Mini R56 JCW

[Sam]

@Sir_Dave Are these much bigger than the R53 inside?

They look much fresher than the R53, better built? Less rattles? :imp::imp:

I don't think they are and if they are it's not noticeable.

The R56 is a lot more refunded the R53 though. Has some nicer toys etc.

 

[Sir_Dave]

@Sir_Dave Are these much bigger than the R53 inside?
They look much fresher than the R53, better built? Less rattles? :imp::imp:

I wouldn't say they are much bigger, but the difference is noticeable imho. Is perhaps a little wider in the cabin? Certainly feels more airy.
Build quality wise, my R56 is on 71k and has no rattles, my R53 is on 100k and has rattled its t1ts off ever since Richard/I have owned it (since 30k miles). The quality of the materials appears far higher as well, it far more usable as a daily, everything is a bit lighter/more modern feeling & you have bluetooth/aux/iPod input, which are all pretty essential these days tbh.

 

[imprezaworks]

For a good one what sort of money do these sell for? Sensible miles etc.

 

[Sam]

For a good one what sort of money do these sell for? Sensible miles etc.

I traded in my 08 plate R56 with 80,000 on the clock. It was high spec and mini sold it for £7300.

You could get something similar private for 6k I reckon.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Long overdue update on this ...
On the 10th October i had a Helix Organic Clutch, Single Mass Flywheel & Quaife differential fitted. As it was in the air, i also got the garage to do an oil change. Unfortunately, it would appear that they overfilled it by circa 0.5-1.0 litres as by the time id got to my destination after collection, the car was surrounded by a lovely cloud of blue smoke after warm idle.
The full story is here: http://www.minitorque.com/forum/f18/r56-fjcw-oil-overfill-144865/ but yup, lots of oil here:

Long story short, after 3 weeks away & driving around in a standard R56S, i finally got the car back last week after they took apart the top end & changed the valve stem seals (no cost to me obviously). I also paid to have the full timing chain replaced & everything de-coked whilst it was apart. So yeah, lots of things changed as of late ... probably best to sell it & buy something else 😂

Having fitted the Quaife, it really highlights the difference in power delivery between the R53 & R56, with the torque of the latter giving quite amusing direction changes if you give it a bootful mid-corner - its literally like someone has grabbed the front end and pulled it around the corner for you, very quickly! Torque steer is also still quite apparent. In effect, its really quite a challenge to keep in a straight line, especially on a bumpy road. Its f*cking hilarious lol.

 

[Adam93]

That's one of the best looking R56 JCW's i've seen. Proper colour and the wheels are the tits.

Interesting what you say about your decat, i love mine, isn't too loud on idle but open it up it sounds like a Mini Challenge car.

 

[Daz.]

I agree the colour makes it.

That colour would look good on a Megane!

 

[Smiffyboy1990]

That does looks flipping marvellous tbh, it really is amazing what some Suspension can do to the looks, i did prefer the OEM Alloys before i have to admit, but not now!

Stunning Colour, its BRG isn't it?

 

[Sir_Dave]

That's one of the best looking R56 JCW's i've seen. Proper colour and the wheels are the tits.
Interesting what you say about your decat, i love mine, isn't too loud on idle but open it up it sounds like a Mini Challenge car.

Ah thanks, it certainly getting there looks/spec wise, although i do want the GP2 bellypan & diffuser next ...
De-cat wise, ive got more used to it now, is quite(ish) on idle, or cruising, but as you say, much louder when booting it. I think its the really loud bark at 3k in 2md that drives me a little mad though, its only really an issue when driving around 30 zones though i guess.

I agree the colour makes it.
That colour would look good on a Megane!

Cheers, i love the colour, pretty rare as well, seemed no one liked the BRG when they were new!

That does looks flipping marvellous tbh, it really is amazing what some Suspension can do to the looks, i did prefer the OEM Alloys before i have to admit, but not now!
Stunning Colour, its BRG isn't it?

Yup, British Racing Green, perfect for a Mini :up:
Im still unsure on the wheels, think it needs to be a bit lower to pull them off ...

 

[_Tom]

Wheels look fantastic. Seems like they did you a favour with the over fill too..haha

 

[imprezaworks]

Hate to say this. Really like this car.

 

[Brookie.]

Read your updates over on MT. Looks cracking Dave :up:

 

[_Tom]

Wheels look fantastic. Seems like they did you a favour with the over fill too..haha

Ignore this. I read it as they did the decoke/chain.
Have you done a compression test since the over fill? I've always thought it was just as bad as running it low. Especially on a turbo. Turbo seals definitely do not like it and nor do piston rings or even the bottom end.

 

[Martin.]

How can a garage be so incompetent to put too much oil in!!

Makes you worry about the quality of the other jobs they've done doesn't it??

 

[Gally]

Lovely Dave, colour is cool as f**k as as the wheels. Great little car.

 

[Daz.]

How can a garage be so incompetent to put too much oil in!!

Makes you worry about the quality of the other jobs they've done doesn't it??

The 172 I bought years ago was put up for sale by a woman who had just spent over £1000 repairing the head after the belt had snapped, the garage who rebuilt it put waaaaay too much oil in it and it went pop again only a few days in my ownership - hence new engine for me

 

[Sir_Dave]

Hate to say this. Really like this car.

Cheers lol :up:

Read your updates over on MT. Looks cracking Dave :up:

Ta! You still got your R53? If so, get some updates up lad :tonguewink:

Ignore this. I read it as they did the decoke/chain.
Have you done a compression test since the over fill? I've always thought it was just as bad as running it low. Especially on a turbo. Turbo seals definitely do not like it and nor do piston rings or even the bottom end.

Yeah, i comp tested it before it went back to "the garage" for the 3rd time, was fine, so after some serious googling/discussion with more mechanical types, as they had already cleaned out the PCV system/intercooler the 2nd time it went back, i thought that it could only really have been turbo or valve stem seals - both expensive fixes to a problem i didn't cause, hence why it went back again! I assume that they did a leakdown test (i had no means to) to clarify where the issue was - this confirmed that the valve stem seals were gone so they were replaced.

How can a garage be so incompetent to put too much oil in!!
Makes you worry about the quality of the other jobs they've done doesn't it??

My theory (being that they are a very well known & funded mini specialist), is that they probably use a similar system to BMW/Mini, so you press a button & it autofills the oil. Not a problem normally, but with the R56, you have to tip it up on one side to get all the oil out. If you dont do that as its say on a lift getting other work done, you could possibly end up with a load of oil left in the sump. Naturally i was rather annoyed that it happened in the first place, but the service/communication from them to rectify it was pretty impressive :up:

Lovely Dave, colour is cool as f**k as as the wheels. Great little car.

Why thank you!

 

[Brookie.]

Ta! You still got your R53? If so, get some updates up lad :tonguewink:

Yup still here, just nothing to update. No new mods, flown through MOTs, no issues. Still loving it though - no plans to get rid.

Will take some up to date photos soon and whack them in the thread.

 

[Martin.]

Well at least they properly sorted it out for you without issue, that's the sign of a proper business not a cowboy!

 

[not normal dan]

I must say I really do like these mini's, there's a white JCW round the corner that sounds pretty fruity.

Seeing more and more on track [emoji106]


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[Sir_Dave]

I must say I really do like these mini's, there's a white JCW round the corner that sounds pretty fruity.
Seeing more and more on track [emoji106]

They sound fairly fruity just with a de-cat like mine tbh, then with a big more boost they get really rather loud!!
Most of the "track" ones i now of from Minitorque are running about 270bhp with Quaifes ...
I did a little tinkering with mine on Saturday (the ride height has been irritating me as it makes the wheels look tiny!) and lowered it 8mm front/9mm rear. Its still got 3mm front/6mm left to go on the threads, but i dont really want to max them out really - its also now at a point where i am just above all the speedbumps around where i live, so can still drive normally/not have to crawl over them like in the R53.
Certainly not slammed, but definitely more "purposeful" :up:

 

[Gareth]

Quite fancy one of these as a third runaround / trackday car when we move up north.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Quite fancy one of these as a third runaround / trackday car when we move up north.

Get one now, they are great fun when you live in the south as well :tonguewink:
Ended up raising it 5mm at the front at the weekend as the dampers appeared to be bottoming out - the roads around me are terrible so its not surprising really. Being that im not old/sensible, i thought less lowz/more drive-ability was probably a better idea 😂 Settings are now as follows:
Front:
Spring preload of 13mm which means its 3mm lower than Ohlins recommended settings, for a total of 9mm lower than the JCW. Rebound adjustment is at the bottom of the absorber and has 30 clicks in total with the zero point being the stiffest setting (full clockwise). The setting used currently is 15 clicks from zero.
Rear:
Spring preload of 19mm is 9mm lower than Ohlins suggestion, so 15mm lower than JCW. The dampers are currently set to 15 clicks from zero.

