Most liked posts in thread: What did you do with your MINI today?

Got my oil sample results back from Blackstone Labs today. Everything looks very good, I'm happy. They say I can easily stretch my intervals to 6,500 miles, but that isn't going to happen. Oh heck no.

 

Not long ago the "Pro Exhaust" was mounted and it was... "wow! now that 'is' a JCW..."
Times marches on and an "AWE CAI" is installed. I go "wow! now that 'really' is a JCW..."
Today I installed an "NM Engineering Power Module" and guess what I said?... Nothing! My grin for the 150 miles or so of my afternoon drive did not allow me to vocally express a single word!

And I have it, and will leave it, on the lower Octane as we only have 91 and I 90% drive above 7000' where of course the air is thinner. I don't want to know how it drives on the High setting. I have no budget for a Headstone yet.

Been actually reading "here" unanimous praises, [thank you all who have posted past sentiments about it...], always told myself "I do not need it" [of course not!], and yet as always my shoulder's voice [not so quiet] goes "if not NOW? then When?"... Don't be like me, don't even think about it... Just do it...

This afternoon and my local backyard. This car does sees City streets or traffic...

 

The last time mine was making a noise like that, it turned out to be a loosed end link on the RSB. Found it when I was upgrading from a NM 22mm to an NM 25mm and new end links. Didn't develop the slack until the suspension was unloaded.

 

Had my oil [emoji921] changed by the Greatest Mechanic "Chris" at El Paso Dealership. Every 5K. Rear brakes at 5mm, soon needing change. Front at 8mm. 27.5K. Wonder if it normal considering I rarely use brakes. They also don't care a bit about leaving the NM power module, never have and if need to be will remove it and put it back himself. Now back up the mountains for my favorite roads with fresh oil!

Stay well, Ara

 

I have the transmission fluid serviced every 35,000 on the clubster. I really don't want to buy another one.

My GTI service is at 40,000 & it's a $350 service. Once again I don't want to spend money on a new box of cogs.

 

MINI “Lifetime” fluids always cracked me up. Always change auto trans fluid ever 40K no matter what it’s in.

Since I am OCD have mine changed in my 6 speed Diff fluid Getrag every couple of years. My OS GIKEN LSD was not cheap and like all fluids including oil and brake fluid fresh clean fluids keep a car running well.

Fresh fluids are cheap insurance for expensive builds.

 

My filthy S got a new rt. front wheel bearing yesterday, so today, I took it out for a drive with LOKI the Terrible. The car ran well, so now I get to see what else might go wrong before the Dragon. For sure, a new set of 15s will be on the car this Spring and some high temp brake fluid. Hell, I might even wash the car before that, but we'll have to wait til I get the 16" Blizzaks on it, as it's too low for the car wash with these crappy 15s on it right now.

 

Got a tube of Hotchkis 3101 Super Lube
and a grease gun and lubed the rear
sway bar bushings (25.5 mm hollow
competition bar with zerks on the
bushing mounts).
Added 3-4 psi in all the tires to make
up for the drop in am temperatures lately.

 

I finally washed and cleaned out my MINI, too. It has spent so much time in the garage lately that it gets mostly dust. But, the carpets were pretty dirty -- certainly more than I usually allow. It looks good now. Temperatures are also finally dropping below 90F, so, it is getting fun to drive, again.

CD

 

I found some NGK's on Detroit Tuned page, gonna go for those. If they like em they gotta be decent

 

Another mileage milestone crossed. Actually did that a few days ago. I wonder if I will cross 300K by the end of next year. That supercharger is starting to sound noisy.

 

Thanks!

A few odds and ends to get done, grill, side splitters, rear diffuser and interior and it'll be all buttoned up.

 

In the 70's the factory service interval for 911 Porsche plugs was 6K, and they were Bosch Platinums at $6 each - even then! Now engines routinely go 100K on a set of plugs.

What I did with my MINI today - loaded up a Sprite head and bare block and took them to the machine shop.

 

I know you weren't happy with those BFG tires. Glad you are putting something on that will make you happier. As for the cupping there are a couple of things that can cause that.

Balance
Lack of rotations
Worn out struts

Your car has a load of miles on it. You probably need new struts. I'd put my money on not frequent enough rotations.

Enjoy the new tires Jeff.

 

Awesome! I'll replace them bushings. I went with OE spec replacement struts so the metal spacer should be fine. I know all bolts/nuts are tight, I took the passenger side out twice to check when I first installed the struts because there was just a slight wiggle then. The wiggle has since worsened. Thanks for the info bud!

 

Must be car trouble week. Over the weekend, the exhaust manifold heat shield fell off my engine. It was rattling around in the engine bay but did not fall out (thankfully) because the shape it it kept it inside. I managed to put it back on temporarily until I can get a new one. Honestly, I have no idea how to get it out of from behind the engine without removing a bunch of parts. So it's not going to be a simple bolt on affair. This morning, I brought my car in to the local tire shop to have snow tires swapped on. They could not the wheel lock key into the bolts and told me I needed to take my car to the dealer to get them off and then replace the locking wheel bolts because, from their experience, all the MINI/BMW lock bolts eventually fail like that.

I stopped by the dealer that was on my way to my office. They didn't have any bolts in stock. (really???). They do have them at the dealership not too far from my office so I will pick them up later and do the tire change over myself when I get home tonight. The dealer was booked full for service appointments today already.

 

I'll be doing the winter tire switch over on Skooby after Thanksgiving. Unless we get snow sooner.

 

We get about 24 inches a year and I
have to go to work when it does, so
winter tires on both our cars is very
desirable.

 

Put this decal on the upper right
rear window
... and have had this ROYGBIV Cheetah
on the upper left rear window for a while