Kansas City MINI Enthusiasts

Brad says hello, sends his regards, and I told him you are well. He told me the story of a 16-year old test driving the Ferrari you spent your day working on.

Rear main, input shaft and axle seals won't arrive until Tuesday so I'll be rolling again Wednesday afternoon.

I'm in capable and dependable hands, for sure. In retrospect, I am so glad I called Brad and name-dropped.

Yep, we have some "history"!

Minidave wrote:Yep, we have some "history"!

Some?

My brakes have been squealing like a banshee in this cold weather. It s a pulsed squealing as well. Pads/rotors (I think only front rotors were replaced and pads all around) only have about 6-7k on them. They were noisy in the summer when I got the car but in this cold they are getting ridiculous. Is the BMW antisqueal recommended? Is generic O'Reillys any good? I may pull them one day soon and check em out. If all looks good, I'll apply the antisqueal and button them back up. May save the job for a shop day.

I have some of the BMW anti-squeal goop you can have if you need it, no reason to buy it.

Do you have factory pads and rotors? They don't usually make noise....

I bought the car from a Subaru dealer who claimed they used factory MINI pads/rotors. I'm kinda doubting they did.

They are very noisy and have been since I got it.

nine5raptor wrote:I bought the car from a Subaru dealer who claimed they used factory MINI pads/rotors. I'm kinda doubting they did.

They are very noisy and have been since I got it.

Never trust what a non Mini dealer says about a Mini. Superior Volvo told me my car was bought in England and owned by an RAF pilot. NOPE.

nine5raptor wrote:I bought the car from a Subaru dealer who claimed they used factory MINI pads/rotors. I'm kinda doubting they did.

They are very noisy and have been since I got it.

Well, you can go ahead and burn thru them then change them later, the goop may or may not cure the noise if they're made out of a pad material that's prone to it.

Do they make lots of black dust on the front wheels? If not, they're not factory pads.....my front wheels turn black driving home from the car wash!

I think I can make a brake dust snowman on about any given day! In fact, my wheels appear to be more of a painted, gunmetal/volcanic ash color rather than bright silver due to the dust they make.

Brad called me this morning to comment "there's a hole in the radiator and it will take me two days to get one."

I am aware of the leak so I told them to just leave it. I am going to order an aluminum retrofit via ground ship and will have it next week. Not sure if Mishimoto or another. I'm window shopping this evening.

Meanwhile, something else came up at Greg's so I've got a loaner until tomorrow or Friday.

Brown just delivered a new CSF aluminium radiator and some Samco hoses to install this weekend. I am planning to call up and rent a lift at DIY Olathe for either Saturday or Sunday morning.

Dave, may I borrow the Bentley Manual? I do have printout from Pelican for R/R; and a printout of the NAM Girl's Guide to Service Mode.

I will have to drive up to Baron beforehand and purchase 1-gal of coolant because I have about 0.5-gallon of 50/50 onhand.

Yes, just let me know when you want to come by and pick it up. It's good to have the extra coolant on-hand, be sure to get an extra milk jug or something so you can pre-mix it, then it's also easy to store the remaining coolant. If your low speed fan isn't working, now's the time to replace that as well since you'll have it out already and it's a PITA otherwise....

How do you like the new clutch?

Did you get the brakes bedded in? How are they on the street? Seems like those pads would take a pretty good leg till they get heated up.

I would like to stop by about 9 am after Baron and on my way to DIY. The OEM fan continues to work, and I'm hoping Murphy doesn't plan to show.

In addition to the screw atop the upper hose, are you aware if there is there another bleeder near the thermostat? Figure I'm looking to capture the entire 6.3 L when the lower hose comes off. And, since I just did a drain and fill when we did the pulley and SC oil change I am not real concerned with flushing with an intermediate step of distilled h2o. Also, I did purchase a black aluminum expansion tank to replace the OEM that is due to fail.

That new Valeo clutch is still taking a bit to get used to as there is nil pedal resistance, but I am really liking the feel. It will serve its purpose, likely until a rebuild comes around. Also flushed out the old hydraulic fluid and replaced with the same that is in the brake master, and installed the Helix short shifter. Not a huge change, but just another adjustment to the experience behind the wheel.

