I'll either buy all the stuff to install this transmission or find a direct bolt in R50 with a warranty from a junk yard. The new CV axle helped with some of the noise, enough that I feel confident to drive it again. I'm going to start dropping the subframe in the Cabrio today and do the control arm bushings and ball joints, supercharger service, etc. All is not lost just regrouping.

 

After I put the new CV axle in the R50 I dropped the subframe on the Cabrio and rebuilt it with new poly control arm bushings and new inner and outer ball joints. The inner ball joints were a bear to get free from the control arms. But it did go a lot faster since I had already done the same job on the R50. I cleaned it up and reinstalled it in the car.


I then pulled the radiator out so I could remove and service the supercharger.



I changed the oil in the supercharger and installed a new water pump. I also replaced the O-ring for the crank sensor since it was leaking. I had already replaced the oil pan and gasket and the lower motor mount last week. I and got everything put back together on the front of the engine.



I am waiting for a bottle of MTL since I used it on the R50 CV axle change. Once I get that I will change the oil in the transmission. I forgot to order new plugs so I am waiting for those, I also ordered a new coolant tank. I already have a new valve cover gasket set to put on too and I'll do that at the same time as the plugs. The oil pan and the sensor O-ring seem to have been the biggest oil leakers so hopefully that will solve that issue. I already put on a new dampener and belt and air filter when I bought the car. Fingers crossed that I will have many carefree miles after all this service and repair.

 

You were busy. How much oil was in the supercharger? On mine, one end held close to the specified amount but the other was empty. Because of that, I serviced the end that had been empty a second time after a few hundred miles to flush things out. So far so good.

How bad was dropping the subframe? Any different on the S than the non-S?

 

I wrenched all 3 days of the long weekend.
Both ends had the right amount of oil, the pulley side was pretty dark, the other was tinted brown. I do not know if it was ever serviced but I'm glad I did it.
The subframe was exactly the same as the R50 but it was a lot cleaner than the R50 subframe was. I was able to just wipe it down and reinstall it.

It looks like I will need about another $350 dollars or so in 2005 R50 parts to make it work in the 2003. The shift cables, the slave cylinder and the clutch line are all different.
I need to see if my CV axles will work and will an 2003 R50 clutch and pressure plate work? I know the throw out bearings are different. I may need a new starter, flywheel and clutch if they don't interchange.

I'll do more research and start collecting parts I need after I get the Cabrio finished up. For now, I am just going to drive it.

 

Can you please explain the supercharger service? Did you just drain the oil, did you remove and disassemble the supercharger, replace a gasket, or…?

 

I just changed the oil for the bearings. I removed the supercharger from the car and then removed the water pump. There are plugs on each end of the supercharger, One by the pulley and one under the water pump. They hold the oil for the bearings. I followed this video from Mod Mini since it was the first time I had worked on an S model and it's part of the 100,000-mile service. I shined a flashlight and looked at the rotors and they looked really good.




I bought this kit but you only need one bottle of the oil: https://www.ebay.com/itm/26574565487...4AAOSwZ3hg1CMc
It came with a new water pump O-ring, throttle body gasket and intake gasket. I already have the water pump removed in the pic below.

 

It's actually not. MINI/BMW do not have a service requirement for the supercharger oil. In fact, The 2 MINI Specific Mechanics I have used BOTH won't do it. MINICORSA in North Hollywood and Motoring Magic in Thousand Oaks. It's a sealed system I have 165k on my 04 JCW and it runs like a champ.

 

I don’t believe in “lifetime” fluids.
I’m sure it’s “lifetime of the warranty,” but these cars are nearing 20 years. You may be right; it could be that the supercharger will run forever without changing this oil. It’s all probability.

As an example, I have a BMW 4-Series with an 8-speed ZF transmission. BMW says the transmission has lifetime fluid, but ZF, who manufactures the transmission, says it’s 50,000 miles.

The part I wanted to be clear on is whether people just drain and fill the oil or if they disassemble the supercharger and do anything additional.

