Hey everyone. I did do some searching thought the threads and could not come up with a good answer for my situation, so I decided to start a thread of my own and hopefully it will help someone else in the future.
I just got a new to me, 2016 JCW Mini Countryman ALL4 John Cooper Works - Standard shift. It's cherry with only 24,000 miles.
It is replacing a 2011 Countryman S standard shift that I love, but the oil burn is too much, among other issues common to 2011 models.
I expected the JCW to have more power. Even with the ALL4 extra weight, I figured it would pull as hard, if not harder than the 2011, but it just doesn't.
So I hooked up my Bluetooth OMDBII reader yesterday, made a few test runs and confirmed my suspicions. The max boost, in sport mode, is 8.8 LBS. That's only about half of what my 2011 will give me. Also, boost is extremely low until 4,000 RPM.
I understand the JCW may have a different turbo, that activates at higher RPM, but 8.8 boost and almost no noise, just can't be right. Or is my 2011 just that much more awesome than normal?

SYMPTOMS I NOTICE and what I feel.
Exhaust is really quiet. I expected a JCW to have some burbles and pops and to be a bit louder sound than the 2011 S. It sounds very subdued and has almost no pops and burbles, even engine braking from 6,000 RPM. The burbles I can hear sound very muffled.
Turbo makes very little sound and almost zero wastegate sound. In my 2011, there is a noticeable whistle and wastegate "sssspewwwwwwww" sound, even at lower rpm when letting off throttle.
In the JCW, boost is under 3-4 pounds until 4,000 RPM, then it will hit up to 8.8Lbs, just before I must shift. The gears are far enough apart, that I'm at 3lbs boost again, for the next gear.
Car is definitely sluggish, to the point where I had to open the hood to make sure I didn't have a justa engine under the hood. ;-)
Car has been driven very little. About 5,000/year and I expect sat for about 6 months.

My guesses so far:
1. Clogged fuel injectors? (Should I use a cleaner, or have them cleaned? Anyway to tell if this is needed?
2. Wastegate issues? (Where would I start? Vacuum test? Electronics diagnosis?)
3. Exhaust issue? (Could this be a converter issue?)

I have no codes. I expected to see some sort of code in the history. Where should I look first?

 

JCW Paceman here with less than 60k miles. I can't speak as to the boost, so hopefully a few of the more knowledgeable people will speak up regarding that issue. However the way it's been explained to me, the ALL4 definitely bogs the R60/61 down. I knew it gradually transferred the power from the rear to the front completely by 80mph but I didn't realize how sluggish it would be at lower speeds. I thought something was off as well. The ALL4 coupled with 6MT and an extra 600 lbs are the reasons a tune is in the future. My factory exhaust is also extremely muted with no burbles or pops in sport mode.

 

I have a 2016 S ALL 4 with the Berger JB+ and I can definitely hear the wastegate open with the stock intake (can hear a whoosh inside the car with the radio off) and I get some pops and burbles with the factory JCW exhaust. Mine has the 6 Speed Auto but I would think that you are possibly seeing the wastegate not fully closing keeping you from hitting full boost?

Power for the 16's is rated at: (I can't find it but I want to say the stock boost gets to something like 18? I don't know if I can see it on my Carly I would check)
S - 187 hp - 192 ft/lb in overboost
JCW - 208hp - 207 ft/lb in overboost

Your 11 S was rated at:
181 hp - 192 ft/lb in overboost



I guess not knowing the full story of the car before you got it makes it difficult to know, but at 24k miles, the fuel injectors shouldn't be clogged, I am at 55k on my 16.

 

Update:
Changed air filter that had acorns, dust, organic farm growing in it. ( immediate gains seen to 9.8 lbs boost at 5,000 rpm. and boost building to 5 lbs. as early as 3,000rpm.)
Drove 280 miles to get rid of 6 month old gas.
Added Octane boost and Chevron injector cleaner.
Did the old Italian Tune up on route 2 for about 50 miles.
Boost now hits up to 13 lbs and comes on earlier. It is a bit abrupt, as in 3-5lbs. boost from 2,000-4,500rpm. then it'll jump up to 13lbs. (Sticky wastegate?)
Still no burbles, or pops and only the slightest of wooosh sounds.
I'll get through the rest of this tank, change oil and plugs and update again.