Opinions on my "plan"...

[BlimeyCabrio]

I'd love some feedback from those with "scar tissue" on what I'm planning for Blimey. My objective is NOT to make "mad power" - maybe someday I'll have a hardtop that I can build for pure performance. But Blimey is my short and long haul daily driver - I want him to be (first priority) comfortable, fun and quick for daily use (and not scary for the wife to drive - who is NOT an enthusiast), then (second priority) fun for occasional club rides and aggressive twisty trips. I have no plans to track or auto-x Blimey. I don't want to do anything that significantly impacts longevity or serviceability.

My plan includes:
* Dinan CAI with Alta hose - have this already - picked Dinan because I like the stock look and don't want as much sound as an Alta, Helix, etc. I'm running the Dinan oiled filter now - may keep this, or may switch to a UNI filter... I'm liking the sound and butt dyno says this makes a difference by itself.
* 15% pulley - I've never read anything bad about 15% pulleys. But not all experts agree on the virtues of smaller pulleys...
* MTH tuner file - Have read nothing but good things, including improvements for DSC (which I want) and possible automatic-specific improvements. Know that there may be some required future upgrades if dealer updates factory ECU, etc. but prefer this to a piggyback approach.
* One-ball exhaust mod - I'd like a LITTLE more sound and a LITTLE better flow to support the intake, pulley and MTH - but like the stock look just fine and don't like the cost of Milltek (which would be my only aftermarket choice).
* Oil Catch Can - because they look cool, and I like the idea of keeping gunk outta my intercooler...
* M7 USS - just installed this and love it. I think it makes the cabrio handle the way it "should have" from the factory...
* H-sport 19mm rear sway - on order. To remove understeer, etc.

That's it. No plans for heads, cams, valves, injectors, twincharge, IC upgrade. Possible that I would add an OBX header or something like that... I already have a ton of cosmetic and convenience stuff done - see my blog for details...

Sooooo..... knowing this is opening a BIG can of worms, I'd love comments, feedback, etc. Anything here that doesn't make sense? Anything that is going to BEG for something else that's complimentary? Any of these that you've personally used and had issues, or regrets?

Thanks in advance...

[TWISTER]

Sounds like a perfect plan!

[MidnightDave]

Dan or somebody will chime in, I think you also do plugs, (like 30 bucks) with the pulley, and you want to do that and one ball before the MTH.

I'm with Mark, sounds like you know what you want, you've done your homework and you're right in line.

One $12 mod every MINI owner should have is a lightinsight on their windshield so you can see the traffic lights when you're first in line.

I just had Dan put a Texas Speed Works, (IMO the best for its brackets, others are half the price), engine damper. It really helps with throttle response. Good seat of the pants mod.

A lot of people like short shifters and heavier shift knobs, and there are debates about camber adjustable and fixed strut tower plates. Apparently you can and some have mushroomed their strut towers from pot holes.

I can't speak to any of this, but others can and hopefully will.

[BlimeyCabrio]

Thanks Mark and Dave...

Got the strut tower plates - first thing I bolted on the day I brought Blimey home - cheap insurance.

Shifter stuff doesn't apply. Paddles, bay-bee. Wish I could put a Whalen knob on my steptronic shifter, but no dice. (actually I like dice...)

I've read a lot lately about the dampers - haven't read anything regarding whether they work for steptronics...

Plugs - hmmm - no doubt a LOT of folks are running cold plugs with their pulleys - but I've read others who say they aren't needed, some say they make NO difference, and some who say they think they lost top end power with the cold plugs. I've read several who have blown a plug out due to the denso's tending to be a little looser than stock and backing out if you don't keep them checked and torqued... but I haven't actually read anyone saying "I ran stock mods with my pulley and know for a fact that I had detonation problems before I went to cold plugs" - so unless I'm missing something, there seems to be more theory than proof for the cold plugs... but I'd love to see evidence that they justify the cost / risk...

Dave - you're the second lightinsight fan I've found - though this is much less of a problem for me than it seems to be for some folks. My big problem is being behind tall vans and not being able to see OVER them to see the light... I guess I need a periscope for that problem...

[oznogonzo]

Sounds like a good plan... have you considered an oil catch can? I may be putting one on soon myself. This mod wouldn't detract nor add to performance, but I think they look pretty cool.

[BlimeyCabrio]

Oh yeah, I forgot to list the catch-can - already plan to have that installed the same time as the other stuff...

Thanks!

[TWISTER]

Lightinsight rocks! I can't say it's the best free thing I put on the car, but it's up there with all of them.

[MINI Rog]

Where do you get this device?

[TWISTER]

http://www.lightinsight.com/

[BlimeyCabrio]

For those interested - I started a thread on NAM (http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93693) to better understand the cold plug scenario.

[simplygriff]

IIRC, Plugs are not a necessity with a 15% pulley but with any smaller and a good investment to prevent detonation.

