R50/53 Seth's '03 R53 - Maintenance/Mod Log
#251
I am almost 100% positive the ECU does not know if the compressor is not running. Its turning on/off of the coil is just a dumb output. In the auto AC, there is a dedicated controller for climate control, but still as far as the clutch is concern, it is still dumb. The only thing the ECU know is when the compressor head pressure is too high. While the pressure switch can fail, it is very rare.
#252
THe ac clutch, just look at it, you can see if it's working, turn the ac on max and the clutch should be spinning, if it's not spinning it could be a pressure issue or that stupid clutch
#253
AC systems functions as follows; low speed fan switches on at 221 and the high speed switches on at 234. When the AC is on, the low speed switches on when the system pressure is at 116 PSI with the high speed switching on when the system pressure reaches 261 PSI. The high speed fan will run without the AC being on if the set point of 234 is reached. The cut off is 7 F below the cut in.
#254
Diagnosed it tonight. The compressor clutch was not turning. Put power to the connector at the compressor and got nothing. I’m deciding if I want to replace the entire compressor or just the coil. The refrigerant has already been evacuated because I wanted to check the desiccant, which was black at the bottom. I’ll at least be replacing the desiccant and the coil, but I feel like I might as well do the compressor since I’ll need to recharge the system anyway and the desiccant seemed rather dirty for only a few months of use, maybe indicative of a compressor failure.
#256
#257
Anybody know anywhere to get a desiccant bag?
#259
#261
Oh, I thought you were referring to the snap ring tool he used when you said “chain link tool” earlier. He doesn’t use a chain link tool for the compressor, he uses that to help take off supercharger pulleys.
#263
#266
#267
#268
I tried the same cotton gloves Modmini wears and hated their slipperiness with metal tools. Wearing those gloves is very Japanese. I go back to Nitrile gloves. With certain job that is not so hard on the skins I prefer being all naked.
#269
I still don't own a chainlink tool or one of the newer belt loop tool. I used a big worm gear hose clamp for the SC pulley remover. It may not be necessary bit I just feel more confident that the Cravenspeed remover would not pop out.
I tried the same cotton gloves Modmini wears and hated their slipperiness with metal tools. Wearing those gloves is very Japanese. I go back to Nitrile gloves. With certain job that is not so hard on the skins I prefer being all naked.
I tried the same cotton gloves Modmini wears and hated their slipperiness with metal tools. Wearing those gloves is very Japanese. I go back to Nitrile gloves. With certain job that is not so hard on the skins I prefer being all naked.
#270
I did the Clutch and Wavetrac LSD on my car. Here are a few things I want to mention that might help you.
DO NOOOOOOT use ANY type of RTV sealant on the case. Use Anaerobic sealant.
https://www.permatex.com/products/ga...-gasket-maker/
Anaerobic sealant is specifically designed to seal trans cases and such as it's designed to cure in the LACK of Oxygen. RTV will not cure properly and potentially cause a leak. It would royally suck to split the case again to fix this.
But more importantly the diff bearing preload is FIXED in the case. RTV sealant can change the clearances a bit because it can expand the two cases farther apart and cause the bearings to fail due to the loose tolerances.
Bottom line: Use Anaerobic sealant.
When you are changing the races. One side of the case will have a shim under the race. DO NOT LOOSE THAT. That shim provides the proper preload to the diff.
Also, use a brass hammer and punch when hitting things. Like hitting the ring gear off of the old Diff and popping out the old Bearing races.
This gearbox is DIRT easy to change the diff on since you don't have to remove any of the other gears to get to it. You just split the case and lift up the diff assembly.
DO NOOOOOOT use ANY type of RTV sealant on the case. Use Anaerobic sealant.
https://www.permatex.com/products/ga...-gasket-maker/
Anaerobic sealant is specifically designed to seal trans cases and such as it's designed to cure in the LACK of Oxygen. RTV will not cure properly and potentially cause a leak. It would royally suck to split the case again to fix this.
But more importantly the diff bearing preload is FIXED in the case. RTV sealant can change the clearances a bit because it can expand the two cases farther apart and cause the bearings to fail due to the loose tolerances.
Bottom line: Use Anaerobic sealant.
When you are changing the races. One side of the case will have a shim under the race. DO NOT LOOSE THAT. That shim provides the proper preload to the diff.
Also, use a brass hammer and punch when hitting things. Like hitting the ring gear off of the old Diff and popping out the old Bearing races.
This gearbox is DIRT easy to change the diff on since you don't have to remove any of the other gears to get to it. You just split the case and lift up the diff assembly.
#271
not the only way
I did the Clutch and Wavetrac LSD on my car. Here are a few things I want to mention that might help you.
DO NOOOOOOT use ANY type of RTV sealant on the case. Use Anaerobic sealant.
https://www.permatex.com/products/ga...-gasket-maker/
Anaerobic sealant is specifically designed to seal trans cases and such as it's designed to cure in the LACK of Oxygen. RTV will not cure properly and potentially cause a leak. It would royally suck to split the case again to fix this.
But more importantly the diff bearing preload is FIXED in the case. RTV sealant can change the clearances a bit because it can expand the two cases farther apart and cause the bearings to fail due to the loose tolerances.
Bottom line: Use Anaerobic sealant.
