I dunno if I missed it so, was your AC on? cause the AC robs the car of much power

 

Hell no. It was only in the 70's here. Needs to be 90 plus for me to use AIR.

 

Maybe there's a Hummer or Land Rover dealership nearby with one of those stupid 30-degree-slope rock piles to test it out on?

Good luck diagnosing. Jaxkewl's got a good suggestion.

 

TAKE IT AS AN OMEN and stay away from that place!

 

One of the old ways to test a clutch was to put it in 3rd gear and try to drive it. It should die and if it doesn't the clutch is slipping.

If you can afford the time, trek it out it S.F. There are plenty of hills nearby they can test it on .

 

My vote is that the DSC was on. With MTH, you still get some power as the DSC is sort of tamed by MTH. It is less intrusive. Having DSC on - not deactivated with the toggle switch - would account for the lack of power.

 

Bring your car to me, got a hill outside my front door that we can take a run up.

Seriously though, If you want I'd be willing to try it out. You can try mine out too if you want as well or maybe just sit in it.
James


I'm thinking DSC is interfering in some way too.

 

I took the car back to the same driveway today. Tried with the ASC on and off. Little better results with it ON. With it on the tires spun a bit before it died, but it almost made it up. With ASC off it would go nowhere.

I stopped in the middle of the incline just to see how it would idle and rev at a sitting position. The damn PB wouldn't hold! This sucked because I only have 13,000 and have hardly used the brake. In fact when I have used it I have only pulled it up a couple notches. I have never employed it all the way.

Anyway I regress. So the S would idle and rev with it sitting on an incline.

I tried about 5 times (from the bottom and the middle of the incline) and then quit because the clutch was burning too much.

I called Mini of MV and they told me to bring it in. They said they have a steep incline going up to their roof they will test it on.

 

And the verdict is?

 

Sounds like the DSC was on and it sensed that one or more wheels were slipping. I live on the mountains of Colorado and no problems with steep stuff when dry. When going up a snowy steep hills you can feel the DSC kick in and de-power the wheels.

 

My DSC never kicks in..even when the tires are slipping! I've seen it once so I know it works.

 

It sounds like this was quite an incline. If you were at a dead stop at the base of this incline and tried to drive up the hill without bringing up the revs beyond what you normally would on a level surface, then you could experience this sort of problem. Keep in mind that an S is rated (pre 2005) at 163HP. This is a factory rating of max HP and most probably at the flywheel. I had my 04 dynoed stock at 159.5HP at the wheels. The HP at idle is probably closer to 50. That is why, on inclines, it would be advisable to rev the engine and "ride" the clutch, which will allow the car to get up to speed while moving up a steep grade. Hope this helps.

 

And to add to what you wrote, you might need the E brake if you dont' want to ride the clutch too much.

 

Exactly, although knowing how long to "ride" the clutch is key. Obviously many people do not. It's a matter of a second or two and not for a block!

It's too bad that we've become a clutchless motoring society over the past 10 years. More BMWs are sold with automatic transmissions than with manuals.

2004 MCS, sport pkg, lapis leather, 15% pulley, Alta intake, Milltek cat back, densos

 

Vegasdan, the incline is steep yes but it should be handled by my car or any car. I was still riding the clutch at the point of stall because I was still trying to get more revs. I started out at the bottom (flat) and half way up, while still trying to get more speed, it dies. Sure I could have tried having high revs and popping the clutch at the start but that shouldn't be necessary. Like I said I am starting from a flat surface. Maybe if I were starting out in the middle of the incline. I even tried from the middle of the incline and that was a joke. Died right away because I couldn't get the engine to rev. I never had any problem from my 533i in the 20 years I had that and many of those on SF streets.

So I am bringing it in next week. 80 mile trek for me. :(

 

If you live in SF, why go all the way to MV. Take it to MINI of SF. Van Ness and Howard

 

Someone mentioned before the Bypass Valve. I second that suggestion. Second option is the green gasket that seals the SC to the plastic runner coming from the TB. There might be a leaky seal.

If the Bypass Valve is not working properly, you might have a MINI S that has become a MINI without the higher compression and a heavier engine (the SC). You can simulate this with a tie wrap, forcing the bypass to stay open. Man the MINI S sucks (not really) like that.

