Here's the latest update to my project journal. As with previous versions, there was no change to previous entries, just new stuff on the last couple pages.

Project Mini upgrade April 2013.pdf

 

Been about a year since my last update. As before, only the last couple pages are new.

 

Here's my latest update. As before, only the last page or so is new. I've also attached 2 dyno charts --- getting closer to the elusive 300 numbers! Next dyno run will be with the new turbo and at least 30PSI.

 

Man. You have been through quite a lot with that car. I am definitely interested to see the dyno graph with the GTX though.

 

Yes, it's been a challenge. Started out wanting a "mean machine". Around my community, I claim it's "One of, if not THE baddest Mini in Northern NV." I'm gonna start dropping the 'Northern" part of that claim. Maybe expand and re-define it to "street Mini" and West Coast. While at MiniThunderHill VI, I saw a twin engine Mini. Can't be street legal, but gotta be "badder" than mine! I don't mean this to be a challenge to anyone. My car has serious HP and torque, but a novice driver on a track. Other features, like lousy "launch" performance, make it less competitive on the street or ¼ mile track, but I don't have that data yet --- season hasn't started.

Anyhow, here's an update to my journal and the dyno chart you want to see. Note that the chart doesn't plot boost. It was set to, and did, max out at 30PSI.

 

Impressive but why not a Manic Tune? I can run 25 psi all day long and can tune for higher PSI. He also eliminates all those unwanted and limiting fail safes. Give Nicholas a call. For the PCV system, I just devised a set up using a one way valve from an outfit in NY. I run it in the PCV line from intake to the check valve over to a "T" on the output on the 2nd OCC. (the other line for the "T" goes to the intake hose on the turbo for additional venting under boost. I draw crank gases from both side of VC and from a provision in the oil cap into a "T" directed to OCC #1 then to OCC #2. I have great vacuum except under heavy cruise and boost of course. Under boost the gases get sucked into the turbo inlet line(hopefully devoid of most atomized oil)
It makes a hell of cool howl at idle.
I love your mods to the engine and that is next for me. Thumper Motors huh. They had a camshaft for you?
Check out the pics

 

What Mini was yours at ThunderHill, I was there on Sunday in my GP? I would have loved to have met you
Mario

mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer

 

Enjoyed reading your post. I'm in the same boat as you , last yearI bought a 07 with 35k miles. I have a garage full of parts ( wagner,wilwood,Ohlins,Tarret,DNA,CES,JM45...etc) Just have not had time to put it all on. I'm going home this weekend ( I travel for my job) and finish my custom cold side intake and then driving down to Phoenix to let EuroTechs install all my goodies. I'm probably going to bring it back and try out the Manic tune from them as well.
I'm going to be going down the same path as you with the head work and clutch next, followed by the engine mods....I took some notes from the fun you had with this mod..lol
Was nice reading about your experience and your findings. Nice write up

 

Eventually, I probably will call Manic, or some other tuner. For the little hi-perf driving I do, there's no big rush.

Please share with us (or me via PM) the details of your one way valve --- mfg, model, where to buy, etc. I'm not real happy with the one I'm using now.

Thumper does head work --- port, relieve, valves, manifold matching --- ask him about cams, I didn't. Email is thumper460@hotmail.com and his web site is thumperheads.com
There are others, but Thumper has significant experience. I highly recommend him.

From your pics, you must have quite a plumbing headache. Has it solved the crankcase positive pressure problem, or did you ever have that problem?

 

On Sunday, I arrived late AM and spent all morning at the dyno shop. I left right after the parade. My Mini is pure silver, no stripes, badges, or roof decals --- it's a "sleeper" --- I don't want to attract a lot of attention, just the normal Mini oooohs and aaaahs. Pic in my "garage."

As mentioned above, I'm going to be looking for another tune someday. There's a couple people out there I want to talk with. If this is your thing, and you're comfortable working with my mod list, let me know via PM.

 

" --- driving down to Phoenix ---" where are you located?

You might consider saving some labor $ by doing the internals while the head is off. Yes, it's more cost for parts up front, but labor for updating internals will be almost as high as internals cost.

There's a couple good rebuild threads here, complete with pics too. I'm glad my journal helped you --- that's the main reason I started it. Four years ago, there wasn't much info available, so as a newbie, I made my share of mistakes.

 

I almost went to the dyno to check it out. I sent you a PM with some questions and YES, I'm up for doing Manic on your beast

mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer

 

Here's a link to the one way
http://www.rippmods.com/shop/high-bo...r-supercharger
The plumbing was fun and easy. I did have to make some changes as the 1/2 power CEL would come on very intermittently w no codes. There was so much draw on the crankcase that I was certain it was fuel trim although the % looked good. . I installed a ball valve on the vacuum side of the manifold and through trial and error arrived at a proper amount of vacuum. I have a stage 3 and it works well although not perfect. A little too rich under WOT. I like that coolant temps stay at 180 instead of 220.

 

oldbrokenwind- I live in vegas so it was only a 4 hour drive. 75% on some nice higher speed desert roads with nice twisties.....lol I was loaded down with parts so I couldn't push it to much...
I was looking for a core head, but like you said it is more coast efficent if you do the internals at the same time. I think I might just find a "core" motor and start working on doing a motor swap all at once.

indimanic - do you feel like the stock one-way check in the valve cover is not holding up ? just wondering why you added another .
You T both valve cover vents together, go to your OCC and then use the vacuum from the oil cap ?
Have you dyno your car with the manic and E45 yet ?

