What did you do with your MINI today?

Discussion in 'MINI' started by KittyMini, Jun 17, 2011.

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  1. Qik

    Qik Well-Known Member

    Oct 27, 2015
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    Well after a day and night in the shop she's now got a new clutch, flywheel, and a high pressure fuel pump. Last week Friday on the way home had the famous half engine symbol pop up. I pulled over and looked under the hood, checked oil, coolant levels. Nothing obvious, so plugged in my ODBII thingy and ran a check and turned up- Engine oil pressure control valve activation:line interruption; super knocking: injection shut down; super knocking cylinder 4 injector shutdown, high-pressure fuel. Cleared the codes and drove home just fine, no light came back on. Checked plug 4 and everything looked fine. They replaced the HPFP after running some test and determined it was failing. I'm glad MINI covers that bitch till 120k, It lasted like 40k and I use nothing but top tier 93. New clutch feels fantastic, very light pedal feel and nice N grabby.
     
  2. Qik

    Qik Well-Known Member

    Oct 27, 2015
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    In the market for some new wheel skins as well. Dave, after much thought and consideration, I'll be skipping the Star Specs this go round. That 200 treadwear rating isn't realistic for a daily driver. The Pilot Super Sports were 300 and lasted me just over a year. The Comp 2's on now are 340 and lasted me about 2 years which is a decent enough amount of time. So I'm staying at the same treadwear but I'm leaning towards the Conti Extremecontact sports. Anyone had em?
     
  3. Goldsmithy

    Goldsmithy MINI Alliance Ambassador
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    Jan 30, 2015
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    I decided today that I have done pretty much everything to my MINI that I am going to do. The mileage is just too low to mod the car in the way I would like too after learning about MINIs in the last couple of years. So, I will continue to drive and enjoy Peppurr the next couple of years...while I build my next one. It will be a R53,6 speed, with a decent body, good vin and title...and that's about all of my criteria. I am going to buy a car for a little bit above scrap (which is about $400/ $500.00) I don't even care if it has wheels and tires till I can get it to the shop to do the work. I will pick and choose what parts I pick based on the information that I can glean right here. It is the one site that I can trust the information that is furnished. Like I say...great site and greater people. :)

    PS I plan to start this in the spring but if anyone knows of a candidate, please let me know. I do offer 'finder's Fees'.
     
  4. MCS0518

    MCS0518 Active Member

    Jan 13, 2018
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    I think my belt tensioner needs replacing. Bolts on the 17% pulley were loose too. Alta tensioner stop, seemed like it was too tight too, causing some squealing too. Think I am going to look into doing a 15% instead

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
     
  5. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

    Nov 7, 2012
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    I drove my MINI to Kroger today for groceries. Woohoo! Just part of my life of adventure.

    CD
     
  6. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    I have the Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport. I love them. Im on my second set. They grip good wet or dry. The wear is good and they are quiet. I have them on my R53, my daly driver. They are Ultra High Performance Summer tire, but do fine in the Memphis winters.
     
  7. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    I have hade my 17% on my R53 for years. I would get rid of that Alta tensioner stop, like as fast as I could. Do the idler pulley when you do the tensioner and get the belt for the 17% pulley. 1376mm / K060532 This belt is a little hard to put on but is best for the 17% pulley.

    Did I say get rid of that Alta tensioner stop?????
     
  8. MCS0518

    MCS0518 Active Member

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    I think that is what I am going to do. Just ordered new stock tensioner, coming with the idler pulley too. I'll get that belt too. I have the K060535 at the moment. I think the Alta tensioner stop was tightened out too much and was maybe affecting the performance too. Thanks for the advice!!

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  9. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    @MCS0518 I started out using the K060535 but I got a little slippage close to redline. Once I started using the 532 I no longer had that problem. Take a good look at your crank pulley while your at it. If the rubber is starting to crack change it. You don't want it to fail. I replaced mine with a ATI.
     
  10. beken

    beken Well-Known Member

    Jan 13, 2010
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    Just bad experience overall. Yesterday, I took my MINI in to replace the radiator fan motor and assembly. The low speed stage had stopped working...oh maybe a year ago.

    I had purchased a less expensive Dorman unit to have it installed. After everything was apart, they found out the Dorman unit, even though it says it fits all R53 MINIs, the plug does not. Nor was there an adapter to plug into the stock socket of post 2003 R53 MINIs. So it got returned and exchanged for a TYC assembly. After they installed it, I got another call. The TYC unit works, but the fan blade is poorly balanced and at low speed, vibrates and hits something.

    So for that learning experience, I have to return TYC unit, and buy a very expensive BMW/MINI unit and pay the labor to have another fan motor installed. The service does not recomment reusing the old 12 year old motor and just replacing the resistor pack (that MINI does not sell). So I will keep the old motor and replace the pack myself and keep it as a spare part.

    An expensive lesson ($1300 cdn works out to ...what...$800 USD?) learned about aftermarket parts. ugh...
     
  11. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Wow that does suck!
     
  12. MCS0518

    MCS0518 Active Member

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    Can you see the rubber without pulling the crank pulley. Just from visually looking at it, it looks good. No cracks that I can see

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  13. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Yes if the front of it looks in good shape it should be fine. What happens is as the rubber between the inner and outer half gets old it starts to crack. Then the pulley comes apart. This has a bad effect at high RPMs.
     
  14. MCS0518

    MCS0518 Active Member

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    Thanks again! Just ordered that belt. Should get here around when the tensioner does too

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
     
  15. Qik

    Qik Well-Known Member

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    Ordered a set of Toyo Proxes 4 Plus'. For some reason the Conti's are difficult to get? Anyways, we'll see how "ultra high performance" these all seasons are. I have 8 days to return them after they're installed.
     
  16. checkers

    checkers Well-Known Member

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    Took checkers to the car wash today. I'ts been seating for 6 weeks and needed it.
     
  17. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

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    Sorry to hear about your ordeal, beken. I hate when I try to save a few bucks, and end up paying more in the end.

    CD
     
  18. beken

    beken Well-Known Member

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    No worries. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Overall, over the years, I think I've gotten away with saving quite a bit over paying list for everything.
    Even the MINI dealer gives me a near automatic 15% discount on parts and labor, so overall, I have saved a bit over the long run.

    I try and maintain good relationships with vendors and suppliers and try not to rip anybody off myself. It works out okay in the long run. I think over the rad fan issue, I ended up paying about $300 more than if I just went with the MINI unit in the first place so it's a lesson learned.

    Usually, the dealer will make that up to me when I go for some sponsorship for MINI club drive events and stuff like that. The last time I tried to organize a charity toy drive for Christmas charities, the MINI dealer kicked in a whole bunch of swag so it's all good.

    So today, with the new fan motor working and all, I was driving somewhat spirited and noted that even though the water temperature seems to be at the same temperature as when the low speed fan motor was not working, the car was operating much smoother and I was not getting any detonation when booting up the steep slightly twisty road I use on my way to work.
     
  19. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    No matter how convoluted the journey when the end justifies the means it's all good.
     
  20. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    May 4, 2009
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    You never want to lug (high gear / low RPM’s) a MINI up a hill.

    Always down shift to a lower gear and enjoy the twisty hill with good higher RPM’s
     

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