Hey everyone,


I'm a noob to the MINI club, and I have a specific request for info. My '09 MCS came from the factory with ~172HP. I'd like to put out somewhere in the 250HP range, as long as the factory internals are likely to hold up. My question is... what's necessary to get there the most economical way?


I'm competent to do most DIY, as long as there's no welding involved. Also, I'm not a fan of CELs, and will need to pass Texas emissions annually.


FWIW, I understand that there are other aspects to going fast (brakes, suspension, training, etc.) and I will be taking care of these as well.


Thanks in advance

 

First of all, find a tuner you can work with. Any engine mods you add will want to be tuned. There's lots of stuff out there for stage 1 and 2 mods, and a tuner is your best bet for getting the power you want at a reasonable cost. Don't worry about internals until you get over 250 WHP. Tuning can also eliminate the CEL's.

I've been told that most USA dyno's give Wheel HP, not Brake HP. 250 BHP should be comparatively easy to obtain.

 

Here is a thread on NAM with some good information.

 

well if you are going to obtain 250HP you'll need at least a new turbo and i would recommend a GT28RS Turbo Kit
http://www.atpturbo.com/mm5/merchant...ry_Code=COOPER

 

One of the key words in the OP's post was "economical". Going with Garrett is NOT economical. Getting the rest of the intake and exhaust to marry with this kit will cost almost as much as the kit itself. This is where I started 5 years ago --- the kit, 3" exhaust, FMIC, K&N intake, hood "trimming" to make it fit, fixing mistakes installing it all, then finding a tuner to make it driveable. Yes, I still have a Garrett, replaced by their newer version after I wore out the original, and I get well over 250WHP. However there is NOTHING economical about my setup!

An upgraded turbo is a great place to start, but find one that is closer to OEM characteristics. Learn how to read turbo compressor charts, to make informed decisions. There's a lot more available than there were 5 years ago. And again, find a tuner first.

 

Is this true that a new turbo would be necessary to obtain around 250. I am trying to get 250 to the crank without a new turbo, on stock internals. How much boost can the stock turbo safely handle. My plan was to build for a stage two tune and have the tune done by Manic, heard only great things about them.

Planned Modifications:
Intake (already done)
exhaust manifold
down-pipe
water/meth injection kit
ignition coils (might be unnecessary)
intercooler

Anything missing? Is a new turbo absolutely necessary?

 

" --- Absolutely necessary?", probably not. You might consider saving a turbo for your last mod (if such a thing exists). Do all your other mods, get a Manic tune and dyno check, then decide on a turbo. I still highly recommend talking with your tuner BEFORE doing any mods.

As for your list, I've read that aftermarket exhaust manifolds are scarce, and don't really add that much more HP. Maybe if you upgrade the turbo at the same time, a new and improved manifold would be beneficial.

Talk to Manic about boost capabilities. They tell me that the MCS ECU limit of 22PSI can be defeated by software. No comment on OEM turbo limits.

 

If you want 250hp at the motor then all you need is a Tune, Downpipe, intercooler and 91 octane or better.
If you want 250HP at the wheels then you will need everything above and a larger hybrid 100% bolt on turbo.
I sell all the parts you need
Thanks
Mario

mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer