Mini Cooper s

[bill]

GP bumper is around £600. lol. My car should be totally standard within the next few weeks. I just need to find a standard exhaust.

Yeah i Thought they were that kind of money lol, shame its going back to standard, but suppose its the best way to get your money back

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[bill]

So the mini was due a service and a wheel bearing, i presumed taking it to my local garage would be a straight forward job, rather than driving miles to a specialist.

Dropped the mini off this morning, rang the garage up at 3pm to see how they where getting on.

Where just putting a fan belt on, but we dont have a specialist tool so we are making one, and whoever put the last one on, put it on wrong, ( interesting that seens as lohen mini specialists have pretty much done everything to this car, and it runs perfect ) anyway ok i said, and thought id just leave them to it.

5pm they ring me, do you need the car back today?

Erm....not really why?

We managed to get the fan belt on but it was making this awful noise, and doesn't line up with the pulley very well, but its stopped now, and it needs a track rod end, ok I'll leave it with you i said. Thinking i dont want it rushed.

I rang up coastal racing in lancaster, well renowned mini specialist, who straight away said they will have put a belt on for a standard size pulley not a reduced pulley, so needless to say it will be going straight to them for a once over when i get it back.

Not very f**king happy tbh! Lesson learnt, dont f**k about with local garages go to a specialist! Even if it is just for a f**king service!

I had forgotten about coastal racing, i thought the nearest specialist to me was lohen 1.45 minutes away, hence why i decided a local garage would do. Coastals 40 mimutes away, I'll be using them in future.

So im now left worrying if any damage has already occurred, from them putting the wrong belt on and it making the "awful noise"

God i wish i knew about mechanics, presume by fan belt he means the supercharger belt, ive since found the right size belt it needs, but will wait till the morning and go and see them 1st to discuss before i order one.

t***s!




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[Ex-User (19928)]

Yeah the aux belt drives the supercharger too. If you have a reduced pulley you will need a reduced belt too. I had the same issue, the noise was probably the belt skipping a rib on one of the pulleys. Worst it can have done is strained the tensioner but that has very clear symptoms if it's dying so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[bill]

Yeah the aux belt drives the supercharger too. If you have a reduced pulley you will need a reduced belt too. I had the same issue, the noise was probably the belt skipping a rib on one of the pulleys. Worst it can have done is strained the tensioner but that has very clear symptoms if it's dying so I wouldn't worry about it.

That’s great to hear, so would the noise just stop as they reckon it has? I’ve had visions of me picking the car, driving up the road and it going bang, and me being left with a fucked engine. My stress levels have just halved at least! Cheers lol

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

That’s great to hear, so would the noise just stop as they reckon it has? I’ve had visions of me picking the car, driving up the road and it going bang, and me being left with a fucked engine. My stress levels have just halved at least! Cheers lol

If it's got the right size belt on it will have no reason to jump a rib unless the tensioner is also broken. But it'll either be broke or not broke. Might be worth ringing them and letting them know which size belt it needs and say you had this problem last time to save their face for them.

 

[bill]

It has the standard size belt on now I’m presuming, I’ll go down to the garage 1st thing in the morning and explain it needs a different size belt, what concerns me also is why they think lohen had put the other belt on wrong, and what they’ve altered about it.

Definitely taking it to coastal racing for a good look over when it’s back.

 

[Chrisgti6]

I wouldn't drive it with the wrong belt personally. If the belt does manage to come off the tensioners can get damaged, as can the bottom pulley. The noise is likely to be the belt slipping, and it won't be doing the tensioner any favours either as it will be well outside it's optimal position.

Did you tell them about it needing a shorter belt? If so I'd be getting them to do it again, with the right belt.

Failing that, just order a new belt and stick it on yourself. You need a tool to release the tension, but I made one out of a plank of wood! it's a fairly simple job.

 

[bill]

Went down this morning to see them and told them it should have a shorter belt on, showed them which belt it should be, the problem seems to be the pulleys are not lined up straight, so the belts catching, the belt that had come off it had lost a groove if that makes sense ( they come with 6 grooves width ways, and mine had worn down to 5 ) he said the belt I told him it needed is the same width so the same outcome will happen.

