Hey guys,

I just got my clubman. It currently have 1065 miles as I'm trying to break it in. When I first got it, acceleration was awesome. Recently, especially since this last tank of gas (93 octane at Shell), I've been noticing that the acceleration decreased a bit. Today was the worse though. I'm getting beat by Camry, Accord, even an beat up Corolla off the line, and I'm actually pushing the gas pedal! WTF is going on. I tried getting off the line using both the steptronic and putting it on sports automatic. Acceleration seems much much slower than 7.2 seconds. Is there something I'm doing wrong? More importantly, is there something wrong with my car? Please help!

- the Cow

 

Do you have AC on at all?

 

Cow, I have a clubbie as well. What was the outside temp at the time, and were you sitting in traffic before (heatsoak)? The Coops are very prone to heatsoak because the engine bay is small and the venting sucks, they should have functional hood vents and as soon as I get mine figured out so they dont look B'More ghetto, Im going to post pics. I have an Edge CS digital gauge and I always monitor coolant temp AND intake temp and Friday it was 105F outside reading and 141F intake reading after sitting in traffic on I95N. These cars hate heat, and the next upgrade is going to be Forge Intercooler.

 

klricks: yes, at 76 degree automated

Clubman S Turbo: Dude, hit the nail on the head. Temp outside was around 102 degrees. I didn't know they are prone to heatsoak. I should not push it too hard during the drive home then! Hood vents? how does that work? I was thinking of getting the M7 vortex scoop for it. Seems like a better investment by the minute if that's what you're talking about. I'll look into the forge intercooler too. Thanks for the tip!

Edit: eww.. I saw a picture at ESE tunning. Makes my clubman smile looks like it has funky teeth.

 

Helix or Forge IC would definately help if it is heat soak.

see this link: http://www.helix13.com/2nd-gen-mini/engine-exhaust/#go

 

Thanks homie!

 

Yes, intercooler will def help but what im actually more talkin about is like a fish, if the water doesnt go through the gill;s and then out again, he drowns. the intake in front is good, helps bring in cold air but then what? no where to go. a vented hood would let the hot high pressure air out and make a huge difference in horsepower and parts longevity. i vented my hi output 1992 grand prix (265+ HP) with the factory coupe vents and it made a huge difference but they are discontinued, so i'm still hunting. :( perhaps a salvage yard grand prix gtp if im lucky. they arent that rare.

 

i'd love to get a helix, i just cant bite of $750 right now. grrrrrrrr.

 

Yeah, I've been looking at some pricing. That's so expensive. I can't seem to find what you're talking about, the vents. I don't think they exist. If they do it's a highly customized part.

 

I am not sure if Helix is still running their group buy for NAM members. Something like $150 off. Hope that helps a little.

 

I am thinking about ways of cooling the engine compartment myself. One way is to wrap the exhaust to keep the heat there. The other is to improve venting using perhaps some naca ducts. Have not found naca ducts of small enough size for what I am thinking about yet. At this time, I am still thinking about how to do it properly and have done either.

 

So back to the beginning, there is nothing I can do during the summer but get my butt whooped by old corollas and civic off the line?

 

There is always something that can be done

 

Gonna have to disagree here. Its been in the high 90s to 102 here in Charlotte the past few weeks and I have noticed very little if any drop off in power in my 2011 MCS. I most certainly am not being outrun by Civics and Corollas. You doing a lot of sitting in heavy traffic ??????

 

No. None at all. It's going from a stop light or after I brake for the car infront of me to turn. The acceleration from that is very bad.

 

New car, warrenty. I think I'd have the dealer check it out.

 

Yup. Emailed my MA already. He is checking it out. Also asked for JCW package price as well

 

Sounds like the trans is not dropping down a gear. Try manual sport mode. I had a 2010 r57 and it preformed well at all temps. Slower than my r55s but still good power.
My $.02 worth.

 

I did. I tried both manual and auto and still got burned. :(. Even sadder. The other person doesn't even know we were racing :( :(

 

I have heard of others complain that acceleration was degraded with AC on. Though most cars will cut off the AC compressor at WOT. Of course you would not have experienced that because you are still in break in period....

Another possibility is a glazed clutch. Happened to me with a new 97 Nissan Maxima I used have.

I have auto Clubman and with sport mode off, acceleration is scary delayed Like when going to pass someone. OK with sport mode on.

 

What is WOT and how can I experience it?? Mine is auto so no clutch needed . I don't anticipate my acceleration to be that of a manual. But it should be more than a corolla. Or a beat up camry.

 

WOT = wide open throttle.

No magic. Just squeeze down smoothly.

 

U mean I'm suppose to go smooth and not just step on it? Good to know before I attempt to hahaha. I guess mini is more refined than the GTI I drove where the owner just told me to stomp on the pedal.

So then can someone help me out by telling me what is the fastest way to take an automatic S clubbie from 0-60? I'm thinking sports button, manual mode, the skid button off, steadily step on gas, shift up at 6000 rpm because max HP is generated at 5500 RPM, and ac off.

No?

 

***** a vented hood would let the hot high pressure air out and make a huge difference in horsepower and parts longevity. i vented my hi output 1992 grand prix (265+ HP) with the factory coupe vents and it made a huge difference but they are discontinued, so i'm still hunting. :( perhaps a salvage yard grand prix gtp if im lucky. they arent that rare. *****

I found something interesting on ebay, Im going to look at these more, the vent size is pretty good and I think they would integrate well w/ the rest of the car's style w/o looking too ghetto. Im going to make some measurements and then prob order them, see how they look. If they dont look good in person, back on ebay they go, otherwise I'll post pics of the install and final outcome.

 

Not insulting anyone here, just basic physics, thermo 101, hot air is less dense than cold air. There is no way that any car, regardless of manuf, is not going to have different performance between 105F ambient and 55F ambient. Turbo cars are even worse because they compress their intake air, automatically more heat, and when the ambient is high its harder/slower to get the heat out of the engine and intercooler (Delta T). If this were not true, there would be no need for an intercooler and turbos would just be piped direct to the throttle body, eliminating miles of extra tubing. Reducing underhood temps helps performance and also makes parts live longer because heat is the enemy of just about everything, and electronics die at an exponential, not linear rate, when they get to the top of or outside their designed operating window. Think about where the power steering ECM is located (2007+).