Im thinking of doing a minor tune to my 2005 MSC. I am thinking about replacing the spark plugs with NGK Laser Platinum, Jackson Racing Performance Plug Wires, and a Blaster Coils by MSD. Doe's anyone have any opinions on these items or other suggestions? Has anyone used the Blaster Coil by MSD? Any chance these could cause any kind of damage to my MSC? Once again I am looking for advice from the Mini experts.

 

Plugs are cool, I liked them, had the BKR6EQUPK, preferred the NGK Iridium IXs. I'm gonna switch to Brisk plugs this week, been hearing alot of good things about them. Always safe to recheck gap and torque to spec. Never tried the Jackson wires but never read anything negative about them, other than stock have used Kingsbourne wires. I would not spend the cash on those $80 or more wires that claim hp gains. As for MSD, save your money and keep your stock. I would only replace if stocker took a dump. From the threads I have seen, a few people love them, most do not.
Couple of MSD threads:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...tion-coil.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-msd-coil.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...a-booster.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...questions.html

 

Sounds like a good plan....good advise keep your stock coil unless it has a problem....mine had corrosion on the #3 terminal. You will not see much of a differance. Same opinion on the wires....stock is actually pretty good, but aftermaket can't hurt, but don't send big bucks, I spent about $45 on kingsborn wires and they work great.
When you do change the plugs be very careful. Many people have blown plugs out of their cars resulting in the need for a heilicoil, or a new head. Many are recomendaing the use of some locktite on the plugs, or at the very least, be very careful, and use a tourqe wrench. I did, checked them later, and one was loose. I was luckey. So just watch out. Mini says to replace the plugs on jcw cars at evey service....if you have a pulley, your plugs are beaing run under similar conditions, so I would reccomend doing the same.

 

According to an article I just read in the latest MC2 Magazine (during my lunch, about 30 minutes ago) one of the biggest things you can do without changing a single mechanical part out is just to get a tune/Dyno... the article claimed a 19hp and three mpg gas mileage gain on their '05 MCS! Not bad at all. This will be the first thing I do to my '05MCS. About $450.00...

 

Sorry to be of topic but....
Taking a motor with no improvements, leaning it out, and advancing the timeing sounds to me like a plan for a very short engine life. Forced induction motors need to be run a bit rich, or their life will be dramiticly shortened. Once you do lotsof mods, a tune can become very useful, but when bone stock, you are tradeing longgevity and reailability for a few hp. There are safer ways to make hp for the $$$.

 

Okay, my MINI goes fast enough. I'm thrilled with it even after 99,000 miles.

 

We carry the MSD coils, but I'd suggest the screamin demon. It puts out more voltage and fits better cause the bolt holes are bigger.
As for wires don't spend alot. There's no power in them, trust me I've wasted alot of money at the dyno trying to make power with them.
As for plugs the NGK's are the most reliable I've found, stick with them and you'll be fine.

I have them in a package FYI
http://www.waymotorworks.com/product...cat=325&page=1

 

sorry for the off topic.. but you mean you haven't even done a pulley? even without a tune, it will still make a LOT more power...
When i took mine to the dealer after i had it for a few months, the mechanics actually looked at me funny when i told them i hadn't done it yet.
I would highly recommend this to anyone.
Just makes the car better...

 

Buy the stock coil
it's the best out of the bunch
we've had to replace these aftermarket one all the time for misfires

 

keep the stock coil and wires...just get new ones and get a set of brisk plugs...i get them from jan and they work like gangbusters....from the first time i fired her up after the brisk install and now many miles later they are the only ones i will put in my car...as for torquing them...use a bit of anti seize not too much...loctite is overkill...torque them to spec drive it for a bit then recheck and youll be fine....ive been doing my own tune ups ever since my mini came out of warranty 70k miles ago and never had a problem...

 

Probably the most important thing is to replace the plugs ONLY with a cold engine. Let it sit over night before you change the plugs and definitely Don't Use Loctite! As long as you torque them and use just a smear of anti-sieze you'll be good to go. Brisk plugs from Jan ROCK!

