I'm at 91k now - and trying to prepare for a tune up at 100k.

I'd like to get a new belt, new plugs, most likely a new harmonic balancer / damper / crank pulley. I have an Alta CAI - which probably needs to be cleaned. Do the vendors here sell the oil / lubricant?

I'd also like to possibly change to a red MSD coil pack with red wires. Any issues with this? Suggestions? I'd also like to look at possibly doing the LCA bushings.

I have a 15% SC power pulley. Is there a special belt size I have to get? I've heard I should have and be using colder plugs - which plugs? Which harmonic balancer / damper / crank pulley - and should it be stock size or other?

Fluids have all been changed.

Is there a way to tell if the motor mounts have gone bad? I'd like to put some of the convertible supports up front in the engine bay too. Is there an easy way to tell if the shocks have gone bad / soft?

 

I just finished doing a big 100k renovation, so I'd be happy to offer any experience.

You will need a smaller belt due to your 15% s.c. pulley. Same goes for the plugs. Be sure to get spark plugs that offer a colder heat range. Ditch the stock harmonic balancer and get an ATI one. Definitely worth the investment. This kit is perfect for cleaning and oiling the Alta CAI. https://www.waymotorworks.com/uni-fi...rvice-kit.html

The Screamin Demon coil pack is a nice bolt-on upgrade, and about any wire brand is as good as the next, but to be honest I would devote these funds to more preventative maintenance such as an aluminum coolant expansion tank or some fresh ball joints. For the LCA bushings, go for polyurethane ones such as Powerflex.

An easy way to check the status of your upper engine mount is to see if it is leaking hydraulic fluid. For the lower engine mount, you may notice some cracks in the rubber if it is worn out. I realized that my shocks were bad when I noticed cracks in the upper strut mounts and severe mushrooming of the strut towers. But mostly the bouncy ride led me to replace the MacPherson struts with coilovers.

Hope this helps!

 

at 91k your close enough to just to a 100k service.

Fuel filter
https://www.waymotorworks.com/fuel-f...0-r53-r52.html

Microfilter
https://www.waymotorworks.com/oem-in...ir-filter.html

then the crank damper, go with a New ATI just had a car with 46k fail today so you're over due.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/super-...ulley-r53.html

15% pulley belt
https://www.waymotorworks.com/15-or-...rger-belt.html

Filter cleaning kit for the foam Alta filter
https://www.waymotorworks.com/uni-fi...rvice-kit.html

As for the ignition coil. We offer the MSD, but don't recommend it as it doesn't fit well and requires new bolts to install. We have the screamin demon coil that will use the stock bolts and rubber washers I use on my personal car
https://www.waymotorworks.com/scream...-coil-pak.html

our wmw wires are very cost effective and reliable as stock
https://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-pe...lug-wires.html

Or get our ignition kit with all you need
https://www.waymotorworks.com/wmw-ignition-package.html

For control arm bushings go with the powerflex they are by far the best and will not wear out again.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/powerf...shing-kit.html

As for checking the engine mounts look for cracking rubber, or oil to leak out if so time to replace.

 

Does it harm anything to use the 2% overdrive or should I stay stock? Would I need a different belt?

Understood. Is the Demon the same or better than stock? Are there differences?

I've seen no evidence of this yet.

 

I just use the standard size ATI damper with a 15% pulley.

I find the Demon to be as good as stock as we use them for all the jobs we do in our shop and have no issues.

 

What is the point of the MSD/Demon? Why not just get OEM? I can't imagine there's any real benefits.

 

FICTION:
MSD is red, therefore your MINI will be faster...

FACT:
Re: OEM vs MSD/Demon; there’s no improvement over the stock coil.

 

Here's a picture of my crank pulley taken today. From those with experience, how does it look?

 

Your crank Lully looks fine, but often used to tell in pictures. I’m running a ATI 2% over with a 15% reduction for a few hundred thousand miles, no problems. I ran the msd coil for awhile, until one day it just failed. Back to stock now, doesn’t look as cool, but is reliable.

Nik

 

I have no proof, but can reason. Other than OEM brands ignition parts most aftermarket are nearly always crap. NGK is one exception. And I am not talking just Mini. This includes domestic and foreign (all cars now are international) cars that I ever owned. One thing you can count on stock ignition parts is the factory don't skim on the quality, Joules or KV. Corporate CAFE relies on it as well as warranty cost. These parts can be produced at very little cost but excellent quality with economy of scale.

