In the mood to add some real gains to my 2009 Mini Cooper S. Currently have full turbo back exhaust, alta intake, and AP tuned stage 2. Want to add a bigger turbo combined with FMIC, but i can't decide what to get?? I have already upgraded my suspension with coils, bigger sway bars, end links, ect. Now I just want more power! Which do you guys think would be better??

 

Buy a faster car? Your problem is going to be how to make the engine run. Tuning will be a big issue.

 

The Alta billet is a direct bolt on and they can tune for it. The Gt25 has been tried several times with only a few people getting it to work. Even the people who have the GT25 will tell you not to do it. Go with the alta or get your K03 rebuilt with new internals.

-Brian

 

Yeah.. I was thinking billet turbo just because it's less of a hassle to install. My problem is that price :(.. I can get a brand new garret gt25r for $650. After buying everything else I'm looking at only about 900 - 1100

 

hybrid

 

gpopshop.com upgrade it for around $500 or so.

 

I would suggest a hybrid. I am not even sure Alta is doing this upgrade any more to tell you the truth and it is really expensive. It was almost the same price to buy a new JCW Turbo as it was to have Alta upgrade yours. IMO, just upgrade to a JCW turbo and call it a day.

 

http://www.altaperformance.com/hardt...illet-56-turbo

Hell no on just putting a JCW turbo on it. Ya that will get you power but it is limited too. Just upgrade the internals of the stock one and be better off.

 

Anyone have a link to the specifics on the JCW turbo? The turbine specs Alta lists indicate the JCW has the same size wheels as a standard S turbo. What's the bennifit of a JCW turbo?

 

that website looks interesting. I'm looking into it now! thanks! Let you guys know what i end up doing. I have a friend with a 91 integra that i help install a gt25r on and that why i considered the bigger turbo. He is one of those many MINI haters (calling a MINI a chick car) and i converted him to loving MINIs when i took him on a test drive

 

I have a 28RS on my car and I will tell you that once you get outside of highly modified stock turbos things get dodgy. I run a COBB tune but the reality of the tuning situation is that the "tuners" dont have the airflow tables to make a bigger turbo run flawlessly. My stock turbo and manifold are long gone so I have what I have. At my shop we are exploring new ways to access and tune the stock ecu but until then think about dealing with tuning.

 

Garrett turbos don't communicate with the ECU, so be prepared for extra parts, labor, and programming to make it work. Alta is making great improvements to their AccessPort, and can now overcome the 20 PSI boost limit of the non-JCW. But, like Raymazing says, it takes a dyno tune to make it work, and even then it's not best case for all driving conditions.

Go for a hybrid and work with Alta on the AP maps.

 

I just received my Alta Billet turbo for my JCW... will post dyno.. once everything is in.

 

bk_mini any updates on the turbo upgrade? did you get it installed?

 

The question that should be asked is what replacement pistons do I want to buy? Evolve Automotive has had a hot tuned JCW turbo on their development MCS for over 10,000 miles with no issue, but even they'll admit that it's only a matter of time before they trash the bottom end of the engine. If I was going to fork out this money I would buy better tires and go to the track more often. Let's be frank, when are you using all of that power on a day to day basis? Probably 5% of the time. The THOUSANDS of dollars you're about to spend can be better spent investing to make you, the driver, faster and then work on everything else. Hey, I know we all visualize ourselves as underground mavericks of the street scene that the police can't touch with a ten foot pole. However, then you wake up and smell the coffee.

I learned the hard way too, but maybe others will hear me out.

 

 

I'm just pointing out that more power is a big financial task on this car. If one wants to venture down that path heck go for it. You can get a lot more bang for the buck with other things much cheaper than the "big power".