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cameroon

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Posts posted by cameroon

  4. DIY Mechanics

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    Oh wow, I'm thrilled to hear about this place - I was just thinking to myself that I wanted to do an oil change soon and was waffling between finding a driveway/garage and paying to have it done.

     

    I should get my suspension parts in line and then con Craig into helping me do the work out there ;)

  8. Seafoam

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    Just let me know when. Craig and I are having a seafoam gathering in the next few weeks

     

    Ali

     

    I'd love to do it before I head to the beach, so if you guys are doing your seafoam party between the 27th - 29th then I'm totally there! :)

  10. Ideas for gauge issues

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    I've got my Scangauge II set up very similar to Craig's, but I definitely crave a housing/mounting that makes it look like it belongs in the dash. I also wish oil temp and pressure where sent via ODBII.

     

    I suspect, though, that you're looking for gauges that are direct reads in order to meet your precision requirements :)

  11. Seafoam

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    I know I'm seeing a significant improvement in my MPG after the tune. Last Sunday when we were driving back from MOTD, I filled up at the last stop we made together and then I drove to work all week (only 15 miles round trip), ran a few errands after work and then drove out to Andrews AFB this morning. My combined gas mileage was just over 34! As long as I keep my foot in control, I'm getting great mileage!

     

    Seafoam is definitely in my near-future, but doing anything in Arlington has got to be recipe for "hey, why are the police here?" Or maybe the fire department. I know a ton of smoke is going to pour out.

     

    And not to hijack the thread; but somewhere I must learn impulse control. My last from-the-pump MPG was around 23. ... I've got a beach trip coming up that will give me a chance for highway miles, though, so I can pull my overall average back up a notch ;)

  12. Shorter Antenna

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    You can get them from Alta Performance, M7 Tuning, Outmotoring - really anywhere that sells Mini parts/accessories. It'll cost you $20-$30 (probably +shipping).

     

    Oh, forgot to mention Mach V (fastmini.net). Dan's got stubby antennas and you could drive out to his shop and pick it up.

  13. Shorter Antenna

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    Anyone have any experience with purchasing/installing a shorter replacement antenna?

    I am looking for a lower profile one that still pulls in the signal well.

    And where to get it.

    Thanks!

    David

     

    I've got the 4" version from Alta, but they are all basically the same so mostly it's a matter of picking the style or company branding you like ;)

     

    As for reception, I haven't had any issue but I haven't made a study of how far away from a station I can be and get reception.

  14. New GoPro Hero HD

    in Photography

    Posted

    How do you power it off the battery if it is mounted on the tow hook?

     

    I'm guessing you're meaning off the car power/battery rather than the camera's internal battery? :)

     

    To do that, you'd have to run a custom power circuit down to the tow-hook area. Mostly it'd be a bit of research to do it safely (e.g. running it off a proper fuse, proper weather proofing so it doesn't short, etc.) and then routing of wiring.

     

    You could also do a simple external battery pack (like the Minty Boost: http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/) as long as it provided enough power for the camera. Then it'd be a matter of securing the battery pack so that it didn't fall off.

     

    And of course, depending on what you wanted to capture, you could also have it in the cabin - in which case the problem is merely one of wire length :)

     

    I suspect that I'd end up doing all three at some point, heh.

  15. New GoPro Hero HD

    in Photography

    Posted

    Well the Wide records in STANDARD resolution where the HD records in HD. The Wide us still a pretty good camera and $175 is not bad, but on amazon.com I have found it for $145 new.

     

    As for mounting, it will not mount like mine unless you have someone make you a mount like mine ;)

     

    There's another difference between the two and that is that the HD will take a 32GB memory card (instead of just 4GB for the wide), so you can choose to record in standard (instead of HD) and record a lot more of it :)

     

    Of course, you would need to be plugged into the car rather than just a battery 'cause I think the battery would still only last 2.5 hours.

     

    Anyway, that's why - if I get one - I plan on getting the HD version and hooking it up so I can power it from the car.

  19. Planning mods for spring

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    I'm running 17x7 +45 offset Team Dynamic Pro Race 1.2s (http://www.fastmini.net/tedypr12.html - seen in my sig pic & the page at Fast Mini) with Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec in 215/45R17 for summer. I love them, but the tread wear rating is 200 so they aren't exactly long lasting. When I do wear through them, I'll be getting them again. Jason (LV2CRNR) had the same tire for his Gen1 Cooper before he got a Clubman and, afaik, is a fan too.

