I followed a thread of someone's N18 build and he spent a lot of time discussing the issues with with the cams and setting them up. There was something about setting them up to get the right lift. My thought at the time was what a PITA.

I can definitely say, though, my N18 runs a lot different than the N14 I had. The power comes on earlier which I attribute to the Vanos being different.

 

Without knowing the builder or when this N18 was built, I'd say it was done without a good tune, and / or the cams used were not the best design. It's also conceivable that the builder was a novice with Mini's (like I am) and used "old school" thinking for the installation. Cam timing was a lot different before computers.

Again, a tuner that's familiar with the cam set should be able to produce one awesome machine. Installation should be a "piece of cake".

 

Might have been the thread on my N18 build your thinking of. And yep I was pretty new to Mini's at the time. We were replacing the N18 cams with different factory N18 cams. Basically it was a post 3/2012 head that needed pre 3/2012 cams because the pre 3/2012 ECU wouldn't drive the later Bosch HPFP. The car ran factory software that was updated to Manic Stage 3 after breakin. Long story short is even the dealer can't change the intake cam on an N18. They change out the whole head. VANOS isn't the issue. It's the Valvetronic side of things that gets screwy. There is more monkey motion going on in there what with the intermediate rockers, eccentric shaft and all that its not even funny. The data to do it exists otherwise BMW couldn't build it to begin with. Problem is that BMW is not sharing that info. No way, no how. A certain fellow in a red suit with a pitchfork will be shivering in his knickers before it happens. To put it in perspective there is still no aftermarket cam option for the N55. Mini's are a small performance market but the BMW market is much much bigger... and still no cam option. We pursued developing one for quite a while out of sheer stubbornness but in the end our R&D budget would have had to include a lot more zeros at the end of it to make it work properly.

 

Isn't there a way to have the stock cams regrinded? They they could do any profile you want. I thought I heard that a long time ago.

 

On Valvetronic the intake valve lift can only be modified by altering the eccentric cam profile. If you increase main cam lift then valve lift is increased through all rpm ranges. In other words forget trying to get the car to idle as your idle control mechanism (intake valve) is now open further than it should be. We shifted focus to re-profiling the eccentric shaft. Unfortunately, increasing lift there throws the intermediate rocker geometry off and follower spring tension also becomes an issue. It could be done but would require a new eccentric cam, new follower springs, new rocker arms and new intermediate rockers. By that point the gain is worth neither the cost of the system nor the ROI to pursue it.

There's a reason my current Mini is an N14. Now back to our regularly scheduled program. OBW's bad azz engine build!

 

 

Thanx Tigger, that's great info on the N18. Just to be clear, the only reason I'm going with a "high performance" cam is because my original intake cam got its journals fried. So, as long as I gotta get a new cam, might as well be a better one. Since they come in sets, I now have a used OEM exhaust cam available for someone in need. I can't imagine who would need one, but maybe ---

My build is on hold for the holidays. Maybe start again next week --- need time to think about a problem that came up. Stay tuned ---

 

Yah, that's the one I was thinking of. Hope it helps.

 

Great update on the 'Baddest' mini in town! Watching with interest and will hopefully see you on the road sometime soon!!

 

Well, this sure took longer than a week --- finally got my act back together and started assembly again. Had some grief mounting the head --- torqueing the ARP studs in 3 stages --- first stage was OK but a couple studs seemed to "release" pressure suddenly. Re-torqued them successfully and continued to the 3rd stage, where it happened again. Wasn't paying attention to which one did this, but after all were tightened, I called it a day and cleaned up. Stewed all evening about it and next day took the head off to do it again. Thought maybe the machine shop cleaned out the threads and made them oversize so the studs wouldn't tighten, or gasket was compressing, or guide pins kept the head raised until high torque seated it, or ??? Re-seated and re-lubed the studs and started again. Same story with 2nd and 3rd stages, but this time I took notes and when one "released" I checked adjacent, previously tightened studs --- all OK so I continued and finished 3rd stage. Best guess is combination of gasket /o-ring mating, and guide pins seating themselves. Big on the to-do list is re-tighten head studs during break-in.

Getting careless and sloppy in my old age --- managed to read the wrong chart on torque specs and broke a screw holding the clutch cover to the flywheel. That set me back a couple weeks.

Engine and tranny are mated --- bolts are not torqued yet, but it's together. That took awhile, working alone, but it's starting to look like an engine again, and there's a lot less parts all over the floor. Still gotta chase bolts and ID where they go --- I didn't "bag and tag" like I should have, and it was dis-assembled last Aug. Memory is shot too! Gotta love Real OEM's illustrated parts lists.

I'm targeting a break-in completion date of early May, so I can get it to AMVIV and a Manic update. We'll see ---

 

Good to hear an update.

If you need any help identifying bolts we should be able to help. ​​​​Just send pics.

Chee​rs

Stev​en

 

Yes Steven, I have a few left-over parts —- misc hardware and a couple brackets. Tried to omit the wastegate actuator valve, but it throws a code if not connected. That’s probably one of the brackets. Currently, it’s zip-tied to another harness, to keep it from flopping in the breeze.

Putting the engine back in the car was not easy —- just me and a hoist. Shoulda had another person so both sides could be watched while jockeying the engine into place. I managed to fold the driver’s side A/C line so it pointed to the firewall instead of towards the front. Replaced it, after dropping that end of the engine! Other “do-overs” include moving the driver side headlight connector from one side of the frame to the other —- short harness and big connector so had to move the windshield washer reservoir. Then there’s a passenger-side axle support that connects to the engine. I didn’t mount it to the engine BEFORE installing the engine, and it’s pretty awkward to get in there after engine install to mount this thing. Must of taken me half a day just for that part.

