my 03 mini recently blew its clutch and i was told that i am going to need a new clutch and possibly a new flywheel. i was wondering what kind of flywheel my car has, does any body know? everything on the car is stock if that helps any.

 

Which 03 MINI.......r50 cooper, or the r53 cooper S?

 

Type = Dual mass
Manufacturer = Luk

 

There are aftermarket dual mass flywheels on the market now according to my local MINI guy....the flywheel is not resurfaceble, and dualmass flywheels can/do fail....so even if it looks good, replacing it is mandatory. Cheaper traditional flywheels are available also, but expect a bit more NVH than you have now from what I have been hearing!

 

If it's a Justa (R50), you probably won't need a new flywheel, and unless it's jamming, the dual-mass flywheel of the R53 probably won't need replacing either. You can resurrect the mating surface of the dual-mass with a Scotch-Brite pad and an air whizzer.

 

Great to hear that!! it is such an expensive part....I have always heard people say just replace it!!
If the infamous "chewbaccka" sound is not present when you do the clutch...what is the likelyhood it will last for a full second clutch with out it failing?

 

You can never predict when Chewey will rear his head, but it's not worth doing a preventative replacement, because your new flywheel is as likeley to jam as your old, un-broken one. I did a clutch and FW recently, where the new one was barking three weeks after replacement. It was a little bit sticky explaining to the customer why thier 500+ dollar FW sharted the bed, but luckily he was understanding.