Pulley installed (finally) - impressions

JRutherford · Post by **JRutherford** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:28 am

I was finally able to complete the pulley install on my MCS this weekend, wanted to share my impressions. While the install itself was pretty straightforward and not overly involved, the greatest challenge was in receiving the correct parts from the vendor in a timely manner (very frustrating process). As always, it also helps greatly to have the correct tools. Anyway, it's now on and I now realize what the hubbub has been for all these years. It does make a notable improvement - gone is the initial launch hesitation and appears as though it's not necessary to downshift in as many circumstances. Very nice!

As for the install, I did go ahead and use a tensioner stop, should a belt ever break to protect the new later style OEM crank pulley, and went with the reduced diameter 535 Napa belt, which appears to work quite well. Still need to pick up some new plugs, likely go w/ the JCW specification - any recommendations from others?

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:18 pm

Plugs - Denso IK22 Iridiums or NGK IX Iridiums. Lots of places to get either.

The NGK plugs are what's in the JCW kits FYI.

kabootist · Post by **kabootist** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:18 pm

The NGKs in the JCWs are the BKR7EQUP and are not the IX iridiums, (Laser Platinums I believe) i ordered mine from sparkplugs.com,they were 40 dollars shipped rather quickly. I changed the spark plug wires as well, not a bad idea if you have some miles on the OEM ones. I went with the kingsborne ones, another 40 dollars from kingsborne.com

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:51 pm

Yes, the part number you listed is the NGK from the JCW kit. I've got the IXs on my 2003 because I found them locally at one of the local Auto parts chains. One stage colder is the important part especially after a pulley redux.

I've also got the Kingsbourne fire braided plug wires.

FWIW, one of the tuners I talked with claims that when used back to back in the same car, a 2 HP gain was seen with the Denso plugs over NGK. Take that with a grain of salt, I'm just sayin'. BTW - he was not selling the Denso plugs but he was using them in his own car.

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:47 pm

Where can you find the Densos locally? I wasn't able to find them the last time I looked.

JRutherford · Post by **JRutherford** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:03 pm

Went ahead and ordered a set of the OEM NGK spec plugs. As for wires - are these the type used with success?

http://kingsbornewires.com/product.sc?c ... ductId=445

kabootist · Post by **kabootist** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:38 am

Yea but go with the 8mm not the 7mm. Outmotoring and others sell the 8mm wires for 70 to 80 dollars while you can get them from KB for 40 shipped. You basically pay half of the cost compared to OM because you dont have the fire braiding, i really don't see our minis needing protection to 1200 degrees.

sundance: where you able to find the IXs in one step colder?...I couldn't locally. So i just went with whats recommended for the JCW tuning kit. I put the IXs in my Jeep Liberty and I really like them. If i can find the IXs locally, I'll probably put those in next time, in another 20k miles or so. I'm paranoid about spark plugs.

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:42 pm

It''s been two years but I got them at the auto parts store at the corner of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Nieman (don't remember whether it's Parts America or the chain store). They weren't listed online but they had them in stock. ZFR6FIX-11 is the part number.

IK22s are easier to find locally.

BTW - the fire braiding helps with radio noise too. I don't know the technical reasons why but the cheaper plug wires sometimes cause a high pitched whine to come through the radio speakers even when the radio's off. Most people don't notice it because it's such a high frequency that most folks can't hear it but it drives me up a wall and I can't stand to be in a car with that noise. It's worth the extra scratch if you can hear the high frequencies.

kabootist · Post by **kabootist** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:27 pm

voltages running through the wire and capacitance of the wires, you are basically hearing the capacitor charging and discharging at the frequency (whatever it may be, actually a simple formula to figure out). I'm guessing its in the range that the radio speakers can interpret it, much like the GSM signal from cell phones. 900MHz, 1800MHz and others. I can't hear high frequencies due to all the video games I used to play, so I haven't noticed it.

I thought the ZFR6FIX-11 was not the one step colder ones? Those are the same plugs I have in my jeep.

davester · Post by **davester** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:18 am

Yes Ivan,you are correct. The NGK ZRF7FIX-11 is the one step colder plug. O'reilly's Auto Parts can get them from their whse. in one day @ $6.99 each.

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:37 pm

What David said - replace my "6" with a 7 and you've got the colder plugs.

I've been on the road too much lately, I can't keep straight what city I'm in let alone MINI part numbers.

davester · Post by **davester** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:43 am

I spoke with NGK corp. today to find out they changed the part number for the one step Iridium colder plug to -- BKR7EIX -- from Advance Auto Parts, not O'Rielly's
Hope that helps, David

monza · Post by **monza** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:40 pm

just a note...BKR7EIX are different from ZFR7FIX-11

The ZFR has a "projected extended tip", while the BK is just "projected tip". I have some of the BKs for my Saab and they are slightly shorter in the insulator and electrode than the ZFR. Also, the gap on the BK is .030", while the gap on the ZFR is .045", so they will have to be re-gapped.

they may work just fine...just thought I would point out they are slightly different...

davester · Post by **davester** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:25 pm

But I guess these will work just fine

NGK Spark Plug
2002-2004 Mini Cooper S
"Spark Plug, IX Series, Single Iridium, Fine Iridium Center Electrode, Gap 0.032, BKR6EIX"

Fit Note: Gap 0.032, BKR6EIX.

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:46 pm

Just to throw further confusion into the spark plug debate - to be safe, you can go with the same plugs that are recommended for the JCW MINIS which are the NGK BKR7EQUP (as noted above). I've still got the boxes from mine that were replaced in the GP at the first oil service. Crazy to replace plugs at only 10K miles but the JCW bulletin says to replace the plugs at every service interval. I've had "experts" tell me that's crazy but why would MINI recommend it in writing? The dealer covered it under the maintenance agreement, BTW, after showing them the note on the JCW kits on their own internal documentation.

If one feels better to wait 100K miles to change the plugs then go for it. Most experts would agree that 70K-100K miles is an acceptable time frame to replace plugs.

davester · Post by **davester** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:59 am

Because I have a 15% smaller pulley,intake and exhaust mods, I chose to use the BKR7EIX iridium NGK plugs. After 50,000 miles, the previous plugs were very worn---