After engine removal last year, I cancelled DMV-required insurance, to save a few bucks. Seems the DMV monitors who has and doesn’t have insurance, and didn’t send me the annual renewal paperwork. So, to get back on the road, I had to visit DMV and show proof of insurance —- another day wasted!

Also decided to remove the FCD's, installed to allow over 22PSI boost with an AP tune. Still have access to the AP tune, but when using it, I'll just have to keep it below 22PSI.

During my first break-in drive, I had a post-turbo hose let go —- out in the middle of nowhere. Got another AAA tow-truck ride home. Doing some hard pulls and the engine torque / roll was more than I expected. Clamps weren’t tight enough! I’m only using 15PSI max, the default wastegate setting, without my MBC. Normal usage was 30PSI, and really tight clamps. I was hoping the clamps were tight enough for 15PSI —- wrong again!

On my next run, I had the crankshaft pulley come loose —- the three bolts holding it on were apparently never tightened, and I lost two of them. Symptoms were a red battery indication on dash gauge, then a minute or so later a red temperature indication —- accessory belt had quit turning. Replaced them with three others having matching threads and length, just different heads.

On my way to a wheel alignment and A/C service (some things I can’t do), I had a serious oil leak. Seems I used a “questionable” gasket-in-a-tube that didn’t like the heat. Pulled the pan and re-did the sealant with proper stuff. PITA working with aftermarket exhaust pipes —- all welded after the DP and had to be dropped to get at one oil pan bolt. Not a lot of clearance for my 3” pipe.

That’s where I am so far —- early stages of break-in. Made plans to get my Manic tune updated while at AMVIV. Meeting EurotechsAZ at a mutual friends local dyno. In the meantime, finish break-in, install MBC, and turn on the WMI (doing break-in without WMI). Hopefully, I didn’t screw up anything else —- I really need time for spring chores around the homestead.

 

Fantastic to see things coming together OBW. Serious props for doing it yourself. It takes a bit of ingenuity and moxy when you have to tackle some of these tasks alone. I run a 3" exhaaust as well and I hear you on that one oil pan bolt. PIA rat-bastard lol. A ratcheting wrench will save some heartache there and I have had the best luck using Permatex Ultra Black on the oil pan itself.

 

nice build thread. looking forward to the break-in testing / dyno results

 

AMVIV 12 came and went. I had a terrible time setting up the tuner with the dyno guy. Got it done but had no time left for any fun event runs.

Dyno results came in better than expected --- max WHP went from 361 to 368. Max torque was the big surprise --- it increased from 352 to 402. Differences in the engines are pistons --- last build had 77.0mm and 10.5CR, while this build has 77.5mm and 9.0CR. And cams --- OEM to Cat Cams "medium grind". Current block has been "reinforced", the crank was balanced, ARP studs on the head and crank, and a Cometic head gasket, but these are only for bottom end support, not HP or torque. The head is also "new", but it was worked by Thumper, who also did the previous head --- probably minimum differences between the two. Previous dyno and data logs indicated the 1.0 WMI jet was undersized. It was changed to 1.2, the largest available from Howerton.

Couple interesting things about the dyno chart --- the dyno was not connected to my ignition system, so the RPM numbers are not correct. The tuner assures me that the RPM max limit is set to 7.5K RPM, and that pretty much agrees with the car's RPM gauge. Also note the boost level peaks at the MBC setting, then drops off 5 - 6 PSI. My thoughts are, the dyno hose was about 10 - 15 ft long and not as securely connected as it could have been. I'm thinking this could cause a pressure drop --- much like using a big ID hose for compression testing, which causes low CR numbers. Other thoughts are, the turbo is max'd out and can't supply the air through my new cams. I need to do some data logging of my own to see if I can duplicate the boost curves. That, or find a local dyno with a better setup. More fun to data log, but I'd really like a dyno chart with accurate RPM's.

One last item --- my gas tank had about 5 - 6 gals of 91 oct and a 5 gal can of VP 100 oct, all pretty well mixed before the dyno pull. The WMI was an 80 - 20 mix, by volume --- I use a marked measuring jar.

 

Hmmmm. Let's see... 179 (advertised Cooper S HP) x 2 = 358. Yup, more than double.

I see this car having a big problem with getting the advertised mileage out of any tires that are put on it.

Have fun.

 

great...so when we turning the boost up

amazing work man!

 

Is it my browser or you really can not see the graph? Everything is so small.!

 

Bravo!!!! Nicely done sir.

 

Impressive!!

What do you think contributed to the increase in HP/TQ? Cams?
A lower PSI and CR didn't. Is my brain just not engaged here and I missed something?

 

Will you share a more definied pic for the power graph????

 

My guess would be a combination of cams and Manic update. Minor effect from new and oversize pistons --- clean bore and piston match, where original rebuild used new pistons in OEM bore. balanced crank may have helped.

When I click on the thumbnail, it goes to almost full screen, and it started as a pretty high res pic. What else can I do --- site admin makes it a thumbnail.

 

Does this help?

 

Ahhh perfect! Yeah I can see the numbers now. thanks.

peak numbers come a litle bit late, your comments ok that?

 

At least two reasons ---
big turbo causes slow boosting
new cams sacrifice low speed performance for high speed
Both conditions suit my driving habits.

Also, note the boost dip --- pretty sure their was a boost loss in the dyno hook-up, but possibly in my MBC connection. Gonna relocate the MBC source closer to the throttle body in the near future.