Hello!

My name is Pat and I’m the proud new owner of an 05 R52 (base).

I paid $1400 for it with no 5th gear and an inoperable convertible top.

So, I fabricated a replacement for the cracked plastic link on both latches so that the cables could sense properly, and proceeded to familiarize myself with the Getrag 5 speeds. The pictures should tell you the rest.

 

Here you can see the link reinstalled as well as the parts transmission I picked up from a wrecked mini

 

And here is the 2nd transmission I picked up, was making noise, but had good cases. I built one out of the two along with new synchros, bearings, and seals

 

Removal and Installation, it had a stage 2 clutch and solid flywheel already from what i was told...idk about the flywheel but was happy to save the money on the clutch

 

 

New outer ball joints and cv shafts since the old ones were wrecked by the idiot that “repaired” the old transmission. Nearest I can tell, the old trans had a carrier bearing let loose

 

Final modifications. The cigarette lighter didn’t work, so I replaced it with a dual 5.0 amp output usb charger with voltage and amperage display, and installed an AUX input kit. I used a spare switch hole since I don’t want to have to open the glovebox if I don’t need to.

 

Welcome to the forum. You do extremely impressive work. I was disappointed to see the license plates on the cars. I was hoping you weren't too far away.

 

Thank you. I’m an aircraft mechanic by trade with heavy automotive experience. I love what I do because it’s clean, but am definitely not afraid to get dirty and do the hard work.

This has been a fun project

 

Hi and welcome to NAM!
If you have any trouble with the five speed in the future, look at moving up to the six speed!
The trans oil should be a full synthetic, like Redline MTL
Congrats on your nice work!

 

Thanks. I’m running valvoline MTL full synthetic.

looked into the 6 speed and just didn’t want to invest, and the tighter ratios actually result in worse economy from what I’ve read...

 

Welcome and congrats on bringing it back to life, well done.

 

The 6 speed is known to be more robust. I have a 210 HP 06 R53 JCW and I am getting around 30 MPG (this isn't too bad) , but the Justa Mini models get way better!
Just a thought!

 

I had read that, and I have tons of experience with swaps on jeeps so I do understand the work involved and decided against it. Besides accumulating all the parts, I’d have had to go further than I honestly wanted for the time being.

This transmission will last me quite some time I’m sure. I’m well past the years of doing burnouts and seeing how fast 0-60 is. More of a “ get to speed and set cruise” kind of guy now lol.

 

Thank you. I’m just happy to have a fun little car to drive again. The last one was in 2004

 

I get what you are saying!
Do you know why the cases blew out? That is a fairly bad break, so I am guessing something jammed in the gears and blew the case. So what did you find?
I drive mine pretty easy, until I get it into the twisties! Then things change for me! LOL It is just so fun to push this little car!
Enjoy yours, as I know you will!

 

Well, the carrier bearing for the bell housing side that was “repaired” had been replaced along with the race, so I’d have to assume that that’s to blame. Especially since the carrier itself is beat up where it made contact with the case.

im sure debris from the failing 5th gear shift fork had something to do with it as well

 

For your original, turn or not question...i have turned many of these and i would be surprised if you need to take off more than .003 to straighten that one out