Hi there,

First post, new to this and first mini.

i've a 2011 cooper s - 48k miles / FSH

- scorpion exhaust sytem with sport cat
- pro ram intake and filter
- ngk spark plugs
- stage 2 remap
- airtec intercooler

Went on a "power" run ..... was lacking massively / woefully low

annoyingly i didnt do a dyno run pre modifications but it must have been lacking significantly from stock.

what could be the more obvious issues - i totally accept there could be a couple of big ones that will cost

help greatly appreciated

 

Source of the remap?
Verify all of the intercooler hose are correctly seated
Any codes?

Stage 2 @ 200 means stock configuration may have been missing as much as 35Hp if the cause existed pre-mods

 

Thanks for the response.

Reputable remapper locally who has done work on other cars for me - aside from his main time being spent on remapping he did all his training on this engine. So long and short i'm happy with his work etc.

It's that c.35bhp power loss pre tune as you say that interests me as to what would cause that....

cheers

 

Which ngk plugs do you have? Should be part number 1422. What boost levels are you seeing?

 

Ya how much boost are you seeing and are you sure he even flashed the car with the tune? With 200bhp post tune it sounds like he didnt even flash the car. A Stage 2 car normally puts down 220whp-230whp.

 

Also, did he lower operating temps? The engine makes best power at ~88C which is what the other stage 2 tunes set the temp at. Have you checked the diverter valve? There is a factory upgraded version you should change to at a minimum.

 

Thanks for response. I’m told the boost is running as it should. I’ll ask re the part number and will get back.

 

thanks for this, I’ve put these questions across to the garage - really useful.

 

cheers; fair point, would be a much cheaper route if for some reason the new file had not actually mad it on and that this is the issue. Have flagged


Dyno figures ... torque and whp well down as you can see

 

Something is massively out of whack here. The dyno chart shows wheel HP @ 120, a drag HP ~80HP(what is that about?) A stock N18 in good health should make about 165WHP.

At a minimum it sounds like your faith in your tuner is misplaced. I suspect in addition to the problems with the engine, the dyno has not been correctly configured.

 

Get a code reader that includes live capture of data and monitor MAP. There no way in this, or any other solar system, that you can produce the dyno chart you have, and have stage 2 appropriate boost levels, and have an appropriate tune in the ECU.

You have some combo of:
Dyno not configured properly
Bad tune
Tune not loaded correctly or at all

 

Before we get too far down this hole, more than we are already, what is the real issue here? Does the car "feel" down on power, or are you just unhappy with the dyno numbers?

 

Quote was edited...

The OP's complaint is consistent with the dyno chart.

Pretty clear there is a problem.

 

thanks - car feels good; but, having then put on dyno and seen numbers v spend v what other people seem to achieve, I want to get it right.

 

thanks - I’ve put the question back to him re tune / not loaded correctly etc

can vanos / timing chain cause power problems ?

 

ok, noted and thanks for the response

 

I think your issue is with the dyno, then. As was mentioned, those numbers don’t even match up with a stock Cooper S.

What levels are you seeing for boost pressure? Are you monitoring boost?

 

Not monitoring boost - current mechanic seemed to think boost was fine (will re flag to him) but I think as you say before I start spending money trying to solve something that might not be there - I’ll put it on another rolling road somewhere different.

there was some though to the vanos and timing chain not helping .... as a potential problem.

 

Seriously, start by obtaining something to monitor boost, whether it be a boost gauge or an OBD monitor. While a dyno can tell you what power you’re putting down, will be pretty useless without a before comparison. The only way you can trusty compare your car to another would be to dyno on the same day at the same facility.

Again, it seems to me that you might have been satisfied with the tune until you went to the dyno and didn’t get numbers that you expected. Get your car up to date on maintenance, get yourself a good scan tool, and start a conversation with your tuner if the car still isn’t running right.

 

Boost should be around ~1.3bar. It's weird they aren't giving you numbers....

 

You need a mechanical boost gauge. You absolutely need to be able to monitor boost. Boost fluctuations will often be an early indicator of a problem. Don't get an OBD based reader, get a mechanical gauge. There is a pretty good thread here that deals with maintaining a tuned MINI. Go put in some time reading that. You absolutely need to pick up a boost gauge and a MINI-specific code reader. You should also consider finding another mechanic.

Let me say it again, You. Need. To. Monitor. Boost.

START HERE
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ed-gen-ii.html

 

: ) noted. Thanks 👍

 

thanks, he’d said the boost is where it should be and was going to focus on vanos and potentially timing chain.

Likely re run it on a different dyno also.

 

yes you’ve hit the nail on the head re being happy before it, it’s now just left a sort of curious feeling wanting to know what’s causing it ! Sort of regret going on it !

noted re your points, thank you