They offer that pulley alteration you mention may be taxing the engine, but it voids the warranty. Not very responsible, now is it? Maybe that particular option, which is being offered, really hasn't been tested to the extent it should be. Hence Guinea Pigs.

As for the larger pulley, you are coming out saying it's definitely not the fault of the blower, that with the warrantied pulley, all will be fine. There is no way you can say that at this point, any more than I can say it IS definitely the blower. The possibility still exists that this particular blower is the wrong application for this particular engine. Time will tell. But know one knows for sure at this point--neither you or I.

Bottom line: we need more testing/info/long term data. From day 1, we've been told it's been tested, no need to worry, it's good to go, despite the fact that another company dropped it because of too many issues.

From my perspective, it looks like there are still issues that need explaining, and possibly resolution. At this point can you honestly recommend that folks go out and buy and install this unit? Me, I'd wait, there is no hurry to jump on the bandwagon, if it's THAT good, it'll be there a few months down the road. If it isn't, you haven't lost anything by waiting. There have been too many parts in the MINI community that looked to good to be true, and weren't. Only a few have looked great and long term proved to be great. With two blown engines, a little skepticism is warranted at this point.

If I'm wrong, then no one is out anything, other than waiting a little longer to install it. If you're wrong, and the blower is partially at fault, someone else is going to blow an engine. I really don't see what the issue is, waiting for more data, considering what the stakes are.

 

What is the correct blower designed for this particular application? The stock M45 blower. All bets are off with anything else. Period.

I'd be surprised if 5% of the people expressing concern about this kit ever had any true intention or means of installing a sprintex. I myself have no intention of installing this blower, but being on both sides of this argument in the past I find it peculiar when people begin to comment on issues that they have no real world experience with.

IMHO, the mini is a fun little car with a chassis that exceeds the ability of the engine, a good thing in my book. If i want something faster, I'll buy another car. Mini coopers are far from fast, no matter how much boost you cram into them. Somethings gotta give.

 

Spoken like a guy who has never had a ride or has driven in a Mini with some seriose power. Once you have you might change you're feeling about these little cars .

Longboard

 

Welcome back LB!

I agree that our TriTec engines can take a lot more abuse than what the factory decided on supplying us with. Most people stick with the easy route for engine mods, and the factory internals do great at handling the basics.
BUT, there are some of us out there that want more than the same old mods that everyone else has. We continually push the performance envelope, and occasionaly have to back up and rethink the strategy that we are using.

LB knows one way that you can have a relible MINI that has had this envelope pushed wide open. I for one have nothing but respect for the guy, so I will always value what he has to say, I might not agree 100% of the time, but his oppinion does count.

With that being said, I belive that the higher boost pullies CAN work on the SPRINTEX. However the average person with just minor backyard tuning experiance, is not yet prepared to deal with how the ECU will respond to it.

The hardware is up to the task, the fuel system is addiquate (at least for GASOLINE), its just the fact that our ECU's are more complicated than most even can begin to immagine. I have been forced to begin learning to understand the way my car thinks, after I FIRED one tuner for not even getting good results on an M45 and 91 crap gas. Problem is, I still dont know enough. ByteTroniK has only been around for less than a year, and most of us are learning as we go on how to use it. (I know I am) It is just a tool though, saying that ByteTroniK blew up a motor is like saying that the 13mm wrench you use on your oil drain plug blew up your motor.

I think that it is just about time to pull everyone togeather, and actually learn from one another rather than point fingers.

 

I agree with the LB in the performance potential of these cars, besides how much fun is it to have a fast car that is 1 of 10 in a crowd. For me having a fast car is fun but I get more enjoyment out of hearing (or seeing) peoples reactions when they find out what you've done "With a Mini? "
And the glutton in me hopes that I'm wrong and the issues with the 64mm pulley can be addressed with tuning.

As for all the other comments honestly I'm over it all, I've already voiced my opinion anything from here on would just be repiticious bickering. (I get enough of that at home )

As of later today I'm officially going to own this and I'm going to try to restrict my posts to the owners thread and my actual experiences, or questions anyone has.

