Ya know, I realize this isn't the right time or place, but just as a general PSA, using a torque wrench as a breaker-bar is not a good idea.

Let us know your thoughts after grinding off some rubber.

 

yea, after readin' this it does sound like a torque wrench was used to loosen but highly doubt it! I hope?? why did U' remove MTH??

 

I don't think the frame brace did anything noticeable, but it's got to make the front stiffer so I might as well leave it on. I just used the leverage of the torque wrench to loosen the nut. The wrench is a lot longer than my other socket wrenches. It was not a lot of torque and it did not hit the limit of the wrench so there need be no worry or concern about the poor little wrench.

I replaced the existing (5/05) version of MTH with something I asked for which merged the standard Mini ECU fuel and timing with the MTH quick off throttle scroll down and reduced DSC intrusion. I don't actually know what MTH did to the map, as you never do really know unless a full diagnostic dyno run with timing and a/f readout is run after the mod. I don't know if it has more or less power, to be frank about it. However, i got 362 miles on 11.6 gallons on trip from Salinas, CA (Laguna Seca) to Tustin, CA right after the mod. 31.2 mpg, which was highest I ever got in 28,000 mi.

If my memory serves me, just the quicker off throttle response and reduced DSC intrusion is well worth the mod. Factory DSC is dangerous in my opinion, the way it cuts the power, and the factory off throttle "non-response" (keeping revs high for emissions sake) takes a lot of fun out of shifting the car. With crappy CA gas, I think MTH cannot realize its full potential.

 

that gas mileage sounds good do U' shift between 3k & 4k or past that?

so overall U are happy w/MTH? is that fair 2say?

 

Round town usually shift about 4k or a little better, since it's easier on the tranny, unless I'm in a hurry. The 31.2 mileage was on the highway - 70 or so mph mostly.

I like MTH for the 2 reasons above - mainly driveability. Can't really comment with stats on power.

 

I'm going to assume you meant that question for me, since it's in my sig...

I took it off after my first dyno run. The dyno tech looked at the curve and said, "It looks like this car has an ignition problem". At that time, the only modification that had been done (other than the SSR's) was MTH. I took it off, and the car is honestly smoother without it.

With the MTH installed, I dyno'ed 101WHP with ~50+lbs less drive-line mass than stock. That just sucks. Figuring a 12% stock drive-line loss, that would have put me at 113.12BHP, and that's inaccurate because of the light wheels. I figure that with the stock wheels, I would be calculating 110 - 111 BHP with MTH. That sucks, too, as it would seem MTH actually hurt my engine's performance.

Without it, and with my subsequent mods, I "out-performed" an '05 Mazda 3 recently. In a Cooper. I don't need no stinkin' MTH.

I keep it listed in my mods because I haven't yet gone to the dyno and installed it between runs to objectively observe the delta. I intend to do one pull with stock ECU, then one after a reset, then one after installing MTH. My car actually got stronger on the 2nd and 3rd pulls last time, so I'm not worried about the later results being tainted by heat build-up.

Boy, talk about a thread hijack.

 

have U tracked ur mileage round town? how quick is that software mod to do is there a turn around time?

 

search archives for how easy. It's not easy, need special cable and the right laptop and lots of reading to figure it out.

Some people swear by MTH, others swear at MTH, so read up on subject.

 

oh..ok! do remember now, i think theres a couple of tuners-locally that have that wire & i assume d' right laptop...kool....

 

yea no doubt!! but hey good info is beign exchanged, right?

it just so happens that 'SteveS' also has this MTH and did remove it to change parameters so he replied b4 U' did. (I had typed bout the torque wrench thing)- so it seems hit or miss w/this software stuff huh? is richmond near D.C.

 

90-ish miles South of DC.

 

Can we stay on topic or move the MTH stuff where it belongs. Thanks

 

Aw hell, this thread derailed and never got back on track! Anybody else have impressions on the OMP subframe brace?

 

Your right. How many guys are running this on their cars . Any impressions.
Is anyone using this along with the M7 USS. How about you MINI2 guys.
INFO please.

