Hi everyone. A quick question which may involve longer answers.

My 2007 cooper s is due for a turbo upgrade. I'm trying to decide between JM Turbos, Franken turbo or a JCW turbo. I understand they are all bolt on, all offer HP increase up to around 250hp. Price is not really an issue asi just want the best option, especially Any feedback/preferences on the JM or Franken turbo.

My car has the Evolve tune, and pretty much all of the engine enhancers/"pipeage" for the R56 and meth injection. It is regularly driven on the track.

Any and all advice appreciated.

Thanks
Jonny

 

Short answer is buy a faster car.

Once you start bumping the boost past jcw levels, you will start breaking piston skirts.

 

If it's regularly driven on the track you should really stick with the stock turbo. More boost equals more heat which is a tough thing to deal with

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using NAMotoring

 

You could wait for RMW's big valve head and standalone ECU. Coupled with another turbo...but that's a bigger budget.

 

As Newcooper said, I don't think there is yet a company that has a fully developed, well-engineered large turbo solution that's supported by a tested tune (certainly not in the U.S, maybe in the UK). RMW are the people who really know these cars better than anyone, but the development of the R56 is just getting started.

There are a few who've gotten large turbos to work, but they typically involve lots of unsupported work with boost controllers and the risk of CELs and boost cuts. Do a search here, and you'll find those who've tried (and the long stories of the few who succeeded).

Final answer: probably best to stick with stock, unless you are willing to invest a LOT of your own time figuring it out. If you do give it shot, document it here so others can learn from your approach.

 

Thanks for the input.
I wasn't looking for huge increases. I believe the three turbos I mentioned are bolt on with no added fabrications or complications. Boost kept to under 20psi. There are lots of cooper s running the FJCW turbo with no probs.

I was just wanting some first hand feedback on Frankenturbo and JM turbos bolt on options. I could just go for the FJCW, but then discovered the other options. If there is no experience of the two then FJCW it is.

Surely someone has bought turbos of one of these two!

Thanks again

 

If you want as reliable as possible JCW, but you probably already know it runs out of breath up top. JM Turbos look solid and if you've talked to Arric, it sounds like they've done their homework. Other vendors have started selling JM Turbos even. I've yet to see a Franken Turbo setup on a Mini.

I sorta agree with the 'keep the turbo stock' comments in that you are dealing with a 07 MCS. Your motor isn't as solid as say a fJCW or a rebuilt block... Sounds like you want plug and play...thats a JCW all the way.

Lastly I would take anything that references RMW and Jan with as much caution as a new tuner. Jan/RMW is the same guy that for the last 7 years has told R56 owners to buy a R53 anytime they asked for his help. But would gladly take your $800 for canned tunes.

Suddenly he's supporting/building for the R56? What changed? Isn't the N14 still a 'glass motor'?

Him and his forum thugs have a 'Another epic NAM failure' thread going... http://revolutionmotorworks.com/foru...ad.php?tid=193
Hate those who try to play it both ways...

 

Might be why he's starting to build hardware, so they aren't ticking time bombs when boost is thrown at them.

Just another option really.

 

I blew my fjcw turbo at 100k miles and based on cost, I bought a JM42 from Arric. I wasn't looking to add power etc, just that it was a cheaper option than buying a replacement OEM JCW turbo.

 

I'm in the same boat as you as far as an 07. I just bought it with 35k miles so my turbo isn't going out but i'm wanting to go faster. My wants are prob not really possible...lol i want to go with rods and pistons but down the road, i want to play now... to find a turbo that works now and supports a better motor is prob not out there. The JCW is prob the best option for you but,,,,,,,,,,,, i will let the cat out the bag
look at the LABO270....... expensive but sweet !!

keep us posted on your findings.... i'm about 4 mths out from pulling the trigger myself

 

Just to follow-up: Are there really lots of R56S running the JCW turbo with no problems? I know a lot of people have posted that they've bought various larger turbos, but I can't recall many that got them to work (without a lot of mods). On the other hand, I do remember a few who've had problems (just stepping up to the JCW, for example).

Here's the story from one of those people (don't know if he wants to be involved in this discussion, so I'll just excerpt it):

"made decent power when it was working right. Makes great power right around 20 psi. the problem is that if you tune it to run that, you are most likely going to have to deal with the boost cut bs. it tries to hit its given boost targets, but due to the ever so slight increase in spool time over the stock turbo, it doesn't meet the targets so it continues to try and and run more boost and you end up exceeding the boost limits."

