[Electrc109]

how is Diamond racing's CVT off the line acceleration?

[ARitz]

I don't know, you could email and ask for the exact numbers, they're are very nice and are working on CVTs .Which helps when you have a question about whether or not something will fit the CVT.

Diamond racing

-Andrew

[Electrc109]

i went to their web site and didn't find anything that really relates to off the line acceleration.

One thing I did find is the JCW Cooper has a considerable increase in low end torque.

is there anyone out there with a header or induction kit that is aware of their power increase? If there is a dyno chart available for your aftermarket bit, I could graphically assess the power difference in relation to the feel of the car.

http://cairns.mistral.co.uk/cgi-bin/...coop_chart.htm

[ARitz]

Too bad JCW isnt coming to the US for the Cooper .

I've got the pipercross, but dont know of any dyno charts. But it definitely helps in the lower rev range.

-Andrew

[cooper4us]

Gotcha, Aritz!

It will be interesting to see what Diamond racing will be turning out in terms of mods for the CVT. The CVT is an extremely capable transmission and I am sure that it can surprise a few 5-speed and MCS MINIs in the track.

[cooper4us]

I have read comments that the JCW package in the regular Cooper is not worth the asking moola and the gains are pretty modest in comparison to the JCW package for the MCS.

I agree that better low end torque would be more desirable in the regular Cooper but I still think this car is pretty damn fast past 3K RPM. I also think that the CVT makes better use of the 1.6L engine than the standard 5-speed manual transmission.

However, for those moments when I have an urge for agressive low end torque, I jump behind the wheel of my '01 Impala LS. You can't beat the neck snapping take off on that thing! The 3800 Series II V6 pushrod engine is all about power down low.

[Electrc109]

Quote:

Originally posted by cooper4us
I have read comments that the JCW package in the regular Cooper is not worth the asking moola and the gains are pretty modest in comparison to the JCW package for the MCS.

I completely agree with you. I simply admire their work. Yes, the hp and torque gains are modest, yet in a very applicable part of the torque curve (see my link above).

Quote:

I agree that better low end torque would be more desirable in the regular Cooper but I still think this car is pretty damn fast past 3K RPM. I also think that the CVT makes better use of the 1.6L engine than the standard 5-speed manual transmission.

I have never driven a manual Cooper. I am obsessed with cars. No matter what I own, I will always try to improve a car where it is weakest. The CVT Cooper off the line acceleration stinks.

Quote:

However, for those moments when I have an urge for agressive low end torque, I jump behind the wheel of my '01 Impala LS. You can't beat the neck snapping take off on that thing! The 3800 Series II V6 pushrod engine is all about power down low.

Well, I used to have a 1998 Mitsu Mirage that could lurch off the line with a handful of torque. Of course it was no Impala, but I also got around 30 mpg and could parallel park or U-turn with ease. =)

Let me put it this way, when I'm driving and stop at a light next to someone in a modded honda, toyota, or whatever, I'd like to be able to at least lurch to the speed limit.

[ARitz]

Quote:

Let me put it this way, when I'm driving and stop at a light next to someone in a modded honda, toyota, or whatever, I'd like to be able to at least lurch to the speed limit.

I usually can beat many of the hondas that i pull up next to.But i would love to blow them away.

-Andrew

[cooper4us]

I get 34MPG in the highway in the Impala (70 MPH @ 2,000 RPM in 4th gear) with regular 87 or 89 octane fuel (Chevron or Mobil) Got to love the efficient and buttery smooth GM powertrains and automatic slushboxes. Parallel parking in the Impala is actually easy despite is hefty size (70 inches wide and 200 inches long).

But I agree that the CVT could benefit from better acceleration and I believe the potential is there to make this happen. But in the mid to upper powerband, the 1.6L engine really shines and I truthfully find it more powerful (An smooth or smoother) than anything that Honda currently has in the market. Hondas are DOGS down low and believe me I have owned a good bunch of them over the years. Even the V6's are not that impressive off the line.

Has anyone tried any "Economical" mods in their Cooper CVT with decent results?

[cooper4us]

I think your 1998 Mirage had either a 1.8L or 2.0L engine. I might be old school, but there is no replacement for displacement.

I think the only way MINIs will have better low end torque is when the engine displacement is moved up to 1.8L or even 2.0L if possible.

[Electrc109]

I'm quite impressed with the mileage of the Impala. Of course if I were driving it, it'd be getting about half the mileage cos of my over-use of horsepower (which is why I own a Cooper and not a sports car).

I have driven the new Hondas, and well, they drive like a Chevy (no offense to Imaplas though!). Those cars I'm not worried about (well, maybe an RSX, but thats in the Works Cooper S league). Have you driven a 4G Civic Si? (the one that looks like a bean) That car has a nice even powerband and feels impressive at any speed. My Golf was that way, but not as powerful (a GTi is a different story). What I'm trying to do here is balance the performance of the car.

Actually, the Mirage was a 1.6L! Its just Japanese.

[Electrc109]

Quote:

Originally posted by ARitz
I usually can beat many of the hondas that i pull up next to.But i would love to blow them away.

-Andrew

Give me till 100 and I'll be able to, I just want to be able to put a car length between me and the other guy before I get to speed! =)

[Electrc109]

http://www.rspeed.net/images/product/M20-105Dyno.jpg here's the dyno chart for the Rspeed exhaust. The fat increase in torque @ low revs would be helpful.

I'm begining to realize that I should be slicing this thread into another thread to be put in the performance forum.

[ARitz]

I think that my next purchase will be an exhaust. The combination of the intake and exhaust should provide enough torque and even out the acceleration in the lower revs.

And in terms of racing the hot compact cars, we're all done for when the r32 and srt-4 come out. But our cars will look stylish as the zoom by us.

-Andrew

[ARitz]

Just looked at the dyno for the rspeed exhaust. That is some very nice torque at the begining.

-Andrew

[cooper4us]

Is the Neon SRT-4 Turbocharged? Come to think of it, this car uses a 2.0L variant of our engine but with a Turbocharger bolted instead.

I have heard that this SRT is as close as a pocket rocket as you can get (Beats Focus SVT, Cooper 'S', etc) for $19,995 buckaroos. That's not bad for the level of performance, but too bad I can't stomach Dodge Neon's...to me those cars are the lowest common denominator in terms of quality, safety and engineering. However, MINI should pay real close attention to the levels of performance and price offered by the Neon SRT-4.

By comparison, a JCW Cooper S will be well over the $25K price bracket.

Minimania offers an aftermarket Turbocharger conversion kit for the regular Cooper...has anyone been able to test it out?