Comments on: Ask MF: Auto Transmission Power Handling

By: John Connor

John Connor — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:12:59 +0000

I got a 15% pully on mine. Was one of the first ones ever put in (was fun with the guy up in Maryland who did it). It's been, what, a couple of years now. Have never had a problem, Mini is running beautiful. (I think I put it on with about 3000 miles, it now has 27,000 miles)

John

By: Ron

Ron — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:25:55 +0000

Speaking of warranties, remember that MINI would have to prove that your upgrades caused the transmission to fail. They couldn't arbitrarily blame it on your modifications.

And as I remember, the JCW kit was available for automatics in Europe. I don't think they got a special transmission, so I think it's safe to assume that upgrading your auto to JCW specs is safe.

By: CooperS33

CooperS33 — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:52:59 +0000

Nom just a Invidia 3″ and I was about to do the pulley. I just asked about the transmission cause i’m thinking ahead.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:14:30 +0000

Wow!! What an honor to have my question posted on Motoringfile! thanks Gabe! And thanks to all who have responded!

Actually it was DB but you're welcome :)

By: BrewSwapGuy

BrewSwapGuy — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:13:02 +0000

Clayton, you already have a pulley and a Larini exhaust don’t you?

By: CooperS33

CooperS33 — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:39:10 +0000

Wow!! What an honor to have my question posted on Motoringfile! thanks Gabe! And thanks to all who have responded!

By: Diosdado

Diosdado — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:27:48 +0000

Torque specs here – http://www.ricardo.com/engineeringservices/transmission.aspx?page=productsalreadybenchmarked

See this thread on NAM – http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118367

By: BrewSwapGuy

BrewSwapGuy — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:08:11 +0000

Any transmission failure does not automatically scrub the warranty if your car is modded. If the mod causes the failure it is. But the transmission could fail for other reasons.

I have a 2005 MCSa with a 15% reduction pulley, Alta intake and Larini exhaust and I've had zero issues. The car now feels "right" when it comes to power and acceleration. Still though, every now and then the computer gets confused and switches gears at the wrong times. Causes an annoyance and that's about it.

Not sure what else the reader had in mind when he says "serious" power. I certainly wouldn't call what I did serious.

By: Mark (Texas)

Mark (Texas) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:04:22 +0000

See my comment on previous posting about used Minis. The old CVT transmission is expensive to replace if it fails under normal use let alone being subject to extra strain of a modified engine output.

...very true GregW, (which is why I'm trading for a Clubman before my '04s warranty is up), but the person posing the question has the newer Aisin 6 speed auto slush-box, not the CVT.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:04:18 +0000

Any word of when the jcw kit for the auto will be ready ?

Well judging by the fact that I've sat in one already at an "undisclosed location", it has to be fairly close.

By: GregW

GregW — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:57:45 +0000

See my comment on previous posting about used Minis. The old CVT transmission is expensive to replace if it fails under normal use let alone being subject to extra strain of a modified engine output. Any car that has aftermarket modifications will be disqualified from the manufacturers warranty.

By: Jahpaul

Jahpaul — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:39:19 +0000

Any word of when the jcw kit for the auto will be ready ?

By: Victor

Victor — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:42:55 +0000

if there is no automatic control software change with the power application the transmission with have phantom shifts all over the place. Also the torque converter will be overloaded and lockups could be very unsmooth.

By: Mark (Texas)

Mark (Texas) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:43:04 +0000

IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m shocked that you donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t warn that if the transmission does fail, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s basically guaranteed that thereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s no warranty, if the engine has been modified.

Good point ...unless the mods are done by the dealer, ie. JCW Intake, JCW Exhaust, etc.

By: Ian C.

Ian C. — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:23:43 +0000

I'm shocked that you don't warn that if the transmission does fail, it's basically guaranteed that there's no warranty, if the engine has been modified.

By: Melis

Melis — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:18:18 +0000

I didn't see the MINIUSA Accessories Guy (German guy, I forgot his name) testing out the R56 MCS JCW Engine Kit for the Automatic while I was at Prestige MINI. He wasn't testing out his tricked out Red/Red MCS with the JCW Aero Kit.

I really didn't see anything. ;-)

By: Mark (Texas)

Mark (Texas) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:05:09 +0000

I know that with the older CVT, I was warned by a MINI Speed Shop that they would not put in the old original JCW kit in my base MINI, as the trans would not stand up to it. But have not heard of any issues with the Aisin auto. My son used to race against a lot of rice burners with the same/similar Aisin auto trans in heavily modded (including nitros) cars. Some of the racers would push up the HP/Torque in their cars to the point where a heavy-footed take-off would snap an axle, but never any trans issues at the track.