 

I'm an Automotive Technician and I do all my maintenance and repairs. I don't believe in "lifetime oil" either, and I did it because I wanted to know the condition of the oil. It's pretty simple math, $70 dollars for a service kit VS $400-$1300 or more for a supercharger. Then throw in labor if you don't do your own wrench turning. It has a drain/ fill plug so it's too easy. Dmath didn't have any oil on one side of his when he serviced it so it was a looming supercharger bearing failure if he had not checked it.

I'm glad you have had good luck but I'm not willing to take that chance.
Rebound it's just a drain and fill, no disassembly of the supercharger other than the water pump. The way you see it in the pic is the way it was when I changed the oil.

Thank you for your service!
US ARMY, CW4 Retired, Maintenance Officer, 32 years and 7 combat tours.

 

I haven’t started my build thread yet. I did one Mini Cooper project a few years back, which was my then-girlfriend’s R53.

But now a friend has given me her 2004 Cooper S (80,000 miles), and my son wants it, so we’re going to carefully drive it from California to Massachusetts.

I had an independent Mini shop in California inspect the car and he gave me a list of repair items — tires, front brakes, all the shocks are leaking, oil leaks (of course), and the clutch is slipping, among other things. (You of all people know what “other things” means!)

So I’ll buy some tires in California. I’m going to buy a lot of parts, ship them to California, then fly to California with a lot of tools, just in case.

The plan is to nurse the car to Mass, then pull the subframe and transmission for the clutch and do a LOT of other stuff while I’m at it. All the fluids, the oil seals, water pump, fan resistor, the suspension, etc.

The shop in California quoted me $3,000 to $4,000 for the clutch alone. I’m going spend that much to restore the whole car.

Anyway… please don’t respond to this… I’ll start my thread once I complete my plan and get to California in mid-August.

 

Look forward to your thread.
Working on a Mini Cooper reminds me of the song by the The Fixx:


The wife is going to visit her mom and sister this afternoon so I will be left unattended. The spark plugs arrived yesterday so I will install the new valve cover gasket and the new plugs after work. The new coolant tank and transmission oil are supposed to be delivered today so that should be everything I need to finish her up and put her back together.

 

Ha. I haven't had that experience with my Mini, but I'm knee-deep in it with my van . I work a lot slower than you do, though.

 

Being an auto tech during the week sometimes it's hard to get motivated to work on my own stuff on the weekends. Once the heat starts getting to me, I am not very fast. It shouldn't take me too long to finish the Cabrio. I may just delay till tomorrow morning when it's a lot cooler.

On a 2005 S the clutch disc is 215 mm, 200mm on a base version. The clutch disc on a 2003 R50 is also 200 mm, I need to measure the old clutch he gave me with the transmission to see if it came out of a base or S model. I need to compare the new clutch and pressure plate I bought for the R50 to the one that came with the transmission.

 

Well the facelift transmission should be a Getrag5 so it should last longer which is good. I looked into this option when I had my R50 but the cost of the Getrag5 swap was fractionally less then the 6speed. I opted for just refurbishing the 5speed. I was told that the parts list for either Getrag transmission would be the same with the only difference being the cost of the transmission itself.

Though I'm sure that you have already checked but in case you didn't and it bears stating, make sure that the gears in the supercharger have a nice tight fit with each other other wise the supercharger will fail due to gear ware from play between them.

 

I looked it over and it looks really good. A lot better than the one I had on my Ford Lightning.
I got the new valve cover gasket and the new plugs installed. I also got the top of the engine put back together. Tomorrow I will install the new coolant tank, change the transmission fluid and I got a new yellow front side marker light to install. A new fuel filter and I should be done hopefully before lunch time.

I'll look at the old clutch that came with the transmission and the new clutch I bought for the R50 tomorrow and I'll try to figure it out.

 

I finished the service on the Cabrio today and got it all put back together. It took me forever to get the cooling system to bleed. I took her out for a spin and she runs and rides like brand new. Thinking of getting an upper engine mount, it looks like it lost the fluid a long time ago.

