R55 Cooper S

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off for the rear tyres this afternoon. The clamps on the exhaust backboxes have slipped and are rattling, will see if I can get the tyre place to tighten them up. They are a poor design though, don't seem to have enough clamping force for the gauge of pipe use in the exhaust, may look at getting some different clamps. Stuck some miles on it yesterday, and plan to use it every day now, I have a meeting down in Southampton on wednesday so a close to 400 mile round trip, best iron out any niggles by then!

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thanks, will seal it with something when I fit it. Car has matching boots now, noticed the rear disks will need doing over the summer, so think I will do the whole lot all round. Also been mulling over a visit to Oulton for a track day, will get a few more miles on it first, build up some confidence in the engine first.

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Okay, so having issues with the TPM since the tyres were swapped, I know these run off the rotation on the wheel rather than sensors, so do the compare across axle? Any ideas why it would give a red tyre warning after 20-ish miles from resetting the TPM system?

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So bought a digital gauge today, had 2.65 <> 2.45 bar across the rear axle, both set to 2.5 now, will see how it goes. Thought it would have given an amber warning on the centre clock rather than a red on the steering wheel one though.

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80 odd miles today with no TPMS errors, happy days. Also replaced the exhaust clamps for some old fashioned U clamp ones, much better clamp on the rear boxes now and much quieter inside now, even better news
Now the bad news, and I am kicking myself in the arse for this one, the oil feed pipe for the turbo has started weeping, should have fitted a new one while I had everything apart. So looks like I will be fitting a braided hose pipe this week, trip down south will need to be in the Jeep instead

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tonights spannering with be dropping the downpipe to fit new oil pipes to the turbo and installing the AEM air filter :-)

2020-02-20_04-02-03 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

On the AEM front, seems to be some mixed reviews on the heat shield and its ability to melt the plastic on the cam cover. I have some heat reflective tape, I am wondering if I will just cover the air duct in it above the turbo rather than fit the steel heat sheild??

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Spannering delayed for a day, wifey got me a pizza over that I needed to build...which lead to pizza...then beer....

Will fit the heat sheild, but tape up the cam cover with reflective tape

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Begining to dislike this car. Looks like the front of the car is going to have to come off again, cannot get at the bolts holding the bottom of the downpipe on and the heatshield looks like it will be in the way too

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Okay, brew stop, taken an hour to get the front into "service mode" (half hanging off propped on an axle stand) and the new oil hoses on. Spannering things back on in a mo, and fitting the AEM intake,

Edited by scrw. on Monday 24th February 18:07

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service mode
IMG_20200224_171013 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

and in
IMG_20200224_173419 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

IMG_20200224_173427 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Too many brew stops, just have the front grille and spots to put in.

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Just need to replace the clamp on the centre joint in the exhaust while it is on the ramps and I will take it for a spin.....

IMG_20200224_224712 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Ha, and I thought I was done, it has decided to pop a sidelight bulb, expect from all the on and off of the lights, off for another part.....

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First drive with all the niggles sorted Think it is going to be one of those cars that always looks dirty LOL

2020-02-25_01-41-50 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Think I will wait for now on the remap, seems to have enough power for the conditions at the moment

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Also stuck sealer behind the contact surfaces, those push rivets seem a bit light weight for the job, it won't fall off.
Mine has no MAF, not sure when they were fitted or not, seen some with and some without, mine is an '09 auto (if that makes any difference)

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GaryF said:

Just was thinking on my way down the road there that mine is JCW as opposed to S so MAF is in different location.
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looking at your pics you have something plugged in by the turbo intake on the pcv pipe also??
All I can see on mine is the MAP sensor in the hardpipe between the intercooler and the throttle body, maybe therre is a MAP sensor in the intake manifold, there were enough plugs down there.

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I think the next (planned) job will be brakes, fancy a track day so will need something that can take the heat. Noise wise I am not sure, the exhaust clamps weren't doing their job and blowing a touch so replaced with new ones, so the whole car is quieter now, even with the AEM fitted. I never drove it in stock form.
Have to say this is the first auto with flappy paddles that work, just being able to overide the box by shifting on the paddles without moving the gear lever is useful, other cars I have had you couldn't do it, the shift time is quick too. You can't really use the sport button on the roads near me, you are at 60 at the top of 2nd. Haven't tracked a FWD car for 20 years, will look to do an airfield day somewhere first LOL

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Well all wiffs of burning oil now gone post oil feed replacement, just need to spray gunk on the block a bit toclean the resedue off. Bulb replaced too now so clean bill of health. Tempted to do an MOT early just to make sure all it okay on the emissons front with the sport cat. Have 700 miles of commuting to meetings to do this week, big test time.

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looks (smells) like a slight oil leak, will gunk & jetwash the front of the engine and see if I can find where it is coming from. Given previous form on this thing it will be the turbo oil feed on the block so I will need the front end off again LOL

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may install hinges and a latch LOL. I have a horrible feeling it is the turbo oil feed, it smells of burning oil once it has wamed up, turbo is clean and oil free on top, so I expect it is downpipe off unless the sump is leaking. Trying to get motivated to look at it, not helpped by ripping the cartilage in my knee, rather hard to work on it on ramps/stands at the mo.

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Mini has been parked for a month, and I have been putting off investigating the oil leak, must crack on with it!

For a quick mod I have switched the rear wiper motors to do the vertical park mod, much better now

2020-04-16_12-17-58 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

While in there I fitted some sound matting, plan to do the floor and the doors on the rest of the car too

2020-04-16_12-18-18 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

I will do the oil leak...maybe this weekend