I agree!

 

Just a little fun before getting the JCW kit.

"Just a little fun" is the key words. The goal is to have fun with my car. With all due respects, if you look at the list of my engine mod, most of those parts are what I've planned to have to achieve my goal.

I put things one piece at a time, why? I have my own personal reason. I want to see how the parts will react with the car and other parts. Is that wrong?

I have GP intercooler, why? You have already answer that question and that's exactly why I choose to change the intercooler.

Camshaft, why? the camshaft will definitely improve the performance, by how much? I don't know. That's why I have it installed, so I can learn from experience. Is that a wrong thing to do?
And why not with the head? Well, one is that its well over my budget this year and two, I'm still not certain which is the best in the market.
So, only camshaft and have fun.

Dyno tuning. Yes, but not now. Why? Why doing it since the engine config hasn't been finalize yet. And why hurry, since there will be more and more excellent tuners coming in the future. I rather wait and do my homework.

"To be honest, my plan is very simple, to study, do researches, experiments and have fun with it, starting from hardwares then finalize with the right tuning to make everything works at full protential. And the goal is not number but the enjoyment".

You've mentioned about the bolt-ons've been add. I don't think I need to make the list again, but the parts that I have are basic parts that one should have in order to improve engine performance. And Its also depending on which part that I can get an access to first.

I'm not looking to have the fastest, the quickest, badest MINI in town. I want a better MINI that I can enjoy every minutes that I drive. And that's my goal. And please don't assume that I don't have any plan. I have plan, the plan that works for me and I have my own way to achieve it.

 

I think its more complex that just the dyno. Each and every engine is not the same HP from the factory. Reports on MINI2 showed wide variances in OEM bhp (whether its true or not, dunno), but I would imagine QC on entry level vehicles is not on the top of the queue for things to watch out for....

But, it is true, its best to get before and after numbers for just ONE variable. Its no different than writing software, make TWO changes and you will never know which software change caused the error

On the other hand ... LDG is correct about throwing parts on w/out a stated goal and plan. I'm also sure vendors will be glad to sell and install whatever you want. That is how they make money I'm sure Maxi has been having a lot of fun, and thats cool, but LDG has a very valid point that someone reading this thread might think this approach is optimum for gaining HP. And that ... is his point.

 

Right on, Maxicooper!

In the LDG world, or in his mind, MTH, GIAC, Fireballed!, Revolution, Helix, Detroit, every MINI tuner in the US, the EU, Asia and Australia ought to pack it in and close up shop. After all, LDG will sell you a 15% pulley (for over $300) and give you the "only tune that gets results"! And don't forget about a few racing teams, aftermarket parts manufacturers, the engineers at BMW design and every shade tree or professional mechanic who has ever tinkered with a MINI to get more performance out of it.

Everybody mentioned above, may I have your attention: Lucky Dog Garage has solved the MINI conumdrum! You can give up and go home now. If you don't believe me, just ask them. "The only mods you need for horsepower are a 15% pully and a' LDG Super Duper, Gold Plated Wonder Tune*!!!! According to them, NONE OF YOU ARE GETTING RESULTS FROM YOUR SOFTWARE TUNING.

*Just don't ask for supporting documentation......

Just a little fun before getting the JCW kit.

Welll thats what this thread USED to be about..... Now its for John Behe / Lucky Dog Garage to insult us into buying his Wonder Tunes! What a novel and effective advertising and marketing plan! Insult your niche market share! Maybe they're targeting the sub group of "MINI owners with low self-esteem".


AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!!! But I bet we never see it!

Good thought... Trying to make peace..... but the point isn't what LDG is saying, its where and how he's saying it! He has his own area on NAM where he can say anything he wishes. As a member of DCMM, I don't want people, especially someone trying to sell me something, jumping in to a thread about how much fun we're having and telling us were stupid for spending our money with his competition.

Then go start a thread in your (the LDG) area about how your willing to educate anyone who may be interested the best use of our mod money and maybe all those people I mentioned above will come and learn at the LDG temple of MINI Tuning.

Otherwise, Please don't ruin our fun!

 

Chris,

Since you have altered course from your originally stated intent of getting the JCW kit (you've added a camshaft that is blatantly not part of the JCW kit, and you don't have the core ingredient, the JCW cylinder head... and you've stated you may not even end up getting the JCW one!), perhaps we should rename the thread?

Here are some suggested alternate thread titles:

• Just a little fun
• Modding my MINI just for fun... one step at a time - and loving it!
• MINI = Lego set fun!
• Mods = fun building bricks!

Anyway, you get the idea. It just seems to me that your original JCW goals aren't really there any more, and renaming the thread to whatever seems to make more sense to you, right now, might help deflect some of the curious questions such as "What in the heck is he thinking?"

I know I've asked that question myself, especially now with the camshaft mod!

 

I believe I have stated about my goal and my plan on the previous post.

I still don't see what is wrong with my approach. So if this approach is not optimum for gaining HP, then what is. Give me some input.

I also ask about which part that I have is useless or no benefit and why. No response.

 

Title's changed, happy now?......

 

There is no need to change the title of the thread. He said a little fun before JCW. It is obvious that part of his fun is trying these different components before he goes the JCW path.

