutes of fondling the new cam before you raise the hood?

 

MUSHadd, why dont you give Helix a call....I'm sure they've installed a few cams so far and PA isn't too far from WV but probably would be around the same as Grassroots in NC for ya so either one would probably work. Let us know what you were quoted because although I consider myself pretty talented when it comes to working on my cars, I too feel like I should stay away from a cam install and leave it to the pro's.

Steve

 

I never proclaimed that:confused5: Is there something you think you know about me that I do not know myself?:lol:

You can tell a lot by the simple touching and examining of a part prior to installing it.

The installation of the cam in the MINI does not require a high level of mechanical skill. If you have the basic work on a car tools anyone can do a cam install in about 4-5 hours the first time. The cams currently available (with the exception of one) do not come with a cam card so there is no way to check it out before installing them anyway. I suppose that also means you have "NO" idea what you are really buying and installing either.:lol: If you did get the cam information that might be the time you would consult a performance shop that "KNOWS" what they are doing to install the cam.

I would say get out the Haynes or Bently read up on how to do it save yourself some money and do it yourself. Heck the money you save doing it yourself could get you a current "TUNE" form one of the updated tuners.

 

I did not say the cam was installed at that speed each time. I am familiar with the Bentley manual and can assure you it is done properly. I wouldn't trust someone to attempt this on my own car unless I was confident they were doing the job right. My observation is that someone who has done the job, in my estimate, a few hundred times and has made his own special tools for said purpose is much more efficient at it. I can't speak to the proficiency level of other persons installing cams across the country.

So we can decipher the Lynn insinuations can you clarify the following:

Who is a performance shop that knows what they are doing? What are you implying about Minicorsa?

What is an updated tuner?

What is your special skill-set concerning MINI cams?

 

Wow. And we were doing so well. For about three weeks. And now it's NAM all over again. Take a deep breath and a chill pill...please.

 

All right. Everyone take a deep breath. I am sure Jeff took a creative license with the 15 minutes. I am sure it takes Danny at least 20. But he doesn't like to fondle things as much as Lynn.

 

No sorry my "bad"
:lol:
He does not know me I can see now!

Sorry... Jeff H

:lol:

 

Jeff H
Just to be clear with what I was trying to convey..You can not change a cam that fast you should not speed through any installation especially a camshaft. You could very easily do it yourself.can do it yourself.
I NEVER said specifically anything about Minicorsa!
There is a distinctive difference between a general automotive mechanical shop and a Performance Level Automotive shop.
The comment on updated tuner means exactly that. "updated Tuner"
If we take the slang term "TUNER" which has recently in the last few years come to mean ECU re-mappers then you can expand a little beyond the simplified use of name.:lol:

And the last comment...well opcorn:

Really Jeff H all I wanted was to give you and a few other the confidence that in this application it is not as difficult as it may appear to be to do it yourself!! And as you observed this first hand I would think that you would be supporting my comments about the DIY ??

So in ending I am sorry if I personally offended you in some way.

 

I apologize for the embellishment, 30 minutes if he takes a smoke break, 45 if he orders in Armenian sandwiches.

 

:lol::lol::cornut:

 

Hey Lynn,
Thanks for the reassuring....if you say it can be done by the slightly skilled handed then I'm sure you're probably right. I've seen cams replaced on other OHC cars and special tools are required to lock the cam into place and spacers needed to adjust the lash on the valves, but then again those were on DOHC cars which ours is not. So that does change things a bit. Thanks again though, its at least worth reading through the bentley to see how its explained in there first before ruling out a DIY completely.

Steve

 

There is a guy named Jeremy on nam that has a thread on changing a MINI cam. He is NOT a mechanic but just an average car nut.:lol: I will see if I can find the thread and pass it on.
I am certified ASE Master Technician and would not pass on information concerning the experience level of a job to those I felt not capable or having the necessary tools or simple practical experience using common tools to accomplish the task themselves.
I am aware that there are auto shops that have the specialized tools to do many of the repairs or replacement of parts on some specific type vehicles. The sad thing is they do not have a proper education in the Automotive field or for that matter mechanical or electrical engineering field. They learn by hands on experience. This is in most case is not bad but it does lend to expected problems that will always occur. Like a Physicians office that displays there credentials the professional Automotive shops also do the same. I always recommend looking for those credentials before having you valuable vehicle worked on.

 

I’ve done this job more than a few times and highly recommend using the OEM locking tool and OEM bolt, but I anticipate the question of “can the cam be changed without the camshaft-locking tool” will probably come up later here once the interested parties have reviewed the procedure. The short answer is yes, if fact, if you use an ARP camshaft bolt kit, the tool cannot be used. Without the tool, put screwdriver shafts in the front brake rotor veins on each side and use as brakes against the calipers, place the car in gear, mark the chain at the timing mark, and loosen the cam bolt. I’ve encountered a MINI with weak clutch grip that required a breaker bar and socket on the crankshaft bolt to assist in locking the cam chain. When installing an OEM bolt, always use a new, unused bolt, and clean the camshaft’s internal threads. The OE bolt is not specified to torque with lubrication like ARP’s bolt. I have a couple more tips not mentioned in the service manuals or TIS I’ll provide if any are interested.