Guinea Pig - KMT 15% Reduction pulley

[MAFFA]

Weather was rubbish wasn't it? Was over there for the in-laws 60th birthday bash The other half is from Dublin.

MAFFA

[bennyx_o]

Still is rubbish, although it's sunny this morning

[MAFFA]

I've a window of opportunity next Wednesday where i'm trying to get the car booked in with Tony at the Mini Motorsport Centre. Just depends on how much time they need to fit both pulleys.

MAFFA

[bennyx_o]

Thats the thing about over here, I only know of one place that'll fit a pulley and they're in Cork

[MAFFA]

Plugs arrived yesterday so looking to book it all in. I've got to call Tony back at the Mini Motorsport Centre to see if he can do it as he was waiting on a new pulley puller

Alternatively i'm going to give these guys a buzz:

Welcome to E-Tech Motorsport Ltd

They are just 5 minutes down the road & if they can do it along with an oil service then I might go there. Think i'll pop down & scope the place out first

MAFFA

[MAFFA]

Well E-Tech was a no-go due to lack of Mini tuning experience & the Mini Motorsport Centre couldn't fit me in for another week. After a quick call I was kindly fitted in at Minispeed ( Minispeed.co.uk | New Mini ) .

Took me an hour to get there but it was totally worth it for the customer service alone. After arriving at around 11:15 I explained that I had to leave by 3:30 to get back for 4:30 and I had the following list to be done:

• Fit 15% reduced supercharger pulley
• Fit 2% oversized & lightened Alta crank pulley
• Change spark plugs
• Give the car an oil service

Over a cup of coffee that was made for me I was given the timescales for doing the work (more time than we had if problems occured) & after a brief discussion we decided that the best course of action was:

1. Let the car cool (45mins - 1hr)
2. Change the supercharger pulley
3. Test to see if the crank pulley comes of easily. If yes change it but if no leave it & move on to the service.

The guys at Minispeed didn't want me to be late back & it was great that they offered this course of action so as not to cause any unnecessary risk. They were very professional & also very easy to get along with. You could tell that they really enjoyed what they did & that they would take good care of any car they got there hands on.

So the end result was that the crank pulley didn't come off but the rest got done & thanks to Minispeed I was back home by 4:30 to pick my 2yr old up from nursery

Now the verdict........Wahooooooooo

It's not lightening quick (last car was an E39 M5!) but my god what an improvement in both response & driveability I had a very spirited drive on the way home and right from zero all the way to 100mph the car pulls like a train (i didn't go any quicker) and in 6th gear you can feel the increase in torque. Where you'd maybe change down there is now no need.

Kinda makes you wonder why they don't come out of the factory like that

The guys at Minispeed commented on the pulley and were stunned when I told them how much it cost. They said it was exactly like the Alta one

The next big test will be on 22nd November as i'm doing an open pit lane trackday at Bedford on the full GT circuit.

Watch this space

MAFFA

[JerzyBondov]

Good review Maffa. You can't go wrong with pulley and plugs. Not easily, anyway!

What's next?

[DaFlake]

Yep, just the pulley is a big improvement. Enjoy your new power.

[Fisher]

The pulley on MINI is must and not should.

[MAFFA]

Quote: Originally Posted by JerzyBondov (original)

Good review Maffa. You can't go wrong with pulley and plugs. Not easily, anyway!

What's next?

Well i've still got the Alta 2% pulley in the box but i'll probably leave that for another day as I think i'd definately need a remap if I fitted that. I did have a set of Eibach's that i'd won on ebay but if you read back through this thread or look here ( http://www.mini2.com/forum/suspensio...ml#post3574781 ) you'll see the issue i'm having with actually receiving them!

I have a trackday next month at Bedford and when they serviced the car they noticed a few things:

• Backbox is on it's way out
• Rear pads are low
• Front discs are worn

I think i'm going to order this:

eBay Motors: OBX Catback Exhaust 02-06 MINI Cooper S Cat-Back 02 03 (item 350109420333 end time Nov-11-08 20:40:51 PST)

or this

MINI COOPER S 2002-03 MAGNAFLOW PERFORMANCE EXHAUST on eBay, also Exhaust Components, Performance Tuning Parts, Car Tuning Styling, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 23-Nov-08 02:01:25 GMT)

Need to review a few more sound clips of both first but i've had OBX headers before on a previous car & the quality was outstanding. I never understood how they could retail them so cheap & get that sort of quality?

I'll change the rear pads for standard ones & put either some Axxis Ultimate or Hawk Ceramic pads with uprated discs on the front. The Axxis ultimate pads are the best i've ever used by far on track & i've tried quite a few

Then sadly I think i'll need to take a time-out for Xmas

Oooh just a thought.....if my misses wants me to spend £400 on her then that's a GRS my way surely

MAFFA

[JerzyBondov]

Those backboxes look good. Might be worth doing a search on the forums to find out if anyone's had the OBX one on a Mini and what their experiences were.

Pretty much my motto from here on in - if something looks like it needs replacing, replace it with something better :-)

Apart from the intercooler of course, and like you I've got my eyes on a GRS. Definitely persuade the girlfriend that she needs a £400 present

[MAFFA]

Just got to see how this pulley holds up on the Bedford GT circuit for a full day

MAFFA

[bennyx_o]

Quote: Originally Posted by MAFFA (original)

Just got to see how this pulley holds up on the Bedford GT circuit for a full day

MAFFA

And!?!?!

[Richard Crofts]

You wont need a remap on the 2% crank mate. I know plenty of folks with far greater spec tunes on stock maps. Some use a 1320 or RMW map, some use nothing but 380cc injectors, some even stock injectors. Me I use 450cc injectors on stock map with GTT VFPR.

15% pulley
Modded Alta intake
Shrick cam
GP IC
GTT manifold
Milltek exhaust

Was on stock fuel and injectors, but now on 450 and GTT VFPR

I know a JCW car that ran +3% crank on stock 330 injectors and GTT manifold (it was a JCW200 not a 210) for over 30k without issues....he even ran the stock stuff with a 1320 cam in for a few thou I believe, before having a load of tuning and exterior work done in the summer. Just goes to show the stock map can be OK, not as good as a custom one but it can be safe enough. Dave at thinkmini has big valve heads etc etc and 17 pulley etc and has stock map with big injectors and some GTT bits to deal with fueling. bigshow ran a stock map for a long time before his 1320 or RMW map.

The crank on't be a cause for a remap unless theres something not quite right with the car anyway. Best thing is buy a wideband AF sensore and guage kit and then you can see exactly how your stock parts are coping with any mods.

[MAFFA]

Benny - Trackday is on 22nd November

Richard - Sound advice, Thanks. Had a lambda & knock sensor on my Subaru which proved essential. I suspect there are similar items for the Mini?

MAFFA