I found 5 speed midlands with a 6-month warranty that I'm thinking of getting. I would be a direct swap for the transmission I have and I could keep my old one and rebuild it when I retire. Just one option I am thinking about. The old clutch on the used tranny I got is 200mm so it was out of a base model. Still undecided on which way to go. I'm in no big hurry but I would like to have it fixed before winter.

 

I went ahead and pulled the trigger and bought the Midlands 5 speed. It comes with a warranty and I wanted something plug and play and I can always upgrade to the Getrag later.
I also bought a used right front fender that's already black, I need the piece that goes under the windshield now. I am trying to get rid of some of the dented pieces and make it pretty.

 

I told the wife I bought the transmission and her jaw about hit the ground but she didn’t say anything. She says you know you are going to have more in these cars than they are worth. I said probably but I’m keeping them forever so it really doesn’t matter. She shook her head in agreement and that was it.

I cleaned my shed and basement this morning because I had stuff everywhere. I pulled my motorcycle out and fired it up, can’t believe I have not ridden this year.

 

Because the MINI is more fun than a motorcycle...

 

I love my bike but the Cabrio is super fun. If it gets too hot or it starts raining, I put the top up and turn on the AC!
I cleaned up the bike and posted it on Facebook market place. I figured if someone was willing to buy it for my asking price I was willing to let it go.

 

Having more in the car than it's worth depends on one's definition of "worth." If it's the price for which it can be sold, then yes, many of us have more in our cars than they're worth. If, on the other hand, "worth" is the pleasure derived from driving the car (and tinkering with it), then I think very few of us are upside down.

 

Well said and so true but she was just harassing me. She really doesn't care one way or the other. She knows I love my Mini's.

The post below has nothing at all to do with Mini Coopers.

Late last summer the aux generator quit running on out 40 ft American tradition motorhome, it would start and then cut off after starting and was throwing an overcharging fault. I was fully prepared to drop the generator to fix it. It's a 6.5K and it's huge and heavy, and it has to be dropped out from the bottom of the motorhome to get the control module out. It runs the roof AC and other interior stuff while driving down the highway. I would still turn it over every month to keep the oil flowing thru the engine. Last week I went out to do my monthly main engine run and now the main engine wouldn't turn over. I'm like what now?

I found a blown fuse and a bad ignition relay on Sunday while trying to troubleshoot the main engine. I picked those up today on the way home and installed them on the motorhome. With my fingers crossed I turned the key and still no main engine start. I figured I would go ahead and turn the aux generator over to circulate the oil and the dang thing started up and ran! It's running and charging so now I need to figure out why the main engine won't start. I guess the fuse and or relay was for the Aux generator and not the main engine. Anyway, one thing is fixed and now more troubleshooting on the main engine non start issue.

 

I dropped the subframe yesterday getting it ready for the new transmission. It came apart really easy since I had used anti-seize on everything when I put it back together last year. There is a small rear main seal leak and I have a new seal to fix that. I am going to pull the flywheel and have it resurfaced. The transmission is already in Atlanta so it should be delivered in the next day or so.

 

I dropped the transmission out of the R50 today, think I might have found the issue and it wasn't the transmission, I'm not telling the wife that.








The metal part of the throw out bearing was being held in by the fingers of the pressure plate. I just touched it with a screwdriver trying to get it off and it blew apart.



The clutch doesn't appear to be that old, lots of material left on the disc and the flywheel is perfect. It is perfectly flat with no grooves or heat marks. Tomorrow I'm pulling the flywheel and putting in the new rear main seal. Installing the new clutch disc and pressure plate, I also have a new release bearing too. The transmission will be here tomorrow and it's going in, just because I bought it and it has a warranty.

 

If I remember correctly, the throw out bearing arm on these has a bad habit of breaking. I would suggest replacing it with a new (newer?) one if you can. Or check the one you have really well for fatigue cracks.