You'll hear the intake more then feel it. Figure it this way...adding the JCW intake (IMO one of the best) you add ~ 5hp over stock. That would be like putting a 70lb person (small child) in the passenger seat and noticing the difference in acceleration. The JCW intake is ~ $300 and even more to install if you weren't to do it yourself.

A 15% pulley adds at least 15hp, I like to stay on the conservative side because one its more realistic and you shouldn't be disappointed. Now at 15hp that's more like adding a 200lb person in your passenger seat...try that and see if you feel the difference, you probably will! A pulley, like many already mentioned shouldn't be much more then $300-350 part and labor.

Now

 

MZero has it exactly right!
For your car at 168hp, a 5hp increase will only amount to ~3%, it is very difficult to feel a 3% increase with your butt dyno. However, given that you will also be able to hear an intake improvement, you will likely still have a very positive experience from the CAI upgrade alone.

When you upgrade the pulley you will really be able to feel the difference, cause now the perf increase will be in the 10%+ range. And coupled with the CAI, you will be able to hear it much better as well.

 

Thanks guys, Im getting closer to getting the pulley done

 

Ok, the alta pulley will be installed on thursday morning. The guys said they are using the first gen alta pulley. Should I get the version 2.0 one? its thirty dollars more but I cant figure out why its better. Let me know before thursday morning :P

 

Well I am getting it done this thursday. If I brought my own pulley its 301 for the labor. I opted to buy an Alta pulley from them.Oh and I think they need to out a new fan belt on right? so the total parts and labor is 450. Am I getting ripped off? I havnt paid yet. Let me know please. I am new to all of this obviously.

 

You need to talk to Searocko, his '05 MCS makes 214.9whp with only RMW street header, RMW cam, RMW tune and 15% pulley... ~$2000 in parts and tune. Everything else in his car are stock... exhuast, intake...

Whatever you do, don't get prepackage performance packages, unless you are willing to do a Dyno before and after to varify you are getting your money worth of HP, and the vender delivers on the HP claims of their packages. If you are not willing to invest the time and money on before and after Dyno, you are just throwing your money away.

 

$450 is way to steep IMO, maybe shop around? Where are you located?

 

I am in san antonio. In my local SA mini forum they all said that is what prestige tuning charges. I called today and they said its 301 for the install and 100 dollars for the first gen Alta pulley plus 25 for the new belt. I cant seem to find another place in san antonio to do it. I called and they all said they dont do pulley installs

 

For budget planning purposes:
The V1 is ~$100, and the V2 is $140.
A new belt is ~$25.
2-3 hrs of labor at whatever rate the shop charges.
So yes, $450 seems a bit high.

 

Well they are saying it will take at LEAST 4 hours.

I just dont know what else to do. I want it installed so bad. I made a post in my local mini forum hoping they know of another garage that can do these installs.

I hate feeling like I am paying too much or more than other people do.

thanks again guys for all the input.

 

Call Terry Sayther shop here in S. Austin and do a little comparison shopping. I have not used them, but I have heard many endorsements of this shop. Get their price, this will be a good reference, even if you do not drive the ~75mi. to get to them.

Here ya go with a link:
http://www.terrysaytherauto.com/MINIcentral.htm

 

Thank you SO much. I will give them a call in the morning.

 

A Rhesus Monkey with a 12-pack of beers could install a pulley in 4 hours. It took me 3 hours of laziness coupled with stopping for lunch and generally being distracted a lot to install a pulley (Alta V2) and intake (also Alta). Obviously its not the first time I have turned a wrench, but it WAS the first time I have turned a wrench on a Mini.

Long story short: If your shop cannot do the job in 2 hours or less then you should consider a different shop because they are either incompetent or ripping you off.

 

Well according to my local mini forum they are the best in town. I mean what do i do? Call and ask why it is taking four hours? Wont they be offended? Should I even say anything to the shop? Its not like I have to go to them I just cant seem to find another place to do it locally. I called 5 places today and they all said no. please help guys.

 

Mark at Prestige Tuning is a highly skilled automotive specialist; you’re in very good hands mdbsat.

The V1 is the better of the two, don’t sweat that one either.

 

I did it myself and it was quite a PITA, it took me 8 hours and it was not the first time I had turned a wrench either; neither the first time on the MINI. The hard part for me was getting my old pulley off, that took about 4 hours in itself. Everything else was fairly easy, well, I also completely removed the lower engine mount because I replaced both the small and large bushing with poly and it took almost an hour to get that back in and bolted up!