Change it back.

 

+1 He has gone the JCW path, just not all the way yet. Chris prettymuch has 85% of the JCW kit.

Chris, even if you end up getting the JCW head, you can still keep the camshaft.

 

Errr.... may be the JCW parts that I have are useless or are not optimum for gaining hp. Well, what can I do, I love the JCW logo.

Speaking of the camshaft, I think I'm in love with it now.
Special thanks to MoS for a big discount on the cam.
and I will keep it as suggested.

 

Oh. Let's not forget the ever inflating price of the Wonder Tune.

 

I am going to have to agree, it doesn't need to be changed.

The title "Alittle fun before JCW" is what he is doing. If he were to twincharge, juice, and AWD his MINI before he put in the JCW kit, than that is what HE WANTS to do.

 

So like the tuner said, one has to have a good plan and the best plan here is to do it now .......... before the price goes up again.

 

Let's get back to the "do it my way",

Today, running around town is fun. The car feel alive. Play a little bit up top is fun as well.

Can't wait to try at the autocrossing event next week.

 

My turn

I understand what LDG is saying and I also understand what Maxicooper is saying. Yes, LDG came off a little forward, but they are getting frustrated with what is going on and are trying to change/educate MINI people and scene to something better for the future. Perhaps the delivery of the message is incorrect, but the message is spot on

Maxicooper, keep doing what you are doing if this makes you happy. Not all of us learn the same way and this is the way Maxicooper wishes to learn about his MINI and I don't think anyone should take that away from him. Now Maxicooper, don't forget, when you are done with some of the parts, I call..... FIRST DIBS!

 

I get what you mean, but I dont understand exactly what is wrong with my plan and the parts that I have chosen in his perspective. I really need to hear his explanation to clerified. Well, I've asked but no response.

By the way, here is the question:

Get parts install and tune at the same times, the performance gain = x.

Get the same parts but install one at the time then with the same tuning and at the end the performance gain = y.

Should x = y? I believe so.
Same parts, same tuning but at different time frame.

So what is wrong if I want to do it step by step and observe the change each parts made, then will get the same result toward the end after tuning.

Some might says time & money, ofcourse it will waste more time and money.

But the point is that, with the approach that I took and will continue to take, I will be able to see my car transform from scratch and have a first hand experience of what the parts are capable of instead of just listen or read. And that is fun.... for me.

If I start from $7k and gain xx hp, I still would want to mod it more later on anyway because of my curiosity and craziness.

Then again, like I've said earlier, my goal is not to get number. It's the enjoyment that I pursue.

Mini = fun, isn't it?

 

What all of you who replied objecting to the title change fail to realize is that after my post, which was only a suggestion, Chris PMed me to request that I change the thread title to exactly what it is now.

Have a little faith, people! I'm not draconian. This was completely above board, and the thread title will remain exactly how it is now unless Chris (and only Chris) asks me to change it again. Same goes for any other thread - only the original poster can request a title change (except for remedial things such as fixing capitalization or formatting).

Sheesh. It was a constructive suggestion, not a requirement. He took it. Case closed.

A little benefit of the doubt would be appreciated next time before burning me at the stake.

 

Could we use:

"Just a little fun before getting JCW kit. Errr....my way".



Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Done! Chris, I have to ask... when they were all complaining about me making the change, why didn't you speak up to tell them that you requested it?

 

I don't mean that I agree with his statement about the parts you have chosen, what I agree with LDG is the "message". There are parts out there that are a waste of $$$ and all it is, is bling.

I KNOW I have some bling parts, but that is the direction I have chosen. I totally stand by you for choosing your own path, what LDG is saying is that you don't need some of those parts to get HP.

IMO, all LDG is worried about is:

• MOST HP FOR THE $$$
• Quality of workmanship
• Educating the consumer for the future of the industry

Perhaps I am wrong, but that is what I think.

Maxicooper, I say, stay on the same path and have fun.

 

Sorry, I did pm ciscovip that I'm the one. But didn't send to the others.

I apologize. It's definitely my mistake.

I will buy you a lunch at British Pantry, next MoS meet. Please accept my apology.

 

Thread jack:
Nasty thunder storm here, I am unplugging.

BOT:

I want a drink as well

 

Some of the blings like the GP intercooler is cool.

 

Apology accepted, lunch offer appreciated, but absolutely unnecessary. Next time though, if people post publicly about something like this, please post back... when it's in the open, it needs to be dealt with in the open! Otherwise people just pile on, like they did.Actually, the intercooler is one thing I don't consider just bling, because the extra rows will help to cool down faster. I want it... badly... but unfortunately Helix is out of stock right now. They have my name if they manage to get any more, though!

 

While in theory the GP intercooler would prevent diminishing power from a ever heating engine. The reality of it is that those 2 extra rows don't change anything in any meaningful way.

I know people think that some of the extra power of the GP comes from the intercooler. While that is technically true, there is some some reclaimed from the larger intercooler, it isn't the whole story. The majority of the new power comes from the marginally more aggressive tune.

How do I know this? I've seen ECU dumps of both a JCW and GP car.