I have an 04 Mini with a Cravenspeed 17% pulley and 140K miles. The supercharger started making some noise about 5K miles ago, and I couldn't find any problems that would cause it. Then it got louder, and I had a mechanic look at it, he said the bearings in the supercharger are shot.

I'm not a rich man, so my question is this: Should I risk a used unit, but a rebuilt one, or have mine rebuilt?

I'm in the central Ohio area; if that helps.

 

I would go with a complete rebuilt and tested unit.......but it all depends on how long you are going to keep the car, and what the price difference is on a used unit.

 

When you send "YOUR" unit away for a rebuilt, most shops measure parts, and replace them from Spares as needed.... reality is, you unit may not be the one you get back....it is a "core" unless it is a very small operation....and that can be risky...
Rebuilt units can be found from $600-1000....about 4-6 hours labor for a shop to swap it out...many places can order the rebuilt unit....so it is waiting for you to arrive....then your bad unit (if it still rotating, it's usually good as a core) is put back in the box and shipped out....

 

It starts to make less sense having my unit rebuilt if it's not significantly cheaper than buying another one. I'm reading a bit about the process of rebuilding, and it looks like it's out of my depth, and maybe out of my mechanics depth.

 

To rebuild one you really need a pile of parts to match clearances....
Your old unit is still worth about $500 as a core...
There are a few decent rebuilds, but Steigimer is well regarded quality wise, and not THAT much more than the cheap places that have a high failure rate (e-bay, ok warrenty, but most last a year or less).
To do it right, it takes skill, knowledge and parts....many have 2, but a good rebuilds have all 3.... steigimer is literally famous for other makes....and a SUSPECT they do a brisk bussiness doing units for many reputable vendors on this site....they just mark the units up another $300.

 

And unless things have changed, any unit you buy will still be a rebuilt unit, I don't think brand new have been around for a while.
So yes, if you're going to keep the car, spend a little extra for a quality job, esp if your not doing the work yourself (install) and would have to pay again if there were problems.
Don't forget, if your not doing the work and the shop doesn't supply and guarantee the S/C itself, if the replacement fails, any additional labor to redo things will be on you.

 

I had not heard that the failure rate was that high! I admit that I have been looking at options on eBay for about $700

 

first I've heard of that too, I thought it was the same shops selling on ebay

if it's the horn that's rattling cant you just replace it? used ones have dropped a lot in price too it's not a very hard job swapping them

 

For $200 more you can get one from steigimer....
There was a shop in "old town Florida" that is now using a different address..(eBay, and their own website)....had $500 unlimited mile rebuilds (was 3-4 years ago, bet they have gone up a bit) with a one year warranty...several folks went through 3 in a few MONTHS....(they were even a "vendor" for a couple months, but they were quickly dropped...and a couple places like WMW publicly stated the failure rates were so high, they stopped using them) they were changing the snount bearings but just glueing in new seals, no dissembling the waterpump PTO according to a couple folks....kinda of more a "lube" job with a couple parts than a rebuild....I'd run....it's about 4-6 hrs labor and about $100 in gaskets to do the swap if the units, plus shipping...so an extra $200 is not much imo for a QUALITY rebuild....
Me...I bought a spare early on off a wreck....never needed it...sold it for about what I had into t after having mine on the shelf for 3 years...about $600 for a 6000 mile unit...lol..when new were going for $1200-1500 from MINI.

 

My supercharger varies between just a noisy metal on metal sound to a rattling from what I believe is end float of the impellers. It needs more than a nose job.

I didn't really want to have my car down so long, it's a daily driver. I was hoping I could pick one up in Ohio somewhere.

 

You may just have to float the core charge and buy a rebuilt unit from a Mini vendor.
I think Chad usually has one in the shelf at DT, call and ask, shipping shouldn't be too bad to you, and the core back.
That's usually the only option for a quick swap.

 

I think you guys have swayed me to go with Stiegemeier. I called them today. Can anyone tell me that my Mini is gonna make more horsepower after? I mean, you can't, but you can, you know, just say it, like here's a chart that proves your worn out 140K blower was loosing X PSI (Probably) and now it's gonna be super, and chargy, and make X more horespowers!

 

My Supercharger is off and on it's way to Stiegemeier. Does anyone have a tensioner that they recommend?

 

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-38404.../dp/B001KSDZOY
Tensioner for you

Steigmeier did my sc too. Why not ask them your questions about hp gains? Id be curious to hear what they say.

 

I guess I forgot to update this post: I had Stiegemeier rebuild my supercharger and they did a great job. My butt dyno doesn't detect any horsepower increases, and the engine doesn't seem to rev any faster (These things spin up slowly!), but it doesn't sound like it's about to come apart now, so that's good. I couldn't be happier with this car!

 

Before you sent your old one away to be rebuilt (or exchanged) did you determine whether there was still oil in the pulley end and in the water pump end? Did Stiegemeier report back to you on what (if anything) they found upon disassembly?

 

There was about a shot's glass of oil, and metal shavings, in my supercharger. They didn't report anything, but a quick phone call will get you the owner who was happy to answer any questions you have.

 

Okay I'm new here my friend passed away and left me a 2003 Mini Cooper S with 88,000 miles on it something like that well I got a weird rattle noise grinding sound from the supercharger it sounded like I got my car tore apart took the supercharger off found out that PTO and between the water pump and the sc is really f*** off the cuz yours between the I don't know the PTO in the supercharger itself will the plate and take off of the supercharger the gearing there is real sloppy I can move it back and forth maybe a an eighth of an inch true maybe a quarter of an inch play is it cheaper for me to buy a whole nother supercharger or try to replace the one I got I am very honestly poor I don't have much money at all and I'm trying to keep the car going cuz it is a good friend of mine's that is no longer with us and out of respect for him I'm trying to do it right and not just totally F the car off so any help any suggestions anyting would be very helpful thank you guys and hopefully good news upload pictures hopefully these help

 

May I suggest some punctuation?

 

That's it!?!? That's all u got to help my issue with the car?????

 

The cheapest option is to find a good used one.

 

Thank you.any suggestions?it would be greatly appreciated.

 

There are some on ebay for 400 but I haven't really looked all that hard. Check any local junk yards for possibly lower prices

 

Thank you very much Shawn for your time and input. I greatly appreciate it. Have a wonderful day.