hi there , i bought a MCS 2005 USA specs and it has already a 19% alta SC pully with alta air filter ..

the car was fine.. i mean really FINE, it pulls like a rodent running out of hell specially at low rbm... then i made the most stupid decision i regret ever , i had a JCW engine head and i wanted to fit it, running only 16k that head with no doubts was ok plus i removed it from a complete engine only missing a crancase (oil pan) ..

so i fit the damn thing and after that the car is extremely lean plus it gives me the check engine ( service engine soon ) light and the car start loosing speed and pulls way slower at higher rbm, it only happened only when i hit full throttle after 3K rbm .. whenever i drive slowly its ok but when i want to hit the pedal hard it gives me the damn thing... and its not always on , sometimes or when i leav the car overnight i see the light went off but when i hit the pedal again same story .


i read tons of articles and talked to many ppl , they mostly agree on replacing the air sensor MAP , making long story short here what iv done since 5 months (yes.. a fu**ng 5 months) :

1 - replacing both MAP sensors on engine ( 7 times = 14 sensor )
2 - replaced head to stock on original sensors and the new one (2 times = 4 switches )
3 - replaced the manifold and then the complete JCW exhaust (brand new but i saved it for later , its sad i use it for this )
4 - replaced throttle couple of times from my 3 friends + 1 used from shop
5 - replaced camshaft sensors and crank shaft ( completely irrelevant but act of desperate )
6 - replaced the SC air pipes complete set plus one down the SC black color ( sorry am noob i dnt know specific name in english )

though when i put the JCW exhaust along with the stock air filter with the stock map sensor i feel little improvement but the performance isnt the same ...

the code i get from AUTOLOGIC diagnose is :
0108 absolute pressure in intake manifold - barometric pressure - input high

short circuit to positive
Fault sporadic
currently not present
status , warning lamp

yeah that time it wasnt present , the light was off but the fault still stored .

some times ( like every 1 or 2 weeks ) when i test autologic again it gives me another fault code but when i delete it , it goes for another 2 weeks :

0172 mixture control (bank 1) -system too rich
error count :0
Short circuit to ground
currently present

please guys, as i said b4 its been like this since 5 months , any help would be greatly appreciated and am sorry for bad english .

NOTE : i dont have DYNO here in my area and i cannot go to one , i know it would help me big time as this might be only programming issue between air-fuel , the guys there in garages will charge me over 2500 aed (600$ +) in dubai and am thinking i can manage help here since i have all the spare parts i need thnx to my friend who have spare parts shop only for porsche and mini cooper in my area .

 

The 19% reduction has ALWAYS been troublesome.....
Most downgraded to the 17% for that reason...and issues simply go away....the 19% makes too much heat, espically at rpms, and with the stock ecu programming, runs too lean....going to the jcw head...the only real change other than the ecu (and 2005+ bigger fuel injectors)...
The head is very mildly polished on the exaust side....so the jcw head made it a bit leaner....
Not sure from the post if you swapped just the head or the full motor....maybe the motor/wiring harness has issues? The stock block you started with along with thw wiring was fine....so why not just reinstall it, with the jcw head?!

 

I get that code with my 17% car, too. Funny thing is, when i switched to a set of OBX headers, it went away. I still get it on occasion when it's very cold outside.

Are you running a JCW head AND a 19% pulley without higher flow injectors?

 

Your ECU is hitting "fuel-cut" due to the 19% pulley - over-boosting...

Possible solution (any one of the three would do):
1. Change the 19% pulley to something bigger (17% or 15%).
2. Install a voltage clamp (Split Second makes one and we have one in stock if you're interested).
3. Get fuel-cut removed from your ecu.

 

Bytetronik,

Please explain more on this Voltage Clamp. Sounds interesting, as i used to get the P0108 overboost code (went away for some reason, still not sure why. but it does occasionally show up).

 

More info on the voltage clamp can be found here:
http://www.splitsec.com/products/vc2/VC2.htm

We used it on the Turbo-converted R53's before the FA Tuning Kit was released. But with FA53 and Lite, we have the ability to remove the fuel-cut in the maps; thus there is no longer a need to use this Voltage Clamp device.

The one I have is New In Box (Never installed).

 

so it basically over-rides the original sensor, fooling the ecu?

how much? hard to install?

 

The stock header is more restrictive; so when you switched over to the OBX, it's providing a better flow thus lowered your boost level.

On the contrary, if you have a bad CAT or a Clogged CAT, your PSI/boost prossure will go back up...

So if you have a 17% pulley and getting 17+ PSI pressure, have your mechanic check for a clogged CAT.

 

sorry for the late reply i was with the mechanic ( or what iv been told he is - personally i doubt it ) talking about stuff..anyway
thnx guys for the fast replies i relly appreciate it ...

ZippyNH

very interesting.. i took that advice b4 but i exclude it .. dont ask me why , i was not yet desperate that time and between exchanging most of the parts and making the phone calls and going to the wrong ppl maybe i just forgot.. i had it only checked by 2 mechanics telling me that it was ok ... but yeah what yer telling me is correct and should be checked .. thnx


Carmichael : thanx man.. i read most of yer posts b4 .. i have a strange feeling that me and you was having the same mini in a parallel universe , where there is no lights, check engine, or even tire pressure check up... only stright roads and lil pinky sheeps flying around with lil rainbow at end of thier as*e's
no i didnt install any after market injector of anykind, though i run over a JCW stock injector i found at my friend spare part shop , it was fitted on the engine and i so believe i tried that one also ... believe i just forget sometimes what i put on my car..

