1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: My 2005 R53 Daily Driver build thread

  1. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

    May 13, 2015
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    Prepped the lights for sanding

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    I used 1000, 2000 (a lot), 3000, 5000, 7000 grip to prepare the surface for the final step. This is all a matter of thorough preparation. I sanded by hand for about 90 minutes per light. You want to remove that top plastic layer that has oxidized over the years. If you leave parts of that on the lens, it won't look right.

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    For the final step, I applied Rust Oleum "Wipe New" f (thanks for BumpDaddy to send me this!), which creates a layer on top of the plastic that is crystal clear, filling in the remaining surface scratches and once dry protects form UV. It should last 2 years. I'll see how it changes over time. Re-application will likely only take a quick re-sand and wipe. The result are lights without any of those cracks in the plastic I showed in a recent post.

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    Since this product doesn't store very well, I also redid all the black plastic and this time went even under the hood and into detail areas like the honeycomb intakes below the windshield, using a nifty foam tip applicator that comes with the product, just like gloves and microfiber applicator cloths. Good stuff, gets the blacks black and doesn't wash off in a week or two like the McGuiar's Black stuff.

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  2. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

    May 13, 2015
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    quick update on window regulator/motor and door lock jobs.

    I bought new parts, all the way, replaced everything. The motor hack to fix the door lock mechanism is for people who like to have their doors fail a month after they "fix" the motors, because you need to more or less break the case this is all housed in to get to the failed motors. $165 and you got a new unit.

    The window motor repair seemed to go sideways when I pulled the old motor off the regulator and the entire wire spool that's under tension fell out. So I had a new motor but now also needed a regulator. Did some research and the Uro aftermarket part with ball bearings (OEM doesn't have those and the wheels in the unit were seriously grungy upon inspection) seemed like a good upgrade. Apart from lining up the window glass properly the replacement of these parts was a 90 minute job. Getting the window where it needs to be to look OEM is pretty difficult. Tightening the clamp screws holding the glass to the regulator sliders kept tilting the glass until I started alternating the tightening, one tap each side back and forth. Still not perfect, but I have a window, and it opens reliably when asked.

    Timing chain tensioner and exhaust hanger check/replacement will be up next. I am pretty sure some of those hangers are broken, given how much that exhaust moves around. I'm thinking to possibly pull the motor out for a full clutch job and subframe repaint plus bushing and ball joint refresh, but that'll have to wait until fall.

    So far this year, I've driven about 200 miles in my Minis. The good news here is that I found a much cheaper insurance company that will let me "lay over" the cars when I park them for winter, even though technically in the state I live in, you have to insure cars that are registered and there's no way to temporarily suspend that. The insurance guy just said "the WI DOT could car less" - fine with me - saves me easily $500 each year.
     
  3. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

    May 13, 2015
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    Fixed the exhaust hanger in back a week ago. Replaced both sides rear hangers with new units. One side had completely failed, the other was on its way out. Now the exhaust doesn't rattle, but the heat shield in the rear bumper does make some noise., Need to rip that one off and see why.

    Then I took the car for a swing into the country this weekend, and since I could not find any race cars for lens tests anywhere I settled on the R53 as substitute. My usual spot just out of town, but with tall corn and grass that really should be mowed one more time before fall gets real ugly.

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    I'll be heading to the Petit Le Mans next week. Dark Silver is still waiting for those new control arms to be installed.
     
  4. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    Taken on Oct 29, just a month after the above photo series. I think I haven't driven it at all since the above photos were taken. In a week I'll have room in the garage again with the dark silver car finally off the jack stands.

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  5. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    I love to pass folks on their trendy e-bikes or $8000 latest generation carbon racer while on my old beater Gary Fisher with luggage rack. Total satisfaction to see that look on their face when there's no motor on my bike. Best ever experience was a guy blasting past me on a steep uphill, only to have his battery go flat or overheat 50 feet ahead of me... insert descending tuba sound here.
     
  6. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    Yesterday I took off the brake caliper on the right rear to investigate that annoying noise.

