Here's my latest adventure.

I'm trying to install a Quaife limited slip differential in my MCS for the last month but only one other MINI in my state has one and I wanted to go to a good mechanic to do my install. I asked around and found one but he has never done a MINI LSD before and it is a big job.

So I buy the part but I need other parts (bearings), fluid, case sealant, and recently the torque values for the ring gear and transmission case which are not to be easily found in the technical manual CD for the MINI. I did find later than the values do exist but you need to look them up by the size, color and length of each bolt being tightened.

So today Randy Webb of Webbmotorsports.com calls me on my cell phone out of the blue because I left a message in desparation on his line a few days ago. He offers to help me located the torque values using the technical info on the CD by bolt size. Just then, I am driving past the shop doing my Quaife install as I get this call and stop to put my mechanic and Randy on my phone to discuss nuts and bolts. They clarify the major points and tomorrow I get my MINI and drive it on the track saturday morning bright and early. I've been without it for almost three weeks.

I cannot thank Randy enough for his help and timely call. It made a big difference to me and was more appreciated since I did not purchase the Quaife LSD from him. I think I will have to buy my next mini from Randy, one of those nice classic minis with 1.8 liter VTEC honda engines to cruise around in. Are those things ready yet?


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Aloha Hawaii

 

Congrats on finally getting your MINI back on the road! Kudos to Randy Webb for his offer of help. This is what the NAM community is for!

 

Yessss.....transcontinental success.....great news and I am proud of the fact that I played an itty bitty part!! Now, what did it cost (the install by the mechanic??)

 

How can you live without your MINI for 3 weeks? :smile:



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let me add my thanks to Randy for his commitment to this community and our shared passion -- Mini's!!!

 

Thanks for the kudos minihune - just glad I could help!

Have fun at the track!!

Randy

PS - check out my PM on the Classic VTEC...

 

It's good to see your support of Randy after some of the bashing hes gotten on another thread! I say let's hear it for Randy!

 

All of us who are not worthy, down on our knees and chant.

Thanks for everything, Randy.

We are not worthy.

We are not worthy.

We are not worthy.

We are not worthy.

Love what you've done for the modifying freak out here in MINILAND.

Thanks again Randy.

Your mods rock.

 

The Quaife LSD is about a 10 to 14 hour labor install. It's much work but not something that needs weeks.
The shop I went to is very very busy and I was there a month early because I wanted to be put on the schedule early and get the job done but being one of the first to do the install in my state I did not anyone to go to so we had to learn as we went to get the right parts/fluids/sealant etc.

I'd expect others to have the work done now at this same shop in 2 or 3 days with no problems since all the kinks are worked out. The first time is always and adventure. I just have a mechanice that has a committment to doing it right the first time so he needed his questions answered and didn't want to proceed until he was confident with what he was doing.

Thanks also to pocketrocketowner and Eric at Helix13 for their help and assistance.

Three weeks absence is too long. I'm suffering from withdrawal!
Really it isn't that bad. I have a spare old car so I'll get my MINI back tonight. I haven't seen the labor bill yet but it's going to be serious figure from $1000 to $1400 at least.
Looking forward to having some fun soon.

 

Well said MGCMAN!!!!

 

They say-
"you don't know what you've got till it's gone"
Indeed. My MCS is back and the Quaife definitely works.
In straight line acceleration it breathes a whole new level of "scary" into my scary fast MCS.
Tomorrow I head off to the track with some Kumho victoracer V700 tires to try.

The early impression is that my power mods now have a means to meet the road via my sticky tires.
Still on the list of to dos is an ECU upgrade and if I'm crazy a larger intercooler.
While my MCS was in the shop I cleaned my Madness air filter that had about 11,000 miles on it (very dirty!) and dropped in some IK-22 plugs.

I'm so grateful to own a MINI. Zoom Zoom.

 

Don't say that! I'll never get my beast up and running! I miss driving my 6er with that 300 hp!

Oh yeah. GO TO SLEEP!

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MINIless. Long live the Mini.

 

been very, very, very good to me!!!

 

>>let me add my thanks to Randy for his commitment to this community and our shared passion -- Mini's!!!

I agree.

As with all businesses run by one or two people sometimes it is hard to get ahold of Randy but he will take the time to answer your question (again and again about the cat back as I had a hard time making up my mind). He will tell you not to spend $1,000.00 with him if he doesn't think it is what you need $$$ to HP.

THANK YOU RANDY!!!!!

Earl

 

Did you do a clutch upgrade while you were in there?

 

>>As with all businesses run by one or two people sometimes it is hard to get ahold of Randy but he will take the time to answer your question (again and again about the cat back as I had a hard time making up my mind). He will tell you not to spend $1,000.00 with him if he doesn't think it is what you need $$$ to HP.
>>
>>THANK YOU RANDY!!!!!

Earl has a really important point here. No matter how large or small the business it always boils down to the acts of individuals and the personalized attention they give you. I have found as well some vendors like Randy Webb and Eric Savage of Helix13 will give me the straight up answer, tell me the pros and cons, and offer a honest assessment if that would be a reasonable approach in terms of time and money invested. They are in the business for the long haul and for the love of the work, although selling product and performing service keeps their businesses going they are still sensitive to the needs of individuals and will treat you on a personal basis. I have been helped by both of them many times over.

In that spirit for those who are new to MINI. When I offer feedback to your questions I try to think along the same lines and give some balance to my response both good and bad and always ask the question if it might be better to keep your MINI stock rather than do the latest flavor of the month upgrade which is very tempting on a site like NAM.

Beastmaster,

Of course your BMWs will get priority and we will schedule MINI work only as time allows. Notice that my job wasn't done in a 3 day block but rather in whatever spare time on off hours over a period of three weeks and got done only because of Spring fling track day being today. Heck I started a month ago with this mod. I slept pretty well the last three nights. Got up bright and early this morning and feel good to go. I hope you are recovered.

MSFITOY,

We often consider the labor for the Quaife such a huge undertaking that putting in a racing clutch and lightweight flywheel for nearly the same labor cost is worth the extra for the parts cost. I choose only to add the Quaife and leave all else stock. I want the car to drive without the added noise and act like a stock car except with the added traction.
So far that seems to be the case, the shifting is smooth and positive like stock but the power in each gear seems to pull distinctly stronger throughout. Also from a durability standpoint I wanted to stay with the stock parts. This is my daily driver.