hello all, I've had my 2013 Cooper S hardtop for almost 4 months and love it. I don't miss the problems of my B6 S4, but I DOOOO miss the tuning options of my 2007 STI. The only real issue I'm having with this car is the "pop and burble" that it came with. I've read on some of the threads here that there are some tuners like the Alta that removed it on older models, but haven't seen anything real for the later. After going to the dealer today to see if they had firmware that didn't have it and could be loaded, then getting the immediate "NO" from two mechanics I'm looking to go aftermarket.
This is my first Mini and I'm pretty new to this forum so I'm sorry if this is old knowledge. When I purchased it I got the warranty for the Certified Pre Owned and I'm still under factory warranty as well according to the dealer. SO...what i'm looking for is someone with first hand experience or some sound knowledge on what tuner will remove the burble, not void my warranty and be removable without leaving any digital trace that it's been modified. The Car is stock
I really don't want to make this another "I looooove the burble, why do you wan't to remove it? You're and idiot!" kind of thread. The sound of gunfire coming from my car is not desirable while driving around the skinny streets in Charleston especially after this past year. Any help is appreciated guys/gals, thanks

-Nick

 

Any modifications to the ECU to remove the pop will leave a trace if looked for. Doesn't it only happen in sport mode? If so, don't use that when you want quiet

 

Correct, it does only happen in sport mode. With the exception of the pop I like the throttle response and the stiffer steering so I spend the majority of my time in sport. I understand that modifying the ECU will leave a trace, I should have been more clear. I'm looking for something that can be unmarried like the old Cobb AP I had, will save the factory map and then I can return it to and get it in for service when needed.

 

It does it much more in sport mode for the N18 engines. If you have a tune it might have lost it. You can bring more of it on with a JCW exhaust added.

 

I do not believe such a device, like the AP, exists for the N18 engine. Recently the ability to tune via ODB port was discovered but that overwrites the stock map with switchable tunes (including the stock map). Piggyback tuners probably are not able to remove the pop as it is part of the programming of the ECU. You can modify the throttle response with devices that attach between the gas pedal and the car. Stiffer steering can't really be done piggyback...maybe one size wider tires will increase steering effort but that's not quite the same thing.

 

The OP wants to eliminate the pop, not add more.

 

Not sure if you're thinking I wan't more of the pop, but for clarification I don't. Looking to get rid of it and enjoy what sport mode has to offer minus the three round burst coming from the back. What will I do when the gov't bans "assault" rifles and I can no longer drive this thing in public?

 

Sorry read too fast, most people want more burple & pop. , Don't touch the sport button and also it would require a special tune to get it all out. Dont know if that possible. If you want to hear some crazy pops , youtube the F56 JCW Tuning kit in race mode.

 

I saw the Manic Mini SPS, correct? so that will tune my car with a number of tunes based on the "stage" I buy, right? But is ultimately removable and carries the stock map to switch back to or so I read. Any experience on this?

Maybe I have the wrong idea, the sport mode is better throttle, stiffer steering and a form of "overboost" correct? or maybe a better question is what does sport mode do besides the throttle and steering?

 

If you have an automatic, the shift points are changed..

 

Nick,
I completely agree with you that pop and burble can be too much. My '09 was pretty loud at times but my '12 was so bad it wasn't a pop and burble - it was a KAPOW BAM BAM BAM . So bad I had to switch out of sport mode on the final hill home lest I **** off the neighborhood. My current '14 is nice - it is a well controlled pop and burble. Phew!

Technically not much to offer here other than say it looks like the ignition is greatly retarded when the pop and burble happen.
-Mike
ps. all were MCSa

 

Pops and burbles are caused by injection of fuel after the combustion cycle, I thought. No biggie. Still loving the pops and burbles. Turn Sport mode off, no worries about neighbors. Besides, gunshots sound WAY different.

 

You're flashing the ECU so there are traces but only if looked for. The stock map is a switchable option so the dealer probably won't realize it's flashed.

Sport changes auto shift points and adds pop and bubble in addition to steering/throttle adjustments. I think overboost is always available stock and the manic tune maps to preset boost limits which are higher than what overboost gives you.

 

Maybe it's an automatic vs manual thing, or its just my car; but in my 2012 manual MCS all sport mode does is enable the pop and burble. I haven't noticed any changes in steering or throttle.

And I wish the pop and burble occurs at higher RPMs. I would prefer to hear the pops when I'm slowing for a turn, not during stop and go traffic.

 

Yea, the steering should be much stiffer no mater Man or Auto when the button is pressed, should feel it on the turn really easily.

 

I have the six speed so i'm happy there, but the extra boost that you get is available outside of sport? As in only during WOT? I can do without the steering sensitivity and the extra throttle response (that I enjoy the touchiness). The main reason I cruise in sport is for the boost.




Any other guys breaking the ECM code other than Manic? If not does anyone here have experience with them so far?





It's excessive right? a drive through some of the dirtier parts of town with trash on the street, grungy people and "gunfire" remind me of my Afghanistan days...not fun for me or the people around me.

 

Don't take this the wrong way but driving style could make a difference. The stock throttle mapping kinda goes like this: nothing...a little...FULL BOOST. Sport mode moves the 'FULL BOOST' a little down the rpm range which, to me, makes the car difficult to drive smoothly at city speeds. If you stab the gas pedal, and that's how you like to drive, then you might not notice a big difference between sport and normal. Nothing wrong with that, just something I noticed. The manic tunes alter the throttle mapping to be much more linear so you get some pedal travel before FULL BOOST kicks in making the car less jerky (especially since full boost is now a lot higher psi-wise).

With regards to steering effort, you can drive with one hand, lazily, in normal mode. Sport mode requires two hands on the wheel, especially at low speeds like parking lots.

I have auto so the pop/burble happens pretty consistently if I'm going ~35mph, let the tranny upshift, let off the gas then as it slows below 30ish, it downshifts and the car farts and bangs. Moral of the story is you can figure out when it will do it and adjust your driving style, if needed, so that it happens less. 35mph isn't stop and go traffic here, 19mph is and it does not pop/burble at that speed even though it is downshifting back to 2nd gear.

 

Overboost is independent of sport mode, at least as far as I can tell. Here's some copy-paste stuff I found:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...oost-work.html

The over boost function is available from 1600RPM through to 5000RPM, it is only activated when the throttle is snapped opened quickly to full throttle position, supplying an additional 20NM (15 FT LBS) of torque and an additional boost increase of 150 Mbar (2.17 PSI) these additional increases have a maximum operating time of approximately 12 seconds, with any single activated operation from the throttle.

Other vendors have broken the ECU but none have been reported to disable pop/burble (but maybe that's because nobody's asked yet?)

 

Thank you yesti, that's some good info. I experimented while leaving work today. That boost still hits nicely when you drive the throttle through the floor. Guess I'm used to my last turbo and actually having to feather it. All in all it was a much more exciting car after that read. Thank you again for that

 

Glad it was useful! This car is almost always on boost to some degree, and the stock throttle mapping accentuates it with its non-linearity. Have fun motoring this holiday season!