So real labor for me was ~ 3 hrs...the dumb ******** make me angry stuff was about 5... A shop having done this before should not take anywhere near 4 hours, more like 2. Danny @ Mini Corsa here in CA charges $195 for the labor, and we have much high cost of living out here!

 

Why do you say that? I seem to recall every thread about poor pulley alignment used a collet-and-socket pulley instead of the arbor-and-shell pulley. Never seen a problem with the arbor-style pulley ala the V2.

You might consider this - the shop you called probably knows they are the only ones that are specialists that will install pullies, therefore they drive the rate up. Consider using an independant non-specialized mechanic and be sure to get the free Alta tool rental with your purchase so that they have the proper tools to remove it with. Seems to me that the job is super easy with the right tools.

 

Ok, now I am confused. My fellow south texan says I am in good hands with the shop I am going to BUT everyone else says the price is way too high. sigh. I dont doubt this place does good work but I havnt had ONE person say that $300 is a reasonable price to pay for a pulley instal. I guess its up tp how bad I want this done. I couldnt take apart a remote control car much less a mini;s engine. Well, I have until tomorrow morning at 8 to make up my mind. I cant research much today because im working. Someone make me feel like I am not about to get ripped off!!!

ok. one more question. I called a shop in austin to get a price. 250 plus parts so I am going to go to the place here in SA, BUT the guy in Austin said he suggested a 17% pulley over the 15% and he said of course the 19% too much. I was going to go with the 15% but now that he mentioned the 17% what do you guys think? how much more HP will I really get from the 17%? And yes I owe all you guys a dinner :P

 

I have the 15% on my car and pretty happy with it in Austin. As mentioned earlier in this thread, it is the safest bet, especially for warmer climates due to the extra heat with higher rpms.
Also, I do not think the V1 comes in 17%, so if you want that you may need to move to the Alta V2.

This is really a personal choice, I am sure there are many with a 17%, and love it. The hp increase with a 17% over a 15% will be very small, ~3hp maybe? So, no real value at top end, but it could be of value at the low end of the rpm range as a higher % redux will move the perf improvement lower in engine rpm.

 

Do a search on 15% vs. 17% there are TONS of threads on that subject.

What it comes down to is...at 17% you WILL overspin the supercharger when you are at high RPM's this brings the S/C efficiency down quite a bit and the supercharger starts making more heat then boost. Now even a 15% pulley does this to some extent, a 15% will bring the supercharger just above its max RPM right near your cars redline.

If you do not intend on driving near redline much, and do not intend to track the car, then the 17% is good for the street. It will spool the S/C faster and you'll get more boost at a lower RPM then you would with the 15%, but it will fall off more at high RPM and almost equal out near redline due to the 17% loosing more efficiency up top. But if you are simply driving this on the street and rarely if ever go above 5k then it is the best option.

The 15% is the safer option and leaves you with more choices. It will have the S/C spooled by ~ 3000 RPM as opposed to ~ 3500 stock. It will be just a hair above the S/C max RPM at your cars redline. Which seems to be ok because normally people don't spend too much time at their cars redline, and 1000's of people now have millions of miles combined with the 15% and it has not shown to be the cause of problems (except for rare few). If there is a chance that you will race your car, or will spend more time then the average person above 5k RPM, I'd stick with the 15%.

Or you could be like me and go for the 16% , hope that didn't throw your head in a loop

 

nah zero, head not spinning. I am still in awe how strangers can go to this extent to help someone like me who has no idea about cars. I am so grateful. I think I will go for the 15% becasue that is what most have done. I will never be racing my car. I am just looking to make my car even more fun than it already is to drive in the city. But since I am only going to be doing city driving and no racing on a track am I to understand that I will get more out of a 17% pulley? I guess Ill ask them tomorrow morning. Wish me luck and after all the advice you guys have given me you can be assured you will have a detailed report by tomorrow afternoon! I am already thinking about what intake I want and about some cold spark plugs? :P

 

I have a 05 Cooper S

I've gone with the following:

Dinan Cold Air Intake
15% Pulley W/JCW Belt
Beru Ultra X Plugs W/Colder Wires
JCW 380 Injectors
Borla Cat Back Exhaust (Street)
Custom Helix/Jan Tune

204 HP / 194 FT LBS of Torque

 

You must have a strong car out of the box? Or a real friendly dyno.

 

or maybe a better tune?

 

The #'s made us think the car was strong to begin with.
It was done on Helix's mustang dyno so the numbers are a bit conservative.
I have a set of the BRISK Premium Spark Plug on their way as well since I've heard them to be the best.... as well as a GP Intercooler, I'm curious to get another dyno run to see where I'm at now..