Hi - Working on my 2003 MC-S. It has a 15% pulley, DT bypass, and MM intake. Pulled the head apart and found the cam worn beyond the wear limit and several stuck tappets. The car is for street driving - not racing or autoX. Driveability and reliability are important. I have been looking at mods to improve the low end "oomph". I have been trying to avoid new injectors or tuning, but that is not cast in stone.

1) I found an "immaculate" but slightly used original cam for $250. The aftermarket choices like the NS are about the same price and seem to be suggested for my type of driving. The Schick cam is almost double the cost and seems focused on racing more than street. Any thoughts?

2) I have three ball joint pullers that are too big to fit my mini - so before I buy a spring compressor for this head - I would really appreciate suggestions on head tools that actual fit the mini. I do have the timing tool kit already, I am looking more at removing and installing valves and springs and this point.

3) About those stuck tappets/lifters - can they be replaced without replacing the whole rocker arm? Any sources? I have read the plastic retainers were upgraded in 2006 to metal retainers - if I order new rockers from the dealer, will they come with metal retainers? I "rebuilt" all 32 lifters in a X5 4.4 engine once (to avoid buying them at $40 per) using brake cleaner and a ton of patience - any success on doing that on the mini? The cost of new ones is lower, so maybe it is not worth it...

 

id say go with an RMW street cam. no tuning needed, and theyre like 350 new or so. the schrick cam needs some modding to something internal to the engine; something has to be ground down a little to make the cam fit; its in the instructions.

if you can get some headers youll get some more oomph; but they have to be 4-2-1s, the 4-1s are more tuned for top end rpm.

no idea on the rest :P

 

I wanted to post a follow up to part 3 for anyone that stumbles into this thread - so far all I can find is two options - and both are to replace the entire rocker arms with the lifters included. The best price I have found now on dealer parts is from Mini of South Atlanta (no endorsement intended) with coupon "NAM" for $490 for a full set of rockers. (R53 W11)

FCP Euro (with their ~5% loyal customer discount, again, no endorsement intended) is $203 for a full set of rockers from a company called AJUSA.

On both websites, the pictures seem to show plastic retainers on the lifters.

 

I had the Schrick cam on my 03. You have to clearance (i.e. dent) the spark plug tubes. Which is kind of annoying as it pulled the socket off my extension all the time until I got an extension that locked.

My car also had a 19%, GP Cooler, Intake Exhaust and tune by a tuner that seems to have disappeared and it ran well but would occasionally set a light under load / light throttle. Not sure how that cam would work without a tune.

The cam is sitting on my shelf. I can't decide how much I want to mess with the 05 yet.

 

Thanks for the info - I am trying to avoid that sort of flakiness as this will mostly be a daily driver. Stable idle and no CEL are important...

 

I had a NS cam for about three months, it gave me constant issues that I never really understood. I purchased it because it was advertised at not needing a tune, I'm not so sure that was ideal. When it worked normal it was awesome. Personally, if it was me I wouldn't get a cam or get one that is also supported by a tuner...so RMW.

 

Thanks to all. Decided to go with the stock cam for now.

In terms of tools - started with a cheapo $15 spring compressor (the kind that is supposed to hook onto the springs and compress using a big ****) and found it did nothing but jump off...

Moved on up to the $60 c-clamp style and have been very happy with it. Fit well onto the valve and retainer and could compress the spring and remove the retainers without any funny business.

 

Stuck lifters? Are you saying there is no spring compliance in the lash adjusters (not able to compress the lash adjuster by hand)?

 

I've attached a picture of one of my typical rocker arms with two hydraulic lifters. One is loose and floppy (the one that sits lower in the rocker arm), the other is stiff and can't be compressed by hand.

I have been told that it is normal for them to "collapse" when off the car and feel very stiff by hand. I don't have any experience with that.

I would think they should both be the same if they are both working.

I've attached a second picture to show how the cam doesn't like this situation.

 

Ah, see what you mean, the left one appears stuck in compressed position. I have had a couple of these apart but never been able to reuse as the plastic retainer always breaks (at least for me). By the looks of your cam lobe surfaces I would be surprised if the rollers on the arms are not showing signs of wear. If it were me I would replace all the rockers!
For some reason the cost of parts over here for these motor cars is very expensive, even used or rebuilt. I have opted to purchase parts over in the UK, first head I bought was a R53 unit removed by the dealer for a JCW upgrade. Paid $325 for the head and $120 to ship to the USA, so $445 in total, only took 6 days to get here. Have another R53 head on its way over next week, total cost will be $465, you cannot buy the parts (to rebuild a head) over here for that cost let alone pay the labor. Not sure if there are so many more parts over there that the supply keeps the cost down or if the parts over here go through so many hands that the price reflects everyone's cut. Anyways, it certainly is another option for you.
Not sure how many miles on your motor but I have yet to work on an R53 head that after 120K does not have a burnt exhaust valve.

Just in case anyone is looking for one there are new "0 mile" superchargers available in the UK on Ebay, not cheap but then again new never is.