Thanks Way for the clarification. Thought an image would be helpful:



Part #3 (there are two of these spacers / stop buffers) are discarded. Seems like there is no need to remove the #2 bolts as these poly bushings can be squeezed-in...

 

Tony, I don't believe that's your tranny mount that's on your car.
Not sure what year this is from.

 

No there is no need to remove the #2 bolts at all.

 

Greg, that was my first thought, but then I haven't had the airbox out for over a year, and don't quite recall what it looks like...

That said, I just went back to realoem.com and checked again. I have a Sept 2002 build (first build week 2003) MCS. That's the image...

CrazyIvan, thanks for confirming.

 

Ok, decided to tackle this with an hour of sunlight left and I got the two stock rubber pads out, along with a blue piece that fits into the bottom voids. I needed to lower the tranny a bit with the floor jack in order to pull them out...

These PowerFlex bushing inserts are different (size & shape). No directions came with these. Does it matter what side of the stock bushing these inserts go into? With my flashlight and these aging eyes, the voids on the front and rear of the stock bushing look identical, and if so, one would think the PF bushing inserts would be identical.

Any input would appreciated. Thanks much.

EDIT/ADD: This is made really easy if one is willing to free-up the arm holding all of this - part #4 above. Just 3 bolts, 17mm. Took about 3 min giving one direct access to the stock MINI bushing. Dish soap, as the Prof said earlier did the trick for me...

Still, I don't know if the larger or smaller insert goes in the front or rear. Maybe it makes no difference, but I put the larger one in the back as the bracket sandwiching everything is larger back there. I will not torque things down until sure though.

Didn't see a photo, so thought I'd include one. Since I have an HAI, there was less to remove and put back. Very easy install, quite affordable and there is a difference felt.

 

Bringing this back to the top. I got deal on an IE pair and omg it was 1 of the hardest things to do. I spent 2 hrs trimming it and trying to wedge them in. cut my finger too.

Good news is it definitely made a difference. I had put in an IE upper mount before and replaced both upper and lower mounts.

 

for the record the IE bushing doesn't "need" trimming it's designed to be super tight and yes they are a big PIA to install without removing a ton of parts and even then it's no fun.

 

Yeah "supertight" is an understatement. They're not ever coming off no matter what.

 

After some freeway driving and turning on the AC , there is actually more NVH but not too bad. I do think the mod is worth it.

 

I pulled the bracket off my trans pressed the bushings in with a vice then smacked the body mount onto the trans mount with a bfh and then bolted the whole assembly back in as one
worked perfect.
I did my car and my friends.
mine vibrates a bit
his is freaken rediculous

 

Ihad the powerflex ones fitted to my facelift cooper s and they vibrate like hell on the freeway.

 

I have Poly inserts on everything, if the engine dips to around 950 RPM the car shakes like crazy and you'll generally want to kill yourself. So I'm gonna eventually have the idle bumped to 1000rpm so I dont have to deal with it.

 

It's the lower motor mount that's really causing most of the bad vib. I've had all the poly's in my MINI and after weeks with all of them I removed the lower motor mount and my MINI went back to nice and smooth. I don't recommend the lower motor mount unless you are really hard core racer and don't mind the vib.

I know some say the vib will diminish, but I have not found that to be the case with 3 local MINI's nor with dozens of customers around the world.

 

I guess that they are all different. I only have the lower poly mount and can only feel a slight vibration with the air on at idle. With the air off, I don't feel it at all. I should probably mention that my butt dyno is a little old and saggy but I didn't think it was that bad.
Steve

 

Im finding that the later cars like ours 06 seem to vibrate less its likely cause of the mount style on the passenger side?
Ryons is freaken extreme.

 

I have the later model cooper s and does have vibration problems.

 

Got my IE inserts in, got all three, plan on tackling it tomorrow.

UPDATE:

I installed all three and LOVE IT! The upper mount was cake the tranny was so so, but that lower mount was a PITA! For a while I thought I put the lower mounts in the upper and was trying to put the upper in the lower but not the case just one hell of a tight fight maybe a little to tight. I think what it is that they molded it with a NEW never used mount and mine with near 80k on it have settled a bit thus making it a PITA, just a thought. I LOVE the vib at idle and I did notice the shifting wasn't per-say smother just felt more direct if thats even a possibility with cables. I also noticed that the car now feels more planted, I have to do some more "spirited" driving on some twistys to be sure but so far I would have to say well worth the time (about 2.5 hours from jacking up to clean up and drive).