@Bytetronik

Your ECU is hitting "fuel-cut" due to the 19% pulley - over-boosting...
ohhhh TEACH ME MASTER
no seriously..
the voltage cut.. did anyone try it ? could it resolve my issue ? so your telling me i get slow rbm through high speeds its bcuz of the ECU cutting my fuel ? that sunva**** &(#%$%^&%&^....

and would u be kind and explain how i get fuel-cut removed from my ecu ? thank you


and guys .. how i know\check if my CAT is clogged or blocked or whatever terms used to that .. i can manage to de-attach it out of my car ... then what ?

 

I'd have to respectfully disagree. The 19% has always had a reputation for trouble, based upon circumstances which I don't have time to detail right now. It's one of those 'internet truths' which I have found to be mostly untrue. Some day I will take the time to tell the story. The 19% at redline runs 10.6-1 AFR, which is pig rich.

 

 

Helix13mini

me and Braminator are all ears ... u dont know how much am thirsty to know details about my loving adorable piece of sh*t 19% pully

 

I promise some day to write the whole story, starting from the first pulley ever, developed by former NAM member JLM (that reluctantly went onto my car), and the 'science' that went into the various sizes. It's a good 'un. Catch me at the Dragon if you want the abridged version.

 

Can't make the Dragon, so I will patiently wait for your explanation. I love to learn as much as possible about my car. So your knowledge is very beneficial to my brain.

 

Makes sense it is very rich wot....since the motor is trying to deal with hot intake temps by adding extra fuel and pulling timing to protect itself....but net result is sub-optiomal operation.....also explains bumping into the fuel-cutoff before the expected hp for that fuel flow....
never having run a 19%, i can only post what folks say....
but having this format and a few great vendors that chime in is great!! Thanks for setting me straight!!

 

The engine is running in open loop at this point, so it is using the same maps that it would use with a stock pulley. It's not adding more fuel and pulling more timing than it does stock. If you look at the knock sensor activity between, say a 17% and a 19%, there's really no difference.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating that tracksters who are banging off the rev limiter for 40 minutes at a time use the 19% pulley: at redline, you are making more heat than power. What I'm saying is that there's an internet myth that says that the 15% and 17% are all good and safe, and that the 19% is going to blow up your car. There's a lot more that goes into this discussion.

 

did i forgot to mention, that my car is literally consuming as 10 cylinder car fuel !! she is a monster ... i keep forgetting that since am get used to it (since 5 months almost ) and am on premium fuel also octane 93 ... thnk god that the petrol here lil cheap ( better my original country palestine ) or otherwise il just scrap the car to save petrol ...
i just cant give up my car... this is my third Mini and first S ..... hope some day will invent corn fuel or something

 

According to your autologic, how many PSI are you pushing?

 

@Bytetronik
i dont think that auto logic support such feature ... all i can see the the hpa reading, befor and after compressor ... one of them is normal and the other is high...

 

While trying to address this issue have you ever done an AFR testing on your mini under WOT? If not i suggest that you do it and let us know on the results. It would also be good to log the boost as well with the AFR.

As it is already mentioned by others as well, the 19% most times causes issues, as explained that it is because it triggers the fuel cut due to boost above levels set on your mini ecu. Your solution if you wish to keep your 19% is to tune your ECU and have this fuel cut disabled or go with the old method already described (http://www.splitsec.com/products/vc2/VC2.htm).

On the hardware checks i would advise that you also check the following:
-vacuum line to MAP sensor
-The wiring of the MAP sensor
Make sure none of these two were damaged while performing all the installations on your mini.

 

Bytetronik

thnx for the time to reply mate, no i cannot do any software related diagnose now and since 2 months , no one is remotely near and i dont have the autologic, it was basically belongs to a friend who was visiting me and he carried that around and i used it.. though i might manage to get one for testing... il let u know soon

and about the VC2 ... i already made my calls to ppl i know here in uae and no one have it.. i called my friend in qatar and oman also dont have it but they will try for me again tom... i contacted on dealer in US and he asked 120$ + shipping (40$ more than the original site) and it will take time, i would not mind to pay the money but i paid already too much to solve one problem..and i dont want to spend more on unsure thing...
u mentioned that u have one piece with u , how much u give it to me including shipping to UAE ?


il try to get reading for my EGT and AFR somehow ...i cannot ask for help when am not providing enuff info, am such noob

i hope u guys not stopping of trying to help me here , and il try to give as much info as i can ..thnx all

 

@noor2003: I have the Split Second VC2 (12-volt) version. I can do it $120 shipped to Au. It's NEW IN BOX.

We do offer the FA Tuning Kit that will allow you to tune your own ECU. Or the FA-Lite if want to get a Custom Remote Mapping (CRM)...

More info on CRM: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rocedures.html

 

@Bytetronik
shipped to AU ? or UAE ?

 

how many psi should a 17% pulley and a 19% pulley hit when at wot?

 

Here are some "typical" psi reading (for general reference) - there might be some variation in size on 15% reduction pulleys depending on mfg. These are valued logged from the ECU using FA via the BMW codes, and not thru OBD2 readings or the boost gauge.

15% = range from 15.1 - 15.5psi
19% = around 17.2psi -17.5psi