My R53 had a previous owner, a purported "MINI Maniac." On the MINI's intake port it appears to have some sort of aftermarket screen put in with some black adhesive.

I'm curious, has anyone ever see this before and why it was installed ? Here are two photos of what I have. Thanks so much for all your anticipated responses and input. ~ Please check gallery for the two photos ~.

 

Never seen that before. It doesn't do anything useful, so you can take it off if you want.

 

Looks like someone's attempt to keep out the flying road kill, (bugs).

 

That is nasty looking! Looks like steel gutter guard that was laid in with some epoxy. If you try to remove it its going to look worse. It's not doing any harm. I think I'd go get some flat black spray paint and mask the are and gun it so it looks a little nicer. If you try and take it off you'll be picking epoxy bits off the front guard there for days.
Hopefully thats the only bit of his genius or "mania" that he left you.

 

I wasn't sure if this was some sort of track modification I was not aware of to keep track debri from clogging the intake ?

Additionally I hope this guy wasn't driving around w/o the air filter. In every other respect, this MINI is in pristine condition, and had low mileage. My thoughts exactly regarding the paint. I was going to paint it before taking the photo, but I figured it was easier to see in it's natural and rather rustic condition.

Thanks to all for your input.

 

That is one odd modification. I don't think that bugs in one's intake are a big concern.

 

Hmmm ....perhaps a "bug fetish" or paranoid.

 

The adhesive sure looks a lot like JB Weld.

 

I appreciate everyone's input on this strange modification. The general opinion seemed to be that it served no genuine purpose. So I removed the glue and screen, and went a little crazy with the red paint. Included to 2 photos of how it came out. Thanks again.


Attachment 32296

Attachment 32297

 

^ much better

 

My guess on this "mod" is that he may have Autocrssed the car and pulled the filter to free up the intake and put the mesh there as a form of hight flow filter.

So, in a way, granted a strange way, the prior owner was protecting the engine.

BTW it looks much better now! Good job.

 

Nice recovery!

 

That occurred to me, but I'd hate to think what wear he caused the engine by running it unfiltered. That mesh would stop a rock but it won't keep sand grit out of there.

 

Jeesh, no air filter ? ~ What sort of damage can that reek on a SC Engine I wonder ? I had a suspicions that may be the case. Years ago we used to flip the round style air filter covers over and secure the wing nuts back down ( Chevy Caprice's ). It still sucked in filtered air, but left a gap between filter lid and housing which made it sound like a 400ci 4bl carb ~ lol, but we never ran w/o filter........

The previous ower of my MINI had some mods done when I purchased it. 17% Altek SC Pully, belt, some colder plugs, shorty billet antenna, Aux radio input. Thing burns rubber even with DSC on, and absolutly no lag in 1 st gear. I added B&M short shift kit, figured that was one mod I would get a good return on ~ and I'm not dissapointed. Monday I will have it put up on a lift and examined to see what else he did.
Thanks for the help.

( here's a Jaguar Engine Compartment I detailed and painted last summer .....I was bored, what can I say )

 

Spot On!

 

I have had a couple of problems with the intake ingesting burning cigarettes on the highway. It will burn holes in a cotton filter. That lovely grate would probably help keep those out.

 

It would also prevent little birds from building little nests