 

[Detail Chris]

That looks proper Dave, exactly how I would have it-purposeful

 

[not normal dan]

I'm really thinking of buying one of these purely for a change tbh as been into Renault sports for near 8 years and feel a change may be good

What do you need to look out for with them??


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[Sir_Dave]

I'm really thinking of buying one of these purely for a change tbh as been into Renault sports for near 8 years and feel a change may be good
What do you need to look out for with them??

Lots of things really, mostly related to timing chain (rattles), fuel pump (taking a while to start), & coking (low power/misfire/hesitancy). Mine has also suffered from the valve stems failing due to oil overfill. With more power, say 260-275bhp, i.e. a stage 2 remap, the pistons don't tend to keep their shape very well, so forging (circa £2.5k) is a popular route for reliability at high bhp/track use. On the flipside, to be able to get so much power, with so little work, from a 1.6 is pretty cool - mines running 235bhp without a map! Clutch/flywheels are also fairly weak, so must "modifiers" replace with SMF and/or organic/paddles clutches at replacement time. I also put a Quaife in at the same time, just because it made sense to really.
Mine needs 2 x tyres now, so i think im going to make the move from Conti Sport Contact 5's to AD08R's. They are apparently very good road tyres (similar to Super Sports in that respect), but work very well on track as well (much stuffer side walls than the PSS) so it'll save me having to lug a 2nd set of wheels/tyres to track days as well. £115 each though (+ fitting), ouch!

 

[Daz_RT_04]

Have you looked at Catch Can's for these @Sir_Dave ?

I've been looking around the interwebs tonight and I appear to be finding alot of mixed messages.

Seems the Saikou Michi dual catch can is the overall winner, albeit no UK supplier?!

 

[Sir_Dave]

Have you looked at Catch Can's for these @Sir_Dave ?
I've been looking around the interwebs tonight and I appear to be finding alot of mixed messages.
Seems the Saikou Michi dual catch can is the overall winner, albeit no UK supplier?!

Yes @Daz_RT_04, lots of research, especially now its been de-coked/valve stems seals done, want to keep it in as best a condition as possible!
I was emailing Sakou Michi, but it was going to cost £285 delivered, before any import tax, which seemed a lot for an oil catch can & some hose. With that in mind, i ended up buying a 2nd hand NM Engineering R56 N18 can for £55, a GT Tuning R53 one for £35 and a shed load of hose, connectors & jubilee clips for £50. Bit ghetto, & wont look as nice, but should do the same job! Good guide for fitting/pipe requirements for the Saikou is here: http://www.minitorque.com/forum/f272/project-chilli-red-sloth-27889/index2.html#post542228
In other news, new tyres arrived:

MOT done & car cleaned:

The AD08R's feel like they are offering far more dry weather grip than before & seem ok in the wet. Tyre wall is hard though, which means i am now back to runflat levels of ride quality - will definitely have to soften off the dampers a couple of clicks! On the flipside, that should mean they are far better on track, with less shoulder wear than something like a Pilot Super Sport.
Next jobs are:
Fit the GP2 diffuser thats under my bed
Fit the new pagid f/r discs & rear pads that are under the kitchen sink
Fit the Carbotech XP8 front pads that are in the boot of the R53
Fit the Goodridge braided lines & high temp fluid that are still on the shelf at Lohen
Oh the joys of living in a 450sq ft 1 bed flat with no storage 😂

 

[Stay Puft]

Great looking car. These look very lardy and unsporty as standard, but looks much more aggressive now!

 

[chris_p]

Is the later N18 engine more reliable?
I like the thought of these, maybe even a GP2 but the lack of cruise control makes me sad, but the reliability is a concern!

 

[MarkCup]

The AD08R's feel like they are offering far more dry weather grip than before & seem ok in the wet. Tyre wall is hard though, which means i am now back to runflat levels of ride quality - will definitely have to soften off the dampers a couple of clicks! On the flipside, that should mean they are far better on track, with less shoulder wear than something like a Pilot Super Sport.

