To punch the small bushing out I used a socket that was just smaller than the opening of the mount and tapped it out with a mallet. The powerflex piece just pushes in with your hands. Be sure to put the supplied grease on the mounts as it slides in with less effort...that's what she said.

 

You do NOT need to replace the lower engine mount if you want to install a torque arm bushing. NM makes the 07 triangular version.
I don't know why MINI changed to the round version as I've not seen any of either style fail or even wear out. May just be a supplier thing.

We sell more NM torque arm bushings than the Powerflex. Both are good products. The difference it the NM is 2 equal halves, and the powerflex is 2 parts with one being about 3/4 the width and the other being 1/4. I tend to see more vibration with the powerflex. Does that mean it's harder?? or is it cause one part goes 3/4 through it? who's to say there could be 10 theories either way.

 

haha, just wanted to say thanks for mentioning the clutch stop. I just ordered one. 10 bucks...hell yeah.

OP, I'm in the same boat as far as trying to find cheap mods with decent benefit. I did the control arm bushing (NM Engineering version) too, for that reason.

But also, one thing I did that hasn't been mentioned was Way's diverter valve. That was only 60 bucks and it got rid of the weird lag in first and second gear and it made the mini feel a little more responsive overall. Installation was simple too, even for my gorilla hands.

Anyway, my.02.

 

Say - that clutch stop? As mentioned up thread, you gotta take off one of the washers first!!! Or your car will not start! Know how I know? I thought I could pop that in there, try it out, and then take it back out if I needed to adjust the shim stack. Wrong! It will not come back out without breaking. I ended up cutting the last shim with a razor blade and prying it away with a screwdriver.

BTW, it works great, really like the difference in shortening the clutch throw. It takes out that over run on the fulcrum point - that describes it badly I know, just try it yourself.

 

Here is a low cost (and better.....IMHO) alternative to "torque arm bushings". The "torque arm bushings" loosened up over time and I started noticing the engine rocking. This DIY method has worked perfectly for the last 10 months now. So cost is about $18.00 and a couple days curing time.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...tor-mount.html

 

I don't doubt that I will have to replace the NM insert over time, and I am ok with that to avoid the "too hard" effect of vibrations some other options seem to bring. I felt that third gear popout mentioned at exuberant shifting before the insert. But, I am not on a racetrack. And I still don't know if this made any difference, but I greased the insert with some sticky waterproof marine grease and I did have the lock-over tab on mine and have been very very happy.

BTW, what durometer spec do you think you are ending up with that is better in your opinion?

 

Another pretty cheap upgrade is the ALTA BOV spring. Easy to install and helps with turbo lag a little.

 

I must say that I disagree with the whole idea of a "clutch stop". The clutch should be adjusted so that it releases fully--and that's it. If you limit the pedal movement any past that, all you are doing is putting extra wear on the synchro mechanism in the transmission.

If you need to shift faster, move your clutch foot faster.

... But that's my opinion ...


I think the best bang-for-the-buck mod is driver improvement. DE events, in particular, or autoX events for a smaller $$ investment.

 

If you put the clutch full to the floor, then start lifting the peddle till you feel the clutch start to engage, there is quite a bit of dead space there. As long as the peddle isn't high enough to stop the hill brake from engaging (or the engine from starting) the clutch is fully disengaged.

 

And the clutch is not adjustable on my 2008 Mini.

 

Speaking of clutches how many of you find that your clutch pedal needs to go almost into the floorboard to shift without grinding? I find that I need to get it as close to the floor as possible when shifting, especially for 3rd gear! Assuming the NM torque arm insert would fix that now that I think about it.

 

Not mine! Feels like a mile after it disengages, even with the stop! Have you bled the system? I would start there. The linkages wear as well. I had mine replaced for clicking and the new assembly feels much better. Still high though.

Sent from my XT926 using NAMotoring

 

Just had my system bled a week ago, that is when I really noticed the extra "mile" on the pedal that it didn't have on the old 50k mile fluid. Put a few miles on the clutch stop now and it is simply great.

 

My slave cylinder is wearing out I believe, could be air in the system. There a screeching vibrating noise when engaged the clutch but if I barely tap the pedal a quarter of an inch or less and hold my foot there the noise is gone.

It seems to act up more in dry cold weather. You know now that I think about it it started around the time I did my front brake job and I did allow air in one of the calipers trying to push it in, a lot of air came out of it!

It's probably air in the slave cylinder allowing the piston to bounce and vibrate because it's floating on air bubbles.

Anybody know how to bleed the slave cylinder before I decide to replace it?

Thank you,
Systemlord.

 

I haven't bled a MINI clutch system, but typically you either suck fluid through with a pump (keep the reservoir full!) Or have a friend help. Loosen bleed valve, push clutch pedal down, tighten valve, lift pedal up, check fluid level, loosen valve, push pedal down....repeat and repeat. Might be good to move some fluid through there. May have water or air in it.


Is the screech present when the clutch is engaged or the throwout bearing is engaged? Pedal up or pedal down?


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Clutch bleeds can be very beneficial and may need to be done as much as yearly for best performance. Its quick, and cheap and always made a significant difference in my S2000 (famous for preferring clean fluid, and a fantastic shifting car).

 

+1

Just ordered the clutch stop myself and plan on getting the upgraded diverter valve when the weather gets a little better. 20 degrees just won't due (although its the warmest its been all winter)

 

Just ordered the diverter valve from Way. Appreciate the tip on that.

 

The clutch is engaged even when I push the clutch pedal in 4mm, push the clutch pedal in 4mm screech not present. It doesn't always make noise unless the air is dry and it's warm out, cold weather it a bit quieter.

 

Glad everyone is adopting the BMS clutch stop. Big drivability improvement.

 

i want to order the clutch stop, but im a little confused on the installation i am not sure how to remove the carpet safely

 

You don't remove any carpet. You pull out the existing stop and pop in the BMS stop.

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Correct. A mildly trained chimpanzee could take care of this for you in under 10 seconds.

 

I had to take off one rubber washer, easier to do BEFORE you install it! If you don't remove one, at least on my Mini, the clutch won't go down enough to allow you to start the car! Just pull out the original little rubber plug and put in the big stack less one rubber washer.

Highly recommend this, the clutch operation is much better, along with the clutch fluid flush a week earlier really makes this mod make sense.

 

I installed the BMS clutch stop a few days ago. When I first received it, my first thought was that I could probably make it. I held off on installing it because I thought that I would make one. However, I didn't have the time and it was already in my possession so I installed it. Who knew that this small, cheap, plug would make such a difference. Shifting is indeed smoother. No regrets here.