Ladies and Gents,

I just moved to the great state of CO and have noticed a significant power loss in my mini due to the elevation. How/what can I do to regain the power that I have lost? Thanks

 

Which MINI? Year and model, s or non s...
There are turbo MINI's, supercharged MINI's and normally aspirated ones (just-a's, aka coopers)...
Answer is different for each..

 

...and a lot of guys build a 'signature' that proudly describes their MINI for all to see thus eliminating the wait for an answer to the primary question. Get that taken care of the Zipmeister will share his insights.

 

He has an R53

 

For us old timers in the mountains there was “The Rule of Three”

1. You can expect about a 3 percent loss of horsepower for every 1000’ of altitude with a naturally aspirated (NA) engine.
2. You can expect about a 3 degree decrease in temperature for every 1000’ feet of altitude you gain.
3. Stay at least 3 seconds behind the car in front of you if you want to avoid a cracked windshield.

In view of the laws of physics there is probably no inexpensive fix in your case. Better breathing (air cleaner), improved exhaust flow (muffler) and smaller diameter tires might help a little. Or, just don’t be shy about shifting to keep the engine near its peak torque curve.

 

DID I see this when I drove my Miata from San Fran to the east coast ....

at the "top" I had trouble keeping up with highway speeds .....

'twas my first and only experience driving at heights but it SURE made a difference!!!!!

 

The r53 is actually the simplest fix of all....
A smaller pulley on the SC will help tons...both at elevation, and at lower elevations like Denver...cost...about $180-300 installed.
Check your car you might have one first, but the 15%-17% is the most common range...
But unlike a turbo, the SUPERCHARGERS speed is directly connected to engine speed..and the pulley simply changes this...a turbo cars COULD have a bigger turbo added...lol.
A couple extra tips...
Never use the 85 or 87 low and midgrade fuels you find the the Rockies...
Plan on changing your airfilters MUCH more often...it is dusty in Colorado...