I've heard a lot about people doing the pulley upgrade as a best bang for buck improvement. But I haven't been able to find a clear answer of it's it worth it on a JCW. It seems like most of the popular upgrades are already done on a JCW. Are there any recommended upgrades that provide a nice improvement for the cost?

 

The JCW pulley is somewhere between a 11-12% reduction from the stock S pulley. Never seemed worth the money and work to go to a 15%. Plus, I ran a larger crank pulley when I replaced the failed one.

I agree with you, my upgrades have been focused on adressing known shortcomings in the R53 chassis. Stiffer engine mounts, Powerflex front control arm bushings, removing the flap in the JCW intake, an ATI 2% crank pulley, a metal intercooler diverter, and a Detroit Tuned bypass valve. I split a front shock mount, so I also did coilovers and bashed the mushroomed towers back flat.

Probably your best upgrade would be good tires. Even on the heavy S-Lite wheels, it makes a world of difference between the Bridgestone run flats and the BFGoodrich g-force Comp-2 A/S that I run now. I'll never go back.

 

For the pulley upgrade there is a couple ways to do it.
1. you can just do the crank pulley and go to the 2% ATI damper which will give you a little more boost, low end, and make the A/C work better.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/super-...ulley-r53.html
2. you can just remove the JCW pulley and go to the 17% as that is the most common for a JCW person to go to since going to a 15% is a smaller difference.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/17-sup...ulley-wmw.html

As for other mods our mild cam works fantastic with the JCW as you already have the injectors and some mild port work it will really wake it up and be a direct bolt in. You can also do this without doing anything with the pulley
https://www.waymotorworks.com/way-mi...t-r52-r53.html

 

Space -

- NO gain in adding any metallic intercooler diverter (as noted above), don't waste your money.
- The ATI damper is a good bet. A proper damper and if toy get the 2% version, that's a good thing.
- The Milltek exhaust (cat-back) actually leaned the fueling in my JCW enough to eliminate a flat spot around the 3200rpm area. Sounds a slight bit better and does help put out a little more power. It is also lighter than the JCW exhaust system. Big thing, get rid of that flat tube in the stock JCW system, just ahead off the "Y" pipe.
- A new belt and plug wires if yours have been in place long.
- Getting the rear adjustable bars and the adjustable plates for the front, work well to reset the camber for better handling. Take some "out" of the back (still -, but not as much as the factory) and add some (-) to the front. Big difference in cornering.
- Turn "OFF" the traction control before you leave your driveway. Big difference, in my car anyway..!
- Larger rear anti-sway bar, lowering / stiffening springs.

- Most of all drive it, have fun.

Mike

 

This is actually incorrect...I found a significant drop in AIT's when using the metal diverter from DDM Works....as much as 12-15 degrees....Its all about wind force direction....The incoming air needs to be forced downward in an effective manner...The DDM Works cover does this....Also the OEM plastic composite cover for the GP intercooler actually COVERS up the top two inches of the intercooler which was added to the standard R53 intercooler....very counter productive....The DDM Works GP intercooler cover opens up this area exposing it to incoming air...
Very true....If you can get the module from GBMINI he used to make one which keeps DSC off at time of start up....Have had this for years works great.
Nailed it....Go with the Hotchkis Competition 25.5mm hollow sway bar and just put it on the tightest setting ( during summer months ) And lesser setting if you drive the MINI in the snow....
Nailed it again....
Motor on !

 

/me is taking notes