Pulley change - ECU or No ECU upgrade? Newbie needs help, please.

7255 Views 31 Replies 12 Participants Last post by sergio rollerfunk, Jan 20, 2005

lwlam

Discussion Starter · Jan 11, 2005

I am very new to MINIs, so thank you for your patience. I have spent the last several days reading through this site and performing searches within the forums as well as on the web but still need a little help.

I will be buying a 2005 MCS and absolutely want to install a smaller pulley increase the blower's boost. I am trying to understand the differences in performance and overall effect of combining the the pulley change with an ECU upgrade.

1. As I understand it, an ECU change is NOT required with a pulley change. It this true?

2. If so, what are the negative aspects of leaving the stock programming with the new pulley?

3. Finally, any suggestions on tuners in the Los Angeles/ Orange County areas to perform the pulley change? (I am fairly mechanical, but have never performed a pulley change and don't want to feck up.)

Thank you very much. This forum has been very educational.

Lester

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Berthil

· #2 · Jan 11, 2005

I watched your question but did not see any answer yet so I reply although I do not have a 100% answer. I have tuned my MCS with a Digi-Tec kit to 210 bhp. I have a new pulley, airfilter, chip programming and new spark plugs (Bosch FR6-DTC). The Digi-Tec tuning is tested extensively against other tuning packages and consistently has won any comparison against simular packages. I can confirm the torque-gain at lower revs is awesome.

The Digi-Tec package is a set of alterations which fit together. That is may be also my answer to your question. Why only do a pulley upgrade if there are fully tested and award winning packages on the market? Because of this set I also have a lower fuel comsuption than the stock MCS, and you can be sure I use the extra bhp when the engine is warm and the road clear.

I got the Digi-Tec dealer address from my BMW dealer! He also said he had complete confidence in Digi-Tec and it would not void my warrenty! And also Digi-Tec give a 5 year warranty on engine, drive train etc. for an extra 100 euro, so I have double warranty.

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MINIAC

· #3 · Jan 11, 2005

lwlam said:
As I understand it, an ECU change is NOT required with a pulley change. It this true?

Yes, but an ECU remap for a 15% reduction pulley will give you even more horsepower and torque

lwlam said:
... any suggestions on tuners in the Los Angeles/ Orange County areas to perform the pulley change?

Found the following links by doing a search:

Knowledgable Mod shop in SoCal

SoCal MINI aftermarket installer

You may also want to check the following:

Pulley Party Central

Back2DTM

· #4 · Jan 11, 2005

Finally, any suggestions on tuners in the Los Angeles/ Orange County areas to perform the pulley change? (I am fairly mechanical, but have never performed a pulley change and don't want to feck up.)

yes. I did mine in San Gabriel, LA. its called Impex. pm me for more info.

lwlam

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 12, 2005

Wow! Thanks for the quick replies. Followup on One Click.

I think I understand the general opinion: if you're going to do the pulley, then do the ECU as well. Sounds like there is no real detriment to doing the pulley alone, but the additional gains make an ECU upgrade worthwhile.

I have read that the older versions of OneCLick would cause the EML light to come on and the engine would stall at higher RPMs. Does this still occur or has this issue been addressed?

Fabio

· #6 · Jan 12, 2005

Berthil said:
I watched your question but did not see any answer yet so I reply although I do not have a 100% answer. I have tuned my MCS with a Digi-Tec kit to 210 bhp. I have a new pulley, airfilter, chip programming and new spark plugs (Bosch FR6-DTC). The Digi-Tec tuning is tested extensively against other tuning packages and consistently has won any comparison against simular packages. I can confirm the torque-gain at lower revs is awesome.

The Digi-Tec package is a set of alterations which fit together. That is may be also my answer to your question. Why only do a pulley upgrade if there are fully tested and award winning packages on the market? Because of this set I also have a lower fuel comsuption than the stock MCS, and you can be sure I use the extra bhp when the engine is warm and the road clear.

I got the Digi-Tec dealer address from my BMW dealer! He also said he had complete confidence in Digi-Tec and it would not void my warrenty! And also Digi-Tec give a 5 year warranty on engine, drive train etc. for an extra 100 euro, so I have double warranty.

how much did the digi-tec kit cost??

Berthil

· #7 · Jan 12, 2005

Fabio said:
how much did the digi-tec kit cost??