 

You folks know locktite is available in both the blue and the red....(Removable/non-removable?). It might be a bit aggressive, but some do it with great luck. the problem with useing anti-sieze, is it becomes very hard to get an accurate toeuqe reading on something once it has been applied, as the threads are now lubed.....
+1 on the Brisk plugs....seem to be getting rave reviews.....just be sure to gap them....

 

I agree with the change in torque values with anti-sieze but loctite is also a lubricant when applied... You really don't need to use much. A very light smear of copper anti-sieze will go a long way on plugs.

Actually, Loctite has a lot more than just blue and red. There are a whole variety of products for every application. Most off-the-shelf versions are the standard blue and red. If you look at the data sheet for the low strength version, it looses half it's holding power by 100c. Spark plugs are going to be replaced several times over the life of the car. There's no easy way of cleaning the threads of all the old threadlocker when you replace the plugs. I feel it's just a safer bet in the long-haul to take a torque wrench to the plugs at every oil change.

That said, I went with NGK's 1 step colder for my 15% pulley. They're basically JCW spec plugs. I've re-checked the torque once since I installed them and none were loose.

 

what would you recommend for a stock R50? I'm at 82k miles and no Idea when the last tune up was done so I'm gonna do one anyway. Was going to change out the plugs and plug wires.
NGK or BRISK?
As for wires probably gonna go with kingsbournes...

 

Just go with the NGK plugs they work fine. Kingsborne are a great set for the price.
Or get a kit with a coil pack to upgrade.
http://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-ignition-package.html

 

Do you even know what is involved with a custom dyno tune....?

Even w/o any mods you can get a much better running engine and probably increase your mileage simply by optimizing the ecu/tune to your specific engine.

Plus you get to modify the throttle response and tweak the traction control.

 

I do understand doing a custom tune can optimize an engine vs the factory tune....IMO the $300 buck to do it is generaly better spent on other mods. Some cars will show good improvent over the factory tune...some cars may show very little....some motors are just built better....but getting a pulley is a safe, and a guarenteed way to get a better driving car....want more, then get a custom tune.....IMO it just does not make sense as a fist mod on a mini. I agree, I still have stuff to learn, we all do, but from all I have heard about our cars, other mods are better. On other cars that are not so moddable, go for it, cheaper than a port and polish, cheaper than a cam or header for the hp.

 

I agree with Zip. You are really looking for trouble when running these engines too lean....and getting a tune before other upgrades seems bit premature.

I would suggest in adding bolt on power progressing to a points where your budget can allow and have some fun driving your MINI instead of being parked at the shop or worrying about future mechanical problems.

And get the JAN tune once you have reached your bolt on limitations provided you have at least installed the minimum.

Pulley
Intake
Exhaust
380+ Injectors

And if you go up to 440's, I would also suggest a higher volume fuel pump as well to prevent lean codes and issues. Most cases I doubt the OEM pump will put those 440's to their full potential.

 

A custom tune will not LEAN out the car..........unless the tuner doesn't know what he is doing.

While it may be a bit premature for some, if there are no prospects for additional mods a tune is a great way to optimize the car with what you do have.

 

I really hate getting off topic.....but maybe this discussion will help someone someday!!!


Sure, I agree.....but
The only case I can see for tuning a stock car, is if you have a leased car, and are desperate for a little bit of HP, and don't want to mess with it mechanically....but a moot point IMO, since most leases on GEN1 cars are over or will be in very short order.