He then said it could be a problem with the pulleys and they could look into it, I stopped him there and said I’ll book it in with a specialist, i don’t want them messing around with pulleys and f**k knows what else just to get the wrong size belt fitting correctly.

It’s running fine apparently now, and it’s getting dropped off when they have done the track rod.

Booked it in with coastal racing this Thursday, so it’s in safe hands, explained the situation to them, said they’d be able to diagnose it straight away whilst im there then fix any issues with it, I have 100% faith in them, as opposed to 0% at where it is now! So going to keep mileage as limited as possible till Thursday and hope for the best

 

[Chrisgti6]

Just PM'd you mate - 99% sure it'll be the charger pulley not seated properly

 

[bill]

Just PM'd you mate - 99% sure it'll be the charger pulley not seated properly

Appreciated mate

 

[Chrisgti6]

Either that or just badly fitted the last time it was put on of course.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Unless they've removed anything it'll just be the wrong belt. It will be crooked because it's too loose, not because a pulley is bad. You'd have noticed that before with the old belt if that was the problem.

 

[bill]

The cars back and it sounds/drives fine, the belt that they removed from it was a dayco 6pk1375, so not the one lohen put on it 6pk1368, so somewhere along the way its been changed, presume 6pk1375 is standard size belt?

Regardless the car drove spot on with the old belt on, seems ok with the new one on also, but i ain't taking any chances, not using the car unless i have to and its getting the right belt and anything it needs on thursday at coastal.

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[bill]

Either that or just badly fitted the last time it was put on of course.

Could be this or what you said via pm

Unless they've removed anything it'll just be the wrong belt. It will be crooked because it's too loose, not because a pulley is bad. You'd have noticed that before with the old belt if that was the problem.

Like I said it’s drove fine since I’ve had it, my guess is some garage since lohen last had it have replaced the belt with the wrong one presuming 6pk1375 is the wrong belt? And I’ve just had the exact same thing done today ffs.

All will be well next week.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Depends on the reduced pulley size. It's an easy Google though.

 

[bill]

Its a jcw/gp belt 11%, so yeah wrong belt for mine

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[Ex-User (19928)]

Its a jcw/gp belt 11%, so yeah wrong belt for mine

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1375 is the correct size for 11%

 

[bill]

1375 is the correct size for 11%

Mines a 15% pulley mate, so looks like it’s had the wrong belt on for a bit.

 

[bill]

.

 

[bill]

f***s sake ignore that, thats something off mumsnet

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[bill]

The latest bill for the work carried out, was more than I expected seens as it just went in for a service, but at least I know any faults have been rectified,and even more so after coastal check it over on thursday ( expecting another decent sized bill )

Anyway hopefully these meisters that are on order on the group buy I set up on minitorque will be coming this month, so it will be going back to coastal racing for them to set up once I’ve bought some adjustable rear control arms and a whiteline rear Anti roll bar. Happy days then.

In other news, the headlight washer cover fell off, so I ordered a new one ( need to wrap it black ) also need a washer jet pump. Will sort this week.

 

[bill]

Got the car back from coastal racing today, basically the crankshaft pulley had seen better days, had a few dents and in it here and there, which was causing the belts to get shredded, whilst they where there they replaced the idler pulley and tensioner pulley and stuck a new belt on, expensive couple of weeks, but thats the joys of owning a 13 year old car, so back to enjoying the car again.

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[Ex-User (19928)]

Let us know how the Meisters are. My Mini isn't that nice ride-wise and have considered throwing some coilovers on there and setting them to normal ride height and softest damping in the hope it'd improve things.

 

[bill]

Let us know how the Meisters are. My Mini isn't that nice ride-wise and have considered throwing some coilovers on there and setting them to normal ride height and softest damping in the hope it'd improve things.

For normal road use, ap coilovers are supposed to be superb, there about £400-500, id of been tempted by them myself but im hoping to do a few track days at some point, which is more what the meisters are focused to.

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[CrippsCorner]

I've got the APs on mine... to be honest they're a harsher ride than OEM, but do inspire confidence handling wise. I have got them pretty low though, so might be more comfortable raised up a bit.

 

[bill]

Always hear good things about ap’s tbh, your mini looks very tidy!

 

[Chrisgti6]

I'm on AP's, at about 30mm lower than OE and it's a really nice ride IMO. I've not been in a std one to compare as mine had some Eibach springs on when I bought it - which were awful!