Randy, please invite your customers to join us in the owners thread (if they can) I would love to hear what they think.

 

But aren't you doing the exact same thing, commenting on something you have no intention to install?

I agree with you that you take on a certain amount of responsibility on yourself when you mod, but my point hre is that this is a buyer beware type of install at the moment. That was never made clear in the initial offering, where it was marketed as tested and safe. IMHO there is enough concern at this point to warrant a reasonable amount of caution.

The flip side of it, even if you're right, and it's just the tune, then there is still no point in installing this until someone figures out how to tune these.

 

Apparently they can be tuned as Ian Stewart beat the heck out of his car with a Sprintex on it for eight months; at which time the Super Charger failed, the motor is still alive and well today....

 

and wasn't he running the smaller pulley as well...

 

Yes sir, smaller pulley.

 

And that comment there is my point entirely. It SHOULDN'T have been released to the general public. Not everyone knows what they are doing with it, E.G you... Look what has happened to your motor. For mynes to release this it was very irresponsible IMHO, but really I think it was just a grab at money as they are going downhill fast. But this software combined with a blower that blows engines up is just rubbish. But yeah, it is strange how one said tuner could tune it, thrash it for 8 months and walk away with the motor still in tip top shape and the Sprintex dead on the floor.......

 

But the Mynes car is still running, stock lower end and if I'm not mistaken their running the 60mm pulley on it. Which of course adds to the confusion and frustration of those of us who are doing this.

Anyway my kit arrived, to the other thread I go....

 

May not have anything to do with it but, they have the ability to keep tuning on that car since it is right there.. I'd like to think they are "giving" out the best tune with the SC...

 

It would be nice. However, I have found personally that the most important opinions are formed by experience. The opinions of the most experienced group of folks who tuned and beat the crap out of a Sprintex are not welcomed here. This is going to limit the info available and I don't see how that fact can be overcome.

Seems like we are striving for a thread full of only positive responses with any bad experience ignored like it never even happened. Sadly I think that means this is going to always be a hazy, happy, koolaid thread with many important thoughts forbidden or edited out, limiting the value to all those concerned.

I always liked reading your build thread D_ick, but to me it read like a scary movie and the new guy was walking backwards towards the dark closet. lol It kept me on the edge of my seat.

 

I dont think tat it was irresponsible at all. I for one have wanted the abilty to tune my own car since the begining, and this is just a tool to do that. Yes tuning a car is not easy, or for everyone. Some people will never have the desire to do so, just because the ability exists is no reason to hate on the people who want to give it a try. People will learn how to use it, and they are as we speak, who knows maby the next big tuner in the MINI world is tinkering away at his *(or HER)* mapping right now. It would not be possible without this decently priced tuning software, unless they have the $$$ to drop on a different program that costs 10 times as much and achieves the same result. (Blown engines along the way and all!)

ByteTroniK is NOT part of the Sprintex kits, it is totaly sepperate and unrelated. As of right now, NOT ONE of the *production* (Gen5) Sprintex S/C kits has failed. Yes there have been Two out of the 100+ kits out there that have had the motor go, and the exact cause in both cases is yet to be determined. Still pretty good odds in my book, if there where that many of the other replacement S/C's on the streets, I'm sure there would be a few failures there too, especially if they where self tuned.

 

Bytetronik aka retail version ECUFLash for MINI$ is user beware like any other piggyback/software/EMS, even a $80 manual boost controller can blow things up at a flick of a wrist. Now what you can be mad about is.. it's $750 for essentially a free software with a cracked code and it doesn't work consistently with all R53s. You're paying premium for software, semi-special tactrix cable, and a not fully operational product.

At the price of $3200 for Sprintex, it should also include 255 Walbro, 550cc injectors, Bytetronik and a OTS Mynes tune to get things running on the 70mm with those parts. I bought kits for less that included those things along with autometer gauges to monitor the kit, with the option to upgrade to a w/m kits and pulleys.

