Hi all,

I have a 2003 MCS. I have upgraded the air intake filter to a KHN filter, and I have installed a plasma booster to increase ignition perfomance. I have been considering changing exhaust, pully, new program, but what is really worth doing? I'm new at this. Thanks in advance for your input.

Minialex

 

much has been written .....

pulley/intake/sway bar/ exhaust/ wheels and tires/ ECU re-program.... in no particular order... I also like the SS kit and the whalen shift ****..... and the gauges are cool on and on

these seem to make the most sense and work in synergy...... when you go further than this you can experience, as I have, some subtraction by addition....which takes some doing, in my case, to sort out.

 

Funny you should ask.... I just came in from another day of tinkering on blu.by.u (List below) (Had to stop and take wife to movies )
I have discovered that it is more of a fun hobby to tweak this car more than any of the previous 25-30 cars that I have owned.

Do whichever ones you like and can afford to do, I am fast approching a point where I may be way into the $$ zone for the next levels, as well as the fact it is my daily driver. (No race goodies, etc). Lots of posts as to order of prefference but I would put tires and wheels, sway bar much higher on the list if I had it to do over...

Good luck and enjoy!!!

A few shots of the ongoing process.....

http://imageevent.com/tl4x40/minimods4906
http://imageevent.com/tl4x40/mini

Mods, Etc
3-4-06

Now:
Alta Shorty antennae
Alta15% Pulley
Alta CAI
Alta Silicone inlet hose (blue)
Alta Short Shifter
Alta Springs (-1.25”)
IK 22 plugs
R-Speed 8mm wires (blue)
R-Speed 22mm Sway bar
Miltek Cat back
Webb Unichip
Miniature Trailers hidden hitch
Trailer light wiring harness
EnkeiRacing Rp02 17x7 wheels (15.1lbs)
Falken ZiexZe512 205/45/17 (18.7lbs)
Custom stripes (adds 20hp min)
AtlantaMinis decals (another 10hp ea)

Installed 4-9
Euro shelf
Alta Catch can (blue)
Alta Adj rear control arms (upper & lower)
Alta Front and rear end links
Alta Intercooler diverter/ sprayer kit (blue
M7 Strut bar & tower plates
PIAA driving lights

Waiting on install.

Wiring PIAA driving lights
Alta 2% Crank pulley
Alta 5% Alternator pulley
Hawk HP+ pads
AP racing brake fluid
NextTrip to Gran Turismo
Trip to dyno
Trip to Phil Wicks

Maybe I have gotten a bit carried away......
Tim

 

Can I even ask how much money you have put into your MINI??

 

My first question would be ; "Where do you want to end up with your MCS? Cruiser? Racer? Show car? Daily driver? Canyon carver?

Once you can answer that question I am sure that you will receive more meaningful suggestions.

 

Just what I was gonna say

 

Ok lets say he wanted it to be a daily driver but have enough juice to keep is butt-dyno happy?

 

like others have said, and add to that goal. Then you will find much more help on the site. "What should I do?" is a very open and subjective question. If we know what you want out of the car, it's much easier to answer things like...

"I want to up the HP a bit, where do I start?"
"I'm looking for improved handling, but I do drive on the street mostly, and the roads are crap here..."
"I want to AutoX only, and I have another car that is my daily driver..."

Good luck,

Matt

 

some people can go crazy on the car.. here's mine

essentially, hvae a goal, and always work ONLY to that goal!

believe me, modding is a drug, start with a budget, and say no after that other than the small bits... also, pick what YOU want, not what others think u should get...



engine: Alta Intake w/o hose old version (WMS HDI coming soon), Alta 15%, Alta Oil Catch can Blue, Screamin' Demon Coil Pack, Livewire ignition wires Blue, Denso IK22 spark plugs, Scorpion exhaust, Alta 2% crank pulley, MTH 91 octane, GRS intercooler

Suspension: Eibach Prokit Springs, Koni Yellow shocks, Alta rear control Arms, H-Sport Competition Sway bar Rear, Wilwood 12.16 Street BBK, Ferodo DS2500 Rear brake pads

Exterior:
Orciari Rear spoiler, Rota Subzero 17x7.5 Royal Black, Kumho ECSTA SPT 215/45-17, M7 lower grille, 4k halogens, stealth turn signals front/side, JCW taillights, Alta antenna, white parking lights, PIAA 004X fogs with Nokya 2.5k bulbs, OEM trunk protector, OEM tow hook gloss black, M7 CF ram air scoop, M7 upper/middle Grille, Helix Stud kit with tuner lug nuts

Interior:
Alpine CDA9843 HU, Sparco Rev driver only, Scroth red quick fit harness, Rspeed chrome rings speedo, tach, shift ring, OEM rubber floormats, OEM e-brake tray, redlinegoods.com leather shift boot, ebrake boot, Mania center storage unit, Alta Gauge pod, Greddy SMI gauges, xenon interior lighting, OEM Plastic boot mat, Cobalt rear strut brace

 

One of the things I like about these kinda posts, I spot a few more things to do! LOL kryiian, it's all your fault! But I feel better since you are even sicker than me!

boarder054, Obvously not as much $ as some! I tend to watch for group buys, used parts from folks I know from the boards, etc. (see what someone is going take off a car to be traded in..) I do 95% of the wrenching myself, therapy sort of thing. Once the "parts waiting" pile gets too big, I take a day off and knock some skin off my knuckles. I think I have a lot of bang for the buck and have stayed under my 4k budget so far.

