Does the MINI have variable valve timing? Honda calls its version Vtech. BMW I think calls its version valvetronic??? Despite over 3K miles MIB still amazes me when I hit 4500 RPM. I was wondering if that is why there is the dramatic change above 4500?

My prevous car was a V6 Stratus. It is what was called a torque pig. The engine had so little torque that they used a device in the linkage to actually open the throttle quicker than a direct linkage to the gas pedal. I know that MINI uses a drive by wire system. MIB performs nothing like what that old Stratus did.

Thanks in advance!

 

The current Tritec motor does not have variable valve timing. However, the new 2007 MINI (PSA) motor is scheduled to have VVT.

Theo

 

Dont think so. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_valve_timing

then see http://www.mini2.com/pdf/mcs_powertrain_us.pdf for how the engine is built from the engineers mouths.

 

Not aware of variable valve timing on the MCS (or Cooper, for that matter).

Variable valve timing would result in a greater amount of low-end torque than is presently available on the MCS (or Cooper). (But it is also way expensive.) A number of factors come together at around 4,500 RPM and you notice that togetherness experience in the seat of your pants. Probably the most significant factor is s/c boost. If you want to have greater torque lower down on the RPM scale, go to a 19% underdrive s/c pulley.

 

Wrong car. He has a MC.

The specs say torque 110 at 4500 115 hp at 6000. The rush your feeling probably is just the feeling of "being on the cam" as people used to say it. Your right at the top of the power curve and coming into the top of the curve in HP. Its normal in a peaky, small displacement engine. Its not going to feel like a torquey V8 muscle car that will pull through the rpm range.

 

Maybe it is Mercedes Benz that calls their system valvetronic?

Anyhoo, thanks guys!

 

Silly me! With the Cooper, the rush is definitely being on the cam. The only way you are going to get V8 torque is to install a V8 in the car....

 

whast special about vvt?

 

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_valve_timing

Basically, it allows you to have an aggressive cam when you need it. Honda, I think, actually uses two cams. Toyota engines in the Elise call it a second cam but its done differently. Power kicks in at some higher RPM level but still always for better mileage (I believe) at lower RPMs.

I think its sort of like you dont really want a "race" cam in the car all the time so it gives the best of both worlds, if that is possible.

 

so whats vvtir stand for then on all those honduhs??

 

It is quite possible. I am specifically thinking about the VVT implementation in 3 series (E46 in particular, but the concept is similar with the E90). There is a hydro-mechanical device that sits on each camshaft and, based on rotational speed, alters the camshaft timing. The result is a best of both worlds - higher torque at both low and high engine speeds (or, stated another way, the area under the torque curve is maximized).

 

BMW calls their system variable valve timing vanos. Valvetronic is an another BMW term that controls throttle by varying the amount of valve LIFT.

Vanos and valvetronic are 2 different things as where vanos is the variable timing. All modern BMW motors have both vanos and valvetronic except a few motors.