Hello, new to the forum, new to MINI's, looking for advice.

I bought a 2008 Mini Cooper S, 72k miles. Palm Springs and AZ car. It has some aftermarket parts, including an adjustable height suspension, intercooler, downpipe and Mario Kart tune. I'm trying to figure out how to evaluate this tune. I don't really know anything about it, or even how to know if it's really there. The intercooler and downpipe can be seen, and the suspension can be seen and felt, so I know they are there. It looks like there is a custom tube installed on the high pressure, cold side of the turbo, too. There is also a custom oil catch.

This car doesn't seem nearly as fast as it should. I had a naturally aspirated 2011 Mini Cooper for about a month before this car, and while this one is faster, it's not significantly faster. It feels like there isn't much turbo boost, but like I said, I'm new to these cars.

There is no CEL showing. I was able to pass emissions.



I ordered a Bluetooth OBD adapter and will see if I can get it to tell me the boost this evening. I visually inspected the tubing and clamps that I could see without disassembling anything (which wasn't much) and didn't see anything that wasn't sealing.

I'm wondering if this is a software issue. How world I be able to tell? I'm hesitant to take it into the BMW shop with all of this aftermarket hardware.

Thoughts or advice appreciated.

Thanks, Steve

 

It looks the turbo isn't providing any boost based on the OBD2 adapter.


I think the next thing to do is to pull the downpipe off and see if the turbine freely spins. This is my first time working with a turbo.

Is it possible that the waste gate is stuck open?

Thanks is advance for any advice,

Steve

[QUOTE=Steven566;4597401]Hello, new to the forum, new to MINI's, looking for advice.

I bought a 2008 Mini Cooper S, 72k miles. Palm Springs and AZ car. It has some aftermarket parts, including an adjustable height suspension, intercooler, downpipe and Mario Kart tune. I'm trying to figure out how to evaluate this tune. I don't really know anything about it, or even how to know if it's really there. The intercooler and downpipe can be seen, and the suspension can be seen and felt, so I know they are there. It looks like there is a custom tube installed on the high pressure, cold side of the turbo, too. There is also a custom oil catch.

This car doesn't seem nearly as fast as it should. I had a naturally aspirated 2011 Mini Cooper for about a month before this car, and while this one is faster, it's not significantly faster. It feels like there isn't much turbo boost, but like I said, I'm new to these cars.

There is no CEL showing. I was able to pass emissions.



I ordered a Bluetooth OBD adapter and will see if I can get it to tell me the boost this evening. I visually inspected the tubing and clamps that I could see without disassembling anything (which wasn't much) and didn't see anything that wasn't sealing.

I'm wondering if this is a software issue. How world I be able to tell? I'm hesitant to take it into the BMW shop with all of this aftermarket hardware.

Thoughts or advice appreciated.

Thanks, Steve

 

I was able to get the cold side inlet off, and the turbine spins freely, with no play in the shaft.

 

Just wondering if you are scanning it with a bmw specific scan tool? I would look at the dv and make sure it’s good. Make sure all the vacuum hoses are in good order.


edit…I didn’t even think about you just sitting there and revving the engine. Go out and do a 3rd or 4th gear pull and see what you get then.

 

If you are just sitting in the driveway revving the engine, you will not get any boost. You’ll need to load the engine by driving down the road.

Also, get a mechanical boos gauge, and tap into the intake manifold to verify. Don’t rely on an OBD gauge.

 

Yes, sitting in the driveway. Not BMW scanner, just a cheap Bluetooth Amazon scanner. I'll go drive around an see what the results are.

My brother has one of those $10,000 scanners, so I can have him scan it, as well.

I assume the car throws a code when it goes into limp mode? It has been this way for 800 miles, the entire amount I've driven tge car.

Thanks for the advice. I'll report back with results.

Steve

 

boost leak?

 

I drove around for a while tonight. I don't know that the reader is telling me what I need to know with all of the sensors.

What it did tell me is that I have code 28B1.

Google tells me this:




I'm thinking this may just be the issue.

 

Hmmm the DV huh, I do believe that’s in my first post. Take the intake tube off of turbo, 5mm hex to get the 3 bolts out, I think t27 worked as well. Take the bottom ones out first, leaving the top one for last. If you are running a tune I would suggest getting a forge dv, this one seems to have less issues. You can go with a new designed dv, Alta boost spring, and a dv spacer, but that plastic will be prone to break again. I personally have the new design, Alta spring, and dv spacer, but I do carry a spare dv just in case I lose it again.

 

Yep, you hit it on the head Jason. Unfortunately I didn't know what a DV was yet. I do now, though.

 

I bought a new DV, went to put it in, and when I got everything out of the way, and went to unplug the DV, it wasn't clipped in. Just sort of fell off when I pulled on it. 🤦‍♂️

I plugged it back in and put everything back together, and now I have boost!

I'm relieved that it was in easy fix.

Thank you for all the help. I learned a few things this week.

 

On a slightly different topic. I can hear the BOV now. Is this something that I want to leave on the car?

 

Glad you got it figured out!

Does the turbo have a blow-off adapter plate? Do you have an open air intake? With an open air intake, not much you can do about the sounds, other than go back to stock, or get an AEM. If the turbo has a blow-off adapter plate, and you don't like the sound, you can just remove the plate.

 

It's the stock inlet. There is an aluminum spacer between the DV and the turbine. I'm thinking that's the BOV. I don't mind the sound. But doesn't the computer get confused about the missing air that it measured that is vented to atmosphere?

 

I have a similar plate on my car. Its been there for about 4 years, and I've never had an issue.

 

Is it possible to read HP (calculated) from the OBD port? I can see there is an option for it, but is it worth putting any faith in it?

 

Not sure how much stock I would put in an OBD hp readout...