If you think all coilpacks are created equal, open some no name made in China, Vietnam and you will likely find horrors in the coil construction. To me brightly colour parts like these just screams Bling. Many of these aftermarket Mini coilpacks skip the rubber shock mount and that is a deadly sin.

 

The best place to keep an eye on is the increased gap along the brown line in the photos. When the rubber damping material deteriorates often the gap increases. Often the pulley moves towards the AL timing chain cover and starts grinding it away.

The hydraulic motor mount tends to fail catastrophically without warning. The hint is a slight increase of engine vibration but most people would assume the cause is something else. The best thing about the stock mount is it is designed to fail gracefully. You motor don't fall off the mount and there is no loss on horizontal restraint.

 

@WayMotorWorks, any input on the crank pulley?

 

If it was in my shop I would recommend replacing it with our ATI damper as many of the failed crank pulleys we replace have that same rusty ring on the center.

 

Replace it! I hate hate hate the OEM dampener... Mine failed at 46k miles and again 44k miles later. Almost like clock work. In fact, when the second died, I was strategically ordering my ATI from WMW based on mileage of the car and the pulley WENT 7 days before I could get to it! Many spicey words that day I can tell you... If you choose to replace the OEM dampener, do not forget to remove/replace the front main seal behind the dampener. It’s a few bucks are might as well while you are in there…

For me, the 100k mile overhaul that would be "ideal" includes:

Ignition:
- New coil pack (#3 terminal likes to corrode and fail)
- New plugs (if you go with the 15% pulley, just get the JCW plugs or equivalents)
- New plug wires
- Replace camshaft position sensor (elective; part of ignition; sensor can fail or o-ring weeps oil)
- Replace crankshaft position sensor (elective; part of ignition; sensor can fail or o-ring weeps oil)

Inspect your motor mounts. I replaced my trans mount at 114k miles and it looked fine. Focus your efforts on the passenger side (top) mount that is hydraulic and LOVES to fail. Bottom mount as well as it can get torn up.

Suspension:
- Lower control arm bushings (as mentioned above)
- Remove/replace outer and inner ball joints (while you are in there)

Power Steering:
- Inspect power steering lines for leaks

Engine:
- Inspect your oil pan gasket (elective)
- Inspect your valve cover gasket (elective)
- Inspect axle boots for tears (OEM axles are pricey and only last so long)

This should cover for quite a while and covers all areas for oil leaks…

 

As posted in another thread:

Fini is in getting PowerFlex bushings installed and inner/outer ball joints replaced (Thanks Way - WMW). While in surgery, they found the oil pan gasket leaking and the boots on one of the axle's has cracked. Getting a reman OE axle for now.

As long as Fini stays in shape, the next items will be crank damper, front main seal, serpentine belt, spark plugs and coil.

 

 

BTW, good call on those 2 items CAZ.

 

Welcome. Glad it will all workout in the end. Seems like these little guys like having everything swapped out every 100k miles. I tried to collect a list of things I wanted to accomplish "while I was in there"... Knock on wood, he has been solid since. No oil leaks anymore either which is great.

 

Here he is - hanging with a stable mate waiting to go home. The stable mate is the one with the carbon looking hood and I think the car has been 'dipped'.

 

Super Damper, front main seal, serpentine belt, spark plugs, spark plug wires, and coil done.

 

The old bits

 

Good pics... it was time for those items... If you can learn the intervals for this car's parts, then you can stay ahead of the curve and own a reliable vehicle.

Good timing.

 

Fuel filter changed. It appeared average for what a filter with 100k on it should look like. I didn't take pictures.

 

For whatever reason, I'm experiencing a slight but constant wobble at around 80mph. Wheels have been checked for balance and they were all off by a tad - so they were rebalanced and rotated - but I still feel the wobble. Any ideas? No noticeable wobble under 70 and not sure of anything over 90.

Nothing was real noticeable until recently and most 'front end' service was completed a month ago.

 

And the tires are ok? Last time I had a wobble like that, a small/slight bulge formed in the LF tire. Replaced tire and all was well.

Otherwise, only things that come to mind are axles and alignment.