Discussion
Hey all. Just bought myself a cooper S r53 facelift as a bit of a fun car.
20 mile drive home and was grinning all the way, that exhaust pop on the overrun is going to get addictive. The service history is a little space although looks like it's had the minimum oil changes done over the years at least.
I'll be doing the engine oil and filter first but what else would be recommended to check and service first for peace of mind?
Cheers
20 mile drive home and was grinning all the way, that exhaust pop on the overrun is going to get addictive. The service history is a little space although looks like it's had the minimum oil changes done over the years at least.
I'll be doing the engine oil and filter first but what else would be recommended to check and service first for peace of mind?
Cheers
Front lower wishbone bushes - not part of any service schedule but vital to do. These will be shot before any other suspension part.
Once you've done the usual oil/coolant/brake fluid etc I'd refresh all the bushes and balljoints - makes a world of difference, and shows you how they really handle.
After that, it's the slippery slope of modification. Pulley, exhaust etc etc...
Once you've done the usual oil/coolant/brake fluid etc I'd refresh all the bushes and balljoints - makes a world of difference, and shows you how they really handle.
After that, it's the slippery slope of modification. Pulley, exhaust etc etc...
Bought a late 06 model earlier in the year myself with a view to parking it up for a few months, changing every suspension/mount/bush etc, fitting r56 brakes to the front, stainless exhaust, coilovers, pulley kit, intercooler upgrade, s/c strip & oil top up mods, injectors, throttle body, etc.
I am currently around 1/2 way through & looking forward to getting it finished.
I am glad I did, as I found a few bushes etc. well on their way out & a completely failed & mushroomed top mount, which I missed, I have also (hopefully) sorted a few oil leaks & reassured myself all of the major items will last forever now.
I am currently around 1/2 way through & looking forward to getting it finished.
I am glad I did, as I found a few bushes etc. well on their way out & a completely failed & mushroomed top mount, which I missed, I have also (hopefully) sorted a few oil leaks & reassured myself all of the major items will last forever now.
maybe service the supercharger at GTT, while there fit a different pulley maybe
front lower arm rear bushes as above to renew
if the coolant expansion tank looks brown change it
change the thermostat as a precaution
check the plugs are tight
wheel alignment
check the belt damper and fit a new belt
get off runflats
fit an lsd
change brake fluid and consider braided hoses, stick with genuine brake pads, and strip and clean brake caliper slides, remove rear slide rubbers and clean corrosion from caliper which expands and restricts movement, check ball joints and renew as required, check wheel bearing feel especially front.
check for split front suspension top mounts, and distorted turrets,
don't fit a Bluefin or generic remap if tempted
run it on super unleaded
check gear oil level, (often low)
make sure no tapping or rattling from engine, should be quiet.
front lower arm rear bushes as above to renew
if the coolant expansion tank looks brown change it
change the thermostat as a precaution
check the plugs are tight
wheel alignment
check the belt damper and fit a new belt
get off runflats
fit an lsd
change brake fluid and consider braided hoses, stick with genuine brake pads, and strip and clean brake caliper slides, remove rear slide rubbers and clean corrosion from caliper which expands and restricts movement, check ball joints and renew as required, check wheel bearing feel especially front.
check for split front suspension top mounts, and distorted turrets,
don't fit a Bluefin or generic remap if tempted
run it on super unleaded
check gear oil level, (often low)
make sure no tapping or rattling from engine, should be quiet.
Edited by CarsOrBikes on Friday 16th June 22:15
If it is a facelift it should have the LSD fitted. Mine is a 2005 and has it. Check here:
http://www.bimmer.work/
It gives you the detailed build, spec and options for your car.
Change the lower arm rear bushes to poly, the Powerflex part is PFF5-101. About £55 a set. Significant improvement. Although supposedly 'harsh' (they aren't), somewhat counter intuitively they have completely eliminated the 'crashing' you get on most irregularities with the SS+ suspension. Check the ball joints. Often OK.
Essential to ditch the runflats. Massive improvement.
Get it properly aligned (preferably on a Hunter).
