[Arnbut]

I've raised the question several times about the high temperatures of the bonnet after a sprited run.
The dealer took temperature readings of my car's bonnet as well as other donor cars on the lot.
After a good exercising, my bonnet will rise to 235 degrees F --- measured above and to the right of the cosmetic scoop. Other cars had similar readings, one as high as 240 degrees F.
That's on top of the bonnet where any passing child might lay a hand.

We tracked our cars at the Phil Wicks Acadamy at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway over the weekend. I took various temperature readings.
Cars that were not run and were just in the sun reached a max temp of 140 degrees F, as a baseline.

Bonnet temps of supercharged cars after a track session ranged from 100 degrees to 140 degrees, depending on aftermarket bits. The m7 cars ran the coolest.
Bonnet temps of turbo cars ran from 200 to 230 degrees. The major difference being the turbo itself which reached temperatures of 325 degrees F!!!



Not sure how this should be interpretted since Mini/BMW has been unable thus far to tell me the nominal temperature range for the car...

As a side note, my transmission was replaced last week prior to the event after making the 3-2 squeal.
It was quiet for the first 150 miles but made the squeal ONE TIME so far on the final turn before getting to the track. Even under some severe service on Saturday, it seemed fine.



BTW, track day with Phil Wicks is loads of fun and I suggest that you all try it...

[sel]

...... have you tried cooking breakfast on it

[Arnbut]

Quote: Originally Posted by sel (original)

...... have you tried cooking breakfast on it

I was thinking of frying an egg on the bonnet for the theatrical effect...
The dealer was hesitant at first to help but seems genuinely concerned now.
I'm hoping to replace the car with a later-built unit.

I signed up for your other site. Too bad there's not a tunnel from here to GB yet...

[sel]

Excellent............. Cornwalls well worth the trip over though.... if you fancy joining us for the Cornwall weekend next june-im sure there'd be a spare seat in someones MINI??!!....or you could hire a MINI once youre here for the weekend??

[Arnbut]

Quote: Originally Posted by sel (original)

Excellent............. Cornwalls well worth the trip over though.... if you fancy joining us for the Cornwall weekend next june-im sure there'd be a spare seat in someones MINI??!!....or you could hire a MINI once youre here for the weekend??

I don't think I could master the left-hand shift quickly enough... ...but a Triumph Tiger would make a good mount for a visit.
It's on my "list" of things to do.
I'd really like to visit some distillaries in Scotland and take part in a motorcycle tour. That's my dream vacation. Maybe take in a Mini race too?

[JAMIE1131]

Quote: Originally Posted by Arnbut (original)

I don't think I could master the left-hand shift quickly enough... ...but a Triumph Tiger would make a good mount for a visit.
It's on my "list" of things to do.
I'd really like to visit some distillaries in Scotland and take part in a motorcycle tour. That's my dream vacation. Maybe take in a Mini race too?

I can organise a tour of the Triumph factory if your ever over in the UK!

[Arnbut]

Quote: Originally Posted by JAMIE1131 (original)

I can organise a tour of the Triumph factory if your ever over in the UK!

Wow.
I've really got to get over there; I've been saying that for years though.
My wife is from Brazil though and my family's scattered all over the states. Seems like we always wind up in Colorado or South America or Canada when we travel...

We're planning to take the R56 to the Grand Canyon and Utah if we can get the whole thing sorted out.
Then a trip to GB?

I used to work for a company that was owned by Sir Ernest Harrison and was located in Florida. Lots of Brits there.
One of the VP's was from Scotland and he told me that he knew of a tour company that met you at the airport in Edinburgh with a lorry and bunch of Triumphs. They loaded your baggage on the lorry and hauled it to a b&b --- then you got on a bike and a tour leader showed you around. You'd stay at a variety of interesting towns, see the sights, and not have to worry about directions or reservations.
Some day.

[Paul]

As an aside (or rather, back on topic), where any "holey scooped" 2nd gen S there?

[Arnbut]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

As an aside (or rather, back on topic), where any "holey scooped" 2nd gen S there?

Yes; two brandy-new and they didn't run as warm.
But, then again, Trinity's non-holy wasn't as warm. But I only shot each of the other cars one time. It was a busy day.