But to keep it on topic, the guy was talking about tuning to get 19HP and 3MPG on a stock MCS.....(actually the orgional thread was about getting a MINOR tune-up....not a custom tune...)...no changes other than the than tune. It did not have much to do with the topic, but I was trying to make a point....that to make those good looking numbers to makes the Mag..they must have tried pretty hard...most likely too hard IMO....to make that much on a simple tune, the timing must have been advanced pretty far,(SHARK anybody!?) and it must have been leaned pretty hard, and it must have been a strong motor to begin with. There was no discussion of modding the throttle response and tweaking the traction control. Perhaps there are ancillary benefits to getting a tune....but it is simpley not the best option for most owners money. If you spent $300 on a custom tune...(oh and add another $300 for the box to store the orgional tune, to restore it, so the tune does not disappear if you get the car re-flashed by the dealer, or so you can return the car to OEM to pass emission testing with a sniffer.....money well spent IMO) perhaps you pay your $600, add 150$ for dino time, and you get 10 HP.....and 1.5 MPG...is it a good deal? Maybe you have a weaker car, or a more conservative tune....is it a good deal to spend almost $750-1000 on your first mod?? Even if you get EXACTLY what the magazine says....is it a good deal for $1000??? Now lets look at the pitfalls of getting a custom tune....possibly getting it re-flashed by the dealer (if you don't get the extra box....and MOST tuners don't offer it....tunes going "bad", etc...IMO something for someone much more involved than a single mod car person with no interest. Let's assume this person then gets the modding bug... ..who doesn't...especially if they get this deep into..getting a custom tune...then they find out they cannot cannot add a pulley without doing a re-tune without running lean or blowing a motor, especially when a pulley would have been cheaper in the first place...with more HP and more flexibility....I've seen 15% installed for 150-175$ at my MINI shop on special!!! Our motors do run a bit richer than totally needed....but that is part of what makes them so flexible when it comes to tuning them before spending the $$ on a custom tune....one that will need to be redone at Evey bolt on, as they are so fine tuned and optomized!!
As -=gRay rAvEn=- said.....it makes more sense to put all the bolt-on's that you can or want to...then do a custom tune. Done right, it will be an awesome car. Especially if you have the ability to restore/return to earlier/stock tunes and switch at will, or have octane optimized tunes.

I'm not trying to act like a know-it-all, or a big-shot (the commedian in me has been dieing to say that....please...I'm not laughing at your name...but you choose it....gotta get at least one jab at it....you knew it would happen when you picked it!! I honestly respect what you are saying, and I have learned from reading some of your posts)....but I was trying to make valid points that many readers have never though of....points that some readers/modders are simply not advanced enough to grasp, or have had the time and energy to think out. How many...the red add oil light threads do we have... I mean....to have it floating around that a great first mod on a stock car is a tune is not a very valid point....not one I want someone to spend $$$ without doing some in-depth research....and I hope this thread helps some member make an informed intelligent descession!! I know to make my descession on my mods, I searched through tons of posts, good, bad, and meandering, much like this one! And I am still looking, learning, and trying pass on ehat I have learned by using this site and others since late 2004.
I'm not trying to have a war of wills with my posts, not trying to prove anybody right or wrong, or even having a war of wills, I'm simply tying to state useful information for other users. Nuff said.

 

Well that didn't help at all.

A custom tune is not just about HP. It is about driveability. Will you get the most benefit from a car with little to no mods......NO, BUT you will get a better driving car with less intrusive traction control and better throttle response. If you don't plan on any mods, such as a leased car, a custom tune to the approx amount of $400-500 is not a bad investment as long as you realize you aren't going to get a large increase in HP. In fact even with the basic mods ( intake, pulley,exhaust) you will normally see anywhere from a 10-25 HP increase in power. The differences have to do with how well the car was running on the OEM tune. Lots of differences in power between cars of the same year even.

A custom dyno tune does not cost $1000, more like half that amount. Is it the best bang for your buck as a first mod ...NO. But if you don't plan on any other mods it is still a mod worth considering. Have you considered one?

 

Perhaps I did oversimplified it....but yes, you are correct...and I am considering a tune...(maybe this spring) if I can scrape up the money to get my exaust, and pay for the tune. I think I'm close to where I went to be, and a tune will pull it all together. Sure a tune will run about $500, but for me I do not consider it to be an option unless I get the flash loader...about $300 or so to re-load and store the tune, and restore the factory tune if I have a problem.