so i search on here for a thread but did not find anything...

i just installed NM hot & cold side boost tubes today along with a helix inercooler and a cobalt skid plate.... happy with the products but when i fired up my mini, ran it at about 2500rpm for a few sec to let the system cycle and right away i noticed a lot of vibration.. more then normal, a lot more.. i can feel it in my foot, in the shifter, my cup holders shake wild even.. i think it may be the skid plate though... followed the instructions for the tubes, (not the IC, can you believe helix does not provide any ) and the skid plate was only 4 bolts but i cant understand the vibration...

also it feels like i lost some power with the install of the tubes and IC. even my velocity throttle booster seems less responsive. not sure if i did something wrong...after reading soo much about the ic, i was hoping to just be bidazzled by a huge gain but i'm not feeling that right now... anyone had any suggestions for this

 

I have no vibrations with my install. I did however feel like I lost some perkiness with the IC. However, I believe it is now a smoother response than it was, leading me to believe that my boost is no longer surging like it did with the stock IC. Dynolicious is showing more HP to the wheels as well. Seems like I lost a little top end though. :(

 

I think if you have bad vibrations you have some other issue.

 

I think it is the skid plate vibrating. Even if it is tight, the vibrations from the engine are probably causing the body of the skid plate to resonate. When properly installed the Helix FMIC does not rattle.

You feel the difference with the FMIC on warm days especially pushing over 4000rpm and at particularly high speeds. You're actually just greatly reducing the amount of heat soak and of course the faster you're going down the road the better heat transfer will occur with the FMIC.

Don't get mad at the FMIC, it is one of the most important mods to have when you get a tune. The max boost pressure will surely be adjusted higher and the FMIC makes the most out of that boost gain.

 

Since the Skid Plate is only 4 bolts, maybe you could take it out and see if the vibration is still there.

 

No vibration here from the FMIC. I did start getting a vibration from the M7 turbo heat shield.

The M7 turbo heat shield mounts with only 2 long bolts rests on top of the exsisting heat shield (bad design). This contact point wore a hole through the thermal heat pad and there was metal to metal contact.

I removed the M7 turbo heat shield and no more vibration.

 

No vibration from my Helix FMIC. Might want to get back in there and make sure everything is tight

 

Ahhh the skid plate... my first thought was that it might be that... !thank you!... as far as the FMIC goes i do feel like i lost that perkiness, yes, but i have not been pushin it so hard because of the vibration.. so i'll recheck all my install, take the plate off and see if it still has the vibration.. hopefully i can get that pep back with the tune i'm getting from Jan next weekend..

 

Oh its quick without a tune and I can't wait to get a tune myself. Nut would almost be a waste of your JCW kit that you got. And if you have it on a lift when you do it take pics of your skid plate I want to see one on a MINI cause I might get one.

 

will do...

here it is online..., http://www.allminiparts.com/products...8/102-790.html mossmini has the same one, http://www.mossmini.com/Shop/ViewPro...86&SortOrder=1 but allminiparts.com is a little cheaper unless either is having a sale... just provides me more with piece of mind since i put my lower H&R springs on R56...i think it only weights about 9-12 lbs so it wasnt that bad... very easy install, 4 bolts.. now i just need to address the vibration.. a dampener between the frame and the plate perhaps

 

10 pounds?! Gees return that thing. My MINI is lowered too and I've been driving around lowered for over 20K miles without getting scrapes where that shield is protecting. I drive in Michigan too so we have some of the worst roads around. There are far better things to spend money on than that plate!

 

Thanx for the link but that just doesn't do it for me. Parts companies never really take good pictures. I would like to see it on another MINI owners car.

 

i totally understand what your saying but its not just the roads that are unpredictable, i fricken scrap coming out of driveways and other uneven pavement (and i do do the angle entry/exit, and drive defensivly, i know), but whats in them and on them (debree, palm tree stuff blowing around like today, odd things on the freeways late night driving..)... its mostly for piece of mind for me.. i figure a 10lbs skid plate is a lot cheaper then a dented oil case or and power steering colum or what ever else is above the skid plate..and i know my mini can hold an extra 10 pounds...i look at it as a wash after some of the parts i removed for other mods...
i'll snap a few this week when i'm back up on the lift... i've seen some people even paint there's in cool graphics and designs to match there mini... i'm not that extreme though...

 

Thanx did you figure out what is vibrating?

 

no not yet... going to tackle it this mon or tues probably...

i do notice this though, i miss the pep my mini had before i installed the new IC ! i read so many good post on here about how great they are but i'm just not impressed yet really... with my mods and turning on of my velocity booster it was more fun to drive my instant gratification if you will.. now it feels like the car takes longer to get going, really lags in the lower rpms, i was expecting more... i hope a new tune will provide that again or i'm gonna be a bummed mini driver instead of a happy one...

 

you didnt lose power with the HELIX intercooler(barring the possiblity that you have a boost leak), the intercooler is proven to increase HP and most importantly maintain this power where the stocker heatsoaks! if the vibration is as bad as you say it is it is causing the kn ock sensors to activate and pull ignition timing which will lower power and cause the turbo to spool slower. I did testing on several automotive platforms testing motor mounts and vibrations definitely do activate knock sensors!

 

Mark, I too feel as if it has lost a little "pep" The car is running great but I think with the stock IC it has more snap when you hit the gas.
I am pretty sure I lost a little on my top end as well. (yes, my Mini sees 140+ mph at least 2-3 times a week "legally".)

 

did you do an ecu reset by disconnecting the negative terminal on the battery, then take the car out and beat on it a little bit? also recheck your hose connections so no leaks! try doing those things and allowing the ecu to learn the MUCH lower ait curve from the FMIC and you should notice a power increase. The volume increase is not that much that lag should be greater, and the AIT decrease should bump timing and responsiveness once the car adapts to the changes

 

No ECU reset was done. (you guys should throw a little info in the box) I will do it in the next day or so. 15 seconds or so for the battery disconnect?

 

yes disconnect the negative terminal and hold the brake pedal down for about 15 seconds then reconnect, this will start the ecu from a blank slate. also retighten your hose clamp connections.

 

I checked and rechecked the clamps, added the MM muffler delete also.

 

will that do anything to my jcw tune if i reset the ecu?

+1 & +1?

what is a MM muffle delete david

 

MM Intercooler muffler delete
http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/G2.../InvDetail.cfm

 

so is it a boost tube replacment then? for the cold side right?

 

it is not a boost tube replacement, it just deletes the muffler between the turbo and IC.

By the way, the snap is back after a computer reset!