Interesting. Anyone ever look into this? Besides mounting points, you also have to work out halfshafts, hub bearings, shifter cables...but if it's doable, it could be cheap as chips! What years of Neon shared the engine? Anyone?
Bueller?

 

Densmini, great information, I wish I would have known about your swap before I bought another CVT.

I can't believe you found a Getrag 6-speed for only $680! So a new starter is not necessary if you go CVT->6-Speed? Thats good news.

I guess I will have to go by this thread if my CVT ever decided it doesn't want to work anymore. Please update if you remember anything that might be helpful!

 

I have to pinch myself sometimes, too, on that 6-speed, (the price included UPS to my door and the guy threw in the clutch, pressure plate, intercooler, and a couple of rebuildable halfshafts. I found him on Craigslist. It just goes to show that there ARE bargains to be had if you're patient and have the luxury of time and a second way to get to work. Good luck with your CVT.

 

So I'm just trying to get this straight...because mine too is on the brink, although still functioning at 92k miles (!).

If I went for a 6-speed auto (which I would honestly prefer, heckle me if you wish ), would I have to switch out anything besides the tranny and the control unit? I've been trying to get a sound answer to this question for almost a year now in various threads.

 

Well, I can't say for certain...there may be some ECU/tranny conversation issues to sort out. Also, you'll have to check out compatibility of the driveshafts, upper mount, and probably have to swap in the oil cooler assy. and I believe the shifter assy. and cables are different.
My process for finding out the interchange of certain parts like driveshafts is to go to parts websites, plug in the different models of MINI, and seeing if the parts #s are the same...it's how I learned that the starters for CVT & Getrag 6 were the same.

 

Okay so not to be any further dense than I already am...is it possible to get a list of what *could* be different? I won't be able to do the actual mechanical work on this myself but I'm willing to do the legwork and see which parts are the same and which are different so that I can get them together and also post the list here for what would be needed so if anyone else wants to do it as well. This is likely the way out of the CVT mess for me if it works!

 

MLPearson79, you would likely be the 1st person to swap from a CVT to a 6-speed auto, so don't be surprised if you don't find alot of information regarding the swap. A great resource is realoem.com, you can compare P/N's for MINIs configured with different transmissions and see what works with what.


To be honest, I think if my CVT went dead once again (outside of the 2 year warranty window) I would probably look into swapping-in an entire MCS engine/tranny/wiring harness into my MINI. Hmm, maybe I should check out craigslist

 

Flz, I think that is probably the way to go. However, if MLPearson doesn't want to go supercharged, (which would, among other things, require a new hood, right?), then perhaps someone who HAS done such a swap could assemble a how-to.
The dilemma for CVT owners is the catch-22 of a busted trans: a) absurdly expensive to replace, 2) impossible to repair, III) worthless to trade in.

 

[FONT=&quot]Okay, here's a start.....[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]CVT to MCS 6-speed auto swap- A list of parts that MIGHT need replacing:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shifter cable /Shifter assembly (these MIGHT interchange)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Halfshafts[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Drive plate[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oil cooler[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Transmission mount[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Starter[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Transmission control module (EGS)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]ECU and if so, EWS (immobilizer) & keys programmed to match[/FONT]

 

If you don't mind me asking, did your trans make sort of a groaning sound while the car was in motion? Thanks.

 

My CVT didn't make any odd noises...it just wouldn't 'upshift'.

 

Incredible. I can't believe you did it. I've got 107000 miles on my CVT and I know failure is coming soon - wouldn't shift up this morning until I put it in sport mode. The switch to a Getrag 6-speed would be a dream come true for me, but 1. I don't have a garage for working on it, and 2. I imagine the time commitment is bigger than I can handle. How long did the change take you?

You know of anyone willing to be hired for the switch? My guess is the switch wouldn't be any more expensive than putting in a $7k reman CVT.

 

The biggies (beside the obvious 6-speed) are things like getting shift cables, halfshafts, a shifter assembly, and a flywheel. Timewise, it's really not much more involved than a normal clutch replacement. I used a lightened flywheel and the car is really quick.
oh, one other annoying detail- your cruise control won't work until you have someone like RPMotorsport reprogram your ECU to recognize the manual tranny.
I noticed that there was low miles 6-speed Getrag on our local Craigslist for $1000. I did the whole conversion for a LOT less than the cost of a replacement CVT!

 

Looks like they've taken this off their site. Anyone have a copy they can post? If you have a copy but no way of hosting it, PM me and I'll host it on my site. Thanks.

 

Hi, try the link from this site (it's in the index somewhere!):
http://www.soopercooperinfo.com/ Baz

 

Found it there...but, links to the same bad link. Someone over on MINI2 might have it - waiting to hear back from them.

Did you ever get the ECU reprogrammed by RPM Motorsports? Wondering if they really could do it. Perpetual SES would be a pretty major problem b/c of emissions testing where I am.

 

gknorr, let me know if you have were able to find it. I have a copy somewhere on my PC.

 

The other day, with 89k miles on it, my CVT gave up the ghost. With no forwarning, as I was pulling out of a parking lot, started out normal then all of a sudden the engine revved then caught with a bang, then nothing. I'm sure the belt went. So now the Cooper Camino is parked in the garage for the winter. I'm trying to decide what to do. Just replace the CVT, convert to 6 speed or just scrap the car.

 

So sorry to hear. I wonder if a simple belt swap would fix this. Probably not in your case, as it seems some other kind of failure caused the belt to not catch and then suddenly and fatally catch.

Either way, has anyone tried replacing the belt? It is available on eBay and various other places for about $950. I wonder what kind of job it would be.

The guys at Way Works said they can do the 6-speed swap, but recommended just getting a used S 6-speed instead, especially since the ECU programming issues that would arise with the swap do not yet have a confirmed fix, which means SES would stay on and no cruise control. If you had them do the swap, you're looking at costs close to what a replacement CVT job would be. Maybe keep yours as a parts car? Or get what you can for it? Donate and get take a tax break?

I'm hoping to sell mine before I find myself in your very situation. Anyone want an '03 BRG CVT w/112,000 miles that's still running great?

 

We have a copy of the article if anyone still needs it. PM me with your email address.

 

Attached

 

Just found a comprehensive list of parts, including manuals and specialty tools, for the MINI CVT:

http://www.automaticchoice.com/Catalogue/zfvt1-27t.pdf

Pretty wild. I guess that European vendor sells anything you would ever need to repair it...maybe I shouldn't try to get rid of mine before the CVT goes...hmmm

 

Wow, nice find!