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

Such a bad a$$ ride, man!

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Howdy, strangers. I haven't been here in a while, but I haven't done anything interesting with my MINI in a while. Business is slow right now, so money is tight, and it is STILL f----ng hot here -- mid 90s and no rain. We didn't get one drop of that tropical storm rain up here in North Texas.

CD

 

My car sits out all day long at work. Poor film was turning black on the edges from the heat/exposure. Still was easy to take off with a little heat and solvent for the left over adhesive. But the lens looked like new underneath.......love this stuff.

 

Swapped out the oil last night and gave her a bath. She's now at 130k and starting to get some rattles when going over bumps. This weekend will do some investigating. The control arm links are fairly recent. Not sure where the rattles are coming from yet but it's front and rear.

 

I sent two samples of oil off a few years ago after 3,200 only miles and the oil was spent. Remember I run Meth and only use Amsoil Signature or Motul. Methanol keeps cylinder temps low, keeps the motor very clean, but all the carbon extra meth ends up in the oil which makes frequent fresh oil changes essential. If you play the big HP game you have to expect this expense. Fresh oil is cheap insurance for any motor especially a performance motor.

 

Simple Green can be found at automotive stores, as well as at supermarkets or big box stores.

 

I used Prima Nero on my 2006 MCS to protect the plastic & keep it looking good. Been a while since I've seen my old MINI, but the last time I did it was 11 years old & the plastic still looked new.

On my wife's clubster I'm using 303 to keep the plastic looking decent.

Once the plastic goes all to heck you can use Dave O's secret sauce to bring it back.

My GTI has no plastic cladding. Man am I ever happy about that.

 

I am not a big fan of RENEW, some people like it but not me. I use a lot of Gyeon and Kamikaze ceramic coatings when I detail cars so I always have small amounts left over. Both of the lines make a ceramic trim product that work great and lasts for years. I tend to coat the trim with the same high quality coatings I use on the paint so they both have the same lasting characteristics. (Years not months)

These products can all be found by clicking on the Esoteric link in my signature.

 

The MINI- $404.00 before tax.

My VW cost $200 before tax at the same transmission shop, they have the same transmission.

 

I have a Aquamist Methenol injection system on my R53 JCW that sprays VP M-1 100% into my intake / head for more power. It can get complicated to explain but the end result is more power, cleaner internal engine and more frequent oil changes. Oil only last 2,500 to 3,000 miles tops in my car because of my high power build.

 

I FINALLY broke down and washed my S and its [International Garbage Truck painted and clear coated] flame orange holies today. Damn...I had forgotten how nice the car looks when it's clean...well, not clean like Dave's, but it's a helluva lot better than what it was...and the wheels are shiny again, too!

 

Not a favorite brand, but as long as they are the correct heat range & reach they should have been fine. That plug looks good to my eye. Nice healthy engine you have there. The miss could just be down to the age & miles driven on those. I change plugs out at 50K even if some say they last much longer.

Yes I know some guys run colder plugs & change them more often.

 

Isn’t that the truth. Plugs, points, rotor, distributor cap, carb adjustments all seem like a distant memory now.

 

I've had nothing but problems with locking lug bolts/nuts. First thing I do with a car is replace them if it has those blasted things. I have 4 from the GTI if you need them.

 

to answer the question, there should be NO play in the top shock bushings or it will def clunk over bumps.
I agree about the locking lug bolts - I know wheel theft probably still happens, particularly if you have an unusual or expensive set of wheels, but I don't believe in using those things - sooner or later they will fail.

 

Enjoy your weekend getting reacquainted with your Classic.

 

Going to get my car inspected tomorrow. Pa state inspection and emissions.

 

Powerflex bushings acquired AND I got the keys to the shop at the local high school. I have a shop to myself for the entire weekend! I may just put it up on the lift and look at it for a couple of hours to start with. Along with swapping out those bushings, my front bumper cover near the fog light/brake cooling duct keeps popping out for whatever reason. Will be pulling the wheel well out and snapping all that back together too. Happy Weekend yall!

 

Don't know how you got the keys to the high school shop, you have to have way more than a note from your mon to even get in the door of where I went to high school today! I also can't get into the shop where I taught college for 5 years......

Used the Clubby to go pick up the Sprite block and head from the machine shop, now if it will just warm up a bit more I can get couple of coats of paint on it while I wait for the cam and some other parts to come in from England.