That is perfect!!

 

Bottom end torque is your friend, no matter what kind of racing you do.

 

Hm I was thinking about slapping on 15% pulley sometime next month..
but I guess I gotta reconsider this..

I don't race, drag, nadanada
but I like to beat the hell out of mcs in twisties, highways and some ricer killing action... 15 or 17..? Oh and I'm on a low budget so injectors are no go for me.. what would you recommend misfit?

 

You dont NEED injectors to run a 19.

there are many people on here that run just the 19 with no ecu or fuel system mods.

 

Seriously I would actually probably recommend just a 15% to start out with. I love my 17% and all my mods but I drive kinda conservative with it in the twisties and stuff, just because it was too much for me on my last mini(totaled in the twisties). Well that and bad choice on tires

If you think you wont crash then go for the 17, its awesome. Def a good pulley for ricer kills

 

I got a question. I have the helix pulley. How long would it take a shop to replace the 15% with a 19%? I'm assuming less time, but how much less time. Do you still have to lift the engine out? Could I do it myself? Half the reason I don't want to go to a 19% is because of the shop time required and the marginal gains from going from 15 to a 19.

 

Yeah I saw the post about your previous mini totaled... nice black s-lites and all that

well so at the end, you still recommend 17% right? Blame all on you when I crash..

 

I am not positive on this, but I would think that you would still lift the engine. The only time saving thing would be you dont have to pull it off with a pulley puller.

If you look at your pulley there might be two holes with nothing in them. You would unscrew all those allens then take two of them and stick them in those other holes and start screwing, that should pull the outside piece off the hub. Then just mount the new piece on and put it all back together.

 

Sigh, I guess I'll stick with my 15%. Oh well, maybe it's better that way since we have such high ambient temps down here.

 

Ya, I recommend 17. Its a much better pull in 6th gear on the highway, passing a slower car in front of you, you wont have to downshift to 5th...or 3rd

 

If you have two good jacks(you can use just one but I like two under the engine..more stable), some jack stands, some tools and some MINI friends, I would suggest a BBQ. With a few beers and you guys can rock that pulley swap. You would need a belt tensioner tool. But that should be the only specialty tool you would need.

 

Load of Crap! Don't do it! I am going to be a big supporter of Eric @ Helix in Phili, who has done hundreds of pulleys.... here is what he told me:

Most of the hype about the "Dangers" of a 19% are related to vendor loyalty...EX: Alta did not make a 19% pulley at first, so many people loyal to Alta were skeptical of the 19% because it was not made by Alta...

Secondly, if you make the necessary upgrades to run a 19% (ECU for sure, don't quite have a solid opinion on the injectors yet), and you change the belt, you should have no problems what so ever. Also, my friend has an 03 MCS who did not upgrade the ECU and injectors for several MONTHS after he got the 19% pulley, and had no issues at all.

About the pulley failures. Eric has installed hundreds of pulleys. Out of those hundred pulleys, four have failed. All four were on the track, at constant redline speeds. 2 were 15%, 2 were 19%. Just some food for thought....

All this information considered, I went with a 19% pulley and haven't looked back since. Have the guts to do it, make the necessary upgrades when you're financially able to, and have a good time.

Oh yea, mines my daily driver.. Good luck, don't believe all the bad hype on the 19%s

 

Right on to 17% then.. thanks misfit.

 

coobah,

Yes, this topic has been discussed many times over in the past with many opinions.

You have approval for just one mod at this time. A 15% pulley upgrade would not require a new pulley belt but your MINI is an older one so a new belt isn't a bad idea, you didn't mention your mileage.

A 17% or 19% pulley upgrade requires a smaller belt at the time of install but doesn't require larger injectors, colder plugs or ECU flash/upgrade to be functional for street use. Sure it isn't at it's full potential but it will work. You can mash on your throttle and nothing will break, besides you'll run out of road most of the time unless you head for the track.

Since you have a stock intake and exhaust the benefit of a 19% pulley upgrade will be a bit muted but nevertheless the potential is there should you ever get approval later for an exhaust and cold air intake.

You can run any sized pulley upgrade alone without adding any other basic upgrades. It's streetable and if you are reasonable I have not seen issues with reliability in those MINIs in my area that went that route.

Should you choose the 15% pulley you have many options later which can be added at any time. Besides intake and cat-back exhaust, ECU upgrade or flash and colder plugs are common. Certainly reliability is a plus with the 15% pulley. You won't need larger fuel injectors.

I have a friend with an '03 MCS that went with a Hot air intake and 19% pulley upgrade alone and he did fine, no problems. He's a careful driver and instructor at our local BMW CCA driving events.

I think you will be fine no matter which pulley size you select.

 

MSFIT thank you for the correction. I know there is a thread somewhere which has the exact numbers.

 

A couple of comments;

Randy drives his Mini at 5000 rpm and above......the whole time on the track..... this he told me...... I believe in these conditions heat from the 19 could/would be a problem..... typical street driving with canyons and twisties thrown in...... my 19% has been great..... engine runs very strong to red line.

2) the laws of physics do not change .... man just gets a new understanding of them......

 

WOW!!
I had not viewed this thread since Saturday, and boy have I been missing out!
I appreciate ALL the takes on this subject. And given all the info...
I AM STILL ON THE FENCE!!! :impatient (however, at this point I have eliminated the 19, so it is between the 15 and 17)

My 02 has a catback Supersprint Exhaust, and a BMP intake, so that should help answer some additional mod needs in the future.
I am really leaning towards the 15, because my car is a daily driver, usually a close to 100 miles a day. The car has 22k miles, and up to 15k was owned by another, that had all of these original mods done to it.
I understand the need for a new belt, and I appreciate that input, also I plan on new plugs too. But that is about the extent of what I plan to do. What is the actual difference between the 15 and 17, that I would feel driving? Is it really that detectable?
Thanks again all!!

 

Gee, Wally, why didnt anyone mention a 21% reduction pulley I wanna slaughter some ricers!The Beaver

 

M7 16% pulley. It's kinda of in between.... Then add a 2% crank pulley.... and so on and so on.......

 

I have a 19% with JCW injectors and GIAC ECU map (done by Eric @ Helix), and the car is insane! Of course, I have done few other things to it as well... ohh, and it is a daily driver...

I agree with MSFIT's comments on the this thread. BTW, awesome article in MC2 MSFIT!!

One question, what real difference will colder plugs and leads make? I have neither, but am considering...

Thanks,
Robin.

 

Ummmm.....the recommended procedure??... NOT!!

 

Why not? After a case of Lone Star, I have this urge to enter a rodeo. Think of what you could do to car........

 

I think that the proof is in the pudding. 15% pullies seem to be the way to go. See here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=64531


I think that this will sum it all up pretty well.