    First finding was that I need a new piston boot. It has a tear, but mostly still does the job. The other realization was that the pad wear sensor cannot be the reason of the rubbing noise, as it is zip-tied out of the way. Apparently the aftermarket pads do not have a provision for the sensor to be mounted. The pads are near new, so I don't care right now. I won't ever let them get close to wear limit anyway.

    The bearing isn't the freest turning bearing ever, but there's also no bad spot that would explain a cyclic noise. Guide pins were not very clean, but it appeared that everything was moving freely. Cleaned that up. The inside pad was somewhat odd, having all sorts of springs that let you attach it to the ridge on top of the piston. Never seen that before on the other cars, but it wasn't too hard to install. Definitely glad I had the proper piston retraction tool, because without that I would have never got the caliper back on the car.

    Cleaned up all the surfaces the pads contact, added high temp brake grease and put it back together. Only one quick test drive to the Chinese takeout in the rain - no noise. That doesn't mean I got this sorted, because there were phases I didn't notice the noise in the past. I think it is most audible at higher speeds. Will have to monitor that, but I didn't really fix anything, so I expect to hear it again.

    Other thing I did was to test install the "SuperNova V3" H7 LED high beams my son got on my car, just to see if they mount, The RetrofitSource H7 Morimoto LEDs are a no go in that position - too fat to snap in.

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    These are also thicker on the mount ring that OEM, but they do clip in. Then I turned on the ignition... and the LED bulb begins flashing in total sync with the LED in my trunk space, just as long as the no seat belt chime lasts, then it behaves itself and respects on/off high/low beam orders.

    I am guessing this is what "canbus" is all about - need to get another dongle like thing to plug into the harness. This is getting pretty tight for inside the headlight, but it's all worth it - these things are so much brighter than the H7 incandescent bulbs in the high beam position, plus the color temp is closer to the HID low beams. I didn't take them out on the road yet, but the test against the garage wall was all I needed to see to know that a 22 watt LED can be brighter than a 55 watt OEM bulb. You don't use the high beams a lot here around town, but on my travels to California, I've spent many hours on remote highways at night. This addition of extra lumens will be very welcome. Not cheap, but these test out near the very top of the bulbs you can get thee days.
     
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  7. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

    May 13, 2015
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    so today I got the shipping confirmation from ECS Tuning that the resonated Milltek I bought on Black Friday is finally on a truck heading my way.
     
  8. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

    May 13, 2015
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    Learned an interesting thing by accident today - tap my window down for passenger side real short, it does the auto down like driver side. Is that a normal setting on all Minis?

    So I was replacing the HID D2S low beams today. 12 years and almost 80k miles, I felt they weren't as bright as they ought to be. Sourced Philips bulbs on Amazon, white box, no label, fraction of the price. Was worried these were cheap knock-offs, but even under a magnifying glass, the tiniest detail of the bulbs I bought was identical to the bulbs I pulled. They are also noticeably brighter than the bulbs I removed. Not a bad deal, the pair for under $70.

    Now I need to buy another pair of these for my son, since those were his and I was just supposed to try them and see if they were the real deal Gonna keep 'em :D
     
  9. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    It’s “traction control” or as MINI / BMW call it Dynamic Stabiliity Control. It is way too aggressive for someone that knows how to drive. Turning it off is like setting you car in race / track mode or regular mode for us older people that learned to drive before that tech crap was added to cars.
     
  10. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    My son is going to begin some work on the red car in 4 weeks after he gets home from college. His room is filled with parts and new tools (welder!) that are waiting to complete his install of a new interior (ditch all the red surfaces with new door cards and dash parts he got), then we'll likely swap seats with the dark silver car and have the covers of his seats redone with some alcantara in the area where the red cloth has become ugly, then replace the covers on my seats with his. That also will bring heated seats into his Florida spec car. Meanwhile I may go all crazy with weld-in cage and buckets or postpone that until next year.

