I believe that converting from the Midlands to the Getrag is too difficult/costly, although it can be done. The dealer will replace the Midlands with another Midlands, and it will be a reconditioned gearbox, since new ones are all gone. It is my understanding that these reconditioned transmissions are not uprated, they are not fixing them with improved parts, except maybe the seal.

Here's a link to a post from MiniMania UK:
http://www.mini2.com/forum/mini-coop...ox#post2785361

me!

I know octane guy went through two (possibly 3) of the midlands transmissions.

When we picked up our MC, it had bad sincros. The dealership replaced that along with a cracked windshield as part of the purchase deal. As far as I know, the car was always owned here in south florida. It had 45k miles when we got it. Now I'm at 93k and driving the hell out of it. I have no problems from 1 through 5, but I have major issues with reverse. Sometimes it wants to go in, sometimes it doesn't. A lot of times, I have to let the car move a little before I can get it in reverse.

I think it's the luck of the draw.

With your mods (plugs, wires, intake, throttle body, header, high flow cat, exhaust, and ecu) This suprises me.

If I recall though... you were tring to do burn outs or something... along the lines of high rpm dumps... practicing launches maybe. (I remember too much.... )

Ditto... sometimes 1st is tricky or 1-2, but mostly the same as you with reverse. I believe this is a sycho issue though.

the issue with reverse is actually not an issue.

Coopers do not have synchros for reverse gear.

Try this next time you need to get to second gear.

(assuming you are in first gear)

come to a complete stop with the clutch in and the car in first.

Put the gear lever into neutral.

release clutch.

push clutch back in

select reverse.

voila.. this should eleviate your problem!

Hopefully this helps... and hopefully you arleady aren't doing this

Well, at least that makes me worry less about an impending tranny failure. It may be something to do with my clutch though. I never had that happen before my release bearing melted and broke. Afterwards, with a new clutch, she just hasn't been the same. There's the reverse problem...and also once the clutch gets really hot (ie. stuck in stop and go rush hour traffic) it gets really stiff and feels a bit sticky like the pedal doesn't quite want to come back out. I think something got bent or something...doesn't make any sense to me.

Welp, our "uprated" tranny for our Cooper arrived today from MINIMania UK... It's sitting in the garage, along with a lightweight UUC flywheel and SPEC Stage III clutch kit. We're planning on install the 1st weekend in March.

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to not holding the car in 2nd gear through fast sweepers at the autocross...

nice!!!!! I have been keeping my eye on the MMUK option. I wish MM here in the US offered the same option, to reduce cost, etc. Between the trans, shipping, core charge, it would be a hard sell to the wife

I am hoping it will still be an option in a couple of years....that would be exactly what I would want, along with the upgraded clutch and flywheel.

Mine tossed a tranny two weeks ago. I bought an extended warranty on it (purchased used) and it is covering the costs. $4K for parts labor and fluids. Should be back on the road by this weekend. 84K miles and it worked fine one minute then the next it wouldn't move.

Just curious, do you live in a cold weather area?

That'd be Texas for me and Docwatson... although it's pretty cold here right now!

Ive been through one in the early stages and live in the caribbean record low temp is about 68 deg so i'd say you cant blame it on cold weather!!

Agreed although typically its not cold here. Even at 20 degrees I'm sure it doesn't come close to what you guys have to deal with in some area's of the country. Although maybe we could blame it on extreme HEAT

Sounds like a place I'd like to be.

The new tranny chronicles begins tomorrow... we're pulling out the old, busted Midlands and installing the new one.

I'll take craploads of pics and post a write-up!

(I feel like I've been spending ALL my time under cars lately - we just finished R&R work on the rearend of the e30 track/AX car last night. 2.5 days of thrashing to install rear trailing arm adjusters (incl welding), painting, installing new urethane bushings, new guibo, center support bearing, tranny output seal, etc.)

If you don't mind me asking, how much for an uprated tranny (and how much was the shipping)? I've tried to get info from MiniMania, but haven't had much luck. I'd like to buy the improved parts kit so that I'll have it on hand for the big day!

+1 on having a less expensive option for us here in the US. I wonder why MM here in the US does not offer the UK trans?

Total ended up being about $2600 USD shipped, including export taxes and shipping, IIRC.

You can find rebuilt Midlands in the States for about the same - but, they use all original guts and seals...

I'd take an original Midlands only if it was free under warranty, otherwise I'd get an uprated box.

Do you get to keep your old one or do you have to ship it back?

In this case, I am keeping the old one... I'm going to rebuild it myself with internals from MINI Mania UK at some point in the future and keep it as a spare!

And, if Quaife ever releases their LSD for the Cooper with their final drive, I'll put that in the backup unit...

Who makes this one? @ MiniMania

Did you get it replaced at MINI with the aftermarket warranty?

I will probably be on my third Midlands unit which is a shame since I really do like the feel of the thing. The first went at 41K miles and was repalced under warranty. The second one is exhibiting all of the symptoms at 68K miles that the first one did: difficulty getting into gear (forget about reverse!) and I set to bring it in. I fully suspect that a third one will be installed, luckily under warranty as well since it has been udner two years since it was replaced. There's still a ways to go to equal the number of windscreens though.

80K.....knock on wood......had the clutch replaced at 60k and the output shaft seal replaced.....mebbe mine was put together right???