Dan will tell you the Oil Catch Can is unnecessary for the minimal amount of stuff it'll remove but if you're doing more as a cosmetic mod then go for it. They do look kinda cool.

Other than that... all sounds good.
-G

[minimark]

Sounds like a good plan to me...:cool:

[MidnightDave]

There's an oil catch can buy on NAM and I'll probably get one for the cheap bling factor...

BTW, Sorry I missed the fact you don't have a third pedal I have since my first car, (it was a 2nd gen Fred Flintstone mobile) so it doesn't cross my mind some cars don't have them. ;-)

[CooperSKart]

Sounds good to me too. I've already done the one-ball & really like it - it's just a bit louder & seems to add a wee bit more giddyup. Your plan actually sounds pretty similar to mine. I'm looking to eventually getting the Dinan CAI & 15% pulley & MTH also for the same reasons you mentioned. As far as handling goes, I just got some new tires (BFG G-Force Sports - highly recommended) to replace the runflats & I'm astonished at how much stickier they are.

[BlimeyCabrio]

Update - today Dan installed my MTH Tuner File - and with that, my mod plan is COMPLETE. No oil catch can, but I've done everything else on my list, including adding cooler plugs. I absolutely LOVE how these mods have transformed Blimey into a different (and better) car... nice, balanced, great performance for a daily driver family car. The MTH Tune really seems to have smoothed things out a lot - the power curve just seems a lot smoother, not as spiky/jerky as I accelerate through revs... :D

Thanks to everyone for good advice.

Oh yeah - I still need to do SS lines and bronze bushings and better fluid.... :rolleyes:

[MidnightDave]

Congrats! (BTW, the oil catch can is heavy on bling and light on zing anyway)

[simplygriff]

That's it... the MTH will be my next mod.

Congrats Blimey!
-G

[BlimeyCabrio]

Thanks, guys. Yeah, griff - I'm glad I drove the car for a month without the MTH so I'd appreciate it. After the pulley install, I definitely had a lot more power than before- but the car felt IN NO WAY "refined" - just like a bunch of raw horses/torque had been "bolted on" and was at my disposal - but definitely didn't have a smooth feeling like the whole car was engineered and tuned as a unit. The MTH tune makes the car feel like A CAR if that makes any sense - not like a bunch of performance parts bolted together. It may have a bit more power and torque at points in the curve than before, but the BEST result is that the delivery of power feels TOTALLY smooth as you rev through the gears. Like you're driving a really nice, uh, BMW or something... :rolleyes:

Still has wonderful intake howl/whine, exhaust thoatiness and burble, all the good stuff. Just wonderfully smooth on top of all that... Really is like a different car yet again. Three mods really gave me that "different car" feel (each in different ways): The USS, the pulley, and the MTH tune. :D

[Vango]

Ive been wanting the tuner file also but Im saving money for new wheels and tires. So many mods so little money. Jennifer needs to get her a second job to help out with all the mods. (dont tell her i said that ) hehe!!

[Eepers]

Is the engine software upgrade work worth it for a standard transmission? How much engine management is involved when auto tranny is out of the equation?

[BlimeyCabrio]

Is the engine software upgrade work worth it for a standard transmission? How much engine management is involved when auto tranny is out of the equation?

Even *more* worth it with the manual tranny - IMHO. You'll get all the same benefits of smooth power delivery, DSC "taming", plus you'll actually get to USE the higher redline unlike in the cabrio (which upshifts at the old redline automatically, yuk)...

The real question is what other performance mods you're doing - the more you're changing the car, the more you need to have the ECU remapped to match the mods (pulley, intake, exhaust in my case).

[Eepers]

It's looking like there'll be some engine goodies coming down the pipe via Grassroots Garage, so it'll probably make sense. I'll have to post my version of this thread with my plans for everyone to point and mock :)

[BlimeyCabrio]

Eepers - What's your status? When are you expecting delivery? Can't wait to see your Sidewalk...:)

[Eepers]

It's waiting for a boat currently, has been for about a week now. Frank at Flow guesses the end of the month, then they'll do their work on it for dealer options, and I think I'm going to drive it straight to Dan's from there and leave it for a bunch of mod work to save myself the trip at a later date.

[onefastmini]

Lee, to answer your ? about the MTH tune, (like Blimey said) you get to take advantage of the extra rpm more so with a stick shift. I do recommend driving without for a while first to appreciate it, besides, it takes a few days after sending the file off the Germany before I get it back. We can talk more about it when you drop it off. It looks like all of your parts are going to make here on time, except for the cowl vents that Griff seems to dislike so much, but again we can discuss that later.
See you next week,
--Dan

[simplygriff]

... It looks like all of your parts are going to make here on time, except for the cowl vents that Griff seems to dislike so much, but again we can discuss that later....

Oh thank goodness. ;)
-G

[minimark]

Griff...Please tell me you didn't hijack those...:rolleyes: