I have an '05 Cooper S manual, and my goal is to get my car more or less like the JCW version. In the 190s or low 200s in hp would be great. Would eventually like to get some driving training and do some atuo-x, but no immediate plans. I've had the car for about 6 or 7 months, it has about 75K miles on it, and runs great. So far the only non-stock items in my car are

1. Polyurethane lower control arm bushings (recommended by my mechanic as the stock ones were broke when I bought it. I assume they are powerflex, but I didn't ask him when he put them on)
2. Powerflex engine and transmission mount inserts (which I installed myself, lower engine mounts and transmission mounts -- upper engine mount to go on soon)

The two things I absolutely know I'm going to do are a 15% pulley (with belt and plugs) and a custom tune. I'm also interested in modifications that will make the car run healthier. Not interested in anything that's going to stress the car out. Now I want to maximize the result of the tune, so my question is, which of the following mods would be best to do in addition to the pulley beforehand to get the most out of the tune:

1. DDM Works Cold Air-Intake
2. Militek/Stratmosphere/one ball mod exhaust
3. JCW 380 or 400 injectors
4. GP Intercooler and DDM IC diverter (or just the DDM IC diverter for my stock IC)

I notice that in Way Motor Works street performance package (http://www.waymotorworks.com/r53-str...e-package.html) he includes pulley, intake, and exhaust. Now I'm pretty sure I will get the intake. It seems like Way puts more priority on the exhaust than the injectors, but I'm just not sure I want to shell out $800+ for that, which from my research I understand doesn't yield that much results -- unless the gains would be much more apparent from a tune. I'm all about getting the most from my tune.

Also, I'm curious abou the "one-ball" mod -- if it drones or sounds in anyway cheap, then I'd sooner stick with my current exhaust set up. Not interested in making my car louder. But if the sound is the same and it gives even close hp results as the more expensive exhausts or has even close to the same effect with a tune, I would be interested.

I am trying to keep engine modifications under $2,000, pulley and tune included. I can't justify going over that. And I'm in no rush -- I'd rather enjoy each little addition on it's own than do it all at once anyway. That way I can be on the lookout for good deals and have a better chance of keeping it under budget. I plan on doing some of the modifications myself (at least the intake -- maybe some of the others). Which order of the modifications would you do, in order of importance? I'd like to do the more important ones first, in case if it gets to expensive, to just do the tune -- that will be the "cap" to all my engine mods.

Also, I'm just as interested in the health of my car as the performance -- that's why I list the intercooler. I live in Miami and it gets HOT. Although I've never had any overheating problems (I did have to replace the stage one fan, though).

P.S. I'm going to make another thread about suspension and handling stuff, so no need to address that here.

 

The very last thing before a tune would be the I/C, honestly with the mods your talking about, if you're not tracking the car, it's really not going to gain you that much, and since one of your priorities is budget, you'd be much better off spending the money elsewhere. Also stick with the stock diverter, the reason they are plastic is that they don't retain heat like the metal ones do, the best thing you can do is to make sure you're getting a good seal to the hood, that way you're only pushing the coolest air possible through it.

But....if you do decide to do the I/C, do it "Pre" tune, it will make a difference in tuning.

 

If you haven't bought it skip the upper poly engine mount it will cause a good amount of n&v.

Jump up to the 17% pulley.
Just do the one ball mod it will save you money and shed weight.
If you have to have an intake look in the market for a used one that is sealed.
stay stock on your intercooler and make a diy IC sprayer with a small washer tank and 90 degree misters a garden store.

Use the money you saved from not getting the other mods to get a rear sway bar and adjustable rear control arms.

Call it a day and ejoy a completely(maybe) reliable Mini.

 

Thanks for the response. I thought the intercooler would be least priority, but because I live in a really hot environment I wanted to make sure. Also, I heard an oil catch can might make the stock IC perform better because oil might collect in there. Of course I would have to check if it is even leaking any oil first.

 

Yeah, I'm worried about the vibration of the upper one, that's why I did the lower engine mounts and transmission mounts one at a time, to see how much vibration I could handle. So far, it has not been a problem at all, but I feel I could go more. I bought the whole package, so I'm going to test it out. If I don't like it, I'll take the upper ones off.

I think I agree, I'll probably stay stock on the IC, as the JCW has the same one. I'll look into the sprayer. I'm seriously considering the one-ball. Also considering the JCW exhaust, or the back section of it, as some poeple seem to have done. I think I'll wait on this one though to see if any good deal presents itself. same with the intake, I'll look around and buy used if I can.

