Correct. I finally (correctly) converted to Chrono.

 

Thanks!

Bummer! I think i've seen a few DIY's - you need to take apart most of the interior to remove it? I wonder how much this would cost to get someone to do? Probably more than what I'd like to spend.

Newer MINI's are quite big! I parked my R53 next to a F56 Cooper S and the size difference was pretty obvious. They did a good job of hiding the X1 underpinnings; only spot I notice it is the hood length from the windshield in relation to the location of the wheels. There's more length there than in the R53 and original Mini and just feels a little off.

Thanks for the info! So much work! I remember friends cars in high school that used push pins to keep up their headliner, but feel that's not fitting for this, lol.

 

Back in 2014 I have installed OEM DRL fogs kit on my R56S. One of the lights died recently, but thankfully they are still selling single light replacements. I finally found some spare time and started by removing bumper cover as it's the easiest way to get to fogs but hit a roadblock - the small clips holding bumper cover from the bottom had their plastic phillips heads stripped. All 3 of them. I didn't want to raise the front of car to drill them out since I have no replacement clips. Instead decided to give it a shot and remove/reattach the fog housing without removing bumper. I knew some people where able to do it (was reading about it here). Unfortunate thing is the dead light was on a driver side. There is a washer bottle that sits right behind it and blocks an access. So I had to remove the main light, partially remove the wheel arch liner and loosen the bottle's screws to move it a bit. You all know how tight everything is under MINI's hood, so had to work with bottom fog bracket screws by feel, but after a lot of sweating the DRL fog is replaced!
Some pictures:





P.S.: Looking closely at the one on the passenger side now I get the feeling it's going to give up some time soon too, so I think it'd be wise to order another replacement now while I still can...

 

Well Im a little bummed out. Performed a cylinder leak down test on cylinder #2 due to misfiring. Air coming out the tail pipe. Look like burnt exhaust valve or valves. Off with its head.

 

Wow - Sorry to hear that. You've preformed a phenomenal amount of work on your Mini's. I'm confident you'll get through it. But still that really blows (no pun intended) .

My day was not much better.
My car has been performing stellar for a long while. Unfortunately, today, out of the blue, my shifter got stuck in 6th gear. Now acting weird.
Almost impossible to shift into gear. I'm possibly looking at having a clutch replacement. Not something I can do myself given my current circumstances.

There has been a full moon the past couple of nights. Although I'd always thought it only affected people.

 

Where are you located?

 

@Here2Go @shrevemini Sorry for both of your problems. Frankly, I think I'd rather have to pull the head than replace the clutch but both are a lot of work. Good luck to you both.

 

I remember reading when you also had to manage through an unexpected surprise with your '03. My current issues couldn't have come a worse time. - I suspected it was just a matter of time. Thanks for the empathy.

I've been currently stuck here in Atlanta.

 

Man if you were near me I help you out with the clutch.

 

Took the R53 to an informal show of the British Car Club of Western North Carolina. There were about 36 cars, including the expected MGs, Triumps, Jaguars, etc. There were also a few more unusual entries: a Ford Anglia, a 1954 Morgan, an Austin model I didn't recognize that was a driver's ed car -- full controls at both the left and right seats, and a Triumph Vitesse -- a model I had never before seen. Mini was represented by several R53s and a gorgeous classic that was one of my favorites. A beautiful day and a lot of fun.

 

Wow - I don't know what to say - other than Thank you!
More than kind of you to offer in extending a helping hand.
That gesture of kindness has been absent in my day to day since I'd moved here.
Very kind of you indeed.

I guess I should be pretty lucky knowing that WMW is "only" 30mi away. I'll probably talk to them about doing the work.

 

I wish I had someone like WMW around here…. Hope it goes well, however you do it..

 

Well I order a couple exhaust valves. Pulling the head today. Glad I already have a head gasket an bolts in my parts bin along with some valve seals.

 

Any idea what might have caused the burned valves? Running lean? Maybe replace injectors?

 

Got new injectors ready to install.

 

Sadly, no cars 'n coffee or similar informal car shows in my local area, with the nearest being 80+ miles one way down in the Phoenix area. We do have a large annual show here each October, however the cutoff is 1998 or older. Oh well. I did drive mine "the long way" skirting around town for small shopping trip at W-M. I won't park it any places other than those with large lots like W-M, H-D or similar. Total mileage as of today: 7192 - sheesh...

 

yesterday took the PW for a spin around the block, hear grinding. 3 r53s, now none usable.

bad wheel bearings finaly took out the front pads too. Had to go get a 3rd set of jackstands so I can swap in the full upright assembly from the parts car safely later today once it cools down, as well as finally get the 02 swapped in.

Pulled front apart in the parts car, on a positive stroke of luck, Axles were also good in the parts car so that’s another $170 saved on Alex’s.
got LUK clutch kit ordered from ECS, cause I don’t want to be Pulling engine again in a year to replace clutch.




engine in parts car cleaned up pretty nicely though with just a pressure washer.

 

Wow, that is super clean. Alternator looks like a newer replacement, too.

