1st Gen R53 Cooper S My 2005 R53 Daily Driver build thread

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.

 

There's a great ModMini video on youtube that details the process. It also helps to have all the replacement parts handy when you take it out, because over the two weeks I waited between removal and install (order parts I didn't expect I needed, weekend away, etc...). I forgot a few details that cost me extra time during the install. As always, first time takes the longest. I learned a lot doing this one and wouldn't have a problem doing the next one myself again.

Key things to remember: mark where the bolts go that hold the bottom of the regulator to the base of the door. I used a Sharpie pen to circle the bolt/washer location down there. Got the angle correct on the first try. Also mark the plastic base inside the door it it isn't clearly visible where those adjusters need to sit.

Have all new parts ready. No reason to be skimpy here and buy just a new motor. The rest of my window lifter assembly was so worn out, even if I hadn't messed up the coil with the cables, I would have ordered a new part. Water and grit gets in there through the window opening and the lower pulleys especially get really scratchy and hard to move, which in turn will kill motors faster.

Make a note of where each bolt comes from. The four golden torx screws that connect the motor to the regulator only fit there, while the three silver screws that hold the motor to the door will fit there and where the golden torx screws go. Once in the car, you'll wonder why you have those useless golden screws left over and nothing that holds the motor to the door

Clean the window part that never gets exposed outside the door so that there's no grit falling right on your new regulator pulleys when you start hammering on a screw driver to tighten those clamp wheels. In fact, clean everything in there. It's the sand that slowly destroys the regulator assembly.

And while you have that window out, if you ever had any issues with the power lock mechanism, this is a great time to replace that thing as well. Keep the old parts because you will need to reuse a plastic sleeve and a metal bracket from the old part, even when you buy an OEM Mini replacement. Take good notes and photos how the whole thing is installed before you take it all apart. The routing of some cables behind the key cylinder shaft and the way the cables hook to the unit are not really intuitive. Even getting it out and back in isn't that simple, even if you remove the whole window regulator. Make sure the door latch pull cable is behind the regulator, too, or you'll be doing another removal and install (good practice, though, I have to attest) .

going to get under the silver car next to put the non resonated Miltek pipe in. We Want More Noise!

 

Hit the door REAL hard while you are trying to open it with the switch, right below the tweeter - a few times and most of these will go back to working, for a while...

parts I used

window motor
ACDELCO 11M294 {#19307398}Front Left; To 5/05 (make sure you know your build date - different after that date)
$60.79
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5626911

regulator driver side - ÜRO PARTS 51337039451PRM {#51337039451} Premium Roller Bearing Regulator $84.79 + Shipping
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=6335943

 

I keep unlocking and locking my car, rolling down windows for hot weather in the driveway, then closing again at night - and it all works, every time. So good

Now focusing on some rattles under the car that appear connected with the exhaust. Rear heat shield under the bumper making noise just when I tap the bumper cover, and I think the hangers may also be gone, as the exhaust keeps eating away on the black plastic in the lower bumper cover area - meaning the tips move around too much. I have new parts ready to go in should I find ripped exhaust hangers.

 

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.









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

 

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.

 

Scored a DDMWorks intake on eBay and installed it in the Daily. Photos will come when I take the car outside again. Doesn't look that that'll happen before May.

All three Minis still zero miles for the year and we just got snow again (see above photo from October) Forecast is 24F tonight and even colder the next two days.