Check the top oil filled engine mount. They dump their oil and need replacing.
I haven't changed the SC oil and it has done 100k miles. The Facelift SC is improved, teflon coated. Changing the oil is a bit of a mission but if you do there are a number of other things you can do while half the front is off.
If you go 15% pulley you shouldn't need to get it remapped, nor upgrade the IC. At 17% you really should. 100% agree - don't fit a Bluefin or generic remap if tempted.
Put on a Milltek if your exhaust is still OE (although as you are getting pops and bangs maybe it has been changed already?). If it is a fun car non res, if a daily resonated.
Put on an Orranje Stealth CAI. Discrete, well priced, effective, lots of whine.
Change the gear box oil. It isn't 'lifetime'. Use Redline MTL.
Change the fuel filter. It isn't 'lifetime' either.
It will probably have oil leaks, mostly they do. Change oil and filter every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, not at the recommended intervals.
Assume it has Xenon dips, halogen mains? Mine has. Crap. Upgraded the bulbs with Osram Nightbreakers. Can now see at night.
Get on the Minitorque forum. Lot of very knowledgeable, technically capable members. Heavily modded cars. 53s and 56s. Mine of information. It is a bit brutal. It is not censored, so folk can be, and are, as rude and abusive as they like.
Enjoy.
http://www.bimmer.work/
It gives you the detailed build, spec and options for your car.
Change the lower arm rear bushes to poly, the Powerflex part is PFF5-101. About £55 a set. Significant improvement. Although supposedly 'harsh' (they aren't), somewhat counter intuitively they have completely eliminated the 'crashing' you get on most irregularities with the SS+ suspension. Check the ball joints. Often OK.
Essential to ditch the runflats. Massive improvement.
Get it properly aligned (preferably on a Hunter).
Check the top oil filled engine mount. They dump their oil and need replacing.
I haven't changed the SC oil and it has done 100k miles. The Facelift SC is improved, teflon coated. Changing the oil is a bit of a mission but if you do there are a number of other things you can do while half the front is off.
If you go 15% pulley you shouldn't need to get it remapped, nor upgrade the IC. At 17% you really should. 100% agree - don't fit a Bluefin or generic remap if tempted.
Put on a Milltek if your exhaust is still OE (although as you are getting pops and bangs maybe it has been changed already?). If it is a fun car non res, if a daily resonated.
Put on an Orranje Stealth CAI. Discrete, well priced, effective, lots of whine.
Change the gear box oil. It isn't 'lifetime'. Use Redline MTL.
Change the fuel filter. It isn't 'lifetime' either.
It will probably have oil leaks, mostly they do. Change oil and filter every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, not at the recommended intervals.
Assume it has Xenon dips, halogen mains? Mine has. Crap. Upgraded the bulbs with Osram Nightbreakers. Can now see at night.
Get on the Minitorque forum. Lot of very knowledgeable, technically capable members. Heavily modded cars. 53s and 56s. Mine of information. It is a bit brutal. It is not censored, so folk can be, and are, as rude and abusive as they like.
Enjoy.
Thanks for all the replies guys. Started off last weekend with an engine oil and filter change. Refreshingly easy on these thanks to the huge nut on the bottom of the filter casing, only issue is the ground clearance made it a bit awkward but managed it.
It's no longer got run flats. Regarding the exhaust it has the John Cooper Works exhaust, or back box at least, I've not checked the full system, or is it just the backbox which is different?
Unfortunately I'm now getting a battery drain issue. Coupled with a strange whining noise when I've stopped the car and turned the ignition off.
A bit of googling suggests this may be the power steering pump failing, though it still seems to be working so I'm going to try the strip and clean at the weekend and new fluid, hopefully that will sort it.
After that it sounds like wishbone bushes might be the thing to do next?
I've hooked up an OBD2 reader and checked all the temperatures are sensible. On a late night motorway run last weekend the coolant temp was around 70C and intake was low thirties. Coolant seems a bit low? Was hitting 90 on the day on slower speed driving with accelerations which sounds pretty sensible although I am used to diesels...
