Im switching from a shrick to an RMW cam tonight. I am curious how one performance cam does over another. I will post the seat of my pants difference. I will also be installing the RMW street header the next day from my current stock port matched header with precat delete since it is recommended that the header and cam work best as a combo. I will be posting before and after numbers and dyno charts right after my tune on the 4th of October in case anyone is interested.

 

Good work Clint! Is there any way you can do a few base runs on Oct 4th, do the cam and header swap and get it tuned later in the day???? That would be fanfreakintastic. BUT, I guess you want to pop the cam and header in now though.

Have fun tonight!

Jeremy

 

Nice, your gonna love it man....

 

I'm very interested to hear about the results since I have been in contanct with Jan about those very two pieces!!

 

muy interested! i have the cam, and am thinking about the header before a tune. where are you getting the tune?

 

Ok, I just put in the cam, reset the ECU and took it for a drive...Wow, so much different than I thought! I drove the same route I drive every day so I noticed quickly how different it really was. As soon as you let out the clutch it comes alive and the power begins. It is very responsive and awesome coming out of a corner. It rips through the gears bringing loads more power from 1800 rpms to 5800, where before there was not nearly as much. It is much more driveable and it just feels right. The car feels like something very expensive and well tuned. And the thing is, I havent got it tuned yet and tomorrow is going to be another exciting day when I add the header which will liven up that high end power where the stock header simply cannot perform. The cam took about two hours, and that header... Holy s&*t that is a nice freakin piece. It is smooth, burly and it comes with a high flow cat. It looks like the perfect daily driver header. I like where the collector piece narrows down smoothly then flows into that durable flex pipe and high flow cat making it far from an OBX or Megan which I threw in the garbage long ago-

 

I already have a before run in my gallery which I will compare to my next dyno results in Seattle/Tacoma on the 4th.

 

Awesome...so would you say the cam if a fairly easy job? I plan on doing it in the not to far future.

 

its always easy until something goes wrong

 

I wouldn't say it is easy, it is a little tricky with the hydraulic tensioner and keeping the cam gear from skipping a tooth and there is a nasty bolt that likes to get in the way of a plastic plug on the side of the cylinder head next to where the cam gear fastens to the cam. Then you need to make sure that you set in the rocker arms with care and two people because there are little valve lashing caps that ride on the top of the valves that are plastic and they like to crack if you aren't careful leaving you having to buy a complete set of arms over again because they do not sell just these little retainers. This is my third time with these cam shafts so I went ahead and put a smaller washer on the cam gear bolt so that it no longer interferes with that darn plug on the side of the head.
Sorry i made it sound complicated but its easier than it sounds. You just need someone with experience to help or just pay a very trusted mechanic and go out for a pint.

 

Doesn't sound too complicated, I just have to decide if I would rather Danny do it, or just do it myself...a kind of, is it worth the hassle battle. Oh well...I have a few months to figure it out.

 

What are the torque specs for cam gear and the rockers? September's Modern Mini magazine (UK) has a good cam install article but the specs are in Nm; I converted them but just want to make sure...

 

Clint,
Ok I have the Bentley in front of me, here are a few numbers:
Rocker Arm Shaft/Camshaft Being cap to head = 22ft-lbs
Cam Gear to Cam = 75ft-lbs
Timing Chain tensioner to block = 46ft-lbs
Camshaft position sensor to head = 7ft-lbs
Vavle cover to head = 9ft-lbs
ignition coil to valve cover = 9ft-lbs

That should be all you need, make sure to keep those camshaft bearing caps in the original orientation, don't mix them.

Good luck.......

 

Hey Mini Racer,
Thanks for the info; I appreciate it...
Marty

 

Mine's on the way! I can't wait!

 

Danny will have it done in 15-30min I'm sure!

 

I tightened them to 14 ft lbs.

 

Just drove it with the header. The car is ridiculous. I almost crashed it... I cannot believe the power. Such a huge gain! My car is too fast for me right now, I need to learn how to drive it again! It is much more quiet than I anticipated which is such a releif. It rumbles a bit more but I like it and so does my girlfriend. This is a serious mod that everyone needs to consider. You almost can't even compare a stock mini to the one I have now. It is a whole other car.
I have sound clips, and pics tomorrow!

 

Can not wait!! this is gonna be good.

 

And still the tune to come!

 

I got the RMW Cam and Shorty Header today from Danny, and OMG, the sound is amazing, and the torque down low is noticeably improved. Re tune will come later when I add the JCW 380cc injectors. Even Danny was like--"I've never heard a MINI like that before"--the RWM shorty with the Invidia Exhaust on my 2005--is full of pops---had a lot of fun at WOT. Had to be easy on the throttle on my way home so the wife wouldn't ask me about the extra noise my car is making, lol.

 

Awesome! Makes me excited to get that stuff done. Sadly I have a couple other things in between now and then: TSW BDM BBK, Motive Brake bleeder, TSW lower rear control arms, and maybe some SSR Comps or any strong 17"x7 ~ 15lbs

Though, all this talk does make me excited for RMW goodies!

 

Here is the header I just installed. It is well made, has a low rumble and compliments my current exhaust. It is quiet and puts a lil rumble in the seat. This is a practical performance header for the everyday driver.
Audio and video hopefully manana!





Oh I just posted my past RMW dyno sheets I thought I had it in my gallery before.
Hey, Quit looking at my girlfriend!

 

Dang.. nice pipes

Sexy girlfriend - lucky guy.

 

Ok, you pushed me over the edge with your descriptions and I just ordered the RMW cam and street header from Grassroots Garage. Dan will do the install for me. I can't wait