Alta CAI My first power mod

[cdecker78]

I just installed it tonight and drove it around the block. Most notable difference is the sound of the Turbo sucking and compressing the air. WOW its loud! Like I said I just drove around the block a a modest 20-35 MPH. Can't wait to get it on the highway.

Undecided about next mod weather it be a BOV and boost gauge or wait until next spring and do suspension and exhaust. I do know I will be installing a sub and amp and upgrading my speakers this weekend or the next. I will be building a sub enclosure similar to the ones from urban mini. so I guess that would actually qualify as my next mod somewhat.

[Counterfit_Mini]

Ooo very cool. Was the install very hard? I wouldn't think it would be...just wondering. (You have Mini wings on your engine. I feel left out. Mine didn't come with any)

[cdecker78]

Not really hard but it was a PITA to make everything line up correctly. The project took about 25 minutes to complete.

[LiLReD1]

Right on!

Hey a quick note about yer speakers... I was going to do the same thing, but my audio guy said not to worry about it cause the speakers that were in it are good already, and just put an amp on it. He was right! The sound is a lot better! The treble gets so high that I have to turn it down when it gets loud. As far as bass is concerned, that wasn't an issue since I put in a 12" anyways. He built a board that fits nicely at the bottum of the "boot" where the spare tire is supposed to be for the amps to be bolted down to.

[LiLReD1]

And BTW, my stereo is the base line, not the Harmon Kardon.

[ksminiman]

I feel so left out having a supercooper instead of the turbocoop oh well a underdrive pulley will be my first power mod

Nice intake by the way

[Minidave]

I have one of each, and there are things I like about each design, but I think the Supercharged motor is a sweeter running engine than the turbo.

[LiLReD1]

I have one of each, and there are things I like about each design, but I think the Supercharged motor is a sweeter running engine than the turbo.

Well ya, one's a JCW, one is not, lol.

[kabootist]

I've driven the new JCW a few times, besides not being worth the expense of buying a new car (not really an upgrade in my eyes from my 06), the supercharged engine just feels...more. If that makes any sense. I have an 06 JCW and its awesome, had an 03 MCS with pulley and such, and i'd probably put the JCW above that due to the mods making it less smooth. Maybe I'm just a Tritec fanboy, or french engines scare me


Get it out on the highway and let us know how it goes!

[LiLReD1]

Anyone have a stock 1st gen JCW? I'd like to compare them back to back. Not in a race, just driving.

[Minidave]

Mine is stock.

[LiLReD1]

Swap ya cars tomorrow night for a bit? Mines just 200lbs heavier.

[Minidave]

Are you sure yours is heavier?

I thought the new cars were light enough that a new clubby weighed about the same as the old coupes.

One thing that's definitely different are the gear ratios. The early cars were geared really tall. In mine.....

1st = 50mph at redline, 2nd = 70, 3rd = 90, 4th = 110, 5th = 130 and 6th = 135 or so...

I won't be there Friday night, can't make that - but I'll be at Baron on Sat night, or we can swap out the next time we meet up.

[LiLReD1]

That's true, I was assuming the HB R56 and R53 were the same weight forgetting they weren't.

I'm 180 lbs heavier than an R56, 2888lbs according to MINI. I don't have the gear ratios in front of me...

[Minidave]

OK, my R53 weighed in at 2750 at Heartland last year with me out of it.

Those speeds in gear were "observed"

Except for 6th....

[LiLReD1]

Is your redline higher than mine though? I get the red hash marks @ 6500.

I don't know about cutoff or "official" redline cause I've only ventured to 6500 twice, first and second kick. But there is no reason at all to rev that high. There's power, but from what I felt, I wasn't gaining anything by reving it like that. Other than the smell of metal heating up, lol.

[Minidave]

The R53's are redlined at 6800....almost all the tuners adjust that to 7K with no problems.

I feel like the turbo motors seem to run out of breath at much over 6,000 - because the small turbine wheel that allows them to not have any lag limits the upper end.

The R53's just seem to want to rev forever, getting stronger as they do. That's the difference between superchargers and turbochargers, IMHO. If you get a turbo big enough to breath freely at higher RPM.s the low end suffers or there's significcant boost lag.

But like I said, the early R53's were geared really tall, especially in the low gears - but that allowed them to have a close ratio box for good performance once you get rolling.

[LiLReD1]

I know what ya mean... doesn't seem to keep goin up high, cause it has serious low end power. But I enjoy that better when I'm driving a daily driver a lot more.

If I can head back in town early enough, gonna put her on the rollers to see what she really does.

[kabootist]

I agree with the statements past 6000-ish RPMs on the new JCW...I will say that the new JCWs are a little less harsh than my 06. would make for a better daily driver.