MINI's are called a hothatch for a reason..

 

Hotbonnet you mean...

 

Why would you want to keep heat IN on this particular engine? After all, there's no turbo lag to speak of.

 

The primary purpose for the use in this case would be to keep heat from melting the scoop. Obviously there is other use's which are by products. Also it seems rather obvious that if you insulate the turbo it would lower underhood temps.

 

Understood, but wouldn't it damage the turbo itself? After all, it's putting out a fair amount of heat!

 

not sure, they make it so people must use it, I have only seen it on a few of my friends cars. They like it, my solution was to open the scoop. The wrap does keep the hood cooler however.

 

I asked them about the retained heat, or the restricted cooling of the turbo...they scratched there heads and said, "It just works." Id rather have more proof as well that it wont harm anything

 

For those who have opened up their scoops (I have a closed week-3 scoop), exactly how and where did you do it?

 

I pulled the scoop out and the grill pops off. I left it open w/o the grill for a while, but the unfinished look bothered me. I took a dremel and open the plastic grill 95% by drilling the honey combs., Slow and steady. To smooth out the job I took very very fine sand paper and thats about it.
You can also buy after market screens which look real nice as well.

If I remember there was only 3 screws I had to loosen and them push like hell and the scoop popped out of the hood. I think ALTA has the removal instructions in their cold air intake directions.

 

I took my scoop-block out, but replaced it for the winter because my heat wouldn't... heat.

Sounds like you're really looking forward to your Clubman S

 

You bet!

 

My '07MCS was delivered on 12/27/07. The hood scoop is open and there is a heat shield (insulation) under it. Unfortunately I didn't know this when I washed the car today. I opened the bonnet to dry the edges and such, and water poured out from the insulation onto the engine...
I think normally with rain entering the scoop it will be stopped by the insulation and drip to the front of the car over the radiator.
Needs more investigation...

 

Other than scaring you to death with steam coming out from under the hood, what would be the damage? Wouldn't it just dry out when you drive it?

 

The engine was cold. I don't wash a hot car. And there wasn't much water, but some. Enough to surprise me. I'll be careful to not squirt water in the scoop from now on. I had just never looked, and from this forum thought the scoop was closed...

 

some are, some aren't

 

Nope, I meant when you next drove the car. I'd guess it would take some time to dry out the insulation.

 

I just got back home from playing on the interstate in the dark. (There are some good curves and ramps on the I-10/I-12 intersections that are fun when there's no traffic.) No steam.
I don't think any water soaked into the insulation. I think it just pooled there. Since the engine was cold, I dried up the water. It really wasn't much, but let me realize that the scoop might be open after all.

 

(Gee, you've got to be desperate! I just passed through the I-10/I-12 intersection last week...)

I followed this route as a side trip in October (yet another Houston-Florida trip). Found it lots of fun. Surely you know it?

http://gulfsouthmotoring.org/SMF/index.php?topic=640.0

 

THANKS for the tip daffodildeb!
I'm familiar with the area, but not that as a route.
(I was taking the kid back to school and played on the way back, but I am desperate for some good drives.)

 

How is this helping?

Mark

 

Does CF have a better/higher heat tolerance than polyurethane (I'm assuming that's what the stock scoup is made from)?

 

Ours had a few holes, and still had the extream heat issue after you shut the car down. You couldnt touch the hood to the upper right of the scoop. You could fry and egg on it. ( yes, the spot right over the turbo ) We totally remove the black honey comb peice, now the scoop is wide open.. No more hot hood issue. Heat vents right out...

 

FYI, I have a week 2 '08 and I can confirm that the hood scoop heat issue no longer seems to be an issue. The area by the hood scoop feels warm, but I've never found it to be hot or too hot too touch.

 

If that is a software fix then 07's should get it, right?

 

corona is a pretty lame name man, come on