It's no longer got run flats. Regarding the exhaust it has the John Cooper Works exhaust, or back box at least, I've not checked the full system, or is it just the backbox which is different?
Unfortunately I'm now getting a battery drain issue. Coupled with a strange whining noise when I've stopped the car and turned the ignition off.
A bit of googling suggests this may be the power steering pump failing, though it still seems to be working so I'm going to try the strip and clean at the weekend and new fluid, hopefully that will sort it.
After that it sounds like wishbone bushes might be the thing to do next?
I've hooked up an OBD2 reader and checked all the temperatures are sensible. On a late night motorway run last weekend the coolant temp was around 70C and intake was low thirties. Coolant seems a bit low? Was hitting 90 on the day on slower speed driving with accelerations which sounds pretty sensible although I am used to diesels...
Edited by WolfieBot on Thursday 22 June 21:03
Coolant should be between 85 and 90 when moving, that does sound too low. Intake temps should generally be between 5-10 degrees above ambient when moving, assuming no heat soak.
Once intake temps hit 55 degrees C, the ECU richens the mixture to prevent pinking so best to not drive it hard if intake temps do creep up
Once intake temps hit 55 degrees C, the ECU richens the mixture to prevent pinking so best to not drive it hard if intake temps do creep up
If changing the gearbox oil use OE oil or Fuchs Syntofluid if there is an LSD fitted, Other oils are similarly priced so pointless avoiding the right stuff.
All R53's will benefit from a map if modifying, anyone that tells you their car has been fine since whatever modification is saving for a repair perhaps and also can't see what the car is doing regarding fuelling or intake temp especially at high engine speeds. It may not bother you, but if altering, this matters.
MiniTorque is ok, pretty good actually but most of them all want to drive the same spec, same mods, same 'must do's' etc. Coilovers usually first haha.
A JCW system is cat back only, you'll never need anything else there.
All R53's will benefit from a map if modifying, anyone that tells you their car has been fine since whatever modification is saving for a repair perhaps and also can't see what the car is doing regarding fuelling or intake temp especially at high engine speeds. It may not bother you, but if altering, this matters.
MiniTorque is ok, pretty good actually but most of them all want to drive the same spec, same mods, same 'must do's' etc. Coilovers usually first haha.
A JCW system is cat back only, you'll never need anything else there.
Stripped and cleaned the PAS pump today, bit of a messy job but fairly straightforward, lots of carbon build up came out. The cooling fan was all gritty and stuck so cleaned that out too and checked it was working.
Only issue I found was where the pump fits the electric motor is two machined faces with no gasket. They're one of them was a bit corroded and pitted so not overly hopeful of a good seal so will have to monitor for fluid loss over the next few weeks.
Hopefully that will cure the battery drain issue.
Only issue I found was where the pump fits the electric motor is two machined faces with no gasket. They're one of them was a bit corroded and pitted so not overly hopeful of a good seal so will have to monitor for fluid loss over the next few weeks.
Hopefully that will cure the battery drain issue.
CarsOrBikes said:
If changing the gearbox oil use OE oil or Fuchs Syntofluid if there is an LSD fitted, Other oils are similarly priced so pointless avoiding the right stuff.
MiniTorque is ok, pretty good actually but most of them all want to drive the same spec, same mods, same 'must do's' etc. Coilovers usually first haha.
Gearbox oil, I used Redline MTL as everyone said it was good stuff. Should it not be if it has the LSD?MiniTorque is ok, pretty good actually but most of them all want to drive the same spec, same mods, same 'must do's' etc. Coilovers usually first haha.
MiniTorque. Spot on CarsOrBikes, "coilover central" or the "Minitorque Coilover Massive". Seems the solution to everything. Weltz?
WolfieBot said:
I've hooked up an OBD2 reader and checked all the temperatures are sensible. On a late night motorway run last weekend the coolant temp was around 70C and intake was low thirties. Coolant seems a bit low? Was hitting 90 on the day on slower speed driving with accelerations which sounds pretty sensible although I am used to diesels...
