Who here has blown their Midlands?

[MINIdriver85]

Thanks for the input I plan to get the head from Thumper Performance, I've heard very good things about his products here on NAM so I'm pretty sure the head will be top class

I'd really like to get RMW's Jesus head but I fear the valves might be too big on a N/A cooper so I talked with Mike from TP some months ago and after a while and some emails exchanged we agreed on the specs for the new head, when the time will come, considering that I use my car mostly on street. On the camshaft, I'll have to see how the RMW one is, and consider it instead of Schrick, but I fear it might be too track oriented, again because I use my car mostly on the street.

Well, I guess 125/130 whp wouldn't be bad at all either, also considering that N/A Coopers weight significantly less than the S cars so the hp/weight ratio might get interestingly close to them even with 130whp...

We will just have to wait and see

[txwerks]

My car, with me in it, tips the scales at 2650... So, that's about what, 20.94 lbs/hp now? It's getting closer to where I want it to be...

Add in another 10 whp and drop 200 pounds off the car and it'd be even sweeter...

[nickbmw]

My Midland just went.... I tried a fast shift from 1st redline to 2nd, and that was it... Then, the shifter became hard to go in gear, and to go back in neutral, but surprisingly, it didn't make any wiward noises, and i could select all gears, so i tried to get back home very slow and gentle, hopping it wasn't completely destroyed, and rebuildable.. Shortly before i arrive home, i tried to change gear, but it has the 2nd gear in, and it won't select any other gear, and the lever feels like ... air. Has this happened to any other in here? Does anybody know what can be wrong with the gearbox?

And another question, from all those of you that did the swap to the Getrag 6 speed, did you notice any drop in performance? I am asking because not only the 6 speed is heavier, but also it has a much heavier flywheel, and also bigger diameter. I'd like to throw in the 6 speed, but i don't want to lose any performance.

[UKSUV]

Originally Posted by nickbmw

My Midland just went.... I tried a fast shift from 1st redline to 2nd, and that was it... Then, the shifter became hard to go in gear, and to go back in neutral, but surprisingly, it didn't make any wiward noises, and i could select all gears, so i tried to get back home very slow and gentle, hopping it wasn't completely destroyed, and rebuildable.. Shortly before i arrive home, i tried to change gear, but it has the 2nd gear in, and it won't select any other gear, and the lever feels like ... air. Has this happened to any other in here? Does anybody know what can be wrong with the gearbox?

And another question, from all those of you that did the swap to the Getrag 6 speed, did you notice any drop in performance? I am asking because not only the 6 speed is heavier, but also it has a much heavier flywheel, and also bigger diameter. I'd like to throw in the 6 speed, but i don't want to lose any performance.

I scanned your post and I had the same symptoms per se. When you crack the Midlands open...look for the 2 shifter forks that pickup the gears. One of my forks had busted a weld. Rewelded and it was sorta like new. The performance actually gained by doing the swap. The gearing is different and i noticed better acceleration. But you are right...the flywheel and setup is heavier....but you can solve that with a LTW flywheel...

[MINIdriver85]

Originally Posted by nickbmw

And another question, from all those of you that did the swap to the Getrag 6 speed, did you notice any drop in performance? I am asking because not only the 6 speed is heavier, but also it has a much heavier flywheel, and also bigger diameter. I'd like to throw in the 6 speed, but i don't want to lose any performance.

I haven't done the swap yet but I''d suggest going with an aftermarket lightweight flywheel

[nickbmw]

I have that in mind... Another question. What is it that prevents us from using the Midland flywheel-clutch setup with the 6 speed? What is wrong with it?

[MINIdriver85]

The S flywheel and clutch is 215mm while the Cooper one is 200mm and you can't use the smaller one with the 6speed gearbox, I don't know exactly why but I suspect it may be something like for the output shafts, on them the side going into the gearbox is different, I suspect something like this prevents using the smaller flywheel/clutch setup with the 6speed.

[UKSUV]

Originally Posted by nickbmw

I have that in mind... Another question. What is it that prevents us from using the Midland flywheel-clutch setup with the 6 speed? What is wrong with it?

The bolt pattern for everything is different and so is the bolt size....

[R50 Paul]

Originally Posted by nickbmw

My Midland just went.... I tried a fast shift from 1st redline to 2nd, and that was it... Then, the shifter became hard to go in gear, and to go back in neutral, but surprisingly, it didn't make any wiward noises, and i could select all gears, so i tried to get back home very slow and gentle, hopping it wasn't completely destroyed, and rebuildable.. Shortly before i arrive home, i tried to change gear, but it has the 2nd gear in, and it won't select any other gear, and the lever feels like ... air. Has this happened to any other in here? Does anybody know what can be wrong with the gearbox

This exact thing happened to me, however, upon inspection by the local MINI mechanic, I had worn my clutch disc to beyond the rivets. After a new clutch was installed I was all good. 45,000 miles later, all is still well.

[nickbmw]

I wish it could be the clutch too. My clutch was changed 1 year ago, and i have covered about 15k miles with this.

[resmini]

Originally Posted by nickbmw

I wish it could be the clutch too. My clutch was changed 1 year ago, and i have covered about 15k miles with this.

Just curious, how many miles on the Midland before she blew.....and have you changed the tranny fluid, and if so did you use something different from the original Texaco stuff?

Thanks

[nickbmw]

Finally, it wasn't the gearbox that broke.... but a damn bowden cable!!! But i am waiting to fix that first, to see if everything is ok with the gearbox too. I hope i was lucky this time.

[MINIdriver85]

let's hope it was just the cable!!

[YELRSUB]

My Midlands went at 115k. Still had the original clutch as well. Swapped for an '06 MCS Getrag and now have about 10k on it. I used a lightweight Fidanza flywheel and stock MCS clutch (new). Be sure the lightweight flywheel has springs, or find a clutch with springs -- otherwise you get what I got, which is a noisy tranny at idle with the clutch not engaged and a noisier take off from stand still. Squeals kinda like squealing the tires unless I go real easy on the launch.

I love the 6-speed gearing, though.

[ncdave]

I'm on my third Midlands with 87K total miles on the clock on my '03 Cooper. Does anyone know whether the the Getrag 5-speed is a direct swap?

[nickbmw]

Originally Posted by ncdave

I'm on my third Midlands with 87K total miles on the clock on my '03 Cooper. Does anyone know whether the the Getrag 5-speed is a direct swap?

You need the shift box, shift cables, flywheel and clutch, and the halfshafts to swap it. Better move on to the 6 speed

[MINIdriver85]

Originally Posted by nickbmw

You need the shift box, shift cables, flywheel and clutch, and the halfshafts to swap it. Better move on to the 6 speed

Agreed, I considered it but when I realized I'd have to change all those things anyway, and that the 5speed getrag isn't free from problems itself, I decided to go for the 6speed. Hope to do the swap in the next months.

[Doggers]

My Midlands just flew apart with no warning.. 2003, R50 with 90,000 miles.

[R50 Paul]

Welcome to the club, mine just went last Friday.

[Darkness]

I'm waiting for mine to go out so that i can do the swap.

it's coming...

[Cooperag]

My clutch went at 48k miles last Monday so in shop having getrag 6 speed swap, new clutch and flywheel. Hope to have back by weekend.