[sayanthan]

what mods should there and what should you do to keep your modded engine safe/reliable?:-

a regular oilservice/belt change at appropriate intervals
tensioner limit stop - lohen, gtt, etc
gtt tensioner pulley
setting a safe rev limit? <7250??
?decent radiator ?go aftermarket?-notice minimaniuk are advertising one
?aftermarket header tank,silicone hosing
?a more robust oil pump? is there an aftermarket kit out there?
uprated injectors

anyone agree/disagree/have further suggestions? i'm a mini newbie so go easy on me! i've seen some heated threads on here!
lets say we're talking about your average modded cooper with a 15% sc pulley, a 2% crank pulley, an uprated intercooler, a cylinder head and a remap. (which is what i have except the crank pulley)

sy

[roland2003]

Good thread topic SY , everyones always talking peak power , but never preventative maintenance. This is an area we put great emphasis on with all our conversions. All the things you list are worthy of discussion in this thread.

[robbo mcs]

Hi,

I have a few suggestions to add to your list.

These are all mods that add to longevity rather than performance.

• Oil cooler, especially if you are tracking the car
• Use the highest octane fuel you can get. If necessary add a serious octane booster. It will prevent detonation potentially expensive damage
• Change fluids, plugs etc very frequently
• Get more gauges that monitor things such as oil temp, oil pressure and water temp
• Change the belt frequently. It is a cheap part and is not a big deal to change. If it snaps you risk damaging parts as well as overheating the car and getting stuck in the middle of nowhere

Cheers

Robbo

[sayanthan]

Quote: Originally Posted by robbo mcs (original)

Hi,

I have a few suggestions to add to your list.

These are all mods that add to longevity rather than performance.

• Oil cooler, especially if you are tracking the car
• Use the highest octane fuel you can get. If necessary add a serious octane booster. It will prevent detonation potentially expensive damage
• Change fluids, plugs etc very frequently
• Get more gauges that monitor things such as oil temp, oil pressure and water temp
• Change the belt frequently. It is a cheap part and is not a big deal to change. If it snaps you risk damaging parts as well as overheating the car and getting stuck in the middle of nowhere

Robbo

thanks robbo,
i'll update the list at the end of the week with all the suggestions on here.
sy
Cheers

[sayanthan]

Quote: Originally Posted by roland2003 (original)

Good thread topic SY , everyones always talking peak power , but never preventative maintenance. This is an area we put great emphasis on with all our conversions. All the things you list are worthy of discussion in this thread.

so what's your take on oil pumps and oil coolers mentioned by robbo? do gtt have these in their line-up?
sy

[Aberdeen Al]

Excellent idea for a thread - well done.

It would be interesting to get all tuners to contribute to this - without the catty remarks.

Roland - are you going to expand on your comments?

[roland2003]

Yes, add GTT Tensioner pulley and GTT Twin Bearing Idler to the list , both have effect of reducing drive belt wear.

[Aberdeen Al]

Quote: Originally Posted by roland2003 (original)

Yes, add GTT Tensioner pulley and GTT Twin Bearing Idler to the list , both have effect of reducing drive belt wear.

Good info to start with thanks

[GTT 280]

what about pistons ?

[captint]

where do you get oil coolers from?

[sayanthan]

Quote: Originally Posted by captint (original)

where do you get oil coolers from?

have a look, they're basically cheaper to buy and import directly yourself - don't fotget vat, savings ranging from £50-£100 depending on who you buy from. - while the pound remains weak...

REMOTE OIL COOLER - MiniMania.com

oil cooler - MiniMania.com

OIL COOLER KIT - MINI COOPER S 2002 - 2006 - MiniMania.com

Madness MINI Cooper S Engine Oil Cooler - MINI Cooper S engine Oil Cooler

[sillycar gt4cs]

think how far you plan to go with tuning,what you intend to use the car for,then decide what is needed.i really dont tink you need oil coolers unless you plan on tracking lots.
you can over cool oil btw

[Snowie]

One other key thing to consider especially with a heavily modded car

Bring it up to proper operating temp (water and more importantly OIL) before giving it the beans

Fuel grade and AFR are also key for longevity of the motor.

[sayanthan]

Quote: Originally Posted by sillycar gt4cs (original)

think how far you plan to go with tuning,what you intend to use the car for,then decide what is needed.i really dont tink you need oil coolers unless you plan on tracking lots.
you can over cool oil btw

are oil coolers that good at cooling that they can over cool,? my engine gets hot just sitting in traffic or when driving down the b roads.
are talking about a couple of degrees or more than that?

[captint]

Hmmm, as I don't intend to take my rpms any higher, is an oil cooler required, also, have ordeextra gauges, oil pressure, oil temp. Have Sat Nav though, so no visible indicator for water temp. Should I get a water temp gauge too? Sooo much to do!!!!

[GTT 280]

Note the OEM blue cooler.

Is it required?

This also looks useful...



The Pressure and Temp gauge locators look useful.

[sillycar gt4cs]

Quote: Originally Posted by sayanthan (original)

are oil coolers that good at cooling that they can over cool,? my engine gets hot just sitting in traffic or when driving down the b roads.
are talking about a couple of degrees or more than that?

you will find that water temp will reach it temp before the oil temp.the only way you we see this is with some gauges.
i would sugest getting some before you decide on a oil cooler,then you can see if you really need a cooler

[robbo mcs]

Quote: Originally Posted by sillycar gt4cs (original)

you will find that water temp will reach it temp before the oil temp.the only way you we see this is with some gauges.
i would sugest getting some before you decide on a oil cooler,then you can see if you really need a cooler

Hi,

I absolutely agree. You need an oil temp gauge before you can decide if you need an oil cooler.

If you are hitting oil temps greater than 125-130C then you need a cooler. Realistically this will only be an issue for people who are tracking the car.

There is an enormous difference between "spirited road driving" and racing / tracking the car.

Cheers

Robbo

[MINIdriver85]

I think a good idea is to get oil temp and oil pressure gauges, so that you can monitor the way you're lubricating your engine. This is very important. Also, AFR and EGT gauges can help monitor if you're in risk of melting something because you're too lean.

After this, I'd say an oil cooler only if you see you need it, and changing belt and plugs often as already mentioned.

[Jaw_F430]

Quote: Originally Posted by robbo mcs (original)

Hi,

I absolutely agree. You need an oil temp gauge before you can decide if you need an oil cooler.

If you are hitting oil temps greater than 125-130C then you need a cooler. Realistically this will only be an issue for people who are tracking the car.

There is an enormous difference between "spirited road driving" and racing / tracking the car.

Cheers

Robbo

Normal road driving won't need an oil cooler, but I remember one day I was running late to meet up with a few friends to go Karting and I had to hammer it to get there on time and my oil temp was not far off 160C ( between *30 and *40 all the way there)