I was wondering who else has this system ?
I have an 02' MCS with this system on it and was wondering who else has it and what your observations with it are.
I recently bought this car with it already installed and I love the top end. On the low end, the power off line is a little less than my wife's stock 02' MCS requiring me to rev the engine a little more on take-off.
I fixed the manifold leak it had by putting in a thin steal gasket(CarQuest) and sprayed it with copper spray lightly. I did have one of the 2 bolts on the manifold end that required re-tapping slightly then installing a stud to get the final seal. So far so good with no leaks.
I do notice that the BOV starts letting off pressure really early with light throttle. I wish that it waited just a little longer. I do like the sound of the BOV when you let off the throttle.
At part throttle and the cruise control on, I have noticed a little surging. Don't know if this is characteristic or not.
I would like to hear others impressions...

 

I have the TK, as well. Similar performance as yours. I wish for more power at low rpm, but love it when the turbo spools. I also have yo-yo. I think you'll find that it occurs at around -3 vacuum on the boost guage. I believe that it is amplification of the yo-yo problem that many early MCS have. I'm seriously considering a Detroit Tuned BPV to try to eliminate it.

Over all I love it. Since my Mini is mostly stock appearing, it's fun to shock Mustangs, etc, at red lights.

 

Thanks for the reply. What exactly is the Detroit tuned BPV and how does it differ from the turbosmart BOV?

 

I wish I had Helix's TC Kit. Anyone want to buy one for me?! ssshha one can wish can't he?

 

Yo-yo is something I have been battling with since day one. It is in the Throttle body not the BPV as I have my bpv tied shut & the vacuum line off. Remember we are putting positive pressure into the throttle body now where as before there was very little. The stock ECU doesnt know what to do about this and trys to close the throttle body, thus causing the surging. This is what I have come up with. I have tried 4.7v diodes on both map sensors and still cant seem to eliminate this. I am sure I am missing something, I am always open to trying new ideas, but unfornatly I am forced to go outside the MINI community on this one, as if anyone has a fix for it, they are not sharing. Turbo only cars run the boost through the throttle body and have no issues. The Helix cars dont run the Apexi, but I can change my sensor type in the apexi from pressure to flap and eliminate this yo-yo or surging completely but then it runs way to rich and I can feel the car not pulling as hard, but it runs daym smooth.

Veni, we should meet up sometime and do a side-by-side comparo.....

 

On the MINI the supercharger runs stock a BPV (by-pass valve routes back to intake runner of supercharger) to relieve back pressure from the spinning SC when off throttle. At normal cruising speeds it allows some conservation of fuel by running partially open at differnent levels according with vacuum. The Detroit BPV basically runs a stiffer spring so it stays closed a bit longer thus hopefully eliminating the dreaded surging from the supercharger and the BPV wallowing before proper boost levels. Downside would be maybe a lil less fuel economy then normal but I do believe a lot of people have run the Detroit BPV with much success. As for the Turbosmart BOV that is exclusive to the turbo and bleeds the the boost created from the Turbo upon vacuum ie foot off gas. This keeps the turbo spinning freely instead of abrubtly locking up the impellar from having nowhere to send the boost as the throttle body is completely shut. Dangerous for your Turbo not to run some sort of relief system either the Blow off valve or a recirculator valve, which like the BPV routes back to the intake.

 

The bpv is part of the supercharger. It prevents boost in low-power situations. In older MCSs there can be a point in the throttle where the valve "flutters" causing a "yo-yo" feeling. The DT bpv tunes it so that there is no flutter. If you want to read way too much about it, search for the "yo-yo chronicles"

Interesting. Well, it saves me from buying a bpv. We should get together, I'm originally from Harrisburg. Go Crusaders! Or you could come out to WashPa and autocross on May12 and 13.

 

Yeah not going to be able to make that...having ACL reconstruction the end of April, so the MINI will be parked for a bit till I can use a clutch again! :(

 

Bummer! Maybe this summer sometime.

 

Anybody else with impressions of the twincharge kit?

 

Anyone? Don't want to beat it to death, but I would like to hear from a few others.