I regret having the Valeo setup. Maybe I got a defective one, who knows? The build quality looked awesome but maybe it isn't strong enough. I am still experiencing clutch chatter and it still slips right at 5k RPM. I have logged over 1500 miles of city and Hwy driving. I think that due to an improper initial clutch bleed by the shop, he clutch suffered unrecoverable damage.

I used to love my car, now I HATE it. Not sure what to do. What is the purpose of having a fast and fun car (in the past) when you can only accelerate at a Prius pace?

I have to admit that the clutch issues seem to be improving over time. I also believe clocking over 1500 miles should be enough for a clutch to break in.

I would like to know if very cold weather has any negative effect of on this setup.

I am afraid that I will be out another $1300 in labor not including a high performance clutch/FW kit. I hate my car. :-(

 

Ya, it should be broken in by now, so either (1) defective clutch or (2) incorrect installation (3) too much power.

What kinda mods/power are on the car?

 

I think about 210 to 215 ish WHP. I don't think that I am overpowering the set. Im not sure anymore. I'm just frustrated. I may just trade the car if I don't lose too much after I disclose the problem to a dealer. I may just wait for the Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ.

 

Buying a new car is a poor excuse, unless, you are financially able to pull it off.

Sounds like your shop royally screwed up the clutch installation. I can understand the frustration but I can tell you that giving your perfectly good car away to a stealer ship is not a solution either.

Man up and bite the bullet. Find another reputable independent shop and get a replacement clutch. Beats buying a new car anyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

I am loving my new Valeo single mass conversion clutch kit.

 

Get the OS Giken GT setup then. You are desperate and it is understandable but remember this... It isn't the car's fault.

You are going to get slaughtered on a trade in... And all exactly for what?

People get in financial trouble and debt for making decisions on a haste and out of sheer frustration. Find a different shop and plan on writing off this Valeo clutch that the first shop managed to screw up.

Sorry to be so blunt. But it really upsets me seeing folks willing to throw away a perfectly working and sound automobile and using a problem
Part as an excuse to incur debt for that new car smell.

 

You are right on all of the above. Its just that out of principle, I hate paying for the same thing twice. But I may have to bite bullet this time.

 

But new car smell is so nice.

 

And I totally agree/sympathize with you because it is obvious the grease monkeys from the first shop mangled the installation and damaged what was likely to be a perfectly fine new clutch.

I don't blame you if you no longer trust the Valeo setup but as unfair as it sounds I would just never set foot inside that idiotic shop ever again and find myself another reputable mechanic that knows these cars inside out.

This could be a good oppty to revisit the more expensive OS Giken clutch setup. Seems to me you car power outputs justifies it much better.

Just imagine loving your car again and avoid the financial hardship of buying a new car and losing your beautiful MINI to the stealer ship.

Well worth trying to restore the confidence in your car and in the bigger picture, much cheaper too.

 

New car smell is indeed nice but I hate owing money to a bank and car payments. This horrid economy and job market has made me revisit my financial habits and general attitude towards money. Big ticket purchases require much thinking, planning and savings.

My self imposed rule is to keep a car no less than 9-10 years. For as long as yearly maintenance and repairs can be kept under $3K, the car is much cheaper to kept fixing it than it is to incur monthly payments in the $400-$500+ ballpark.

I have no had a car payment in 5 years and love it. My next car will hopefully be paid 90% or more by the time I drive off the lot. I absolutely hate debts and to owe money. Today I am debt free and will never trade the peace of mind for the sake of the new car smell or to desire stuff I don't need or can't realistically afford to have.

At 89K miles a well kept 7 year MINI still has plenty of life left in it. I do not see selling my car before it has 140K miles on the odo.

Well, off my soap box.

 

Thank you guys for sympathizing with me and slapping some common sense back into me. How is OS Giken compared to the Exedy Hyper? Will the OS make considerably more noise compared to OEM?

 

Chad at DT is still on an OEM clutch and makes plenty of power with no slip. I know I am at the 210hp spot and no slip with the Valeo. No idea whats up with yours. But the pressure plate or the throw out bearing could be at fault. Heck I wonder if they installed the new throw out bearing or used the OEM one. If the OEM one was used it could be slightly thicker and not letting the pressure plate release all the way causing slip.

 

My guy that installed the Valeo clutch, has been racing MINIs for several years. He has the Exedy clutch in his 2005 R53 S (his car is highly modded pulling over 250hp at the wheel) but he was not pleased with it. For track and Other high performance applications he recommends the OS Giken setup hands down. He has driven it in the track and he had walked away impressed at the sheer response and how it basically transforms the car into a track beast. The Giken setup is expensive but then again, it is the creme of the creme, complete with a throw out bearing made in metal, not plastic.

Google Precision Autowerks Miami and see his site and YouTube videos of his MINI and BMW 135 turbo in action. His name is Luis Sanchez and he is considered to be a legend in the South Florida MINI racing scene.

 

They installed the new bearing. They had problems bleeding the clutch. I had to properly bleed (compressing the slave) the clutch myself. The feel is excellent but I still think that during the time the slave was not bled properly the clutch and FW got messed up and know it won't recover.

About the OS Giken, although I like spirited driving and will not completely write off eventually tracking the car, I prefer a clutch that will be easy to live with and is very drivable. Is the OS out of the equation then?

 

I think I read elsewhere OS Giken is coming out with a more street oriented clutch labeled the "GT" series. Don't quote me on it but definitely worth a look.

 

I just visited the OS Giken website and I couldn't find anything but Way Motor Sports has both the GT and the STR. If only they were $1000!!

 

Yeah, Looks like it is not available for our cars, yet.

 

It looks like it is. Way has it for the R53. http://www.waymotorworks.com/os-gike...-cooper-s.html

 

There you go!

I would start looking into it if I were you.

 

$1800 plus $1300 labor costs = $3100, what could I sell in order not to underfund my 401K? Hmm, Mountain bike, kayaks, my dog, fish or maybe my brother and I can install the clutch since he is pretty much done with his Challenger and the garage is availble.

I wonder if I can find the OS GT for less than retail.

 

My shop charges $85 an hour. Say 10 hours labor = $850. I think you need to price shop for labor rates as well.

Doubtful you'll find the OS Giken for less than $1600. Expensive stuff but top shelf quality.

 

This all sounds really frustrating.

If you are able to have your mini out of commission for a bit it is certainly possible to DIY a clutch. I did a diff swap myself 2 years ago on jack stands doing 90% of the work myself. I had a friend help me pull the transmission out (he had a trans jack) and that was about it. I would bet someone who is familiar with FWD manuals would know what they are doing if, it isnt a hard job, only a few special tools needed (under 50$ worth), just time consuming because you have to remove so much stuff.

Something to consider...

 

I may do a DIY with my brother on this one. I don't want to throw away money on labor again. The savings alone should be enough to justify a better setup. I still don't know if I want to go with OS Giken. I may just do ACT, CM or CC.

 

To mininuke, here my update for you

8,000 ish spirited driving miles and 4 day at the Dragon(MSSD Oct 2011), now it's start slipping between 3500-5000 rpm on medium throttle. car dyno 205-hp @wheel.

I will probably going back to stock type clutch with lightweight aluminum flywheel.

 

Does it slip only in medium throttle around that range? or also when you full throttle?

 

Yes, medium to full throttle right around that rpm range speically when driving on lower speed on high gear, give it little more throttle clutch will start to slip.