Yeah, I'm going to do suspension upgrades too, but I'll leave that for another thread.

Thanks for the responses, and any other input appreciated.

 

you can build your own cold air out of the stock intake with a K and N filter
and cut the back out to the cowl then seal with weather stripping.
and theirs other options such as the Vibratechnics mount for the upper and the lower.
the poly ones cause vibration to be let into the cabin.
Intercoolers are stupid on a barely modified car.
and the stock exhaust will flow 260 ive seen it done, don't one ball it, it will always hang stupid and it sounds funny.

 

I actually just did the one ball and it hangs just fine.

It does shed some weight and mine does not drone at all. Sounds much better with a lower bass and more pops. I've noticed a difference in how it reacts. I spent 43 bucks to have the local muffler shop do and hours work and the guy took the time to do it right.

You can do your own CAI with your stock R53 box like Dave F. Im going another route with mine and modifying the bottom box and using a good quality paper filter. Im personally not a big fan of K&N or other foam filters as I and others I know in different auto circles have witnessed oily residue and micro dust caked on MAF's. Thats with proper use and straight out of the box.

Ive got the Powerflex control arm bushings install and noticed no added vibration or cabin noise. I will be installing the engine mount kit soon. Its kind of a mixed bag with any added vibration or road noise transfered into the cabin. It comes down to what you feel is ok. Some people say they dont notice much and others say that after they installed them they had tons of vibration and road noise.

 

Overall plan is pretty good....oneball is imo ok, but more about weight....but in making hp, exaust is the very bottom of the list $$ wise...gain vs $$ spent is not there....but does make it sound better, but finding a decent, non droning exhaust for less than about $600 is hard..the strotos/milteck imo are great, but if it is still only about 5-7 hp....so 100$ per 1 hp gain....
The 15% is imo a good start for a pulley based upon the hot area, and the fact you want to auto-x, etc.
Generally you have a great plan....heck mostly just like mine, but modified for your goals, plans!!
My GP IC, and exhaust plans are on hold due to $$, but on a verry hot day i did get 200 hp on a dyno tune, stock exhaust.....

 

PS
when i got my tune, i asked for a good safe tune, and stressed to the tuner i was not trying to impress anybody with my numbers...some folks will try to run a more agressive custom tune to try to get every last hp out, and have bragging rites, but it does have risks!!
However, some folks see big gains on a tune, but some almost none, so condition is very important.

 

Excellent! I think I'll go through with what I thought, then. The pulley is going on the next time I bring my car in to my mechanic. I'll be shopping around for the DDM Works Intake (or other reasonably priced reputable intake) on my own time, and then the same with the injectors. I'll put off whether I get a good exhaust until later, I might just stay with stock. For some reason I don't feel like committing to doing the one ball now. But this means that the tune will have to be postponed indefinitely until I come to a decision about the exhaust.

Also, I completely agree: I could care less about the exact number of hp that I get out of the tune. I said 190s to low 200s for hp because I suppose that is what I would be looking for, but it really doesn't matter. It's all about feel for me. Thanks for the tip on what to tell my tuner. Whenever I end up doing it, it will be with Luis Sanchez of Precision Auto Werks here in Miami -- he knows minis very well.

This is all very helpful, thanks.

 

Thanks Colin and Therapy for the advice on the do-it-yourself cold air intake options. I'm not inclined to do that, for the same reason I'm not inclined to do the one-ball right now. I'm thinking now that I would rather not cut up the oem parts if I may go with some higher grade parts later, especially if I'm really in no rush. But I will look further into this, thanks for the suggestions.

Therapy, yeah, the Powerflex lower control arm bushings add no vibration. They just last longer and I'm told make handling better. It's the engine mounts that add vibration. Highly recommend them, though. Just made a thread about installation here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...shing-set.html

There are links in that thread to instructions and videos for doing it yourself from multiple sources. Lower engine mounts add a little vibration, but noticed no additional vibration by adding the transmission mounts. Haven't inserted the upper mounts yet, though. Good luck with those!

 

Here's an '04 R53 with the dealer installed Works - before and after a good conservative tune.

Your plan should wind up in this ballpark I'd expect. This car was running OEM injectors (the '04 Works kit did not include injectors).

Notice the huge increase in torque - this was an STX car, and pulling hard in 2nd was the goal...

Someone might ask, so -- this is a new Dynojet owned by Kaizan Tuning up in Massachusetts. The tune came from Bren.

 

That being said I have a JCW and a Miltek on my car.

 

I love the way my JCW exhaust sounds with a header.