Anyone interested in a Was. custom RMW tune?

Looking for any interest in getting Jan up here from RMW for another custom tune day. His results are amazing and I am planing on doing a Madness JCW Stage two upgrade on my R53. I know that the last ECU tune day was a great success and unfortunately I wasn't able to make it on that date. Any interest would be great.

Thanks

PS. If anyone has some ties with Jan aka. the person that worked on the last tune with Jan in the NW area; I would really apreciate their input on what worked and what didn't.

First of all, I appreciate your input. It does make since to stick with RMW throughout the process and their could be a greater gain in doing it that way over the Madness route. I don't know. I do have a few reasons tho for going the madness way.

My shop that I work at Speedware Motorsports in Redmond is a dealer for Madness, and I have local friends that have used madness in the past and have been pleased with the result.

It would only make sense for me to use a product that we sell.

It is a kit designed for the JCW

The reason for the Jan tune instead of the Madness tune is that I have heard some complaints about the madness ecu upgrade, while I have heard little or no complaints about the Jan tune.

Thanks for looking out for a fellow mini bretherin.

dk., you might want to PM Jan on NAM. Think he has a remote tune for the R53. You'd need 8 to 10 people for a tuning party but Jan's schedule is really busy so even if you have the interest you may need to wait until his schedule permits another trip up here.

Thanks for the input. I do drive a JCW so I don't know if that would change any of the modifications that you have suggested before. How much would a cam, header, and a custom tune cost me from jan? Ballpark answers are welcome. I already have a 16% pulley from M7 but I cannot remove my JCW pulley because the pulley remover tool that I purchased does not fit. It is designed for the standard cooper s and will not fit the JCW pully. Any suggestions on removal would be helpfull. What do you think my End whp will be with a cam, header, tune, ecu tune, cai, and 16%pulley? Would it maybe be around 220whp? With the increased airflow, is their the need for an upgraded intercooler to prevent detonation? What is the difference performance wise between the custom tune and the remote tune?

Thanks

Thanks john. It sounds like a consensus on going with RMW over Madness and you all put up some very good points. I think I will contact Jan via NAM and talk to him further about the subject. Thanks

To those who have modified their car to a certain extent using RMW's mods (such as cam or head) did you have any problems with the car. Is it still driveable on the street. Runs fine when it is 0 degrees F to 120 F. Starts every time. I am a student that frankly uses his car as a form of transportation/an extention of my personality, so I think it would be unwise of me to modify my car to the point where it runs irregularly. Any problems?

John's pricing is pretty close for the cam and header(with cat). The head will run you around $2K. John and Craig's recommendations are spot on.

Since you have a JCW, I'm guessing you have the JCW intake. You can do the flap-ectomy and have it open all the time and if you want, throw in a reusable filter which is cheaper than a paper replacement. It's better than cold air intakes that suck in hot engine air. Your 380cc JCW injectors are fine. Generally, Jan suggests 440cc for his "Jesus" head. Best to ask him as I believe others without stock heads are using 440s now.

The meth kit has become a popular option to keep intake temps down. They run anywhere from $400+ for a Devil's Own kit up to $1000+ for RMW's Aquamist kit. A route I plan to take is the RMW kit and having two tuning maps. One for meth for use at the track, and another street map. Jan sells a flash tool so you can switch between maps as needed.

My car is a 2005 and it has responded very well to tuning along with the header, cam, pulley, and a modified airbox which pulls air from the cowl. Everything else is stock. I've had zero driveability issues in about a year and a half since I've been tuned.

Also, Jan may be hard to reach since he's busy supporting a race team and doing tuning parties. The best way to contact him is via phone if you can't reach him through PM.

Good luck whichever way you decide!

One thing to note, too, regarding the top HP you may get is something that was noted in a video I caught a couple weeks back regarding a 400 HP MINI beast.  It's still drivable on the street, because while you do have 400 HP at your disposal, they are not all engaged all the time.  That long skinny pedal on the right is not an on/off switch.  ;)

Also, there has been a very interesting discussion on intercoolers over at Motoring Alliance, specifically this thread.  There is some actual work that's been put into figuring out what may or may not work best.

