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1badbalt
Regular
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Posts: 88
chris
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« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2010, 01:40:15 PM » |
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hello my name is chris, i just bought my 2003 mini ( I say my but really its my fiancee's i just paid for it) with the apparently infamous cvt transmission and 108k miles last month. it of course was neglected and found sitting with transmission problems, after diagnostics the nuetral safety switch was bad, it is in my garage awaiting parts that are on order from autohauz. I know nothing of bmw or mini and have only dealt with mercedes and chevy in the past. but im learning fast that maintenence and repairs are both costly and difficult. which has tempted me to name the mini PIMA, as in pain in my ass, but i truly love the car and waiting for its proper name to present itself to me. hopefully the car will be healthy and roadbound by saturday, i cant wait to enjoy the mini without EP active and the 40mph limit. although even 40mph is fun in this car. hehe. id love to meet the rest of the local mini community sometime really soon. just one question, what is this Dragon i keep hearing about?
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Mouse: 2003 MINI COOPER- no mods, (yet)
2007mcs lightning blue with white top, the mods will be beginning soon.
RIP dinosour: 1977 300D AMG Mercedes
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JumpingJackFlash
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« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2010, 01:51:39 PM » |
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Hey, Chris. First, the CVT is not necessarily a bad transmission. What is bad is the owners neglect to get the fluid in them changed in a timely fashion. That greatly contributes to their failing. No aftermarket company has taken on rebuilding the CVT, so a full replacement can run $6-9K. When you get the switch replaced, take the time to inspect the belt between the two pulleys. Make sure there are no wear patterns in the pulleys; this will contribute to failure as well. The Tail of the Dragon is a section of U.S. 129 near Robbinsville, NC. It's 318 curves in approximately 11 miles up and down the side of a mountain. You can learn more here. There is a national MINIs on the Dragon (MOTD) event every year at the end of April. It's about five days long. There are various activities, vendors, and many "twisties" to tame in the area. It's quite the experience.  Welcome to the group. We have a meet at the Pub in Hampton every 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. Check our forum calendar for more events. See you around. Happy motoring.  |
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1badbalt
Regular
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Posts: 88
chris
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« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2010, 02:06:16 PM » |
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ok, awesome, well as far as i know the previos owner drove all 108,000miles without changing the cvt fluid, im picking up the fluid and sensor from autohauz 2day after work, along with the drain plug gasket, is there anything im overlooking to finish this? there arent any special procedures for filling this tranny are there? i found the fill plug under the battery box, man that hole is tiny. any help is a huge welcome
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Mouse: 2003 MINI COOPER- no mods, (yet)
2007mcs lightning blue with white top, the mods will be beginning soon.
RIP dinosour: 1977 300D AMG Mercedes
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JumpingJackFlash
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« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2010, 03:44:53 PM » |
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Yeah, just drain, replace drain plug, fill in opening under battery box. AutoHaus is good people. They come highly recommended on this side of the water. If on the southside, it's Atlantic Autowerks.
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1badbalt
Regular
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Posts: 88
chris
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« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2010, 04:04:30 PM » |
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i keep reading in posts about COBALT parts, is that a brand or are some chevy cobalt parts somehow interchangable on the mini? just wondering because my daily driver just so happens to be a cobalt.  |
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Mouse: 2003 MINI COOPER- no mods, (yet)
2007mcs lightning blue with white top, the mods will be beginning soon.
RIP dinosour: 1977 300D AMG Mercedes
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maacodale
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« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2010, 07:12:42 PM » |
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Only thing I know about is the 4 lug space saver spare works on a MINI in the rear only. I picked one up from a salvage yard for 20 bucks or so. LOTS cheaper than ordering one from MINI! Of course, if you have a flat on the front, you'll need to put the original rear on the front then the spare on the rear, but I'd never personally, put a space saver on the front of a front wheel drive care anyway.
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Dale Blankenship
Poquoson, VA
09 Laser Blue Clubman S
Wife thinks it's hers!
07 Mellow Yellow Cooper S
Of course son thinks it's his!
Guess I need a third MINI!
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Hankfrum
Regular
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Posts: 122
Daniel
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« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2010, 08:25:52 PM » |
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That's cuz you're no fun Dale. You gotta live a little. Put that spare on the front. What's the worse that could happen?  |
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DS/B, 15%pulley, M7 STB, Alta 19mm Rear Sway Bar, NGK BRK7 plugs, Invidia Exhaust, Alta CAI, Prosport Boost Gauge THTGUY  |
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maacodale
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« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2010, 09:03:39 PM » |
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Oh yea, I forget, I own a bodyshop! What was I thinking? Of course, owning a transmission shop would help to, for long term use on the front of course!
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Dale Blankenship
Poquoson, VA
09 Laser Blue Clubman S
Wife thinks it's hers!
07 Mellow Yellow Cooper S
Of course son thinks it's his!
Guess I need a third MINI!
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SKARGO
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« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2010, 11:45:34 PM » |
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Cobalt is also a brand name for some aftermarket parts for your Mini, NOT related to your Chevy Cobalt in any way.
Early Mini's, mine is an '03, R53, MCS, had some issues with road trash getting sucked up into the cooling fan for the power steering pump, and COBALT came up with a simple shield that protected this fan from said road debris. Plastic grocery bags
are the #1 culprit ! I have the Cobalt P.S. fan shield on my current Mini, had one on my '02 and also had one on our '04 before we traded it up to the '10 MCS that my wife drives.
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 03 MCS Electric Blue/W. Alta CAI, Craven 15% S.C. Pulley, Screamin' Deamon Coil Pack, Magnecor comp. plug wires, Alta 2.5" V2 Catback exhaust, Alta air diverter and oil catch can. |
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sparke1975
Just plain ole Me!
Contributor
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Posts: 455
Kurt
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« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2010, 04:59:25 PM » |
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As far as the CVT, one of the biggest things to extend the life is to only use the manual mode sparingly. It tends to wear grooves in the pulleys because it holds them in specific positions.
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"Tiberius" 09 Laser Blue MCSC, Alta Catback, Alta Sway Bar, Defenders of Speed CAI   |
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1badbalt
Regular
Offline
Posts: 88
chris
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« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2010, 02:58:34 PM » |
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well thats convienent because my "Manual mode" WILL NOT WORK. period. ive tried everything. idk why but it does not shift when in manual mode. it stays in whatever gear it was in then i slap the shifter over.
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Mouse: 2003 MINI COOPER- no mods, (yet)
2007mcs lightning blue with white top, the mods will be beginning soon.
RIP dinosour: 1977 300D AMG Mercedes
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