I'm so excited I just gotta tell everyone EDGE Motorworks will be installing a 17% pulley for me tomorrow, I'm gonna have a hard time sleeping tonight

 

And you'll have a harder time keeping your foot out of the throttle tomorrow!! Enjoy your new mod and look out for 5 oh --Johan

 

With the debate as to which pulley is the best is it safe to assume that since I have an MCSa daily driver, the 17% would be the better choice over the 15% for power and over the 19% for reliability without the fear of over-revving the supercharger to its limits?

 

Yep, 17% is safe. Just make sure to get the right belt : Goodyear Gatorback!!

 

Also, with all this heat in the S.F. bay area, please post regarding your experience with any pinging with your 17% pulley. The one thing that is keeping me on the fence about the 17% pulley, is the risk of pinging.

 

Colder plugs (for example: Denso IK22, etc.) are recommended by many tuning specialists, even with just the 15% pulley.

Best,

-- Don

 

P.S. -- And for the 17% and 19% too.

 

I am trying to see if just a 17% pulley requires the colder plugs, 180 degree thermostat, and I/C improvements. Hopefully not. But it remains to be seen. I really don't want to be tethered to gas stations that sell 100 octane racing unleaded.

 

NO it doesnt, I have a 19% and it doesn't require all of that. There's a lot of hype when it comes to pulleys. You'll be fine! -- Johan

 

But, do you have to put up with 91 octane pisswater pump gas????

 

Ok...

I'm in Southern California and use 91 octane. I use Chevron, gas quality here also varies depending on which Chevron station's gas you get. I have an '06 MCS with a CAI, 15% pulley, cold plugs and a 1-ball, and that's all, no ECU remap, no injectors, no thermostat, no IC changes, nothing...

I do get a little pinging if I hit it hard in the very hot weather.

If you hit it too hard too fast, the throttle body whistle and SC whyne covers the sound of the pinging and you won't hear it -- I only really started noticing it in the very hot weather, and only after I insulated my CAI which muted the intake sounds.

Cold plugs help, but they don't change the mixture or the timing, they just make it run cooler. After just a few pings, then the stock ECU kicks in and the pinging is gone through the shift sequence.

I may get flamed for this from all the other pulley owners here, but I just thought you should know...

My very highly respected performance specialist (Steve's Auto Clinic in North Hills, California) says the '05s and '06s are more prone to this, that's why he recommended the cold plugs when I had him install my CAI, 15% and 1-ball. He also said it is more prevalent with the 17% and 19% pulleys, that's one of the reasons I chose 15% -- I was seriously looking at 17% too.

I'm due for my first service in about 1000 miles, maybe that has something to do with it too.

If you never use 91 octane in Southern California or drive in hot weather or if you don't have an '05 or an '06 or if you never need a service, etc., etc., etc., maybe you'll never have to worry about this...

But it does happen.

Best,

-- Don

 

I honestly don't see how colder plugs a lager IC and a 180* thermostat are going make that much of a difference with fuel.

If you said a ECU tune then yes that would make sence. There are also some respected mini tuners that will say to absolutely NOT use colder plugs. But that's a different topic and there are many threads already discussing it. So back to my point, IMO NO it's not required but will it help...perhaps. Hope this helps! -- Johan

 

Inquiring minds here have to know - did you have a hard time sleeping after reading about the pinging problems some of us have incurred as the result of pulley upgrades?

Hope the install goes well today, and be sure to let us know how the results!

 

lol reading all of this I'm like uhhh, but thanks for the input everyone...well my car is being worked on as we speak so we shall see about lunch time. I hope all goes well after.

 

Miniflip, I'd suggest keeping an open mind. We know pinging can happen, but some folks don't have trouble, some do.

One result of having the pulley is you'll re-learn how to drive. As I mentioned, my pinging doesn't happen unless I hit it hard in hot weather -- but I can control it and prevent it from happening by lightening up a little.

One thing I didn't mention earlier is that very recently, as I've been doing overall horsepower testing with a performance computer for my insulated CAI, the pinging has either reduced or stopped. This testing involves running up to redline fast in 2nd gear, and I've done it probably a dozen times in the last week since I got my performance computer...

There's a thread about pinging in "Under the Bonnet" that discusses clearing the carbon from the combustion chamber so that it doesn't glow and cause detonation of the 91 octane gas... 002 and Dr. O have found a cleaner that helps clear the carbon. In his high mileage pulley'ed MINI, using California 91 octane and this cleaner, Dr. O's pinging appears to have cleared...

