I have read the threads on spark plugs but there is not a definitive answer.
So I will ask it again.

Do aftermarket spark plugs have and an advantage over OEM spark plugs?

Am thinking about installing a different set, either NKG or Brisk Silver plugs from Alta.

Second do they make higher performance injectors for a 2007 MCS, and if they do will they work or cause problems? Do I need to do something to get them to work effectively?

Third
My MCS has the lower driving lights, fog lights and the rally lights, are there different bulbs available to make them brighter and give them the Xenon look. I have tired to look for some bulbs the it is a little confusing to me.
By the way the stock rally lights are pretty much useless, they do not add that much more driving light.
Reason I ask this is I live in the BFE and it gets very dark on the roads and would like to illuminate the road more so hopefully I can spot deer and other rodent sooner.

Thanks

 

Have you read this, in regard to your spark plug question, see link below.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ark-plugs.html

Why are you looking for aftermarket injectors?

What is matter with your stock OEM ones?

 

Why are you looking for aftermarket injectors?

What is matter with your stock OEM ones?


Nothing I suppose, but thought that a set of JCW injectors might help performance.

 

The JCW injectors are the same as the Cooper S, your best off looking into other products for your performance gain.

For future reference, the only difference between the JCW vs Cooper S engines are,

Pistons, exhaust manifold, exhaust down pipe, turbo.

 

An ignition system is designed to do one thing only. Fire every time. If it fires, that is all it can do. No magic, no secret power, no mystery. It just has to work. Thanks to the emissions and economy regs, OEM ignitions have made it to the point where they fire every time. End of story. Replace with a quality plug every 50K or so. NGK or Bosch, both fine. Use what was recommended as it is an ignition SYSTEM. They designed the parts to work together. Nothing you do is going to make it run better than correct. Usually, any change you make will make it run worse. ( I am not talking about 600 HP nitro-methane here, but a stock engine) Now, if you have a PHD in plasma physics you are most welcome to design the next great system. If not, leave it to the folks at BMW who do.

This was not always true. Pre-emissions ignition systems were very weak. It is absolutely amazing what a modern ignition can do for old TR-4 engines.

If anyone wants to get a basic understanding of ignition systems, the old "Doctors Guide to ignitions" by Jacobs is a good place to start. A sales pitch, but his physics are good.

The ECU manages the fuel delivery. Unless you exceed the fuel requirements of the stock injectors by wild high HP mods, no change is going to do anything for you. Any injector change would require ECU remapping.

If you need brighter driving lights, buy brighter driving lights. You need more WATTS in a system designed for them. Even if you fit a higher wattage bulb in the OEM socket, the wiring, fuse, relay, and fixture could not take the strain as it was designed for the bulb in it. Have proper driving lights installed by a knowledgeable trained professional. I do agree, the stock headlights are pretty poor. I do not know about the optional ones.

You want "zenon look". A blue filter does not make you see any better, and it blinds on-coming traffic sooner. This is how human eyes responds to the blue end of the spectrum. If you want to see better at night, get some yellow tinted glasses to go with your higher wattage, large reflector Hella or Bosch driving lights. 7" rounds. They look great on a Mini too.

czar
Pistons? I thought the works kit was totally external. (You left out ECU tune). Or is the kit you add actually not the full works package?

 

The KIT is external bolt ons+tune...

However the JCW from the factory has the internal upgrades that czar mentions

 

I never mentioned anything to do with the dealer option 192 JCW upgrade kit, however you are correct in regards, that the dealer option 192 JCW tune kit available for the Cooper S is all external mods.

My reference was specific to the JCW engine vs Cooper S engine, differences.

 

I think some people have started looking at Audi injectors in the Euro R56 community. It really doesn't matter much for performance because once the ECU is tweaked the high pressure fuel pump starts to become the lowest common denominator.

 

Ah, so the kit is not the same as a factory works. More salesmen miss-information. Thanks.

 

From reading other forum's...I know Czar has done extensive testing of the R56 and it's capabilities. If I remember correctly, he has sourced injectors and an aftermarket HPFP that runs at 200 Bar . He's also stated that fueling does not really become an issue until you're pushing ~300+

 

Well thank you for all the great info! Actually I pretty much thought the same thing, except for the light issue. I just happened to see some aftermarket injectors and spark plug at various Mini Tuning web sites and just wondered if they were worth the investment. As usual too good to be true.
I would rather get advice from this forum than an actual sales person, you people are "real world" people not someone trying to sell something.

Too bad though I wish there were some aftermarket products out there to improve the performance of the Mini with out have to break the bank.

Looks like I will stick with what I have done, different exhaust system and different CAI. That looks like to only viable options we have to improve performance. So if any one has any other suggestions please inform me.

Getting back to the light issue, TVRGeek mention yellow bulbs, any suggestions to a particular brand would like to look into it.

Thanks again

 

People here in Europe have/had started looking into Audi injectors, however the common link to those with little or no knowledge was the fact, that Audi used a direct injection engine, and so people thought, the injectors would fit our R56 (N14 turbo direct injection engine).

The Audi injectors have a different body to the BMW MINI injector as well as a different spray angle and ohms impedance.

You do remember correctly Thumper

 

To clarify, I did not suggest yellow tinted bulbs. I was cautioning against the high temp "blue" lights. Blue is low contrast and causes glare issues. ( why fog lights are yellow, why shooting glasses are yellow). The new bright white or blue tint (xenon or HID) are actually worse for both the driver and on-coming traffic as you see only in the bright spot. You loose all depth and contrast to the side. Dangerous and I don't know why they were ever made legal. If you are 20-something, you will not believe me. Just wait. By 40 your eyes change their speed of reaction to glare and it gets far worse. You have to realize even if you can see perfectly, it is no help if the on-coming traffic is blind and drives right into you.

The OPs problem is needing a lot more light out there in back roads. The solution is large diameter driving lights. Traditional off-road stuff. They will require new wiring, relay and switch. All those tiny cute little mini lights in the store will not provide the results he is looking for. He needs the larger reflector of a quality unit.

Funny. I saw some "LED" fog lights. Not cheap. They put out about the equivalent light of a 2 Watt bulb. Standard Fog lights are 45 or 55 Watt Quartz bulbs. I don't know how they can get away with selling these things. Your parking lights are brighter!

I now of three products that greatly improve the Mini. Shocks, tires, and driving lessons. No other mod for any money will have as great a return.

What would make anyone think that some cheap after-market would transform their car? If it was that easy, the OEM would have already. We modify our cars because we have different priorities from the OEM. We choose to loose driveablity, mileage and low end torque for higher top end HP for example. People forget how good it is stock. My last two 1600 cc pure sports cars had 62 and 58 HP stock. They were considered quick in their day. Yes, I did some tuning.

 

1.) I'm soon to be 54, the OEM Bi Xenon lights are fantastic. I'll never own another car with proper Xenon lights. The problem is when people retrofit Xenon light bulbs into housings designed for halogen bulbs. The focal point of the Xenon bulb isn't the same as a halogen bulb, and it makes the light dispersion and focus horrible.

People also think it's an upgrade to install 6000+K bulbs. These are the really blue to purple lights you see in cars. Boy are they wrong... Less lumins output, and at a color temps humans don't see very well at night.

2.) The JCW kit that dealers install is external (filter housing, exhaust) and tuning. A factory JCW engine is internally different. (as stated above)

3.) New, bigger, or different injectors don't make power unless there was something wrong with the original injectors.

4.) Spark plugs? nope not really...