Today, did a wash and dry. Picked up a couple things to try out as I have been unhappy with the Chemical Guys honeydew (green) car wash - it leaves a palpable film behind at less than the recommended mix ratio for a foam cannon. Don't get me wrong, it foams like a whiteout blizzard, and it smells awesome, but it just hazes over my paint. So, I picked up Griots red car (snow foam) wash to try out.




Halved the 8:1 recommended mix at 2oz per 32oz of water and filled up my CG foam cannon. Still made a decent clingy foam that stuck to the car while I gave it a once over with a microfiber mitt. Then it was rinse time.

It rinsed much more quickly than the CG honrydew wash does. The CG wash continues to foam up while rinsing, indicating it's still there; it's hard to get the water to run off clean using the whirlygig pressure washer tip, and so rinsing seems to take forever. The Griot's wash, in contrast, came off like it's supposed to - just a once-over with the pressure washer about 15" from the paint. Car was clean, so happy there too. I sprayed the whole car down afterward with 0 TDS RODI water to help with water spots and then dried with a clean cotton towel with the edges clipped off. I hate microfibers for drying initially because they are so un-absorbent compared with cotton. I use only towels without that hard strip on the ends, and I cut the thick selvedge edges off as those can scratch, believe it or not). Any water left then gets microfibered up. At the end, I 'dry' the glass with the cotton towel before cleaning the glass with blue shop towels and 'Spray Away glass cleaner.

The CG Inner Clean is a plastic and vinyl cleaner with built-in UV blockers. It cleans without that annoying armor all greasy haze that attracts dust afterward. Did the plastics at the front of the car - dash, door cards, door weather strip and rocker panels. Stuff works great and smells like lemons (sort of). Finished just as the temp started to get to the 'I'd rather not be out here now' region. I think I've found my new go-to car wash, and interior cleaner.

 

thanks! The little crank sensor o ring was leaking oil as is normal for British cars, so whole front of block, suspension etc etc was just a lump of dirty grease. It was all jet black, especially the bottom of supercharger, oil pan and trans case.
literally just used a 10 degree tip to get it all off and cleaned up, not even a pre spray of simple green etc.



If I read correctly you use a turbo tip for post wash rinse? May I suggest Try a 30- 40 degree tip? it’s like invisible sweeping or wiping and I find it much more effective. You can push the water almost like you would dirt with a broom.


the DG inner clean is good, reminds me of a cocktail. Margarita? Pina colada? I forget which it smelt like.

 

Entering into a little heat wave today with temps hitting the low 90s and it is going to be that way for the rest of the week. Early morning was in the low-mid 70s and the sun was low in the sky, behind the trees, so I took the opportunity to wash Blue and do a quick detail shine.



Blue looking spiffy in the early morning sun

Not bad looking for a 20 year old R50. Love this car!

 

Was over 100d today and super sunny, Got out the steamer, a plastic scraper, and some LA Awesome, and pulled the severely scratched tint off the front windows.

And yes, yellow LA Awesome (dollar tree) does immediately melt the adhesive residue, but you still have to scrape the now liquid booger residue off before it dries back up. Spray scrape spray scrape etc etc Once most of the residue is gone, you can steam and wipe, repeat and repeat until you have it truly clean.


I still need to do the sunroofs as I already pulled the tint off them a while back As they were peeling.

But I plan to use the steamer to get the door panel grain truly clean, as well as clean the seatbelts first, as I’ll have to lay towels down to protect the interior when I do the sunroofs

 

What kind of steamer do you use? I bought one on a Woot deal some years ago, but it's has a small tank capacity and has to be refilled often.

 

I believe it is a Bissel. About the size of a teakettle, with hose amd many small attachments. Makes steam for quite a few minutes per fill, probably a quart capacity? I’ll look in the garage later to confirm. My wife got it for household use and lets me use it. It is not a 1950s industrial pressure steamer like they used to clean engines back in the day by any means…, but works for my limited needs


EDIT: found the box, Bissell steam shot deluxe. Model 39N7A

 

Something I've been meaning to do for quite some time. Replaced the upper engine mount on my r53. Took longer than I thought it would because I had to keep getting up and sitting down needing a tool that I didn't grab originally. Probably 45 minutes. I have a pre-facelift 2003, so it wasn't failing because hydraulic fluid was flowing everywhere. But I have started to notice a little bit more vibration than I used to, so it was time. 20 years and a couple months out of the original is not bad. I inspected the original amount when I took it out, and the rubber had some cracking in it. Looking forward to my very short commute in the morning to see if I can detect any difference.

Another maintenance item off the list.

 

I swapped out my WMW PowerFlex Rebuilt lower engine mount with a new Torque Solutions one. First off what a little puzzle it is getting the lowers in and out, but i found getting the front 16mm bolt started, then loosely thread all 4 13mm, should leave enough wiggle to get the rear 16mm threaded. then run front 16 down close to all the way, this gives you the room to hit all the 13's and torque the plate back to the block. Then finish up torquing the 16's. I left the power steering fan in, but taking it out does give a little more clearance to get that top 13mm bolt. 1st impressions so far, feels like the power is getting delivered to the ground better for sure, above 4k slight buzz but something that can be lived with. Well made piece, $125 shipped off Ebay, arrived in 5 days via UPS ground.