I do need to wind it down a bit more now though!

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

I've got the APs on mine... to be honest they're a harsher ride than OEM, but do inspire confidence handling wise. I have got them pretty low though, so might be more comfortable raised up a bit.

I'm wondering whether mine's broken, the ride isn't great. I know it's a hot hatch but I expected it to be relatively soft as standard.

The rattles and creaks don't help with the perception of the ride either.

 

[Chrisgti6]

I'm wondering whether mine's broken, the ride isn't great. I know it's a hot hatch but I expected it to be relatively soft as standard.

The rattles and creaks don't help with the perception of the ride either.

Are you on stock suspension? Mine was like yours when it was just on lowering springs (when I bought it, they were only on a week!)

 

[Djw John]

I'm wondering whether mine's broken, the ride isn't great. I know it's a hot hatch but I expected it to be relatively soft as standard.

The rattles and creaks don't help with the perception of the ride either.

Mine was standard and the ride quality was one of the worst aspects of the car. It was brutal.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Are you on stock suspension? Mine was like yours when it was just on lowering springs (when I bought it, they were only on a week!)

Yes. I presume it's standard springs although it could be lowered I guess. Did you get the ride better in the end?

 

[Chrisgti6]

Yes. I presume it's standard springs although it could be lowered I guess. Did you get the ride better in the end?

The AP's sorted it out!

 

[bill]

These landed this afternoon! £180 0ff the retail price via the group buy, adjustable rear control arms next and a whiteline rear arb, then get it all fitted and happy days!

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[bill]

Ordered these today, the standard light look shite with the chrome inserts, and I can’t be ass’d Trying to de-chrome them, black door handle next and I may colour code the headlight rings

http://www.powerfuluk.com/vehicles/...-led-rear-lights-with-reverse-lamp-clear.html

 

[bill]

Oh dear, just put an offer in for a cat cam and some 550cc injectors!

 

[CrippsCorner]

Ordered these today, the standard light look shite with the chrome inserts, and I can’t be ass’d Trying to de-chrome them, black door handle next and I may colour code the headlight rings

http://www.powerfuluk.com/vehicles/...-led-rear-lights-with-reverse-lamp-clear.html

Good man :up: still one of my favourites mods to be honest, great improvement.

I think I'm done with my Mini now, as in, no more mods. I've got some JCW skirts that are a bit damaged I could repair and put on but don't know if I can be arsed in all honesty! Just want to hit a couple more track days and then start thinking about the next car :smiley:

 

[bill]

Good man :up: still one of my favourites mods to be honest, great improvement.

I think I'm done with my Mini now, as in, no more mods. I've got some JCW skirts that are a bit damaged I could repair and put on but don't know if I can be arsed in all honesty! Just want to hit a couple more track days and then start thinking about the next car :smiley:

I was following my car today, and bar the rear lights im pretty happy with how it looks at the back, the led tail lights should finish off the back end nicely.

Aero skirts are on my wish list, but im sure they wouldnt last very long with some of the speed bumps i have to tackle once a week. They do look very nice though.

What cars next after the mini then? Still loving mine, cant wait to get the coilovers on, will be a while off yet...

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[CrippsCorner]

Fancy a Golf GTI next I reckon... test drove a mk5 years ago and loved it but couldn't get the deal I needed at the time! Might try again lol. Also quite fancy am Astra VXR as well, even though I know they don't have the best rep.

Be a couple of years yet though :smile:

PS: Only thing I want for the Mini is a carbon fibre gear gaiter surround, please let me know if you come across one in your travels! There was an official JCW part but rare as s**t, only ever seen two cars with them (I have a carbon fibre gear knob and want them to match!)

 

[bill]

Vxr.........Nooooooooooo!

Get the golf lol, not a vauxhall fan me, saying that I have seen some nice looking vxr’s, used to always see a very nice red one, looked tastefully modified, this was when I was in my r26, suppose it depends on what you want from a car, I’m sure the golf would do most things better though.

I also have a carbon fibre gear knob, if I see a surround advertised anywhere I’ll give you a shout

 

[imprezaworks]

Sold one of my old cars to a Chap who made my previous list of cars a bit crap.

One of his favourite cars was a berg vxr. I mentioned about the hate and he just laughed.