Again, read, learn, ride in cars with similar mods you want, and most of all, have fun doing it!

Tim

 

thanks for all the input. My MCS is not my daily driving car. Looking for better performance and fuel economy as well as a smoother ride not so much a racer but a well tuned cruiser.
MiniAlex

 

Okay guys, just a simple question, explain the difference/benefits of the 15%, 17% or 19% pulley?

 

In a nutshell, the 15% is your most efficient (as far as optimum boost versus heat build-up), and requires no other work or parts. It uses your stock belt and injectors.

The 17% is a good compromise between the 15 and 19. Probably don't need new belt and injectors here, either...

the 19% is acceptable for the street, but is not recommended for prolonged time at or near redline, like on the track... This is because it makes your supercharger spin higher than its' intended redline when your engine is nearing the upper RPM range. Obviously, this is BAD, and even if your supercharger survives, you're building up so much heat by then, that it negates any possible advantage over a 15%. That is what I've read and understood from talking to Randy Webb. Plus you will need a new belt and injectors.

For the best answer go to Randy's FAQ page on pulleys: http://store.webbmotorsports.com/ind...fe4f0a786d709e

 

Thanks Jonnieoh, I appreciate your help! I will check out the link. Have a great one and take care!

John

 

Also, if you read Randy's FAQ, there is issues with both 17% and 19% pulleys shredding belts, not so with 15% pulleys. As you can imagine, when your belt shreds and or breaks off, that is very bad.

Many posters on NAM with 17% and 19% will testify that they've had absolutely no problems whatsoever, and that what I'm saying, (and what Randy is saying), is just paranoia. It's great that they've had good luck so far, and I certainly hope that it continues for them. I'm sure their cars are real screamers.

But I'd rather take Randy's word for it, a guy who's done tons of testing on these different pulley sizes. The guy is a walking database of knowledge, and real-world testing on the dyno, the street, autocross circuits and tracks. If he tells me that 15% is the best size for both efficiency and reliability, I'm going to take his word for it. His installs of 15% pulleys are now probably up in the 800's. Not only that, but he warrants any 15% pulley he installs for 2 years. He won't even install any other size pulley, let alone warrant it. What does that tell you?

Not only that, consider the size of the pulley on MINI's JCW kit. It is 13.8% reduction (the last time I heard anyway). Now which of the aftermarket pulleys out there are closest in size? You guessed it, the 15%...

 

I can attest to shreding belts as I have shreded 2 that were not very old <10K.... one time stranded for 3 hrs in the N GA mts and one time it shreded so badly it severed the wiring into the AC compressor at the base.... cost a about 4 hrs labor to fix.....(the dealer wanted to replace the whole unit) The 19% definitely is much livelier around town....but, being stranded is not fun...... I am thinking of asking Eric to bring a 17% ring to the Dragon.....

 

Off-topic:

SpiderX how many miles are on your car with your mods?

 

I bought the car with 11K and started modding right away... Randy did the pulley (15%), Dinan intake, and Borla street, within my first month.... The car has been continually morphing...ie next week add WMS exhaust, M7 DFIC and Schrick "race" cam (street coming out... may lose low end torque) the car now has 52K..... I have come to believe that if you want big power "go twin charge early" save a bunch of $ and get a lot more power. that being said my car is running great and I can't "help myself."

 

I'm taking my '05 to Eric next week. We chatted a bit on the phone yesterday and here's how I understand things.

The 15% pulley does not require a shorter belt, the 17% does.
The 15% pulley does not require injectors, the 17% does IF you flash the ecu. The injectors are $325 to $425.
The increase in hp for the 17 vs the 15 is only about 2 or 3, but there is wider coverage of the torque curve with the 17%
The increase in hp from an ecu remap can be 5-7.

Based on the above, I have decided on the 15% pulley, a CAI, Miltek exhaust and ecu remap for my daily driver. (The first phase next week will be the CAI and pulley, the rest will have to wait for more cash to accumulate.) I have no experience and am new to Mini's, so all advice from those older and wiser forum members will be appreciated.

TIA,

Richard

 

Very cool ...

 

To all,

Thanks for the great info! I am a newbee and starting in on the learning curve. I appreciate your posts/comments/help!

John