    The daily driver here will get some attention for sure. I still have that weird noise in the rear, even tough I had the rear brakes completely apart. New bearings will be my next move. Also need to address the wonky steering wheel feel when I get into parking lots. Something is not right up front, and it likely is the steering rack, or something in the steering wheel u-joints and bushings. Mostly feel it when it's cold and going slow. Beyond that I'll be ding the engine damper, drop the subframe for ball joints and bushings, etc - pondering he brake system but it's near new and works. Can't make up my mind regarding what to do, although most likely it'll be an R56 update. Anything more than that isn't worth it on that "daily driver' :)

    Fresh image from last fall sunset drive - processed this one yesterday

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    Mini with the sky on fire
     
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  11. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    Put the car on the jacks today to pull the weird non-Mini engine harmonic balancer off the car. I had it all prepped until I realized the bolts were still not the wrong size. Had to do a run to Home Depot for some 100mm long M6 bolts, re-cut the rusty threads in the holes provided for pulling the damper so I could finally rig up a proper puller setup. Lubed it up, and started cranking. Hand tool was all it took, unlike the crank bolt that needed impact tools and breaker bar convincing before it gave up the locktite grip. I really want to buy that air compressor - electric impact guns only go so far.

    The removal rig with the n0-name damper on the floor
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    I got curious about the specs, given it is a lot fatter than the OEM (have that on the shelf from the dark silver car), and the new ATI super damper. Diameter does match exactly, here next to the other two
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    The interesting part is the weight of each unit

    ATI 5.98 lbs
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    OEM 5.13 lbs
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    No name part removed 7.14 pounds
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    now, I don't know what the weight will do for actual balance performance, but I was surprised to see the super damper is actually heavier than OEM. Lots of folks pay money to drop weight from that part of the motor for faster response. Anyway, I am getting that now, given my engine was lugging around an extra pound over ATI and 2 extra pounds over stock. Also making the front end of the car lighter :D

    Last thing I did tonight was to pull the old crank seal and put a new one in. Clean up the motor behind the damper, although the old seal wasn't leaking. All the oil on that side like came from the dip stick tube. Tomorrow I am finishing up with the new damper install. Hot here this weekend. 4 weeks ago it snowed several inches and now its humid and 94F...
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  12. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

    May 13, 2015
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    So you made me look at NAM's parts for sale forum, and I end up spending cash on a DDMWorks intake for this car :D I was going to build one from scratch, but the price was right and it's the design I would clone anyway if I built one.

    I may end up putting this one in my son's car and build a third one from scratch for this car as originally intended. Having it out of a car saves me removing the one I have to take measurements, so another benefit of buying this one (isn't it great how we can rationalize spending money on these cars?). Watch this space for grinder sheet metal action to build a custom intake later this year.
     
  13. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    Got the accessory belt installed. Man, that 532 belt was tight with the "aftermarket" damper, but with the ATI damper, without a helper to really pull on the tensioner tool to compress the spring to the max, I had to remove the idler pulley, get the belt on that way, and then bolt it back in with the belt on it. Even that was a rather close and the belt needed some convincing to get back into its regular threads.

    All done.

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    Backed out from doing the timing chain tensioner at this point, because none of my tools are skinny enough to make that job easy. Will do it when I do the next oil change, so I can take the oil cooler off without a huge mess and get better access.

    The second high beam LED is installed and all is tested. the housings still do the leveling action as designed, and everything lights up as it should, no flickering. So much brighter than the low beam HIDs in the center, at least seen against the back wall of the garage. Can't wait for a first night drive to see what that's really like.

    and since the thread needs more pictures, I grabbed a few today

    OEM bulb removed

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    LED mounting base installed. These are plastic, so rather fragile. I had some Morimoto bulbs once and that plastic was stronger, but also far too fat to clip into these housings, so I had to return them. Glad I did, because these bulbs are far brighter

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    side access panel showing the driver and the power connector tucked below the projector. Hard to tell what is going on here, but stuffing that part down there and having the wires all in the right directions at the same time is the most difficult part of the install.

