I picked up an 06 factory (100% stock) JCW a couple weeks ago and have been reading about where to start with performance mods ever since. Please understand i have read them all. I understand very well the differences, benefits/negatives between swapping for a 17% or 19% pulley. What i am trying to decide is 17% and a dyno tune, 19% and a tune or 19% and a rmw header/tune. If i go with a header i will stick with a 19% as it lowers boost.
This is my weekend warrior for street use only.

I hear about gains for the mcs but what about the factory JCW?

Also anyone heard rmw header with JCW exhaust? Drone? In cabin noise?

Thank you for your help!

 

Thread cred!

 

a 19% reduction pulley is actually smaller than a 17% reduction pulley - which generates more boost and more heat (and NOT less)... just a fyi...

 

Lol, i understand that. Please re-read post...

"If i go with a header i will stick with a 19% as it lowers boost"

Adding a header opens up the exaust and WILL lower boost of any pulley.

 

hmm, never heard of that one before... a SC is attached to your motor, the higher the rev, the higher the psi...

A header will open up the exhaust flow = yes.
A better flowing header will reduce back pressure = yes
A better flowing header will reduce boost = ah, NO...

 

Reduced back pressure=lower boost. Please do not reply again as you are in no way helping to answer my question.

 

Kinda gruff there?!
In the MINI community we kinda try to be friendly and helpful...and have a bit of fun....
As a reader who has " i have read them all" we kinda assume you understand questions are sometimes answered in a meandering way...
Funny-thing is...folks like to chat, etc...
The vendor who has custom tuned MANY of the MOST RADICAL custom modded mini's jumps in to help, one of the few folks here that has experience on MULTIPLE DIFFERENT MINI's with different set-ups..like you are asking about..rather than just ONE...both firsthand and from afar......and you blow him off...and you are asking for help...
Good Luck! Hope somebody is willing to get flamed by you for simply offering you some help for free....
oh yeah...why bother...

 

wow!

Kinda gruff there?!
.............. Please do not reply again as you are in no way helping to answer my question. Really? I politely asked him not to reply again as he was in no way answering my question and his replys were rude, pointless, and incorrect.

In the MINI community we kinda try to be friendly and helpful...and have a bit of fun....
As a reader who has " i have read them all" we kinda assume you understand questions are sometimes answered in a meandering way...
I have read them all was listed to avoid a simple "search the threads as there is much information about this already" response.


Funny-thing is...folks like to chat, etc...
The vendor who has custom tuned MANY of the MOST RADICAL custom modded mini's jumps in to help, one of the few folks here that has experience on MULTIPLE DIFFERENT MINI's with different set-ups..like you are asking about..rather than just ONE...both firsthand and from afar......and you blow him off...and you are asking for help...
Good Luck! Hope somebody is willing to get flamed by you for simply offering you some help for free.... oh yeah...why bother...

I would love some advice as that is why i am here, but understand what Bytetronik did was rude and in no way answered my question. Is this the way this forum works? Vendors slap some crap answer on a forum to show their logo?

 

Sometimes the way a pro in the industry defines terms is different than the way it is used on the street by drivers doing the modding....so both you might be THINKING the same thing...but using different definitions for the words to say it...

One tip....(bet bytronic would have told you)
IF you go with the 19%, you will need a tune with the max fuel cutoff disabled at the very least as I understand it, especially with a header....but IMO you should be adding bigger Injectors to your list...the stock JCW380's are VERY close to their limits as installed....burning valves can get very $$ very fast...makes the injectors seem cheap...and the extra HP you can gain is VERY nice...in both you setups you WILL BE FUEL limited in HP.
Hopefully some folks will jump in to help
Sometimes an intro thread..so folks can identify with you, and make them feel like they have a reason to help you....FIRST GEAR ...kinda get your feet wet...
introduce yourself and the car...
then move into a modding thread....
Just kinda works better that way.

But have fun modding your car...developing a feel for others and what they do to get help when you need it is useful....this site tends to be very different than some of the "Asian" car boards...

 

440's 550's? Could I run lean with the 17% pulley? Great advice, thank you!

 

Since you just bought the car I'd get all the maint. stuff done first as most used MINIs need control arm bushings, and other repairs. Also replacing the crank pulley is a good idea as they are very common to fail.
If you want a supercharger pulley I wouldn't go smaller than a 17%. and I wouldn't jump right on tuning as if you get a tune and add or change any mod you will need to spend money to retune the car.

 

At what mileage should I look to replace these items? Car only has 25,000 miles.

 

With only 25,000 miles....I wouldn't worry about LCA bushings, or any of the other suspension components...unless you want to upgrade them for some reason.

You said you want the car to be your "weekend warrior". For what? Track days? Buzzing around town? What is your intended purpose? I have an 03' totally stock JCW....and besides suspension, I haven't really modded anything on it. When I look at the money vs power gains factor....it's hard to justify spending all of that extra money for just a few extra HP. The JCW's run pretty darn good stock

On a side note....the guys here all know their stuff. If they are taking the time to reply to your post, they are not just trying to advertise their company, or shoot you down because they are bored. Listen to their advice, dont get all bent out of shape if you see a reply that you don't totally agree with.