 

What about M7's USS if stiffness is what your looking for you'll find it here

 

There's a $200+ difference. That matters to some, me for instance.

A back to back comparo would be great. Doubt it'll happen though.

Still glad I installed this bar.

 

I have one on my car... IMHO, it's worth every bit of the $80 I paid for it and then some. Car doesn't wallow in the front as much, feels more solid, and perhaps most amazingly, there's less torque steer (which I had a bunch of with -2.2 degrees of camber up front). It's been on for a full autocross season almost. It doesn't mean squat for lap times based on my testing, but IMHO it's cheap insurance for some unibody reinforcement and the car feels better on the street, track and autocross course alike...

 

scobib

Where did you get the OMP from. I'd really like to know if someone is running both the OMP and M7 at the same time.

 

A buddy of mine is an OMP dealer...

 

I just purchased the lower frame brace this past week and will be installing it this weekend.

Although, I couldn't really stand the red color, so I have already stripped all the red paint off, have it primered and the first coat of gloss black paint on it.

Will add several more thin coats of black paint, hit it with a coat of clear coat, apply one of the extra stickers to it, and then hit it with another coat of clear coat.

I know, I know, why go through all that trouble when it's underneath the car. I just didn't like the color of the red, and because I would know that an item that was red in color was underneath.

Also helps it blend in to the rest of the underside.

Will take some pics of it before installation.

 

The money thing, your right it is bucks up, my bad I forgot about that, sorry.

 

Dang, I remember this thread! I guess it's been about a year... I was going to wait for more testemonials before I decided to give it a go, but after 3 pages, and a couple of somewhat favorable impressions, I was hoping for a bit more of a resounding response...

Someone asked earlier how this might compare with the M7 USS. I don't know as I have neither. However, simply judging by the feedback provided, the volume of rave reviews for the USS has been astounding, esp considering that it's only been available the past few months.

Based upon the opinions expressed by owners of these two braces, I don't think we're comparing apples to apples here. And if so, a price comparison is not a good one then, at least without such a disclaimer...

 

Valid points.
Counterpoint

For me, it was a rave review. I just don't do the "Oh Gosh Oh Golly best thing since sliced bread" thing.
Just the facts M'am.

Also most, not all, of the raving about the USS comes from a rather biased crowd. The "M7 cuts the best farts on the planet" crowd

I'm joking. There's nothing wrong with loyalty but it can taint reviews and endorsements. That has the be kept in mind when reading related posts.

Like I said we need a comparo.
For me, I'd gladly do a back to back IF I could return the USS for 100% money back including shipping if I didn't think it improved significantly over the OMP unit.
The downside for everyone here is that it would be totally my subjective opinion. Which is what really counts to me, but not others.
I wouldn't have lap time deltas, lateral G deltas, etc. Just me, my car and my bio-feedback.

Here's my review of the OMP.
It was worth the money
It improved the ride and handling of my car
If space aliens stole it overnight I would buy another
If I get another MINI I will put one on it
In my opinion everyone that drives a MINI above 80% on a consistent basis should have this on their car. Especially cabrio owners

Just ones guys opinion

 

...well I lost my two nutserts so I still have not installed the USS. Peter sent out two more yesterday. I'll give an honest opinion when its installed. The upper strut bar - H-Sport and M7 made little noticable difference; the engine is essentially the strut bar. But at least my strut towers do not mushroom.

Give me a week and I'll report back. I do like the location of the OMP lower bar, however. Those two points must receive a lot of energy. somehow a hybrid between the two seems appropriate; the M7 system sort of triangulates components. The OMP appears to work well in tension and compression...may resist twisting too.

Well, maybe I'll add both...I don't think the M7 USS will clear the OMP. Oh well.

 

Yeah, something just unsettles me about stiffening the underside of the car to the degree provided by the M7 USS without also reinforcing the rest of the car. Someday when I have a cage, I'll be able to justify that level of reinforcement, but without a cage, it seems as though stiffening the front of the car like that could cause more force to be transferred to weaker parts of the unibody, possibly resulting in fatigue failure. No scientific proof of any kind--that's just my gut feeling on it. The OMP bar provides some additional stiffening without going to extremes.