Hey guys. im looking to replace my clutch and flywheel on my R53 MCS that has 160,000 miles. No mods, all stock. although there has been no major problems with the car, knock on wood , i expect a long life to be had with this great piece of machinery. should I get the same OEM clutch and flywheel combo given the milage, or should i go for an aftermarket clutch/flywheel kit such as the CM Fx100? I do like to whip around once in a while, by this i mean once a day, and i would like some extra durability. but with 160k i feel it would be a waste of my money if something were to go wrong. what are some of your opinions?

 

Go oem.
i do have the fx100 and its a b*&%h to drive specially if yo have lightened flywheel.
OEM you wont go wrong.

 

ive heard some some complaints about the oem one going bad very quickly, how long of a life could i expect? I don't really beat on the one I have now, i don't even rev match, just ease it out.

 

im curious about all this as well and have been really considering the ACT HD clutch, and ACT lightweight flywheel...I cant find anyone that has it...price is better then the Geiken GT clutch and flywheel combo.
its gonna be one of those two for me...but I drive mainly highway so shouldnt be too bad.

 

My experience, not Mini specific, in my dad's garage was that the OEM clutches wore well for normal drivers if the flywheel is replaced. On many cars, resurfacing the flywheel wouldn't give the same feel and the clutches might wear or chatter prematurely.

If you got 160K out of the first one and aren't looking for something that can hold more torque I would definitely recommend going OEM with a new flywheel (can't really resurface the Mini flywheel anyway).

 

I'm also wondering about clutch kit advice, but I've had a different experience.

I’ve got a 2004 Cooper S with the standard 6-speed manual transmission. In the five years I’ve owned the vehicle, I’ve had the clutch replaced twice:

Both replacements were a result of the squeaky clutch pedal and clutch chatter (the rattling sound that occurs when the vehicle is in neutral, and the clutch is out).

The first time I paid full price at the dealer.

The second time, a different dealer covered service (because it was within two years of the first replacement), but charged $1,500 for a new clutch and flywheel because they said they were wear-and-tear parts (even though they stated that the failure was the result of a faulty part and not abusive or improper driving).


Now, sixteen months/12,000 miles after the second repair, the clutch chatter and squeaky pedal are back. The parts should still be under warranty, but the idea of paying another $1,500 for this problem is pretty daunting, so I’m wondering if anyone had any insight into the following questions:

1) In other forum members’ experiences, is it normal to have to pay for replacement parts, even if they’re under warranty, or is it possible that this dealership charged me for something they should have covered?

2) How likely is it that I would get the entire replacement covered at a different dealer vs. this one? I am located in the Mid-Atlantic and there are several dealers in my area that are slightly less convenient, but well worth the trouble if I stand to save $1,500. On the other hand, would a different dealer feel less of an obligation to cover costs if they had not performed the original work?

3) If there is a possibility that a dealer (this or another) would cover the entire repair under warranty, what is the conversation that would most likely lead to that result? (For example, would talking in broad terms to the dealer about my disappointment with the Mini product help? Should I threaten to go to an independent shop and never come back? Could I gain any additional traction by calling Mini Corporate? What are the conversation points that would likely gain a positive response?)

4) If coverage of parts and labor are not possible, is there an after-market alternative out there with a more reliable throw-out bearing? I would rather pay a little bit extra once at an independent dealer than pay for partially covered replacements each year for the remainder of the car’s life.

I would be grateful for any insight anyone has into these questions.

As a footnote, another experience at this particular dealer is undermining my confidence in them. When news of the warranty extension on the power steering system came out, I submitted my receipts (totaling over $700) for previous repairs to this dealer. When the refund check came in, it was significantly less than I had anticipated. After talking to both Mini Corporate and someone from this dealer about what was covered and what was not, I found that, in fact, I would have gotten almost twice as much money back if I had dealt directly with Mini corporate. (The differences were based on how the dealer was prorating labor costs and interpreting which parts were covered.)

 

There are a lot of aftermarket choices, but it depends on what you do with the car.

If you're daily driving the car, I wouldn't go stock for the fact of the dual mass flywheel. Valeo makes a single mass flywheel conversion kit that will last longer, hold more power and feel better than the stock option.

If you're looking for a more performance oriented clutch I would recommend the OSGiken as the all mighty end all be all, Exedy as a second, but the Valeo will hold over 300 HP and holds up to track days just fine.

I personally run a Southbend Stage 3 Daily, which is single mass conversion, heavier engagement pressures, and an organic friction material with a higher metallic count (which is just a fancy way of saying it is stickier).

Here are a couple options:

http://www.detroittuned.com/valeo-r5...-s-clutch-kit/

http://www.detroittuned.com/exedy-hyper-single-clutch/

http://www.detroittuned.com/os-giken-clutch-kit/

Like I said earlier; The Valeo kit will be cheaper, last longer, and give you a better overall driving experience over the stock setup, and if you're not a track rat running high power numbers it will be more than you'll need for the foreseeable future. It's all food for thought though, you need to decide on what your plans are, for the car and driving style.

Nick
Detroit Tuned

 

Thanks very much for the info, Nick.

 

Thanks very much for the info, Nick. I will definitely do some more research on these kits.

My Mini is basically a daily driver with some occasional "spirited" driving on highways and back roads, but no rallies, and a good amount of rush-hour traffic. Based on what you've said, it sounds like the Valeo kit might be the best aftermarket option for this kind of use. Is that correct?

I'd still welcome any insight anyone had on their experiences with dealers honoring warranties on clutch-related problems, but I will continue to dig around in the forums to piece together at least some general information.

 

If that's the case then yes, the Valeo kit will be more than sufficient for your application. It's priced right and is a great clutch, but then it depends on if you want bragging rights about having a race clutch or not.

We install the Valeo conversion kit on 98% of customer cars that are in for a clutch, and haven't had any issues with them, not to mention if/when it comes time for you do replace the clutch again you'll be able to have the flywheel machined and just have to purchase a new pressure plate and friction plate.

feel free to give us a call if you need/want more information on clutch selection, we all have R53's here and each one will have a different brand/design clutch in it, so there's plenty of information to relay (586)792-6464.

Nick
Detroit Tuned