I just picked up my '07 MCS yesterday, and sure enough, the bonnet scoop is nonfunctional. It's an Oct '07 production vehicle, and I thought I remembered reading that MINI started making the scoops functional later in the year? But I'm probably mistaken.

Anyway, for those of you who have a MCS and do typical driving (i.e. not auto-x), have you found it necessary to alter the scoop to be functional to keep the turbo cooled? I noticed on the ride home that every time I stopped, regardless of how long I drove or what the conditions were, the fan was blowing. On my '07 MC, it would only blow if I had driven very hard.

Obviously the MC didn't have the turbo, I'm just wondering if I need to start thinking about getting an after market functional scoop? For those who do have had a functional scoop for a while, have you had to worry about debris/insects getting under the bonnet?

 

That's interesting as my friend has a November '07 build Cooper S and it has a functional scoop with holes in the scoop grille (we both live in the UK)..

However my January '07 build obviously doesn't have holes so I tried to order a new scoop grille from the dealer - they informed me the factory production line has now gone back to using completely closed scoops so I couldn't order one with holes - there must be a reason they have gone back to how it was before.

Although I would like a functional scoop - I've never found any real issues with needing more cooling and it's been on the track several times. The bonnet has never got so hot you couldn't touch it, as other people have reported.

 

My March '07 build MCS had a partially open bonnet scoop. It looked like this:

 

Thanks Rye. If I decide to remove any of my holes by hand, I'll probably use yours as a template.

 

I'd give your dealership a call and ask if they can swap out your blocked grilled the "holy" scoop grille under warranty. It's worth a shot!

 

The DDM Works R56 Race CAI addresses this aggressively.
http://www.ddmworks.com/MiniStore/MI...ke_system.html

 

I could be wrong here but in my experience a hood scoop is not for cooling but for getting more air into the intake system. I know the MCS is turbo charged but that is not the only air getting into the engine as evidenced by the air filter. If someone knows more than this re the hood scooop I'd be interested in learning. Cheers.

 

As I recall, the factory opening the scoop holes was more to address the bonnet heat issues after shutting off the engine. Look for threads on hot bonnets or deformed scoops. Now with the added ventillation, running the cooling pump longer after engine shutdown, and added insulation under the bonnet, the bonnet should not get as hot after shutdown. Of course, "CAI" setups need the scoop opened up as well.

 

Thanks goosefraba. I went to the site you linked to and found that there are holes in April May 2007 builds. So I went out to check mine, May 2007 build month, and sure enough there are some holes in the grid/grill of the hood scoop. Not all have holes but I guess there are enough to keep it the hood scoop from deforming.

 

My MCS is an October '07 build as well and it has the partially open scoop. Well actually had, as I removed it altogether. Important if you add a CAI, but other than that you should be fine. Especially since your MINI has the auto trans. Its under-hood temperatures aren't as high as the manual trans.

 

I'm not 100% sure but i'm prity sure that the intake is no ware near the scoop. This means that none of the scoops are "functional."

 

Not functional relative to the intake, true.

Not functional to cooling; not verified.

 

Well, I do not really know whether the removal of the scoop has affected engine cooling, but since I removed my partially-open scoop insert, my washer jets haven't wept. I removed the insert in November, so it may be a result of the cooler temps. I'll know for sure in may.

 

i was wondering how the insert affected your washer jets. i ask because since i just removed my insert my jets stopped working. is it a coinicedence or is it related? thanks

 

This is my understanding. The scoop unblocking was not to help engine cooling. It was to reduce the scoop/bonnet temperature by letting the heat escape out after the engine is stopped. The original heat problem was that the scoop would get extremely hot and deform after shutting down the engine since the turbo is right below it. If anything, it should hinder engine cooling since the pressure in the engine compartment is greater now with the scoop unblocked. Air that passes through the heat exchangers by vehicle motion is reduced, meaning the fans will probably have to run more. Also note that the CAI mod will reduce this affect since the engine is now drawing air from the engine compartment.

Edit: I'll add too that letting the engine run at ruduced load, or idling for a couple minutes before shut down will allow the turbo to cool down considerably. This is common practice on turbodiesels, especially when hauling heavy loads.

 

just surfing the miniusa website again, the "functional air scoop" is still/again listed as a standard feature. .... right

"...helps provide ample airflow to the powerful turbocharged motor..."

I'll likely be adding an M7 ags-r intake to my mini as my budget allows, partly for the performance and partly to avoid the embarrassment of having a fake hoodscoop on my hotrod

 

Will older cars get software upgrade for the longer running fan programing then?

 

not much need to do that in a MCS since there is an electrical water pump that keeps running for awhile to cool the turbo after you turn off the engine.

 

Make sure to put the holes in the right places. The locations were determined after performing extensive supercomputer simulations, painstaking wind tunnel tests and grueling hot-weather tests in Namibia.

 

FYI......Picked up my '08 MCSa yesterday and it has a 'functional hood scoop'.....

 

Hmm...well I am a physics teacher, and have been trying to think of a long term project for some of my classes....

Me: Make my car more aerodynamic.
Class: Can we drive it?

Yeah well, maybe not.

 

Has anyone just removed the honeycomb section?

 

I have and a few other members have as well. Main complaint is the scoop is made for the insert. So without it the scoop looks rather unfinished to say the least. My plan is to have the blocked off sections of my scoop grille dremeled out, then will put it back in.

See this link for pictures and more discussion of the honeycomb section.

 

Ah, I see what you mean.

 

I am not sure why yours quit working, I would put the scoop back in and take it in for your dealer to look at. My a/c quit working because a connector got knocked loose, coincidentally on a day that I was drag racing. My first guess would be that yours is likely to be a similar fix. I'm not sure if it is related to your scoop removal.

Basically, I removed it for the reasons goosefraba said. Since the turbo is below the scoop, removing the grille allows for more of a vent above it, allowing the heat to escape easier after the car is stopped. I am a little worried about coolant temps as well, but I am not sure how much of a difference about 8 more square inches of open scoop is going to make. I personally think the grille is there mostly to keep fingers out a particularly hot area of the car. I am planning on getting a full set of gauges before the summer. I have heard word of an r56 gauge pack being released by mini, crossing my fingers in the hope that it is good. Once I have a temp gauge, testing temps with and without the grille should be trivial.

And I know that there is a pump running to cool the turbo after the car stops, but I just don't feel right pulling it up and shutting it off. Plus, I work in computers, so I have a waning faith in electronics. :impatient