 

Some of us from the Sierra Nevada Minis club are planning to attend the AMVIV event in late May. It'll be my first time at the event, but I'll make it a point to look for you --- couple of others too. Hope you're planning to attend.

I don't want to respond for Indimanic, but the reason I added a one-way valve is because the valve cover PCV system can't hold up to much over 20PSI. I blew out 2 different PCV systems before adding the one-way valve. I'm still working on a way to get PCV while boosting. Don't need it often, just want to show it can be done. I'm also pretty sure that our PCV system works differently at high altitude --- 4500 ft or so, than it does around sea level. There's quite a few people that swear their's works fine with the manifold hose plugged.

 

I'm part of the Sin City mini club, If I'm off work I will be there. I sent in my Tshirt design a few weeks back to try and win some free stuff...lol

Yeah this PVC thing is whipping my butt, I'm going to install some T's and add gauges so I can get a better idea of whats going on. I'm also going to add a venture effect in my exhaust and see what kind of vacuum I can get there.
I would like to take the passagers side to an electric vacuum pump for idle , then if the exhuast can make enough vacuum at cruising speeds switch over to it via vacuum switch to turn the electric pump off and a check to switch to exhaust.... just have to get some R&D time in is all.
I bought my mini in last week before I did my custom cold side intake
to get walnut blasted. They said my valve cover was bad.... well they installed a new on it and Jerry at EuroTech said it was an upgraded valve cover... New to me. I asked for my old one but they had thrown it away..

still unsure of the PVC system.....lol

 

If you go with an electric vacuum pump, be sure it has more capacity than the Summit #760152 --- the one I tried. This model doesn't have the capacity / volume to pull more than a few inches of vacuum when the engine is idling. It will run continuously (unless you defeat its regulator switch), it's large enough to make finding a place to mount it difficult, and when running, it's noisy and causes noticeable vibration. So, a "bigger" unit will just exaggerate these problems, and still might not pull enough vacuum --- there's a lot of space in the crankcase area to be evacuated, and it's not airtight.

The exhaust venturi sounds promising. A "muffler shop" should be able to add an oxygen sensor hole --- common threads and reasonable size.

 

Actually you have to go in at a 45 with a tube to get the ventura effect to create vacuum. 45 degrees of flow.

Delco 215-425 is about 100 bucks on amazon, Ford used it on the Mustang Cobra R as a crankcase evac pump for the supercharged engines. They also used it as smog pumps.
Should get about 4"Hg , but it has 3/4 inlet ( not sure what the summit one has) I thought the summit one was used on brake systems, seams like it should have a good pull. Sure you where not under voltage ?

 

Summit unit is about half an inch dia hose, and designed for brakes. I didn't check anywhere for crankcase pump units. And the voltage used was OK --- negligible drop.

 

Have you made any head way with the Evac idea ?
I did read you don't want to go over 10-12", after that you can suck oil off the wrist pins etc.....
I bought 2 vac gauges and will be adding them to the 2 valve cover ports to get an idea. Then weld a tube in exhaust and see what kind of vac I get....

Still coming to vegas in May ?

 

Nope, haven't done any more with crankcase evac. I do so little driving with boost, I'm happy with the check valve keeping crankcase pressure down. So far, the check valve has been holding together. Eventually, I'll add a pump and figure out a way to turn it on ONLY when needed. Thanx for the info on the Delco unit.

Made AMVIV hotel reservations a couple days ago --- arrive Thurs nite, leave Sun AM. Haven't been there in lotsa years --- looking forward to re-visiting the strip, and of course, club activities. Hope to meet with you and a few others.

 

well I'm up in Boulder City, about 30 mins from the strip. I will send you a PM with my contact info. I should be done with job and off for a month starting in June. I'm getting my JCW aero kit painted this week I hope....

 

Been a year since my last update. Still getting used to the big power. Finally decided to bite the bullet and talk seriously about a Manic tune. Seems they can use my AP tune as a "base" tune, plus tune for 30PSI without using a fuel (or boost) cut defender, and maybe even get rid of conditions causing my troublesome P2884 / P2885 codes.

Since we have family in the Phoenix area, we decided to work with EuroTechs for a couple days. This dyno chart is my first one with Manic and isn't done with the correct WMI mix --- the mix is changing from 50 - 50 to 80 - 20 for the "daily driving" map, so I need to use up the existing mix. There was some "fine tuning" done after this chart, so there might be even more WHP available. I'm hoping to get another dyno run at ThunderHill mid-Feb, if I can keep it together 'til then.

FYI --- it's a stage 4 tune with my original custom AP map as the "base". Map A is for use without WMI, map B is for daily driving with 80 - 20 WMI, and map C is for 100% meth --- when I need an adrenalin rush!

As with past journal versions, this one doesn't change older info, just adds a new page or two.

 

Congrats stud muffin......
I think your codes are behind you now as well.
I bet a taco that you see over 372.26453 with the fine tune...lol

It was nice to see you when you where coming back from Az, but all I really saw was you smiling........

 

I like this PCV set-up but I think the hose from the transmission side of the valve cover isn't doing anything. Doesn't that port only open if the port on the other side of the valve cover sees pressure?