I suspect that in my case, by running up to redline so often lately (something I had never done before intentionally), I've essentially blown the carbon out of the heads, something I had heard about previously but really didn't believe would happen. My early conclusion is that it has happened.

Ultimately the question is, would you pulley your car whether it pings a little on hot days or not?

In my case, the answer is yes, it's a good mod and worth while for the benifits in power and enjoyment. If and when the pinging happens again, I'll just drive appropriately, and look for another opportunity to blow the carbon out.

Best,

-- Don

 

I have a 2005 MCSa that is presently box stock (except for SSRs and non runflats). I have been considering a 15% (or 17%) s/c reduction pulley, a CAI (been leaning toward the JCW CAI for warranty preservation reasons) and a cat-back (leaning toward the JCW for sound reasons; but it seems the JCW cat-back has crushed pipes to accommodate clearance issues with the cabrio...). And yes, I live in the S.F. bay area and I run Chevron Supreme exclusively. My preference would be for the 17% pulley if there were no issues regarding pinging, which is why I am so interested in miniflip80's project. It is unfortunate that the pulley install did not happen sooner so the effect of the hot weather could be better guaged on a car that doesn't have either the CAI or the cat-back. I have heard of situations in the Corvette world where the addition of just a CAI would cause pinging when running the 91 octane pisswater that we have to suffer with in California. Understand that the MINI and Corvette LS1 engines are dramatically different, but you see where my concerns are.

What is your drivability like after the ECU kicks in and retards timing? Like walking through wet concrete? Or, is the power gradually dialed back until no pinging? My Corvette (with a slew of mods) is like walking through wet concrete after the first ping.

Which is why I am on the fence about modding my MINI - I have done the modding thing with my Corvette. I have a very high performance car with daily driver drivability - as long as I feed it a diet of 93+ (I had to bump it up to a 95+ blend with the recent hot spell) octane. Because California has a maximum of 91 octane at the pump, my Corvette lives life tethered to gas stations that sell 100 octane racing unleaded - kind of like when I owned a diesel car during the 70s - you have to plan your trips and call ahead to confirm supply.

 

Please post regarding your experience after you pick up your car. It should still be relatively warm/hot in Pleasanton today. I am really hoping you don't experience pinging with your 17% pulley and nothing else on the car. I might be at a tipping point.

 

Has anyone considered using octane booster additives? Or are those basically a no no to the mini world?

 

It is a TOTAL waste of $. And, you may be damaging the emission control system depending on what is in the booster. A better course if you need to bump the octane up is to blend 100 octane racing unleaded with the 91 octnae pisswater. Blending is also cheaper than the "bosters".

 

Raising the octane certainly helps (as evident by the many gripes about 91 octane gasoline in CA), but octane boosters don't do so effectively, given the cost involved. There are multiple threads on NAM regarding octane boosters.

The problem is that even if you don't experience pinging, you're still likely to encounter timing retard with 91 octane petrol - it just won't be audible to you like the pinging is. By using high-octane fuel, you'll be able to recover the power that was lost when running 91 octane. In my case, it was almost 10whp peak.

Just enjoy the 17% pulley, and if you do experiencing pinging, be comforted that you're not alone. We'll all work together to study what can be done.

 

Thank you everyone for your comments

 

Actually drivability doesn't seem to suffer much at all. I just heard the pinging and knew it was bad, so lighened up most of the time -- but there was still power to be used if I wanted to.
I've never gone to any gas other than 91 octane, but I have searched out the Chevron stations with better gas in the area -- typically the ones near the freeway.

As I mentioned above, I'd mod again if I had it to do over again, even knowing it might ping in hot weather like mine has. The improvements are just too compelling. But I'd stay with a 15% and not go higher, and I'd also get cold plugs. As inviting as more boost with a 17% or 19% sounds, since I already have experienced pinging, I suspect that it would only get worse.

I really think there are some solutions to the pinging now, though...

Check out https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=74535 . I can only speak about the 15% pulley I have, but it may well be that this also improves the situation for ALL reduction pulleys.

Best,

-- Don

 

Okay I just picked up and I will going home in about 15 minutes, coming from the shop I can really notice the pull at low rpms. And so far no pinging, but the real test is going home under this hot weather. I will update again tomorrow.

 

Good, enjoy it!!!

Don't worry about pinging, if you do get it, there is a solution...
( https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=74535 ,
just drove around hard, at 104f, my pinging is really gone.
I may still get some Sea Foam for easy maintenance, but for now we're looking good. )


Best,

-- Don

 

I await your post with baited breath.