It was 1249 Euro but I also got an extra sports air filter for 70 euro. And I also got tinted windows of the doors since the back windows were already tinted by BMW. They made me a good package deal. I LOVE the extra power, especially at low revs. I have read an extensive review of a German guy who was really pushing his MSC to the limit for hours on the German freeway on numorous occasions, hours at full speed. His Digi-Tec MCS didn't have one hickup of any kind. I know they give a 25% reduction if your car is older then 3 years, but mine is 1,5 years old. I seemed a lot of money to me, but I am very glad I did this. Much better than all the chrome interior rings, decals etc. I could have bought

Fabio

· #8 · Jan 12, 2005

Berthil said:
It was 1249 Euro but I also got an extra sports air filter for 70 euro. And I also got tinted windows of the doors since the back windows were already tinted by BMW. They made me a good package deal. I LOVE the extra power, especially at low revs. I have read an extensive review of a German guy who was really pushing his MSC to the limit for hours on the German freeway on numorous occasions, hours at full speed. His Digi-Tec MCS didn't have one hickup of any kind. I know they give a 25% reduction if your car is older then 3 years, but mine is 1,5 years old. I seemed a lot of money to me, but I am very glad I did this. Much better than all the chrome interior rings, decals etc. I could have bought

Thanks
I'll look further into it. I am not sure what i want cause i dont want to have any insurance/warranty/resale problems by modding the car.

allan michael

· #9 · Jan 12, 2005 (Edited)

you are only going to get 6 more hp with the ECU upgrade on top of the pulley. I didnt bother. It is almost as expensive as getting the pulley upagrade, too.

allan

bkwalker

· #10 · Jan 13, 2005

only 6 hp??!!

i would have thought more than that.. why do people bother getting it then?
i got a 15% pulley a few days ago now and i am planning on getting the AmD ECU...
ive heard it just contributes to making the drive a whole lot better..

greatgro

· #11 · Jan 14, 2005

allan michael said:
you are only going to get 6 more hp with the ECU upgrade on top of the pulley. I didnt bother. It is almost as expensive as getting the pulley upagrade, too.
allan

Allan - check out the GIAC ECU upgrade. Phenomenal results. It completely changes the way the MINI drives. Great power and smoothness and maybe best of all, the MINI actually can pull off the line fast and smooth!

Can't recommend highly enough!

allan michael

· #12 · Jan 14, 2005

GG

i have been checking into GIAC's chip, but, i want torque. I feel the car with the CAI and 17% pulley launches and runs smooth as it is. ?!

allan

lwlam

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 15, 2005

AMD ECU. Cuts out at redline?

I read some posts here that tell about occasions when a MINI One would cut out at redline when using the AMD OneClick.

Is this problem limited to the MINI One? Does this affect MINI Cooper S as well?

Thanks.

bkwalker said:
only 6 hp??!!

i would have thought more than that.. why do people bother getting it then?
i got a 15% pulley a few days ago now and i am planning on getting the AmD ECU...
ive heard it just contributes to making the drive a whole lot better..

MINI-Morgan

· #14 · Jan 16, 2005

Doesnt the ECU remap also put in more fuel to keep the engine cooler at higher rpms?

sergio rollerfunk

· #15 · Jan 16, 2005

Berthil said:
I have tuned my MCS with a Digi-Tec kit to 210 bhp. I have a new pulley, airfilter, chip programming and new spark plugs (Bosch FR6-DTC). The Digi-Tec tuning is tested extensively against other tuning packages and consistently has won any comparison against simular packages. I can confirm the torque-gain at lower revs is awesome.

Berthil,

I have the same 210HP Digi Tec package on my S, plus the Borla Race catback exhaust and the Mini Madness CAI. Altogether, my S should be pushing around 220-225 hp at the crank, (around 190-195hp at the wheels). I took my car to Apex R Motorsport in Tucson to get it dynoed, and to my surprise only 175,6 whp showed up, which translates to 201-202 hp at the crank. A stock MCS engine pulls a realistic 168-172 hp, and since the 15% pulley adds around 17hp, and the exhaust and CAI altogether about 10-12 hp, that leaves a mere 3-5 hp from the ECU. I know that I don't have a lemon because my car goes like stink, and I have no complains about performance.
But what gets me off is tuners over-inflating their HP claims, and Digi-Tec might be one of them. I know that a few conditions could have mask the final HP readings, such the fact that I was using 91 octane gas, (the only available in the area), high room temperature (90 degrees) and Tucson's 3,000 feet altitude above sea level. I doubt that those factors took away 20 whp.

