Engine 1st Gen Most liked posts in thread: Next step in my Modding

Any forum is a microcosm. There will be those "for" a particular item/part/procedure and those "against." Being involved with NAM in an Admin/Mod position, I was privy to information that many people have no knowledge of. Internet Brands (IB), which owns NAM, also owns 130 other auto/boat/atv/motorcycle forums. Their perspective on a forum community relative to participation, topics and the dynamics of a forum are very interesting. Through years of forum ownership and analyzing forum participation, they acknowledged that there was a 1% rule. This rule is that of all those that visit a forum, only 1% become involved enough to create posts. Nine percent of those that visit will join and participate in "consuming" the posts made by the 1%. The other 90% visit but leave.

As noted previously, Mini Torque has allot of information on the Thumper heads. There is data posted that reflects horsepower/torque gains that one would associate with porting/polishing and larger valves. IMO there is enough of this information for an individual to make up their mind on what path to take with a head change. This data also reflects how the variables of intakes, cams, exhausts, tunes and temperatures all impact actual data recording. There is even variables relative to the type of device used for the collection of data.

In a competitive atmosphere it would be logical to assume that an engine component with very strict tolerances would be able to function
better than something "crafted" by human hands. Such is the case with a RMW head versus a Thumper head, but unless the person is looking for bragging rights, is the tolerance factor enough to justify the additional cost between the two?

The answer is of course that some will agree and some will disagree . . . . . .

 

I take very good care of my MINI but it is 10 years old and has over 60,000 miles on the mass produced engine that it came with . An engine that by no means is balanced or blueprinted. The car goes as fast as I want to go on the twisties that I frequent. Do I need more horsepower and torque, no, but I want it.

Now just because I want it and even though I have more than enough money to put the most expensive stuff made on it, I will not. I just cannot justify paying for that finely machined CNC head when a "crafted by hand" unit will do just fine for allot less money. Yes the machining has made each port just about the same, sorry nothing is exact as there are tolerances involved, but my pistons, rings, crankshaft and bearings are by no means worthy or requiring the CNC tolerances.

Not looking for bragging rights, just looking to have a grin on my face.

I ordered the ported intake today from Thumper and he is going to send me some pictures of the process that I will post here.

 

OK a couple of things.

1.) The JCW head does have enlarged exhaust ports but the intake ports are not. I am looking for my flow data but thinking the normal S head is like 100 CFM, the JCW head is 118 and the RMW BVH is like 180 CFM. CFM = Cubic Feet of air per Minute.

2.) I will not be doing the head until after the first of the year. I will ask Thumper if he will provide some pictures during the process.

3.) From dyno data I have found on the web the head along with my other mods will be in the 230 to 240 WHP range and a 200 range in Torque. As it appears the drivetrain loss factor for a FWD car is around 12% that would be around 265 BHP. Not bad for a 10 year flying pig.

 

This thread is actually a discussion on "wants" and "needs." If I wanted to go really fast then I would have kept my LS3 Corvette, a nice yellow one that I bought from Dale Earnhardt Chevy, not Junior, who did own a MINI at one time. I can do allot of different stuff including turning a wrench on my car but I am more comfortable cutting wood than metal. This means chopping the frame up so I could put in a different larger engine is not going to happen.

So back to thinking about squeezing a little more power out of the Tritec. Of course squeezing should really be "forcing more air through the motor." I have done the simple bolt on's such as pulley, cam, header and tune but to get much more, the forcing more air issue comes into play. The wants and needs also plays into the equation. Now I have the money to go with the biggest and best but this "need" thing keeps popping up. I am also frugal so after I assess my needs, I research and the number of Ben Franklin's involved are looked at very closely. This same logic, some might call penny pinching, led me to my just over $300 meth injection system and my just over $500 Brembo brake package.

So, I am back to the Thumper head. What is interesting is that his TPR1 head that is only ported/polished can provide approximately 25 WHP +/-. Comparing the costs of different heads there is an approximate $50 per one horsepower of gain ratio. This is the head only and does not include labor, the other parts involved or a tune. The RMW head has greater hp results and is actually a little below that $50/HP number but for me it is back to what my needs are, not my wants.

A MINI, any MINI is a great handling small car. For me being an old fart with hips that have seen better days, it is easy to get in/out of and with my 6-3 frame it has plenty of room. My flying pig is much more fun for my driving habits than the Corvette was, and, by spending some of kids inheritance on a Thumper head, my smile might be just a little bigger.

That is of course if I remember tomorrow what I said today . . . . . . . .