1st Gen R53 Cooper S New to the site and MC's, got a few questions for you guys!

If your racing you want a good diff and clutch and only one comes to mind.

OS Giken

Diff / LSD OS Giken MINI Cooper Limited Slip Differential
Clutch OS Giken MINI Cooper Clutch Kit

P.S. Get a real coolant overflow tank with a real cap from Jan at RMW.
The OEM one will just fail and fail over and over.

 

Why replace what hasn't broken. Mine is still holding at 123,000 miles.:fingerscrossed: Nothing wrong with replacing it, but I'm of the mind to wait until it's necessary.

 

You do not have to do the last three steps in your list to get into service mode where you just tip the radiator forward (without draining/removing radiator) to gain access to the front of the engine (at least reach in with hands and tools).

 

Because racing will cause it to fail and every driver will be pissed off at you for popping a crappy coolant tank and spilling fluid all over the track. :incazzato:

 

The tank is a risk item that you have to trade off the impact if it starts to leak. If it leaks a little during a track day probably no impact, if it leaks/splits badly during a track day probably the end of your day and big impact.

My 2003 R53 tank started leaking at 30,000 miles. My 2006 R53 tank has not leaked at 88,000 miles so far. I believe a change was made and the 2005/2006 tanks are better than the earlier tanks.

I would tend to wait until it started to leak before replacement, because most start with a small/slow leak at the seam that should be noticed by frequent inspection.

 

^^^^ Yeah Jan needs a web developer. :lol:

Sign up for an account to the RMW Forum and you will find all the products inside.

 

I'd run it on the track until I needed to change it out. Just me at team cheap racing.

 

It's junk because it uses the OEM cap that fails.
Ask me how I know... :ihih::lol:

 

Better than stock but still uses OEM cap.
In the past, various people on forum have suggested using a tank that uses a standard pressure cap rather than OEM (threaded on). You might want to search on coolant tank in the forums.

 

Change the cranks sensor o-ring - they leak and people think they have an oil pan gasket leak - it's not, it's just the o-ring. Not hard to get to if you have the car in service mode.

 

Just get the RMW expansion tank. Pricey, but everything fits.

 

Yup the RMW tank is the way to go. I have one and it does not leak at all.