In retrospect, that bearing was on its way to failure for a while based on how the pedal was feeling under foot. It's a totally different experience. Brad told me it took some effort to remove the factory bearing because it had become fully fused in the housing. Ironically, the flywheel is not scorched, neither is the plate and the disc still has material. Although, I don't know anyone who'd be interested in a used factory assembly.

I did finally get the brakes bedded in way out in the country without earning another speeding ticket. They were put to the test one evening on the drive home in townie-traffic; and, my long leg assured they did their job. Still enough rubber on the ring to work with the deceleration.

I'm really going to enjoy the track experiece of the BBK, plus some new wheels and rubber rings. That's on deck.

Don and I usually go to breakfast on Sat mornings, how bout we just meet you at DIY and I'll bring Bentley with me, we should be there 9ish or a bit before. I like to talk to Dave anyway....anything else you think you'll need?

I don't recall any other bleeders besides the one in the top hose. Don't forget you need to get it up to temp and open the thermostat before that bleeder works, sometimes you have to drive it a while then bleed it again.

He's added a body shop component I hear, since I was last there....

I have 2 bleeders for coolant but then I have an '03 Justa!

So when is the next garage day? Obviously not this month.

Then I will seek you at Dave's DIY shop. When I arrive that bugga will be warm enough coming all the way from Larry, so I'll just get it up the lift, remove the bottom clamp, open the bleeder and then dump the bottom hose for recycling.

Thanks, Dave and Don!

Minidave wrote:

nine5raptor wrote:I bought the car from a Subaru dealer who claimed they used factory MINI pads/rotors. I'm kinda doubting they did.

They are very noisy and have been since I got it.

Well, you can go ahead and burn thru them then change them later, the goop may or may not cure the noise if they're made out of a pad material that's prone to it.

Do they make lots of black dust on the front wheels? If not, they're not factory pads.....my front wheels turn black driving home from the car wash!

So the squeal has become rhythmic and tied to vehicle speed. also can hear it very slightly when not on the brakes. May have a warped rotor as well.

Make sure you don't have a backing plate rubbing on the rotor, they're very thin metal and it's easy to bend them. all you need to do is take a screwdriver and bend them back away from the rotor....easy peasy.

If not Dave's suggestion...

It would be rotor related if you're decelerating and feel pedal vibe. If so, I doubt you got your brakes so hot to warp a rotor, but have too much pad on the rotor. First verify how much pad you have left and verify your rotor thickness is within spec.

Couple of remedies out there: take a roto-sander and pariently remove all the material off your rotor, or just go bed them in properly. Might take a few iterations if you've layered up your rotor. Worked like a charm on the wife's Matrix.

SWT CHI wrote:Then I will seek you at Dave's DIY shop. When I arrive that bugga will be warm enough coming all the way from Larry, so I'll just get it up the lift, remove the bottom clamp, open the bleeder and then dump the bottom hose for recycling.

Thanks, Dave and Don!

Successful! And, only 2 extra bolts: brass with washers. I'll figure it out when I pull it back off to replace the shroud assembly - what ever that's called. I'm down a few metal retainers that mount that plastic rash plate to the spoiler too. Only one bolt has that all tied up.

I'm trouble free for a while. Dave, thank you for sorting me out on upper clamp. Take care of yourself, man.

That place is a trip. A couple of tunerz showed up when I was leaving about 7:00. That place never closes the door.

If you and Don hook up next Saturday, I would like to drive in and meet up. Let me know.

Excellent!

(disregard phone and email messages then)

The parts you need are called the "core support" part #51647200800 and the radiator expanding clips part #17107515478 (qty 2)

I'd look around for a used core support, as far as I know they're all the same for the 1st gen cars....it's pretty spendy when ordered new from MINI.

Glad you got it all done, good job!

Minidave wrote: The parts you need are called the "core support" part #51647200800 and the radiator expanding clips part #17107515478 (qty 2)

I'd look around for a used core support, as far as I know they're all the same for the 1st gen cars....it's pretty spendy when ordered new from MINI.

2 month BO @ MINI for the core support, but Amazonian has cheap OEM replacement parts. Whodathunkit?
http://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Radia ... B004GEJLJM

About 1/2 the cost of OEM too....amazing!

Cool tool. I've got two PITA hoses with spring clamps the pliers would easily reach.