I've been running these since mid-summer last year and found the sidewalls to be quite compliant...certainly not a step change from the OEM Bridgestone RE050 I was running before.

I was ready for the usual WTAF?! sense when driving away from the fitters first time after they were changed but remember thinking "Oooh, these are no bad!". Not velvety smooth but not all sharp and jiggly either.

Regardless, they are a great tyre. Fantastic on track giving near full on track tyre grip levels with really good feel and breakaway. Increased noise, yes, but none of the usual track tyre whine and the tread pattern does a remarkable job of cutting through quite serious amounts of standing water. They can be overwhelmed though so exercise caution!



I must take stock of tread depths and mileage at the weekend...I've not checked them for a while and hope to get them through another Goodwood day before they need changing.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Great looking car. These look very lardy and unsporty as standard, but looks much more aggressive now!

Thanks, they ride very very high as standard, thats most of the issue!! Mine would look better another 10mm lower i think, but the Ohlins just dont have that level of adjustment. Wouldnt be any good for the roads/speedhumps around here either though 😂

Is the later N18 engine more reliable?
I like the thought of these, maybe even a GP2 but the lack of cruise control makes me sad, but the reliability is a concern!

Yes, the later N18 has less of a coking issue, with the pistons being a bit stronger as well from my understanding. The N14 can suffer from piston problems on stage 2 maps (circa 270bhp) with excessive heat or driving like a c*nt from cold. On the flipside, for circa £2.5k you can forge an N14, so its swings & roundabouts really. The GP2 is pre-wired for cruise from memory, so you just need to add the multi-function buttons to the steering wheel & get it coded, no more than £250.

I've been running these since mid-summer last year and found the sidewalls to be quite compliant...certainly not a step change from the OEM Bridgestone RE050 I was running before.

Maybe they are over-inflated then, they're suppose to be 32psi, but i havent checked them yet ...
Good to know re: puddles/standing water, although that trackday at Llandow looks like a normal summer day in Wales :tonguewink:
I am surprised that the 200 had enough torque to spin the wheels mind you haha.

 

[Daz_RT_04]

@Sir_Dave - Thanks for the info.

I think I'll do a ghetto fit also, for that kind of money!
I've managed to get a dealer to commit to a walnut blast for £100 so will be itching to get some form of setup on there afterwards.

 

[Sir_Dave]

they're suppose to be 32psi, but i haven't checked them yet ...

Checked the tyres yesterday & they were inflated to 38pi 😂 f*cking numpties at ATS.
Also fitted my GP2 diffuser, bit fiddly, but easy enough. Looks much better now i think!

 

[Waitey]

After driving the Mrs' new one I've come to the conclusion is has too much torque. Its just not fun.

 

[MarkCup]

Too fast for the road? Too much torque?

You're weird.

 

[Waitey]

Too fast for the road? Too much torque?

You're weird.

Granted its greasy at the moment but traction control on at half throttle in 3rd is a bit annoying atm. Plus it makes peak torque at 2500rpm. So its always there.

Much like the old 1.8 Turbo TT's it feels like its all done at 5k rpm. I'd much like it to be revvy like the N18 engine.

 

[MarkCup]

Granted its greasy at the moment but traction control on at half throttle in 3rd is a bit annoying atm. Plus it makes peak torque at 2500rpm. So its always there.

Much like the old 1.8 Turbo TT's it feels like its all done at 5k rpm. I'd much like it to be revvy like the N18 engine.

Mine's the same, 3rd gear, any speed, nil traction. 4th gear goes too with the tiniest steering input.

The roads at the moment are useless.

As for the 5k issue...can that be overcome or is it something they're stuck with? My ST is quite revvy up top which I'm glad about!

 

[Waitey]

Mine's the same, 3rd gear, any speed, nil traction. 4th gear goes too with the tiniest steering input.

The roads at the moment are useless.

As for the 5k issue...can that be overcome or is it something they're stuck with? My ST is quite revvy up top which I'm glad about!

Well in BMW 328's the same unit makes 270bhp and not the 230bhp as the JCW does. Even they aren't that revvy. I think its more the engine sadly. .

You can map them to 270bhp but that'll no doubt make it far worse!

 

[Stefan.]

Waitey you big gay boy..

You will be in a smart car at this rate