'13 Countryman S, manual, seems like power is down on take off...I have to give it more gas than normal to get started. thinking I need to clean the throttle body. Thoughts?

 

Is it stock? The combination of factory tuned throttle response and a soft/older engine mount makes the CM feel sluggish off the line. After installing lower mount inserts and getting a tune it is much better but still wouldn't challenge someone off the line . Second or third gear from a highway on ramp though, now we talking!

 

Thanks! Yes, totally stock...agree, once we're rolling its fun!

 

Maybe it needs the intake valves cleaned. Though less of a problem with the N18 engine than on the N14, there still can be carbon build up that will choke the intake ports and reduce performance.

 

Is that something I can do with a spray cleaner or fuel additive or do I need to take the head off?

 

Mileage? Any OBD codes? Plugs changed? etc. etc. Not enough info. Lots of things before carbon cleaning which is mostly unheard of on the N18.

 

You have to take the intake manifold off and clean it mechanically, some people have done it with carburetor cleaner and a set of wire brushes, most do it by walnut shell blasting the intake ports, but that takes an air compressor and a media blaster.

Here is a thread about how to do it.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-cleaning.html

Additives will not help, as the MINI has a direct injected engine and no fuel touches the backs of the intake valves or the intake ports. In fact this is why our MINIs get carbon build up, on port injected engines fuel is sprayed upstream of the intake ports and washes the oil from the PCV system off of the valves this doesn't happen on direct injected engines and we get carbon build up.

 

31K miles, FWD, original plugs, usually run mid-grade fuel and generally I'm driving it like I stole it! I do all my own maintenance and am relatively capable. Looking to start with the easy stuff first...I've cleaned lots of throttle bodies on other car makes and that makes a big difference in low speed idle and drive-ability...

 

Fuel is a big deal in these Turbo MINIs. I never use anything but Premium in ours. I also changed out plugs at 30K.

In the back of your mind keep the HPFP as a potential issue in the future.

 

I'll be checking things out over the weekend and report on my findings