 

Not really a drone, but will def be louder. The factory header has a precat and a cat, the shorty just has a cat, I'm looking for a midpipe can now to tone mine down. WOT is sweet sounding but idle is loud and part throttle acceleration can make heads turn. You won't be sneaking up on anybody, that's for sure. IMHO 19 is too small, esp if weekend warrior means predominantly high rpm bombing on twisties or the track.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using NAMotoring

 

Redacted.

Just re-read something. No way to pull the post.

 

Street use only

 

One suggestion....
Since you are thinking of doing a 19% reduction...there are two ways to do that...and the best way IMO (unless you like throwing belts) is to go with a 17% sc pulley, AND a +2 crank damper......19% is an uncommon combo....
But if you plan on tuning it, and thus can use bigger injectors, you can do it "right".
The crank dampers tend to fail... So might be killing 2 birds so to speak.....
As for injectors....check to see what your tuner likes....IMO, just stay away from redrils...that means you will likely get 440's, 500's or 550's....all should run about the same since they will be scaled.... Your tuner can tell you what they like best....but you can't install them till just BEFORE the car is tuned....or it will not run right....pretty bad in most cases.
All comes down to your goals...
So I suggest you make sure car is running good...drive it a few days..then you can do your mods in steps...and enjoy the change, leaving the injectors and tune for the end....
So you might consider doing a 17% in a short time...I would suggest a bigger rear sway bar... Trust me...the next biggest fun mod after a pulley....
Then in a few months toss on the header (if you wish, it can have emissions/inspection implications) or perhaps a cam..great if you like higher rpms... Then do the crank pulley +2, drive a bit (gently...each mod will lean you out, especially at higher rpms if you drive that way), then install the injectors and a tune, same weekend....
The JCW (in your case ) is a pretty good starting point...already has 380 injectors..and a OK factory tune, and a head with a little bit of CNC exsust porting...should be about 210 HP to the crank....
A S with a 17%, no headwork, same injectors, stock exhaust can do 200 to the wheels...so I bet you can do 230-250 depending on what you do (header, injectors, maybe a cam)....
Up in the northeast, we still have 93 octane...and that helps 17% run great...helps deal with the extra heat from a pulley.....but you could toss on a gp (factory part) intercooler...and help negate some of the extra heat....
All comes down to goals and $$...
But remember....
The mini is more about handling than about pure HP...
So sometimes a suspension upgrade is more fun......
I find at 200+ HP to the wheels....you might want a LSD....or sticky tires at the least...the list goes on and on...
So pick you goal...then build/ mod to suit it. ...
But have fun...enjoy your car...and remember, I bet the guy with the 5 speed r50 is likely having nearly as much fun at many of the group rides...it is as much about fellowship as it is about bragging rites....
And 90% of the vendors here are great...actually helpful...most wrench on cars...some it is more a passion and hobby than a business.... So poking fun at one might not be great... Many have helped out a owner in a desperate time with a thorney issue....poking at one you seem to dislike might slant both the volume and QUALITY of the advise you get.

 

Has factory LSD!! Thinking I may do just the 17% with a custom tune. Looks like I should hit close to 200 whp right? Stock JCW is closer to 175 WHP right? I assume 25 WHP feels big in this car right? With 17% and custom tune 380's good? Thanks again for all the great info!!!

 

Or maybe a 16% with a +2crank... This would be equal to a 18%? Would this be the smarter route?

 

Will a pulley and tune get you 25hp? That may be pretty optimistic, but some of the other guys will have a better idea.

 

You're talking of 2 different diameters of 2 different pulleys, crank & SC. So, a 16% reduction SC pulley + a 2% overdrive crank IS NOT EQUAL to an 18% reduction pulley.

 

What does everyone think? A JCW is about 175 stock WHP from what I have read. 195-200 WHP with a 17% and a custom dyno tune sound far fetched? I feel 200-210 could be about perfect as I am mainly about the handling (why I bought a mini)!!!!

 

Around 200 at the wheels is reasonable with a good tune and a pulley. Any more will require hardware.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using NAMotoring

 

200WHP sounds good. From a stock JCW to 200WHP should be a noticable difference? Does anyone feel they have found the "WHP sweet spot" for the r53? Should I shoot for more?

 

I'm sitting at 255whp. Anything over 240whp is what I think the sweet spot is. Car reallllly comes alive at that point. My car also ways 2480 lbs which is nice as well.

Im running RMW heahd, RMW shorty header,RMW dominator cam, prs exhaust, RMW 440s, alta cai, NKG plugs.< car made 3whp more on these plugs than stock jcw>, 14% redux pulley. Ati crank. RMW JAN TUNED.

Car only needs to make 13 psi, the high flow RMW parts are amazing. I could ad much more pulley as youre thinking about but my rev limiter is 8k rpm