     

    As for strut tower; no problems so far and I've hit some monster potholes - more now due to the lovely road clearing damage. I've heard no definitive proof about the deformation being "really" fixed, though.

     

    If you're looking for oil p or temp, there's a tapless adapter from Cravenspeed that's been back and forth on my list: https://cravenspeed.com/index.php?productID=220. I don't know if you can get both pressure and temp or if it's an either/or proposition. That's inexperience talking, so take it for what it's worth ;)

  21. Timing Chain Recall

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    Went in to Mini of Alexandria today for the cold start rattle and they replaced the Chain Tensioner per SIM 11-02-07 (see this post from NAM if you want to read the PDF: http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/2955958-post1449.html) and we'll see how it goes.

     

    As part of the fix, they measure part of the Timing Chain Tensioner, and if the measurement is less than 68mm they only replace the tensioner (part# 11-31-7-597-895). If it's 68mm or greater, you get all the parts that T&CMCSa posted.

  22. Is this typical?

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    Forgot as it is winter. The sunroof won't open when it is hot. Need to cool the car first, then it opens. Sounds like I should pay attention this summer for chain noise. It would be nice to know when Peugeot fixed them on the line so we would know which of us need worry, and which are free. I can't help but thinking 15K oil change intervals exasperated it.

     

    First gas mark, about 110 miles. A gallon left, 5 bars still lit.

     

    I can get 24 too. Just put it in sport and have fun. 20 is easy. If one were inclined, you can go from zero to jail in about 20 minutes. 99% of my drive is up a highway cursing at (deleted), so 29 to 31 is not bad. I got 29 out of my RSX manual and it was about the same weight. I tried real hard for a week and managed about 34. No fun though. I bet if one drove under 50 nice and easy, upper 30's could be in reach. But that kind of makes the point of a Mini moot.

     

    Mileage-wise, I can get ~36 @ 75mph as long as its steady and not too many inclines ;) But yeah, it's far more fun in the mid-twenties heh. I did an oil change after my breakin period, so I'd say it was 6k for the first and then 10k until Mini's scheduled service. I will be doing at least 1, and probably 2, services myself along with Mini's. That 15k just seems like its asking for trouble.

     

    In another vein, using a Scangauge II and GPS today, the ODBCII MPH readings were within 1% of the GPS but the tach MPH reading was another 2% higher.

     

    I've got the sunroof, too, but no sticking problems. Well, nothing routine. I think it stuck once. When I got it, I decided the sunroof as a feature was worth more to me then the potential for it to stick.

     

    I'm with Jay, though, seems like you got the car with all the gremlins.

  23. Is this typical?

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    Well, I'd say that my experience would be (~16k, S manual):

     

    1. Cold Start rattle - this is known and has a fix (whether the fix will work...), not sure how tough it's going to be to get them to dot the fix though

     

    2. MPH off slightly, but I'm not a stickler for absolutely precision there (especially since there's a slight outer diameter change when i change wheels between summer/winter)

     

    3. I've never expected the onboard MPG to be accurate; more a guide. It would be nice if it was closer though

     

    4. Gas gauge ... god, you'd think that car companies would do more accurate gas gauges. I've never had gauge where each demarcation was equivalent

     

    I might have a rattle here or there, but it seems mostly due to the cold.

     

    [Edit]

    Heh, I must drive hard - right now I'm getting about 24 ;) I have gotten 36 though, so it's no fault of the car.

  24. Timing Chain Recall

    in Maintenance & Modifications

    Posted

    How many miles before this symptom starts? I have about 9000 on my 2009 and so far, OK.

     

    Hard to believe it is not "safety" As one having a car die completely in the middle of the beltway, I can attest it is life threatening. Worse as I was driving a Morgan.

     

    I don't know that there's a specific mileage that it can start at. I'm somewhere around 16k and it started happening once the temps went down. So that was probably around 14k or 15k.

     

    Was just in for the "once a year" service and they wanted to see if the oil change made it go away... yeah... no. So another item on the to-do list ;)

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