Drivetrain (Cooper S) MINI Cooper S (R53) intakes, exhausts, pulleys, headers, throttle bodies, and any other modifications to the Cooper S drivetrain.

Drivetrain Does anyone reccomend a 15% pully without any other mods.

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Old Feb 3, 2004 | 07:31 PM
  #1  
tiger1's Avatar
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Will I still feel a noticable difference and what should the pully/installation cost me? Thanks
 
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Old Feb 3, 2004 | 09:46 PM
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kenchan
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You should do a little more search on your own, but from what i read,
the pully is the biggest bang for the buck coming in at only like $400-$460
installed.

Only downside which is holding me back is that you're boosting a lot
higher than stock, but no fuel/timing map change done to the ECU.
what happens on wintergas at 10F ? or how about at 7000ft elevation+?

Problem is you can't simply go back to stockmode on the fly. They say
the car runs rich so there's no problems leaning it, trial and error and find
out on your car. :smile:


 
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Old Feb 3, 2004 | 09:48 PM
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Daytona955i
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From: Dublin, NH
Yup... I've been running that way for about a year now. I finally got a new air intake recently though. A new ECU will help even more but is not required.
 
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Old Feb 3, 2004 | 10:33 PM
  #4  
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From: Mililani, Hawaii
tiger1,

Aloha and welcome to NAM.

As a first mod the pulley is a good one provided:
1. You find a good mechanic or shop to do the install correctly- the pulley upgrade done badly would risk damage to the supercharger and void your warranty.
2. You don't mind having a mod that cannot be easily changed back to stock as mentioned before.
3. You realize that the power gains will be somewhat muted by not having an upgraded intake and exhaust system.
(that can still be ok but the gains would be maximized if you ever decided to upgrade the intake and cat-back exhaust).

If you can make it to a shop that have alot of experience with pulley installs the rough price is about $400-$420 for parts and labor.

A pulley upgrade alone will be a noticable upgrade in power.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 02:41 AM
  #5  
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I had only an intake which does very little before getting the pulley and it is awesome. It is very safe, I drive everyday with it in this very cold winter we are having and there are no problems whatsoever unless you consider a smile that you can't wipe away from your face as you zip through the gears. By the way 3rd gear is now my favorite gear with the pulley.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 05:20 AM
  #6  
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From: Centerville, Ohio
i ran my car on a 17% pulley and air intake for a while. No problems and the car still ran very rich (11 to 1 A/F ratio). I have been running the car all winter on oxygenated gas and have suffered no loss in performance. I will have it on the dyno again this weekend (i hope) to see how it performs in the colder weather. The problem with some of the software out there is that they lean out the fuel to gain more performance and thus you can't use anything more than a 15% pulley (PowerChip has stated to use there software with nothing smaller than a 15% pulley). GIAC software will be compatible with 17% and 19% pulleys from what I have heard.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 05:44 AM
  #7  
MGCMAN's Avatar
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From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Get the pulley! No other $400 mod. even comes close to the bang for the buck that a pulley provides. Been running one for 8 months with no other performance mods.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 09:25 AM
  #8  
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From: Las Vegas
I had a BMP intake for a few months, then added the pulley. Those are my only "go-faster" mods. I'd thoroughly recommend the pulley even (or especially?) if you aren't getting any other mods.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 10:19 AM
  #9  
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>>Will I still feel a noticable difference and what should the pully/installation cost me? Thanks


You'll definitely notice the difference even w/o any other mods? I went from nothing to a 19% and WOW!!!!

Should cost about $500 installed.

RaceCarDriver

 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 10:36 AM
  #10  
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Just remember, if you get the pullyey
1. you will now wonder, what if I did the intake
2. then you will wonder, what if I did the exhaust
3. then you will wonder, what if I did the rims and tires (no that the runflats are bald)
4. then you will wonder......

The pulley is the "gateway mod" that starts the addiction.

Uber
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 11:14 AM
  #11  
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From: Geneva, Switzerland
The difference will be even more than going from a stick MC to a stock MCS...definately go for it...

Although I haven't seen it advertised, I think that people would not have a problem buying a pulleyed car because once you drive one, it's hard to go back.

Louay
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 11:16 AM
  #12  
andy@ross-tech.com's Avatar
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From: Lansdale, PA
kenchan wrote:

Only downside which is holding me back is that you're boosting a lot
higher than stock, but no fuel/timing map change done to the ECU.
what happens on wintergas at 10F ? or how about at 7000ft elevation+?

Problem is you can't simply go back to stockmode on the fly. They say
the car runs rich so there's no problems leaning it, trial and error and find
out on your car.
I wouldn't be worried by the scare tactics of certain shops who say engine damage can result from running a pulley with stock software. I haven't seen any posts from users either here or MINI2 claiming failures as a result of pulley installation without software. The only such claims I have seen are from RallyPerformance/AmD or Turner/Conforti, both of whom have a vested interest in selling software. In light of scare tactics like those, the least they can provide the community is scientific evidence, or even actual human testimonials to back up their claims.

Here's my bone-stock MCS compared to its transformed self with a 15% pulley:


 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 11:19 AM
  #13  
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I have had my Cooper S for two weeks now and planning the pulley as first mod...and I'm sure that will be only the beggining of a never ending spending spree...
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 11:42 AM
  #14  
RLmini's Avatar
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From: Highland Village, TX
This will be my first mod, but I guess I should wiat until the break-in miles are on it. As of today I am at 435miles and have owned it for five days.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 04:35 PM
  #15  
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pfunk
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From: LA California Baby!
I am two days away from my new pulley! Randy is going to do mine in Vegas. I don't think I am going to get the ECU done but I have intake/Borla already on my car. ECU remap will be on the list at some point but I am going to spend my money on the front sway bar (I have the rear done along with springs)and brakes first.
 
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Old Feb 4, 2004 | 07:25 PM
  #16  
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>>The difference will be even more than going from a stick MC to a stock >>MCS...definately go for it...
>>

>>Louay

That ain't much of a difference (if any) for some stick MC's...


Once you start modding, I'll almost guarantee that you'll do some others... It takes GREAT restraint not to, or to suddenly become cash challenged (and then, God said, "Let them invent credit cards. And they did. And it was good.&quot.
 
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Old Feb 5, 2004 | 05:52 AM
  #17  
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From: Melbourne, FL
Don't be intimidated by the installation instructions, if you have basic tools and a minimum of mechanical skill, the swap is doable in your garage. Two biggest tools required are the puller and a decent floor jack. I did mine in just under 2 hours, checking and double checking everything as I went along. I didn't have to use the tensioner tool, as a large screwdriver seemed to work just as well. The Outmotoring tool works well and quite a bit less expensive than many other vendors.

The pulley alone is the best mod you can do for acceleration, but be sure to consider a swaybar as well, as it lets you use that performance in more than just straight lines.


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