Basic Maintenance

Hello....I have had some interest in several members wanting to have a basic maintenance clinic. If we can get enough interest in this we can schedule one and see if anyone would be willing from the dealership to help..? Just add reply if your thinking that this something you would like to participate in...thanks

Yes, I would. Beyond that, there are some things I'd like to do to my MINI - like new air intake, gauges, different exhaust. I'd like to know how hard that would be.

Id be interested more in the helping side of the maintenance part of things, I have a big car background.

And as for intake, exhaust etc. Those are easy bolt on mods that can make a nice difference for the car, anyone can you show how

Very cool! So we are on are way to having a "Learn how to service" day for the cars. Let's see if anyone else replies and shows interest..if so we can work on a day and place.
Thanks for the input.

I might be interested in this, but would also like seeing DIY here at this website, perhaps with photos attached.

Good idea on the DIY. I will see if I can provide a few basics. Thing is, I have an older Cooper, so will not be able to cover all aspects. If others want to do basic maintenance on their cars, I can help photograph the work.

Sounds great, yelrsub. Even if it is an older mini, we can all learn some things that are common to all mini's perhaps.

I'll try to get something done this weekend.

Mac wrote:I might be interested in this, but would also like seeing DIY here at this website, perhaps with photos attached.

There are so many HowTos on NAM, with photos and explanations by some of the really big names in the Mini Modding world, that it would seem a little redundant and unnecessary to do it here, wouldn't it?
I've modded every system that exists on an R53, and offered to help, explain or offer an opinion (as much as it's worth) over the years to NM Mini members, but have never been approached once. How can a HowTo thread substitute for actual personal experience?

Well, I guess there may be some MINI owners who either don't know about NAM ( http://northamericanmotoring.com/ ) or might just like to deal with people they possibly know. I've looked for a few items of interest on NAM and it can take a while to drill down through the hundreds or thousands of pages to get a complete answer to some questions.

Your car might be a little intimidating since it is so heavily modded, but indeed you should be able to describe virtually every part under the bonnet, boot and in between.

So, are you still interested in doing a basics-oriented session? I can see about an outdoor location for a Saturday or Sunday morning meet. We'll have a pre-07 Cooper and an S, so we'll need an 07-or-later Cooper and S to look at as well to cover the differences in engines and location of check-points for fluids, etc.

Might be a good time to bring spare parts to swap, too?

I think this is actually a great idea, Steve. If we have a sign up sheet, we can figure out how many R50, R53, R56, etc there will be so that we can be sure to cover the relevant basic maintenance and modding issues for those who will be present.
While there are many potential issues that might come up, let's start with a list of what we think constitutes Basic Maintenance.

Here's my list:
1. Rotating tires. Includes How to Jack Your Mini (no pun intended), lugnut torque settings, etc.
2. Changing the air filter. I don't have a stock filter, so I wouldn't know how to do this, but I can clean mine and it requires a regular maintenance schedule and procedure.
3. Changing the oil and filter. Not the easiest thing to do because it's easy to cross thread the oil filter housing--and you don't want to do that.
4. Washing and polishing a Mini. It's actually maintenance to keep your car's paint and plastic work in top condition, not just looking good. This can include using a clay bar, as well as recommendations for water, soap, buckets, applicators, drying cloths, paint prep and waxes, as well as "5-minute finish" products.

That's a start...

Good start! I'm interested in seeing the clay bar process. We should add:

5. Check Radiator fluid
6. Check Automatic transmission fluid (will require one automatic car to show up)
7. Battery Care
8. Changing a headlight/taillight

Exactly what I was thinking, Steve. Even this list will get people thinking.
It got me thinking: where's the steenkin battery in a Mini? If you have an R50 you know it's in the front under the bonnet, but the R53 has one in the boot...ooops. and mine? It's somewhere but not where those British people who built my car put it. Haha.
...and your number 5 made me think... do people know about the stock overflow tank and it's tendency to leak, then blow? and then I thought about the light blue oily liquid that people sometimes find under their car at night! That's a leaking thermostat--which about 1 in 4 Minis suffer from, and it's easy to spot if you know what you're looking for, but easy to miss if you don't. And talking of leaks--we should tell Mini owners what to look for as the cam cover gasket leaks but worse is the leak of the oil pan. Sandia Mini has so many oil pan gaskets in stock and it's not because people just wake up one Saturday morning and go--you know, I'll replace the oil pan gasket in my car today, even though I know it will take hours and maybe my car won't start when I'm done.

9. Dealing with rattles in a Mini
10. What's up with the sparkly windshield--is mine just a dud, is did Mini/BMW have thousands of crappy windshields they wanted to get rid of and designed a car around them? What are the PPG options?
11. What's shock tower mushrooming, do I have it, and will I recover or should I just stay in bed?
12. What are the top 3 mods? What should I do first?
13. I do my own oil changes, how do I reset the oil change counter on the dash?

Oh, boy, we could just keep going...

Sounds like a long day comin' up. Think we can put this together for late June? Early July?

OK, Steve, so far it's just you and me--and we both know all this and more!! I think this is actually a good start to a Maintenance and Modding FAQ, but until we know what people want, how can we respond? Is this a field of dreams?

We'll need to set a date for people to meet, then get the word out. I know of at least one Santa Fean who is interested. I imagine we set the agenda and modify it as dictated by attendees.

Perhaps we can build the FAQ list and photos or videos from the meet.

Howz your faith in "build it and they will come?"

Steve, remember I'm an economist, and so I don't have much faith in the idea that supply creates its own demand... In my world they are quite separate concepts, meeting only in the market place--in this case the market place of ideas I guess. I just don't see much point in making a black pointy thing when all people want is a soft white thing.

I'll lend a hand. I can turn wrenches with the best of them. As long as I have a place to do it. I can do some of the photography or perhaps coordinate the filming/photo process. I have a bit of film experience.

I'll bring an '05 "S" to the stable. Unfortunately I have most of my mods already on. But we can remove the easy stuff and shoot the re-install if that helps.

I'm building a better airbox to solve my hot air intake issues. That might fit in there somewhere.

On a seperate note if anyone wants to donate a Magnaflow exhaust system or a Meth injection system I'd be more than happy to film/photo the install on my car.
-m-

Okay, so we have three cars and three people willing to do something. Guess it's time for interested parties to step up and tell us to do it or not!

Calling all MINI Motorers:
If you want to attend a tech day covering just about everything from basic maintenance to mod nirvana, let us know. POST A REPLY!

I plan on doing some of the mods that drPhilGandini has under his hood when I can fit them in. Specificially upgrading my front suspension and adding upper and lower tower support plates.
One thing I'd like to see in this thread is a list of must have tools for doing both basic maintainance. A list of tools specifically required the more advanced mods like the one I mentioned above and other advanced mods that people usually want to do would also be very helpful.

BHunter54 wrote:I plan on doing some of the mods that drPhilGandini has under his hood...

You mean some of these?



Full size image here: http://www.motoringalliance.com/gallery/data/507/Engine_Bay.jpg

...and btw, I don't have a tower strut brace for a reason!

Im still down to participate, I just dont come to these forums very much lately. Anyone can get a hold of me at 505-459-2662 or e-mail me would be the best bet to communicate!

I've got some time this weekend (Saturday afternoon) to shoot some video and stills if someone wants to be the "wrench"

-steve

DOH. I would be a hand model....but I have a bachelor party to go to after work today (yes I work on Saturday which is lame), and then Cirque le Masque tomorrow.

We can do this other times as well, so you'll get enlisted another day!

-Steve