R55 Cooper S

[President Merkin]

If it's the dogbone, then I would probably just go oem. Friend poly'd his rear mount & found it transmitted a fair bit of vibration for not much benefit but either way it's at least an easy job,

[scrw.]

that was my concern, will go oem, thanks.

[scrw.]

Still not done the mount, will have to get it sorted over next day or so as I have just bought a project Clubvan...another thread is needed.

[scrw.]

Naughty mini has wee'd in the garage!

20241102_152908 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Given the engine and gearbox a dose of gunk and hosed it off, looks to be the oil filter/oil cooler housing leaking, which is annoying as I changed all those seals.

Anyway, rear engine mount changed and no more engine/exhaust clunks when changing gear, old one looked fine but was just soft.

20241102_154950 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Don't you just hate bolts like this! Had to disconnect exhaust from downpipe to give me enough wiggle room

20241102_154155 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

[scrw.]

finally sorting the drivers side sill cover, new one ready to go on once the clips arrive tomorrow via amazon, replacing the front jack point also.

20241112_192651 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

[scrw.]

MOT passed without issue other than advisory for cracked exhaust rubbers, you can see they are cracked in the photos above, hang over from worn engine mount. Only 2300 miles last year, must try harder! To be honest having a drive 1 car wide means whatever is at the end gets used first, 13k miles in my Jeep over the last 12 months, need to use the mini more as it is much cheaper to run.

[scrw.]

Finally done this job, the clubvan got in the way
20250327_180335 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

A very second hand hanger

Not happy with the stops on the exhaust brackets, think this is why the previous rubbers died. I think the exhaust is coming off anyway to get it welded to a 1 piece exhaust, the clamps on the joins are always touching the bodywork going over bumps.

20250327_181537 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

[scrw.]

An unexpected journey in the bus last week, my Jeep dpf threw lots of errors 5 miles into our road trip to Bruges so had to come home and grab the mini. 1100 miles, zero issues or oil used, 40.5mpg on super unleaded while sat mostly at 70-75mph all the way there. One day out to Leper to see a relatives grave in a remote cemetery down Flanders lane got it rather dirty and me deciding I really need to look at a better exhaust, clamps on the current one catch the body where the mid pipe joins the front section., and I want a quieter one! Still managed to get luggage, 6 cases of beer and shopping in the back for the return journey

20250401_153047 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20250404_114417 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20250403_181553 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20250405_115616 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Front tyres are looking a little worn and the rear brake wear indicator has come on since I returned so need to look at replacing them and I think replacing the wheels, current ones have poor air seal and go down over a few weeks.

[scrw.]

Brake pad wear is uneven both sides, calliper pins move freely enough, I assume it is just a mini thing?

20250412_141722 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

[21TonyK]

scrw. said:

Brake pad wear is uneven both sides, calliper pins move freely enough, I assume it is just a mini thing?

20250412_141722 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Not noticed that on my F or R56. Just another thing to be aware of I guess.

[scrw.]

right, the android unit is going and a refurbed LCI unit is going in rather than the original boost unit.

Old
20250417_173621 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Need to figure out the rear outputs
20250417_173630 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

new one has different outputs, I take it one is DAB...googling time

20250417_173654 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Also fitting an audio bluetooth module
20250417_173901 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20250417_173645 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

[scrw.]

So black is FM, Green DAB, seems I need one of these to plug the new unit into my DAB aerial fitted to the mini

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eightwood-Adapter-Compati...

[scrw.]

Just spotted I used the wrong clock dials, will swap them out for the LCI ones when I fit the DAB link, although they may stay.

20250417_200536 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

So how does the phone mic differ between the pre and LCI models I wonder? I am getting no mic when using the headunit bluetooth, but get a mic when using the BT audio module, but that is a pain as it needs to be in AUX mode to pic that up. I am thinking the mic goes to the yellow connector on the rear, & looks like the big white connector is USB, so will get a lead for that too (looks like I need this to pass the USB down to the socket at the bottom of the dash https://www.amazon.co.uk/YILIANDUO-Adapter-Harness... ). Also on pre LCI, what are the 2 fibre connectors for in the multiplug? everything works okay as wired up now bar the mic.

Edited by scrw. on Thursday 17th April 20:47

[scrw.]

ok some internet hunting seems to lead to the mic going to the multiplug on the radio, some playing tomorrow.....

[drgoatboy]

Was the android unit not much good? Seem to get really mixed reviews (but udio normally does)

[scrw.]

its fine, but I prefer the OEM clocks and I only wanted bluetooth for audio which I have now with the bluetooth adaptor I have fitted

[CoolHands]

So you had to change the central control panel too then - does the heater control flaps work ok (screen / feet direction etc), as the earlier / later heater flap gear mechanism has a different micro switch.

(Edit the original radio has the volume control down low and I think later control panel covers don’t fit over the knobs, hence why I assume you changed it).

I just spent 3 days taking old gear mechanism out, and the switch is different in later revisions and hence the sub loom too. I had the newer sub loom so swapped it out, but my early control panel didn’t recognise it ie would not move the gear mechanism / flaps so something doesn’t correlate.

I do not recommend this, it was crazy and I’ve ended up putting it all back together and back where I started (heater flaps have a mind of their own, I think it doesn’t know the position of the top flap)



New gear mech on left old on right. Only difference is the position switch:



Here’s the control panel (and old style radio) in mine currently:

Edited by CoolHands on Monday 21st April 09:47

Edited by CoolHands on Friday 25th April 22:53

[scrw.]

HVAC use the same holes regardless of year, its the radio section that changes on year & radio spec. How many screws did you end up with after doing that? Whenever I do work on the dash I always end up with some left over LOL

[CoolHands]

This is absolutely unbelievable but 9. I can’t understand it as I’m positive every hole had a screw in it putting it back together. I will have it apart again in the summer as I am determined to change the flapper gear mechanism and it get it working.

[scrw.]

Right, green plug is DAB and the lead I bought works, result.

Having issues with the mic wiring, trying to find what wire is used to get the mic into the rear of the headunit, seems to be different between pre & lci models.