YouTube - Phil Wicks Driving Academy at Talladega...

YouTube - Phil Wicks Driving Academy at Talladega...

[Paul]

What kind of temp where they, was the difference significant?

[Arnbut]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

What kind of temp where they, was the difference significant?

See the first post.

When the cars first pitted after a run, they were all very close in temperature. So, as long as the cars are running and there's a good quantity of air available, there doesn't seem to be an issue.
That's the supercharged cars as well as the turbo cars.

It's when the car sits that the temperatures rise. The turbo heats up like a pizza oven and the bonnet acts like a radiator.

[Paul]

So those turbos "with holes" were at about 200, yours at about 235?

[swamos]

I don't see the issue. If someone touches your MINI and gets a hot palm they deserve it! As to damaging anything, post run heat is very normal for a turbo car. It's much more noticeable in installations where it's near the top. The second generation Lotus Elan was the same. After a run you couldn't get your hand anywhere near. You'd wonder how the fibreglass didn't catch on fire but I'm not aware of it ever happening.

[Arnbut]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

So those turbos "with holes" were at about 200, yours at about 235?

About that, Paul. I wish I had been thinking about Trinity's car more often; she was right there for me to sample. I never got under her bonnet.
She was in the same group driving with my wife and I was busy with my other car instead.

btw, we've been curious about the temperatures down in the footwell on the center pillar. My car was 115.3 degrees there this morning and it was 67 degrees outside.

Warm bonnet normal on a turbo car? ---- I'll accept that just fine.
But there was that mystery smell of burning plastic I had one day that nobody could explain. Something melted and I'd feel better if I found it...
And there was a strong smell of gasoline inside the car this morning after it sat for 1/2 hour. That can't be good.

[ru81]

I've noticed the bonnet on my March '07 MCS gets very hot. For example, I was sat in a queue over the weekend and it was raining fairly steadily. As the rain hit the middle of the bonnet (area above the scoop) it was steaming and the rain was drying almost as soon as it hit the bonnet. Other areas of the bonnet remained soaking wet. Like people have said, I don't have a problem with this if it is 'normal', but it surely can't be good that it gets so hot? For the record, there are no holes in my scoop.

[roland2003]

Hi guys, the turbine end of the turbo gets to 1000 deg C !! .I've run mine without the turbine heatshield on a very hard run. Theres no way you could touch the scoop area even for a fraction of a second. It was VERY VERY hot. Turbine glows bright orange after a mega blast at night. The paint didn't damage (credit to BMW) .but after that its gone back on...it was only left off for convenience.
Best Regards Roland GTT

[GTT 280]

you are talking R56 here, not R53Turbo. How do they comapre?

Cheers,
K.

[Arnbut]

Quote: Originally Posted by GTT 270 (original)

you are talking R56 here, not R53Turbo. How do they compare?

Cheers,
K.

I have an R53 (supercharged) and the bonnet gets to a max of 140 degrees --- warm but not scalding; feet don't get overheated in it at all.
I also have an R56 (turbo) and the bonnet gets to 235 degrees --- it will literally cook your hand if you touch it. The under-bonnet temperature reaches 325 degrees.
The pillar by my feet got to 118.3 degrees on the drive home from work today.

It gets hot enough under the bonnet that the liquid in the windshield/headlight washer reservoir super-heats and starts to squirt out on its own. It drips out for over a half hour and the car looks like it's crying. Leaves nasty trails on the bonnet and eats lines in the wax.

[roland2003]

Hi Karl , Im talking about R56 (R56 Forum), Our GTT300T (R53) doesnt get the bonnet that hot. This is partly due to the extensive heat wraps and shielding we include whewn fitting the conversion. Its the coolest running turbo car Ive owned.
Best Regards Roland

[JohnWB]

Quote: Originally Posted by roland2003 (original)

Hi Karl , Im talking about R56 (R56 Forum), Our GTT300T (R53) doesnt get the bonnet that hot. This is partly due to the extensive heat wraps and shielding we include whewn fitting the conversion. Its the coolest running turbo car Ive owned.
Best Regards Roland

Roland, have you ever tried wrapping the turbo etrc on an R56 tosee if that cools down the under bonnet area ?