The only thing that saved that day was a 99 Civic V-Tec with a Jackson Supercharger kit pulling just 165 whp...

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Berthil

· #16 · Jan 16, 2005

sergio rollerfunk said:
But what gets me off is tuners over-inflating their HP claims, and Digi-Tec might be one of them. I know that a few conditions could have mask the final HP readings, such the fact that I was using 91 octane gas, (the only available in the area), high room temperature (90 degrees) and Tucson's 3,000 feet altitude above sea level. I doubt that those factors took away 20 whp.

Ik learned that every centigrade drop in temperature gives about one bhp more. That's why the real tuning diehards have watercoolers to cool the air before it enters the turbo and combustion chamber. Cool air can be compressed more so more air/gasoline mixture gets in the combustion chamber. I also heard that the difference between 95 and 98 is almost not noticable, but the difference between 91 and 98 is. I think the hot (less dense) air and the 91 fuel could easily result in 20 bhp loss, but I have no proof. The only proof I have is that my Digi-Tec MCS is going like lightning, I did not think 47 bhp could do that much. Just yesterday the DSC kicked in in second gear because I put the pedal to the metal, I did feel the front wheels loosing grip becuase of spinning and it was dry tarmac although cold and I still have thos Pirelli runflats.

greatgro

· #17 · Jan 16, 2005

sergio rollerfunk said:
Berthil,

I have the same 210HP Digi Tec package on my S, plus the Borla Race catback exhaust and the Mini Madness CAI. Altogether, my S should be pushing around 220-225 hp at the crank, (around 190-195hp at the wheels). I took my car to Apex R Motorsport in Tucson to get it dynoed, and to my surprise only 175,6 whp showed up, which translates to 201-202 hp at the crank. A stock MCS engine pulls a realistic 168-172 hp, and since the 15% pulley adds around 17hp, and the exhaust and CAI altogether about 10-12 hp, that leaves a mere 3-5 hp from the ECU.

Speaking of exaggerated HP claims, there are plenty of exaggerated claims of exhausts and intakes. The best exhausts have been shown to make as little as 5hp (and one magazine tested a bunch of them and none of them made for then 2hp!) and the Madness intake has been shown to make as little as ZERO hp. Realistically, intakes on the S are for show and sound, not any appreciable power. So MAYBE the Borla + Madness gives you 5hp. And of course, like everything else, I would expect the Digi Tec package to be an exaggerated claim as well.

Overall, I think your dyno was pretty accurate. 17% pulley, intake, exhaust and ECU should make about 200hp realistically at the crank.

MINI-Morgan

· #18 · Jan 16, 2005

greatgro said:
Speaking of exaggerated HP claims, there are plenty of exaggerated claims of exhausts and intakes. The best exhausts have been shown to make as little as 5hp (and one magazine tested a bunch of them and none of them made for then 2hp!) and the Madness intake has been shown to make as little as ZERO hp. Realistically, intakes on the S are for show and sound, not any appreciable power. So MAYBE the Borla + Madness gives you 5hp. And of course, like everything else, I would expect the Digi Tec package to be an exaggerated claim as well.

Overall, I think your dyno was pretty accurate. 17% pulley, intake, exhaust and ECU should make about 200hp realistically at the crank.

Its all in the testng.. i'd have to say.. the promini intake made quite a difference to my S through the whole rev range. But exhausts dont make too much difference unless the manifold is changed to include a sports cat.

Berthil

· #19 · Jan 16, 2005 (Edited)

greatgro said:
Overall, I think your dyno was pretty accurate. 17% pulley, intake, exhaust and ECU should make about 200hp realistically at the crank.

Are we not nitpicking too much on bhp? My Digi-tecs most noticable change was the extra pull at much lower revs due to the extra torque. The Digi-tec kit is tested as the best Mini tuning kit in several leading German motor magazines and it wins especially of the other kits because of the better torque.
http://www.autobild.de/tuning/testberichte/artikel.php?artikel_id=2655 (sorry it's German)
And this review on MIN2:
http://www.mini2.com/reviews/review5.html

I don't have a mod exhaust, but if you read the exhaust FAQ of Mini2 most of the people who did the exhaust feel a noticable difference in performance. I'm thinking about getting a mod exhaust, but it will be for sound and not for performance.

bkwalker

· #20 · Jan 16, 2005

im not a pro at exhausts but the type of power you will be feeling, is meant to be in the higher rev range; not down low where most of us would also like the power to be..

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