Hey guys, i'm new here and to the mini. I just picked up an '04 cooper s with about 63,000 miles on it.

My question for anyone who can help is sometimes getting into 1st gear is not very easy. Second, my clutch pedal is pretty stiff and harder to push down than I think it should be (I've had many manual cars is the past). Is this just a mini thing?

Thanks for the help

 

The mini's clutch is quite stiff compared to other cars ... as for the 1st gear problem try checking the linkage assembly below the airbox. I had this problem last summer and it turned out to be a used bushing on the counter weight assembly. My solution was to simply remove my counter weight

 

Sometimes trouble shifting into 1st or reverse when you're stopped can be the result of a clutch that's dragging a bit, or a pilot bearing that's bad and not doing it's job. Either way, what happens is the the engine is still putting too much force into the clutch disk. I had a Toyota 4Runner that got harder and harder to get into gear. Turned out to be the pilot bearing (at the tip of the input shaft) was completely corroded and wouldn't rotate freely. I replaced that and problem solved.

 

Can you source a new bushing for this? It seems odd to remove it all together...

 

thanks for the help guys

i'm glad its not something major like the transmission or something. I'm going to take it in saturday morning to have them take a look at the problem and go over the car for any other issues.

Glad to finally be part of the mini world.

 

I would be curious to see what the issue was..I hope it's nothing serious but being hard to get into gear is sometime a simple fix but could also be a very costly (syncros, bent forks, previous owner grinding it ...etc) issue.

Best to have an expert look at it.

 

Subscribing to this thread for interest. Every now and then (once every few months.) I find it very difficult to shift into first. I have to shift into 2nd and then back to 1st to get it in.

 

I have a feelin it's not this, but, if you are in a colder climate it can really make a difference on cold mornings. I'm in central pa and with temps below 20, first and rev are really tough.

 

could be the type of fluid in the trans. Replace w/Redline and see! If nothing else you will have fresh fluid in there!

 

Is there any adjustment to the stiffness of the hydraulic clutch/pedal. My 02 Mini S shifts fine, but it is the stiffest pedal I've ever felt!

 

Your best bet is swapping for a Valeo Single Mass flywheel and matching clutch. I did this a few years back and my pedal feel is MUCH better, also moved the pickup point from essentially the floor to a nice mid-way point with more feedback. You will gain some shuddering but in my opinion its the way the car should have came.

 

Are you saying the car should've rolled out of the factory with a single mass flywheel/sprung clutch disk setup that occasionally shudders/chattters? How come? Just for a softer pedal?

When you mention "pickup point", are you saying you now only need to press the pedal in half way to disengage the clutch and shift gears with the valeo setup?

 

To me, it feels more like what the car should have come with. Mini's are not the most comfortable cars (at least not 1st and 2nd gen), so a little extra clutch chatter isn't that noticeable. What is noticeable is a car with 170hp that has a clutch that feels like its meant for a 450hp v8. The single mass feels much lighter and easier to modulate, very similar to NA and NB Miata or e30's (when the slave cyl isn't leaking )

What I mean by "pickup point" is the point at which the clutch starts to crab while releasing the clutch pedal. At least with my car, the stock clutch engaged or the "pickup point" very suddenly off the floor which, together with a heavy pedal, made it very strenuous to use. Now it engages more towards the middle of the clutch pedal throw, which makes it easier to modulate and to me, its more communicative through the pedal.

 

I currently have 117K on my 06/R53. According to my CarFax, the clutch was replaced by the dealer at 89K miles. Since it was done by the dealer, I would imagine they replaced it with a stock OEM clutch. My peddle is hard, but not hard enough for me to get tired from using it. As far as the grab point, it is somewhere in the middle of the clutch peddle travel. I've tested Mini's that had the grab point just off the floor, which did not feel right to me. My right leg bothers me more using this as a DD in Atlanta traffic......