When you are changing the races. One side of the case will have a shim under the race. DO NOT LOOSE THAT. That shim provides the proper preload to the diff.
Also, use a brass hammer and punch when hitting things. Like hitting the ring gear off of the old Diff and popping out the old Bearing races.
This gearbox is DIRT easy to change the diff on since you don't have to remove any of the other gears to get to it. You just split the case and lift up the diff assembly.
DO NOOOOOOT use ANY type of RTV sealant on the case. Use Anaerobic sealant.
https://www.permatex.com/products/ga...-gasket-maker/
Anaerobic sealant is specifically designed to seal trans cases and such as it's designed to cure in the LACK of Oxygen. RTV will not cure properly and potentially cause a leak. It would royally suck to split the case again to fix this.
But more importantly the diff bearing preload is FIXED in the case. RTV sealant can change the clearances a bit because it can expand the two cases farther apart and cause the bearings to fail due to the loose tolerances.
Bottom line: Use Anaerobic sealant.
When you are changing the races. One side of the case will have a shim under the race. DO NOT LOOSE THAT. That shim provides the proper preload to the diff.
Also, use a brass hammer and punch when hitting things. Like hitting the ring gear off of the old Diff and popping out the old Bearing races.
This gearbox is DIRT easy to change the diff on since you don't have to remove any of the other gears to get to it. You just split the case and lift up the diff assembly.
I used a common hammer to knock out the ring gear. A brass hammer is ill-suited for this job as it is like hitting it with a damper as a punch, which is not what you want. The key is to be careful not to strike on the gear teeth.
I am curious as to your experience with the Wevetrac LSD, especially on track.
#272
#273
Exactly my point. Always be very skeptical with these companies. Just follow the money. They want you to buy a specially formulated product for every freaking job you do and very good at double talk. I will wager their anaerobic (or aerobic ) latest greatest specially formulated sealant is also RTV based. I have enough of speciality automotive chemicals that are ticking away at the shelf life clock and the less I buy the better.
#274
The truth is there is more than one way to do this job right. Your's is just one. Permatex makes a dazzling array of products and many will do a perfectly fine job. I used their RTV gearbox gasket maker and it cured just fine and I don't lose sleep over it. I have never heard of anyone have a leaky R53 gearbox because of using RTV based sealant.
I used a common hammer to knock out the ring gear. A brass hammer is ill-suited for this job as it is like hitting it with a damper as a punch, which is not what you want. The key is to be careful not to strike on the gear teeth.
I am curious as to your experience with the Wevetrac LSD, especially on track.
I used a common hammer to knock out the ring gear. A brass hammer is ill-suited for this job as it is like hitting it with a damper as a punch, which is not what you want. The key is to be careful not to strike on the gear teeth.
I am curious as to your experience with the Wevetrac LSD, especially on track.
The brass hammer is not like a rubber mallet, it won't bounce and lose the force applied to the ring gear. You can use a regular hammer if you want, I just wanted to be extra safe AND avoid the gear teeth. It worked for me. A couple of whacks is all it took.
I've never been on the track with this car but I'll post this excerpt from my build thread.
First impressions: Err meh guurd
Traction is the key word today.
Yes, I'll be like everyone else who reviews an LSD after having an open diff. Gushing.
Now keep in mind that I replaced a lot of other stuff to go along with this, including the clutch, rebuild subframe, ect.
The diff: In the wet I have about as much traction with the LSD as I did in the dry with the open diff, keep in mind it's easy to break traction even with the LSD, but now I have to actually "make" it break traction, as with before it would just loose traction on it's own with little effort.
In the dry it's scary how much more traction I have. I have never driven a FWD car with an LSD. Never. So at first it was weird (and a Bit scary :p) because I used the throttle to steer the car under heavy acceleration and through understeer. Now the car rotates fiercely through the corner if you floor it. So now I have to ease up on the throttle and relearn how to drive this car again to get used to the new driving dynamics.
Overall I can clearly say that this Diff was 100% worth it and would recommend it. (What a surprise)
Goodluck with the project.
#275
Update time!
The MINI is being retired from daily duty. I have been encouraged to get a motorcycle by a coworker for the past few months, and I found a good deal on a great bike last week.
It's a 2008 Suzuki SV650A with ~5100 miles. Owned by an older lady whose husband owned several bikes. I assume they didn't ride this one very much. It's in great shape, but the tires are original. New Michelin's and an oil change will be the first items on the ticket.
I love my MINI and I'm hoping I can use the bike to keep miles off it and give me more opportunity to work on it. I think the bike will also help me appreciate the MINI more, and worry less about trying to make it go faster.
The MINI is being retired from daily duty. I have been encouraged to get a motorcycle by a coworker for the past few months, and I found a good deal on a great bike last week.
It's a 2008 Suzuki SV650A with ~5100 miles. Owned by an older lady whose husband owned several bikes. I assume they didn't ride this one very much. It's in great shape, but the tires are original. New Michelin's and an oil change will be the first items on the ticket.
I love my MINI and I'm hoping I can use the bike to keep miles off it and give me more opportunity to work on it. I think the bike will also help me appreciate the MINI more, and worry less about trying to make it go faster.
Last edited by sevin; 11-26-2017 at 02:01 PM.