MINI of Sterling quoted me $750 to get a MINI Madness 15% reduction pulley installed (price includes the pulley part). Is this a fair deal? It seems kind of high.

 

Most of the regular tuners charge about $400 for this job including the pulley. You can do better, but if it means that they will honor all aspects of your MINI's drivetrain warranty because it was done by them, you might be willing to pay the extra $$$.

 

Thats insane....I am sorry but that is highway robbery!

Give John a call over at Lucky Dog Garage (Glenwood, MD) and ask about the Mini Madness 15% Pulley special. You'll get the pulley + installation for $250.

There is no better MINI shop in the area PERIOD. I drive up there from down here Fredericksburg....well worth it. I happened to be up there today getting the OEM Bluetooth installed and George the owner of MINI Madness happened to be there as well!

Need any more info...just let me know www.luckydoggarage.com

 

You also should change the spark plugs and modify the ECU Software ... are they all including this ?

 

+1

 

Dealers will most likely always stick it to you, there labor rates are generally way, to high for the skill level.

i will ditto some of the other posts, find someone else, it takes most of the guys that have done lots of these only about an hour to do it, and most also change your plugs, and the cost should be well under $400 including the pully. find a pully party, travel there or find a place recomennded here on NAM and go get it. and enjoy.

 

Thanks for the info folks. It looks like I will be setting up an appointment with Lucky Dog Garage at some point. $250 bucks and high praise = sold customer

 

Change the plugs and a software update after a pulley install????? Myths and untruths by some of the parts sellers and replacers who are only concerned with the bottom line. If you have money to spend ...they will gladly take it and give you an earful on why you need it....adds horsepower, adds torque, made from high grade stainless steel and the list goes on.

Its very rare but there are some very honest shops and sellers out there that will tell you that you are wasting your money on an item and tell you exactly why....BUT if the money is burning a hole in your pocket then nobody is going to stop you from spending it.

...and no 15% pulley install is going to damage an engine unless a complete idiot installed it.

 

With the 15% you should run a colder plug if you are pushing the engine a lot. This is for detontaion in the combustion chamber.

I didn't believe it at first either but 1 colder set of plugs made a higher boost car run at least 3 more HP on the dyno.

 

Eric from Helix did a bunch of tests on the dyno with colder plugs and it returned ab-so-lut-ely nothing.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...54&postcount=7

I'm not argueing with you. I just thought you should know that a respectible vendor did his own tests and found they were pointless for HP numbers.

I went and put NGK IXs in anyway, and while I didn't notice any more HP, I did notice a smoother running engine.

 

I am going to go with the engineers and the people who race these firecrackers and say don't waste your money with the plugs.

The folks over at WRR need to do a show about these Myths and unTruths almost like an episode of Myth Busters. I have just the panel for them but I think the vision of WRR has also be clouded my these myths and untruths.

 

because it's not a myth. Depends on your gas grade..... Come on over and run on CA 91 octane.

But here's something to think about. You stuff more gas and air in the cylinder, releasing more energy and heat. Why NOT get it out of there faster? Why not run the coldest plugs you can that don't foul?

Matt

 

The MINI Aero Kit is good for 5 - 10 horse right?????? and strap yourself in because the MINI glovebox organizer is good for .5 horses!

 

Why not change your oil every 1,000 miles? Or put gas addatives in at every fill up? At some point reality must dictate neccessity. Or should perceived neccessity dictate reality? Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

Doesn't Randy Webb state that he's seen an improvement of 2 HP by going with colder plugs?

Regarding the Denso Iridium plugs he sells on his web site he states, "By just changing plugs, we saw a gain on the dyno doing a warmer run (heat soak during the plug change) of 2 horsepower! This was the same heat range plug, which I always believed was the only difference to be had in power when changing plugs. I am a converted believer."

http://store.webbmotorsports.com/ind...products_id=50

Now I'm not saying you'll feel the 2 HP gain, but I am pointing out that Randy is a believer in their performance gains...

 

there are just as many engineers and ppl that race these "Firecrackers" that say colder plugs are good and you need to use them as dont. such as Randy and WAY.

