[batou]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaFlake (original)

You have not had any posts removed since 14th April for going off topic. Those were removed by use when we saw the thread spinning out. Not sure what you are talking about there.... Please PM me if you need clarification on why the posts were removed or have questions.

Must have been an old cached version as it reverted back to what it was before I started posting lol . Nay worries lol

[blaze6]

okay,

as i said i'd be putting up a summary after a week, so here's the list with advice gleaned from the postings thus far and other threads, thankyou all :-

• a regular oilservice/belt change at appropriate intervals
• Don't thrash the car until the oil is up to operating temp
• checking all your levels regularly.
• use a high octane fuel, less chance of detonation - tesco99 (up to a 10% improvement in bhp/torque over 95 octane??) now considered to be the best by some, others say shell optimax/bp performance, again a personal choice, see this link for dyno data, can't comment on the significance but the source is reliable:- Thorney Motorsport Fuel Test Results Update
• cooler spark plugs for more modified engines, NGK iridium 7 or denso (20/22?)equivalents (see other threads on the NGK vs. DENSO debate)
• [b]Uprated brakes/suspension/braces for higher HP cars
• consider bigger injectors again if running lean.
• a tensioner limit stop - lohen, gtt, etc - i presume there are no objections to this, even my bmw main dealer thinks it's a good idea!
• gtt tensioner pulley/idler pulley - kinder to the belt, less wear. If you change your belt regularly it may or may not help. Comparative trials haven't been done. See my 2 cents worth at the end of this post. (i'm keeping this bit impartial)
• if you're trackdaying your car or if it's very modified/spirited driver, get some guages monitoring boost, oil temp etc. sources are minimaniauk, there are some good sources in the states for genuine mini guages not available here but i can't put it on this thread...
• and if you guages show oil temps are v,high - get an oil cooler kit - again minimaniuk have a good kit. as do mini madness in the states
• setting a safe rev limit? <7250?? on your conversion or upgrading engine internal to compensate in the longrun. - no one's commented on this yet - posts welcome.
• consider aftermarket header tank & silicone hosing & aftermarket radiator if running high boost and generating lots of heat, sources,- forge, GTT, minimania, the usual suspects...
• aftermarket powersteering tank - again if you do trackdays think about it - (noticed this on lohen's website, any comments on this?)
• crank pulleys - a good mod or a bad one? the risks are well documented, be observant.

my 2 cents worth on GTT's pulleys:-


the more modded the car the more likely you are to see the benefit. while i know human beings and cars are different i'll use an example from my line of work. (i'm a doctor) imagine 2 patients (patient no. 1 & patient no. 2) with a high blood cholesterol and they're asking you if you should treat them with tablets to lower it.

- lets say patient no.1 is 65, a smoker and has a high blood pressure (or think of this man as a 280 bhp modded cooper)

- lets say patient no.2 is 35, a non smoker with a normal blood pressure. (a standard cooper s)


patient no.1 has a far higher risk of a heart attack or a stroke than patient no.2, treating a 1000 patients like him would save lives. treating a 1000 patients like patient no.2 over the next 10 years probably won't save many lives at all and the infact you may see more complications from the treatment than lives saved (albeit a v.low side effect rate).

i suspect that a car that is more modified or a car that is driven in a more spirited manner (read high blood pressure) is more likely to have a belt failure than one that isn't or has a granny at the wheel, regardless of routine maintenance.

So you have two choices, - more regular maintenance checks and belt changes or buy the very reliable good quality gtt products like the idler pulleys etc. - you may be less likely to see the benefits if you're granny smith, but if you enjoy your car like many people on this forum i suspect it may be the "silent" protection in your car. - fact is you'll never know. At the end of the day, there's no research to back this up and 500 GTT modified cars in comparison to 1000s of non GTT cars won't tell us anything as you will see more failures from the bigger pool of cars although GTT have a 100% record. It's an individual choice which some may see as intuitive and others may see as stupid. I say free will.
Personally - if i was someone that thrashes my car or drive a car with more than 200 bhp, i'd get some of the gtt products.-but that's a personal choice. (i have bough some except their idler pulley as my car's had a bbr conversion so it's got the cosworth idler)

[MarkW]

imho you missed the most basic in your list

Don't thrash the car until the oil is up to operating temp

[blaze6]

thanks, added it on, thought i'd cut and pasted your comment, no matter, it's on now.

[alski]

worth adding perhaps
dont thrash your car then stop, cool down period req as well

[MINIMANIAUK]

A few other things to consider,
If you have just had a very rapid brake application and come to a stop ie traffic lights .......take your foot off the brakes, leaving the brake on transfers heat thru the pads and gives an unequal heat dissapation which can warp discs.
Engine mounts as stock go floppy -this leads to engine rocking too much under load and unloading -damaging the manifold and exhaust hangers
engine dampers
driveshafts
strut tops "mushrooming"
gear oil
clutch
wheel bearings / steering pump with large wheels/tyres
brake fluids/lines
sump guards if very low car
there are more!!
Doc . imagine your fag smoking.high blood pressure bloke come to you and says "I want to compete in the Olympic 100 meters" "give me some drugs" You might like to check him out first!!
ie the 80000 mile car ,that wants to bolt on a 19% pulley

[Silent1]

Quote: Originally Posted by sayanthan (original)

[*]use a high octane fuel, less chance of detonation - tesco99 (up to a 10% improvement in bhp/torque over 95 octane??) now considered to be the best by some, others say shell optimax/bp performance, again a personal choice, see this link for dyno data, can't comment on the significance but the source is reliable:- Thorney Motorsport Fuel Test Results Update

Sorry but that thorney test isn't reliable, they're sponsored by Tesco 99, i'm not knocking john as i work with him a lot, but you have to take it with a pinch of salt and realise ALL of that testing was paid for by tesco, including all the fuel.....

[BigShow]

I've just had a ride in a Toyota Venture Taxi that has been run 24 hrs a day 365 days a year for the last 12 years and only stopping for servicing and fuel. The Sea Point taxi company has been using these work horses for over 15 years and they swear by them. To keep them in good running order they perform what a dealer would call a 'major service' every 10,000 miles to Toyota specification as their service guy is ex Toyota.

The car i was in had done over 1.5m kilometres and the guy driving it had been doing so for the last 6 years and said aside from a puncture it has never let him down and says that's thanks to mid 90's Toyota over engineering but also the taxi companies strict service regime. Sadly though their fleet is slowly being changed to VW Caddy's and the driver swears that there is now way those will last like the Toyota's. The price for a1.5m kilometre ex taxi with full service history and one company owner? 50k Rand or £3.3k!

But to get back on topic, perhaps the best mod you can perform to an already modified Mini is to give it a major service every 6-8k miles instead of what the book says?

Oh and the taxi drivers in SA work 24 hr shifts!!! 24 on 24 off!! Glad mine had just started his

[BigShow]

Quote: Originally Posted by Silent1 (original)

Sorry but that thorney test isn't reliable, they're sponsored by Tesco 99, i'm not knocking john as i work with him a lot, but you have to take it with a pinch of salt and realise ALL of that testing was paid for by tesco, including all the fuel.....

I'm down there in a couple of weeks for a dyno run so I'll link him to your post for comment.

[blaze6]

yes i agree, a few more things to add onto the list for higher mileage cars....i do actually have a90yr old patient on viagra who chain smokes and pops valium, he also likes horse riding and track days....