To be clear, I'm not trying to squash the idea. I'm just looking for the story from someone who's actually done it, not had to make major mods, and has had the engine survive. Oh, and someone who's tuned for the larger turbo (since running without a tune may actually just mean more lag).

 

Your stock charge pipe won't fit the JCW because the JCW turbo inlet is larger, even if you found a way to use a JCW turbo on your 07 MCS you would need to get your ECU tuned to account for the slightly larger compressor. Get a stock turbo and a good ECU remap and tune. I hear that DNA tuning eliminates the boost cut at 4500 rpms. Either way I'd buy from JM Turbos as they seemed to have done their homework.

 

Stock turbo with 17/18PSI is good for 200whp/230wtq... 230ish bhp. This is what I run with a DNA Tuning map in the UK and it works very well. If you want to make the turbo even safer you can do what the MINI Challenge cars do in the UK and send the stock turbo off to be made stronger with better internals whilst not increasing the size.

For most I would think thats quick enough in a mini. Unless your willing to strengthen your engine internals I wouldn't start faffing about with larger turbos.

 

I have a KO3/04 turbo that is for sale. GPOP shop rebuild it and it was never put on the car. Still in the box, still under warranty. NEVER USED. it don't get any fresher than this. cost me like 895 I think it was. paper work comes with it. give 750 and pay for shipping and its yours.

 

I went the route of fitting a jcw turbo on mine. Did stage 1 manifold at same time. Only had it on a rolling road a week ago to check loss of boost caused by a faulty forge diverter valve was indeed the case and now fixed by returning to oem diverter. With milltek TBE, AEM intake, Evolve FMIC and okada plasma coils was running 209 bhp and 297 NM torque. All flywheel figures calculated on a rotronics rr.

This is all from bolt on mods so next up when I finally decide who to use will be a remap to tie it all together.

Thrust bearing is supposed to be one of the main weaknesses so getting an upgraded rather than oem turbo can improve in areas like that. However when Evolve made a hybrid out of a mcs turbo I gave them, they found the jcw to be better. Perhaps it is down to who makes the hybrid, or how far away from normal you go that causes the issue?

 

I had run about eight months with JM TURBO Coopers JM42hp and I am very happy with it.It`s works low rews easily as the original but in the medium and top end pull is strong! I am very satisfied that the Arric advised me to choose the right turbo for my tunes. Big + for Arric/Jm turbo coopers!

 

Did you notice any power gain before tuning?

 

As I mentioned in my build thread. I'll be going with their E45HP turbo with a 3rd gen exhaust manifold. both will be port and polished and they will also be ceramic coated. No more heat shield! Also, I'll be sending out my downpipe to be ceramic coated. No cutting corners there.

After all this, I'll get tuned via Battle/DNA for their Stage 4 tune. I'm hoping to reach 230-240whp.

 

Can you detail what the stage 3 exhaust manifold is? Is there perhaps a part # you can reference on realoem?

I was only aware of two different exhaust manifolds... the 1st gen on bottom, 2nd gen on top:

 

Hi MattyKHZ,

It's been a few weeks now, was wondering if you've been tuned?

Seems like you've done some work or at least bought some parts from Evolve, a respected UK tuner, did you go with them? Or perhaps DNA Tuning in the UK?

If so, did you have your car dynoed, and can you provide a dyno graph?

It's been difficult to folks with documented success with a hybrid or even a JCW turbo out there. Many thanks.

 

I don't know much about the ceramic coating, but can you really go without the heat shield around the cat and exhaust manifold? Cool to the touch...

 

I wouldn't say cool to the touch because it'll still emit heat, but it'll definitely be better overall.

As far as the gen3 mani goes, it's the latest manifold listed under the jcw oem list on realoem.

 

get yourself a garrett 3076 bb turbo with a billet comp. wheel. If i was to ever convert my 05 MCS to a turbo, thats what i would go with.

 

Umm... and you're going to spool that with 1.6L of displacement?

 

yea why not ? full boost should come around 4600 rpm give or take depending on other conditions (cam, exhaust manifold, exhaust housing, etc)