Has anyone upgraded to the new 05' tranny with new gearing and LSD? I was smoked quite badly off the line this weekend by an 05 with MODS while I my mcs was quite stocked on mods..(19%, GIAC, JCW Injectors, Alta CAI, Borla Race, etc etc.). I wonder how much this conversion would cost in parts and labor. I might consider to have Helix do this swap for me if the cost of parts are not tremendously high. Thanks cruisers!

 

I remember Erik saying somehting around 2K for Quaife installed. Though he did mention it was a big pain to do.

 

I think it would be cheaper to buy a new car!

 

What year is your MCS NYMINIME and how badly were you smoke by the 05?

 

That was one of my option to sell/buy a new 05 but I am so deep already into modding my 2004, it is not feasible to start over at this point. I got some costing from calling classic and they quoted me approx $2400 for a remanufactured 2005 tranny which includes the new gearing and lsd. $120 for a new stock clutch and flywheel. So, assuming all part will cost me less than $3000 plus installation. Not sure if this is worth it but only if I can get more low end on my mcs now, it would be more of a blast to drive.

 

That sounds like a good way to go. I'm in the same boat.

 

I just put on 205/40-16 Azenis RT-615's ($84 apiece). My effective gearing is now very similar to the '05's

 

Drop a bit more on it with Twincharged and then you can smoke not only 05 MSC, but you can smoke all that STI or EVO.

 

Does anyone make a final drive replacement yet?

If not, someone like Houseman could fabricate one. It would be expensive, but given the excessive cost of mini transmissions it might be a viable option.

BTW, if others have gotten price quotes from the dealer I would be interested in hearing them. There has to be a dealer out there who is willing to give a price break.

 

The MCS transmission uses a pair of final drives, so you'd either need to make two replacements or have weirdly spaced gears.

 

MINI-Madness has (had???) a brand new 05 6-speed tranny with factory LSD for sale for $3,500. Here's the NAM Marketplace link:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=41128

BTW, I have the factory LSD on my 05 (along with 19%/GIAC/JCW Injectors/JCW CAI/Milltek) and all I can say is that it ROCKS!

 

I'd assume that you'd need to replace the ring gear and mainshaft. Pretty standard with FWD trannies. Could be wrong though, since all I have is this POS Bentley manual. I REALLY miss having access to a real service manual.

 

That still sounds high - especially without knowing what the dealer wants for one. I'd call around myself if I were truly in the market right now.

 

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Gracias

Out of curiousity, are the changes in the '05 made to the final drive, or individual gearsets? Either way, it's probably not worth a retrofit.

 

I was quoted $3,640 from the dealer.

 

Randy Webb has installed a Quaife and 05' 6 speed transmission into an 03' MCS. The owner had the Quaife already so it was reused. Give Randy a call to see how the owner liked the lower 05' gearing and how it worked with the Quaife.

Estimate $2500 or less? for the 05' transmission part, $1100 for the Quaife.
$1000 for labor. Stock or racing clutch replacement. Option for lighter flywheel for about $400-500 for the parts -labor already included.

 

Who did you get the $2400 quote from? Best I can find for an '05 tranny from the Dealer is $4000 with, $3400 w/o LSD new and about $800 less than that for both remanufactured.

 

The whole gear set ( including shaft placement) was redesigned for '05. Since the transmission has a dual shaft output design, the traditional concept of a final drive ratio is not applicable. Notice the N/A on all specs refering to final drive ratio for the MINI. To install a Quaife actually requires some housing material to be milled off (get out the industrial sized dremel tool). Eric at Helix has recommended that I get an '05 tranny w/factory LSD rather than trying to mate up a Quaife with a new or rebuilt '05 tranny. As mentioned elswhere, he would do the mating up but feels that a factory assembly would be less risky.

Smaller tire diameter can be used to accomplish the same thing in the first few gears, but you will lose more height in the top gears than with the '05 transmission. MINI engineers went back to the drawing board and got it right the second time around.

As with others, I'm too deep into the '02 with mods to trade up to an '05. Besides, breaking in a new MINI is real agony. (Under 4000 rpm for 2500 miles, give me a break. I haven't been under 4 grand since 1200 miles after I got the JCW kit)