 

You are wrong about ByteTroniK, The base program was created off of ECUflash/OpenPort but the entire DME is different. You CAN NOT use ECUflash to tune MINIs, it WILL NOT WORK. Though the program is laid out in the same format (Visualy) it is not ecu flash. (Which was also created with Jay form MYNES)
It is a fully opperational product, yes they held back some of the things that you can change in the ECU, for liability reasons, but everything you need to actualy tune the car is accessable. It does work consistently, you just need to understand the ECU. Tuners that have used ECUflash, are having problems because the Japaneese ECUs dont interpopulate the way ours do, and they dont want to take the time to learn how to do it. Again it's not the tool its the person using it.

There is a seperate ByteTroniK thread, this is a SPRINTEX thread, please direct yourself to the correct one before continuing ByteTroniK discussion in the wrong area.

IMHO the 550cc injectors are a good idea, on gasolene they will be working at about 65% duty cycle with a good tune. The factory fuel pump is adiquate for gasolene applications, and the Walbro is not needed. (Ask LB, 350+ HP on 91oct gas STOCK PUMP!)

Keep in mind the price will be higher for our cars. (Thank BMW) We dont have POS EF series HONDAs, that you can get a $500 turbo of of flea bay, and have it run 12's in a weekend worth of work.

 

...all this gleaned from blowing up one Mini Cooper motor.......twice?

 

Thats because it's not yours. It's not cheap to rebuild.

 

Exactly.

 

You have PM.

 

Sorry Sr. but I must correct you here.

I do run the stock fuel system with the addition of a simple and inexpensive product installed by my tuner which makes a world of difference.

Longboard

 

So what did you use? It might help solve further issues for people down the road.

As far as I know there aren't any direct bolt on high flow pumps for our cars, I spent quite a bit of time last year looking into the matter. Best I could come up with is an external pump, which I might do when and if I go back to E85.

 

If he is running the stock fuel pump there is only one thing that can really boost the output of the fuel pump. Do some searching on the intronets you will find it.
__________________________________________________ ____________
fuel injectors are the BOSCH 550cc/min (sold by both MYNES, and RMW)
New stock pump, factory regulator, and lines.
Injector duty % on E85 was up to 68% until I had it dump fuel at 6900RPM.


IMHO the 550cc injectors are a good idea, on gasolene they will be working at about 65% duty cycle with a good tune. The factory fuel pump is adiquate for gasolene applications, and the Walbro is not needed. (Ask LB, 350+ HP on 91oct gas STOCK PUMP!)

This make zero since. ZERO. Going to E85 is going to up you IDC's by 30% not 3%. If it only made your IDC's go up 3% your scaling is WAYYY off.

There is so much misinformation here. If you dont know what you are doing stop telling people things because you are going to lead them off the same cliff that you went off. I understand you are taking the DIY approach but things are wrong. To also correct you again. ECUflash will flash a MINI. All you need is the XML file and a little tweak to the program. The hardware is a OP2.0....

 

I'm curious to know what it is, if it will help maintain fuel pressure in some way we can all possibly benefit from it.

This last comment brings about a point to hopefully get the thread back on track, so now you realize that the Sprintex was not at fault, a point that had been made in the begining, even D***k's admited that his tuning was off but nobody wanted to hear it from him.

As far as the initial thread topic there is another point that has been lost, not only have there been 0 failures with the un-modified Sprintex kits, they also require NO tuning, basicly it's like doing a 15% pulley on an M45 tuning is not needed but as in most situations would be beneficial.

 

[QUOTE=llabmik2;3368057]If he is running the stock fuel pump there is only one thing that can really boost the output of the fuel pump. Do some searching on the intronets you will find it.
__________________________________________________ ____________
fuel injectors are the BOSCH 550cc/min (sold by both MYNES, and RMW)
New stock pump, factory regulator, and lines.
Injector duty % on E85 was up to 68% until I had it dump fuel at 6900RPM.


IMHO the 550cc injectors are a good idea, on gasolene they will be working at about 65% duty cycleQUOTE]

Sorry had a brain fart there for a second, I was looking at 2 different E85 logs, NOT a gas log. On 91oct I was getting AFR's of about a 10.9 @ 55%duty cycle. The same AFR on E85 (When I had it dumping fuel at redline) was 92% duty cycle.