If anyone with an R53 or other Gen1 is interested in seeing their actual coolant temp (just that) without using an OBD reader, here is how you can do it:Edited by WolfieBot on Thursday 22 June 21:03
Display Actual Coolant Temp in ºC
1. With the key in the ignition, but in the off position, press and hold down the odometer reset button with one hand.
2. While holding the button down, switch the key in the ignition to position 1 (first click) with the other hand. The screen will have a number and the word “TEST”.
3. Scroll through the numbers by pressing the odometer rest button, through to 19 and wait a moment. (Note: the number order is: 1, 2, 10, 19)
4. The message will say 19 "L i-off", flash to "L i-on", and back to "L i-off" again. When "log i-off" appears, press the odometer rest button again.
5. You are now in the system.
6. Scroll through to 7.0 Actual coolant temp.
Start, drive off and there you go.
My R53 at ambient 19.5ºC the other day, in out of town traffic. 30-60mph, mine sits steady at 90ºC, fluctuates 89ºC to 91ºC. If I rag it for a stretch it goes to around 98ºC. Leave it ticking over parked up it goes up to 112ºC and the HSF cuts in and brings it down rapidly to about 100ºC. Drive off and quickly back to 90ºC.
R53rider said:
WolfieBot said:
I've hooked up an OBD2 reader and checked all the temperatures are sensible. On a late night motorway run last weekend the coolant temp was around 70C and intake was low thirties. Coolant seems a bit low? Was hitting 90 on the day on slower speed driving with accelerations which sounds pretty sensible although I am used to diesels...
If anyone with an R53 or other Gen1 is interested in seeing their actual coolant temp (just that) without using an OBD reader, here is how you can do it:Edited by WolfieBot on Thursday 22 June 21:03
Display Actual Coolant Temp in ºC
1. With the key in the ignition, but in the off position, press and hold down the odometer reset button with one hand.
2. While holding the button down, switch the key in the ignition to position 1 (first click) with the other hand. The screen will have a number and the word “TEST”.
3. Scroll through the numbers by pressing the odometer rest button, through to 19 and wait a moment. (Note: the number order is: 1, 2, 10, 19)
4. The message will say 19 "L i-off", flash to "L i-on", and back to "L i-off" again. When "log i-off" appears, press the odometer rest button again.
5. You are now in the system.
6. Scroll through to 7.0 Actual coolant temp.
Start, drive off and there you go.
My R53 at ambient 19.5ºC the other day, in out of town traffic. 30-60mph, mine sits steady at 90ºC, fluctuates 89ºC to 91ºC. If I rag it for a stretch it goes to around 98ºC. Leave it ticking over parked up it goes up to 112ºC and the HSF cuts in and brings it down rapidly to about 100ºC. Drive off and quickly back to 90ºC.
On another note, should there be a clock in the R53? I haven't got one anywhere! Trivial, but a minor annoyance nonetheless.
WolfieBot said:
Interesting thanks, will give that a try.
On another note, should there be a clock in the R53? I haven't got one anywhere! Trivial, but a minor annoyance nonetheless.
I think yours is a facelift? On mine, if you briefly press the odemeter button in the speedo, the display flips beween clock and trip mileage. And you use the same button to set the clock. Unless you have chrono or nav in which case I haven't a clue. On another note, should there be a clock in the R53? I haven't got one anywhere! Trivial, but a minor annoyance nonetheless.
R53rider said:
I think yours is a facelift? On mine, if you briefly press the odemeter button in the speedo, the display flips beween clock and trip mileage. And you use the same button to set the clock. Unless you have chrono or nav in which case I haven't a clue.
I have a Nav, so the double clock setup behind the wheel with Speedo and tachometer. Will give that a try though.I'm building an android based system to replace the factory Nav so should be easy enough to incorporate one there anyway.
And yes... I have tried looking up!
WolfieBot said:
And yes... I have tried looking up!
In the early versions (like mine) it's weirdly positioned by the rear view mirror. Throws me everytime. Fun fact - when first got car it took me a few minutes to find reverse as the car has had an alloy gearknob fitted which doesn't show gear positions. D'oh!
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