 

Show me the numbers and not some quote from a website that is trying to sell you on a product. The numbers...evidence...facts...something in black and white. Spend YOUR money as you wish but I prefer to be an educated consumer about such things.

So I am starting this website for MINI parts...and I am going to sell this oil drain plug that is made from alien metals and its guaranteed to keep your oil fresh and long lasting because when the oil touches the alien metals a metabolic change happens at the molecular level...and I assure you I was not a believer but when I sent an oil sample off to a national independent established center for oil testing and consistency there findings without a doubt said the oil was like brand new fresh from the refinery...I am now a firm believer of this product! Dyno run after dyno performed at the equator showed that engine runs cooler but what we did not expect was a gain of 3 horses!

Marketing, marketing, marketing...haven't you ever watched an infomercial? Everything that you read and see on the internet is not true. Can X vendor show you the dyno runs???....exactly what I thought.

And if your interested in my alien metal oil drian plug then maybe I can interest you in some ocean front property in Oklahoma.

Flame me as you see fit but don't do it because I educated myself and did not waste my money.

"GOSH!" - Napoleon Dynamite

 

"According to one plug manufacturer, platinum tipped electrodes run hotter than standard electrodes. This may increase the risk of preignition and detonation in some turbocharged and high performance engines. For such applications, a standard plug with a colder heat range might be a safer choice."

http://www.aa1car.com/library/sprkplg2.htm


I am done arguing about plugs and dyno runs.

 

:begin flame:

wonder where you got your education on these? your education is your point of view, If you realy educated your self, you will see many posts of conflicting views to your sources, thus you want to beleive the people that tell you not to buy the plugs, others do not, but dont make your self out to be correct when its not, and there are just as many people saying something else. as far as wasting money, that too is your point of view, to some its not a waste, to you it is, thus, dont do it, but dont come across like your some "know it all" and spout a few sources when you know that there are just as many that have a different view on the subject.

sounds like your just a fan of someone who told you not to do it, as others are a fan of someone that told them to do it. and btw if you realy knew what you were talking about you would know that Dyno's are not a true test of numbers anyway.

:end flame"

 

... I would never believe somebody who tells me that a different spark plug would give more power. But with increased boost (e.g. 15% sc pulley) it would increase reliability.
Why do you get colder spark plugs with your JCW Kit?
Why do tuners over here fit colder spark plugs in combination with a smaller pulley?
Why do have some Mini enthusiasts ruined their engine by not changing the spark plug to a colder one after fitting a sc pulley?
Some tuners even say the NGK spark plugs that come with the JCW Kit are the best available for tuned Minis?!

True, I have read and copied the above from german mini forums. I've also been talking to tuners over here. I am not an expert. True. So don't rely on what I have written. I just want to take the chance to take part in yur conversation.

 

I agree with your statmen minti

its one thing to take part, but i guess what gets me rattled is when people so want you to agree with there point that they tell me im wasting money and tell me im not educated or did not research something, just because they had a few people that THEY wanted to beleive tell them something, they decide that if you dont agree with them your dumb and wasting money.

 

The only thing I am saying is where are the facts, the numbers that say a colder plug is making a difference and giving 2 horses? Give me substance...if you say it does something then show me not just tell me. See where I am getting at guys??? Its like buying a car without test driving it but believing the seller that it drives great and its worth your money.

 

personally, i trust Eric @ Helix, Randy Webb, and JCW the most. purely because Randy and Eric have been with the MINI aftermarket since the little car first landed here in 2002 so they are both collectively the foremost American authorities. Randy says go colder, Eric says you can if you want but you don't really have to. to me though, JCW gives colder plugs with every JCW kit out there. which includes a smaller pulley than the stock MCS, slightly ported and plished head and coated supercharger, all very common mods that most aftermarket tuners have also adopted. all due respect to Randy and Eric, but JCW (backed by BMW) has done extensive testing and R&D and dumped a whole lot more money into this area than they ever could. if JCW/BMW use colder plugs, it's probably a pretty safe choice. my 2 cents.