Bomboasy

 

Ok, I took my Mini S to Mountain View today to try and simulate the stalling on the hill issue. So the tech gets in and points me around the back of the dealership and shows me a mediocre ramp. I immediately told him "this won't do it, not steep enough". I told him it was serious hill and he said "well maybe the Mini is not made for those kind of hills". I told him that that is BS and that I had a 20 y/o beemer that could eat that hill and his reply was "well that was a BMW". So I figured enough of this joker and went to get a service manager. After 20 minutes and no service manager they pointed me to a rep sitting at a desk. While I was explaining the situation to him he never looked up from his computer. When I was finished he asked me if any warning lights came on. "no". "well there is nothing we can do for you".

So I moved on. Finally I got a rep from the BMW dealership to come over from next door. He was nicer. Explained to me that if they couldn't duplicate my problem then there was nothing they could do and suggested I bring it to SF. So I leave. I proceed to call SF and after an hour I get the main service advisor on the phone. Some of you may know him-initals OL. Before I finished explaining the problem he told me he was aware of these 'hill' problems as a few of his customers have complained. He told me that basically the Cooper S does not have enough torque to handle certain hill situations. He said there was no solution and that he advices his customers to get a running start when faced with a problem hill ( i am not making this up). I asked him if the sales dept. was advising new customers of this potential problem. He said he didn't think it was an issue in the 05's, possibly because of the new tranny's. So he told me I should take it up with Mini North America.

Well I had spoke with MNA before I spoke with SF Mini. They told me that they heard of no problems with Mini's on hills. So I called MNA back and spoke with a new rep. As she is reviewing my first phone call she sees that the first rep placed a call to SF Mini (unbeknownest to me). This is very curious.

So, she was very nice and helpful and tells me she will get to the bottom of this problem and work with the dealers to find a solution. 30 minutes later the first rep I spoke with @ MNA called me back and told me that there was nothing they could or would do for me and to have "a nice day".

Needless to say it was too late for that nice day bs. So am I supposed to be content with a car that was not manufactured for all types of legal street situations, including driveways? I don't think so.

I spoke with the dealership where I bought it and they hadn't heard of this problem. Being that they are in Louisiana I wouldn't expect them to.

It looks like I have my work cut out for me in finding a solution here.

 

Try this out. Stop in the middle of one of those big hills(no traffic behind you) and put on your e-brake. Then rev the motor and as it reaches, say 2k, then release the brake and slip the clutch at the same time while stepping on the gas more. I am curious what it will do so please post your results.

 

I suggest you find someone , anyone, who has a MINI, invite them over to the drive-way in question, and see if they can go up it. If they can, and they have similar spec as you, then there is a problem. If they cant, well.... I wanna see this hill. 100 bucks says my Camel can do it without a running start.

 

I suggest BS is BS you got a problem. I live in the Seattle area which is similar to Frisco and We have numerous minis running around me included who have no problem going up hill from a standing start.Get one of those MA's Mental ***** in your car and drive till you find a similar hill 5 miles or 50 miles who cares don't stop till you get there. The journey is half the fun.Proving it is the other half.

 

Park your car in the street right where the service drive is to the dealer ( stay on public property ) and make a big *** sign that says something like DID YOU KNOW YOUR MINI MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CLIMB HILLS?? AND XX dealer wont even try to fix your car. I bet that will get their attention. I have seen a couple situations where the dealer is so overwhelmed by negative questions from other possible sales/service that they either figure a way to fix it or make you happy.

If nothing else it will get their attention. Make it clear and well wored and very readable.

 

You're close to Los Altos Hills - lots of good hills there, or even around Foothill. Find one, repeat the issue, then drag the SA and show 'em!

 

Please keep posting updates on this issue. I really want to know how this plays out. I am glad that my service department, in San Antonio TX, has more emphasis on "service" than what you are been told there. What a bunch of A$$&^*^%. I am heading to the biggest hill I can find in my MINI. To tell you the truth, I do not expect to be able to reproduce the problem. After all the mods that I have made, my MINI has plenty of Torque.

Bomboasy

 

I would call my local TV station and have them do a session on the evening news about it. I bet you would have the car fixed in a heart beat. What the SAs are telling you is BS your car should be able to get up the hill in first gear if it can't then it sould not be sold.