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    Fully installed from the rear access hole - braided cooling straps tucked away to the sides. I used some trim removal tools to bend and push the material into the right places, to keep it off the back of the housing and still have enough room for the assembly to pivot when the leveling motor kicks in

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  14. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    To really make sure those headlights stay that way, put some film on them. I have used the LaminX product with great results. Did the (very) light blue on mine just after getting it 14yrs ago and replaced them last summer. The headlights looked brand new after taking off the old film.
     
  15. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    If you want to take things apart I will sent you my R53 and a list.
     
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  16. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

    May 13, 2015
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    I am keeping my original car, the dark silver machine with all the sports modding (coilovers, R56 trailing arms, etc) as I am not done with that. I may soon have a lot more time to work on it, although the budget will be much tighter. I can't see getting $1600 worth of Sparco seats and a steering wheel and all that other stuff the car was slated to get, as none of that stuff makes it drive much better. I want to put in a proper HID conversion, or even the new LED/Laser projectors from the Retrofit source. All big dollar mods, though. A set of Hellas goes a long way at night :)

    Bang for the buck mods, or total custom work is what it will see next. Should I ever find some sort of employment on top of the retirement check, yeah, that will add some extra play money to use carefully, but the Mini is a possible outlet.

    Right now, I am more concerned where to store the car after I sell my current house and before I am able to move it to a new home.

    The red R53 is my son's and he'll take it to Colorado after graduation in fall. He will likely drive it for a while as his daily, but he also needs a proper AWD car where he is moving. Likely an Audi A4 wagon, as he has plans to mod one with more modern S4 drivetrain.

    There will be some additional updates for the electric blue car - like the driver side power window fix is still leaking water when washing it. Did that this weekend (and applied Gyon Cure again). It is such a pain to get that window arranged in the exact location it needs to be to fit the opening like OEM and be at the same angle and pressure. Need to do some research before I go back into the door trip. The leak is at the rear edge above the door handle about half way up the window. Can hear wind noise, too.
     
  17. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Don't forget about the two adjustments at the bottom off the door. I bet the one in the back is too far inward and the one in the front is too outward. You DO NOT have to take off the inner door to make the adjustment. Just unlock the door, open it a little so it does not latch closed.

    Oh grab a set of sockets and a ratchet.

    Now lay down on the floor in your garage or ground and look at the bottom of the open door where the rubber seal is.

    You will see two bolts that are for adjusting the lower window frame/ track. This will make the window lean in our out depending on what is out of wack.
     
  18. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    First time out of the neighborhood for the year - July 4 at Road America, shooting some photos of my son's R53 shredding it's new Michelin SuperSports during a 3 day track day adventure. Virtually alone, which will be different next weekend with the Indycars allowing spectators into the facility.

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    and his Mini in the Carousel, stuck behind a Porsche for an entire session (they don't show blue flags to Porsche drivers, apparently). Note his brake ducts where the fog lights used to be. He spent a pretty penny on those at sneedspeed before the weekend, bit no brake issues. Racing pads and new rotors leaving a black mess on those white wheels.

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  19. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    it was my alternative to buying rims and Blizzaks for the blue Mini - still learning how low I need to go with that tire pressure. 10 psi is too much for this white stuff

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  20. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

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    Messed up my nice K060532 belt when the new balancer went down on the shaft faster than I anticipated (had pre-heated on a griddle), so it squished the belt behind the damper.

    So I had to learn how to pull the ATI damper, as the belt was stuck behind it, wedged against the timing chain cover. You need a breaker bar and torx bits to get three of the bolts out of the ATI, then a whole different set of long bolts to attach the puller. I was lucky to have those in my puller case. Got it off, got the belt off, but it's showing markings from the squeeze it got. Oh well, it has seen 1500 miles of service, so probably a good time to replace anyway ;-)

    Ordered a timing chain tensioner, too. Guess while I am in the area replace that bugger, too. Need to really do that on the dark silver car, since it has done the crazy rattle when it was real hot after highway travel last fall. This car is newer, but not by a lot of miles.

    Putting the damper back on now, but it'll be 2 days before I get a new belt. I had two 535 belts on the shelf, but none for this 17% pulley car... Will get more with the next RockAuto order when it's subframe drop time on this car.