All this coming from someone that hasn't had the benefit of a tune, RMW or otherwise.

Larry is correct regarding the cost of the RMW "Jesus" head being ~ $2k, and he's also correct that Jan recommends his 440 cc injectors if you go with his head (which I have).  I did most of my "serious" upgrades at the same time, so it's hard to assign HP gains to specific equipment.  With a 15% pulley, DDM CAI, colder plugs, and 380 cc injectors, Jan squeezed about 20 additional HP from my car with his first tune (from 180 to 200).  With the RMW head, cam, street header (with cat), 440 cc injectors and Milltek cat back, Jan's tune in July brought my car up to the current 230 HP.  The car is totally driveable (in fact, it is my commuting car for my trip up and down Chuckanut twice a day), but I have had a bit of a cold weather, cold engine issue; but once the car is warmed up, all is well.  The flash tool that Larry referred to is the same device Jan uses for remote tuning.  If you can arrange dyno time with The Speed Factory (where Jan has perfomed his magic the past two visits to the Pacific Northwest), and coordinate a tuning session with Jan at the same time, he can "see" what your car is doing on the dyno (A/F ratios across the rpm range, exhaust gas composition, HP and torque).  After he has your "original" map (as a file attached to an email), he can tweak the tuning parameters to optimize you specific engine's performance, and he will send a new map (again via email) to upload to your ECU. Since each car runs a little differently, he can really dial in the best map for your engine.  So a remote tune is exactly the same (coordinmated in this fashion with the dyno runs) as having Jan here in person.  He can also achieve marked improvement in your current map without getting on the dyno, but it is not fully optimized.  After you invest in the flash tool for the remote tuning, Jan can also provide a different map for the track, if you wish (for the methanol injection that Larry alluded to).  Follow all the advice provided in this thread and you'll have great fun with your "new" car.  As others have said, though, make sure you understand what you're getting into before you get started, especially if you're not doing your own mechanical work (the budget), or if you are your own mechanic, don't rush (the time commitment).  Good luck ......... Craig   

I appoligize for the novice question here, but what is a flappendechtomy on the JCW and what is the benefits?

LilBro is your Mini a R52 or a R57?

John

The "FLAP" is right there

+1 Brenda!!!
In some ways I wish we shared MORE Facts on this Site....
In just the last few months of the summer we picked up more NEW Members and they are still learning the site and won't always find things that we've talked about in the past...
1... Checking for Rust/Corrosion on the Coil Pack
2... If your Mini STILL has a OEM Air Box, PLEASE Check the FILTER!!!! PLEASE
3... When was the last time you checked your Oil Catch Can?
4... Have you looked at your In Cabin Filter w/in the last year?
5... For those with Performance Spark Plugs, how many miles have you put on them?
        (I have a feeling that they don't last as long as "regular" spark plugs)

Stuff like that.....
At 50,000 Miles....
1... Replace your OEM Front Control Arm Bushings.... They are shot and you don't know it. If they aren't, they will be soon. Plus its an excuse to put Poly Bushings TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!!!
2... Front Brakes and Rotors more than likely need to be replaced.....

What else?


Edited by YakiMini - October/07/09 at 2:20am

jbrown23 wrote: Im going to agree with RMW. If I only had changed my pulley belt to what i needed I might have got more HP. P.s. Spokane is getting colllld. Hope it doesn't snow when you guys are over here. I also have that weekend off so it looks like I will be watching you guys at the track.

Larry, see this Post.. I will let you know the dates available.. Cam should be shipped today from Jan B.

R50='s 2002-2006 Mini Coopers
R53='s 2002-2006 Mini Cooper S (SuperCharged)
R56='s 2007-Current Mini Cooper S (Turbo)

I could use help with the Clubman and the rest... Sadly I don't know the numbers for them....
Talking about Madness Installing the Free Flowing Filter... I may have installed it for you? And more than likely I removed the flap... We'd have to check just to be certain... Thinking about it, I don't know why I would have left it in place.... (random thoughts)
You could check it if you have "Torx Bit" Screw Drivers....