I've been advised that I should buy a small piece of screen wire material to cover the the supercharger intake under the hood. Seems that pebbles etc. coming through the hood intake will blast and bend the fins of the intake over time. Has anyone else been told this and does anyone know of an after market fix? The recommended fix (from the salesman) seems kinda tacky!

 

paint it black and put it in the inside and you will barely notice it. use a course screen though so as not to obstruct the air flow. don't use a fine screen, you'll loose hp.

 

It seems like a valid idea/point... but I've not heard of it before. I'll have to look, but I believe that the part you are talking about is replaceable - I wonder how much the part costs.

I don't think I'll put a screen there though... If there was a need for one, I'm prone to think that the MINI engineers would have put one there for me when they designed it!

 

I agree with Zog here. If a screen was needed for driving up to 130mph or so, then the Mini would've come with one. I don't really think the Mini needs a screen. Otherwise it would've been included to save them from all the warranty work.

 

I haven't been told anything like this, and haven't ever read anything about it... I'd think a Beamer would know how to make a car without having to put chicken-wire over to intercooler on your own to protect it... And I agree, that suggestion IS tacky!

 

Just wanted to add my .02 here.....
After looking very hard at buying a WRX... I've read many a complaint about debri getting in the hood scoop. I'm sure the MINI Cooper S is the same. If a rock flies up and into your hood scoop It could cause damage.
In the WRX they have an actual intercooler under the scoop complete with metal fins. When rocks fly into this they bend up the fins. Over time this could create less air flow by restricting flow through.
As for the Cooper S.... I don't think it will be as big of a problem, given that we don't have the metal intercooler.
Don't think this really solves anything but I figured I would put it out there.
SW

 

It would be worse if the intercooler was down low by the radiator like most of them are. Take a look at the radiator/condenser of any car that is more then a couple years old and it is fully of dents from debris flying up. Thats why they make radiator fin combs

 

Stop me if I'm wrong, but that's not the actual intake. That's just the intercooler air flow. the small black hose on the right is the intake but that goes through a filter.
The 90 degree turn in the hood should stop the impact of stones for the intercooler I would think. And if you look at the top of the engine there is already a little hump that acts like a baffle for that purpose. I think it would be worse if that screen came loose and fell into the electric fan!!

 

>>As for the Cooper S.... I don't think it will be as big of a problem, given that we don't have the metal intercooler.
>>Don't think this really solves anything but I figured I would put it out there.
>>SW


SW - take a look at the top of an MCS engine again - that is the intercooler sitting under the hood scoop! They have designed it with a rubber lip that diverts the air (and anything else) up and then down through the intercooler grill. Any debris should loose momentum hitting the underside of the hood before coming back down on the intercooler. Not that it won't cause damage but the blow should be lessened.

 

DrkSlvrS,
I noticed this....
I've seen the intercooler a couple of times but don't remember seeing fins... am I wrong?
Either way... It shouldn't be that big of a deal. With the baffle in there it should help cut back on damage.
SW

On a side note: Anyone consider setting up a sprayer for the intercooler? The STi has this. They have a jug mounted in the trunk that you fill with water (and ice) with a little button mounted on the dash. Give it a little push and cool down that air some more.