cmcveay

I've got the Platypus mount for the same reasons - I made sure the dealer had it a week before Merlin arrived and I reminded Ahmed every couple of days... There are a few of us with it. If you start playing around with the GoPro cameras or other models similar, that license plate mount is a good place to put a camera mount. I've got one that I made out of some flat aluminum that puts the camera about 6" off the surface of the roadway and that's an awesome view when driving!

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Carter, The Seafoam treatments are very much a DIY thing and we've actually had a couple of little get togethers that are called "Seafoam" parties. Those are usually instigated by Ali (TGGRRR) and Quitta (HZBLR) who mainline the stuff like it was an antibiotic or something. In a post a few above this, I mentioned the MINI's engines being direct injection - the fuel injectors spray the fuel directly into the combustion chamber/cylinder instead of mixing it into the incoming air along the intake tract. That means the detergents and other additives in the fuel don't flow over the back side of the intake valves so they aren't "washed" by the incoming fuel/air mix, they only get the air with an oily mist flowing over them. When they are super hot from the combustion process, that hot valve collects a carbon build up and after there's enough of it, it makes the engine misfire and idle rough and it starts to lose performance. Seafoam is a solvent and when it's done the way we use it, it's allowed to soak into that carbon build up and run it out of the engine. One way to slow this process is to drive the MINI the way it was meant to be driven. If you run around with the RPMs below 3-4,000, the air velocity is pretty slow and the carbon builds up. If you twist it's tail at times and run it through to 5,000 plus (redline is at about 7,000), the increased air flow and valve train action helps keep it cleaned up. We've had several members that have had the check engine light issues and after a Seafoam treament and some remedial lessons on using ALL of the RPM's, their problems have gone away. I don't know that there's ever been a car of British design that didn't have some kind of quirks so I discount it as a problem and just drive the heck out of it! Oh, something else that seems to help is an aftermarket oil catch can. I've got an early BSH version which didn't have a drain hole or anything so I had to take it out whenever I wanted to check it. I was always very surprised at the amount of milky oil that it had so I know for a fact that it was getting some of the oil vapor out of the system before it went through the intake. I haven't installed it in Merlin yet but I'll do that when I put the DOS intake in.

Sorry Ali, that information is for MTTB participants only. Guess you'll have to make it for the event next year! Out in the back at Kilroy's, they have an area that's under a big tent. It was really fun!

Sorry for the delay but here are a few pictures for everyone to take a look at. Lona is working her behind off on putting together the video. Many, many thanks to everyone who contributed photos and video to the effort. We've got about 5 hours of video and over 350 photo's to work through to put this together and then, we have to select the music... Here's the link to the photo's http://www.flickr.com/photos/38286280@N07/

I would go sit down with David R. and get the reasoning for the charge once they knew the light came back on. They diagnosed the problem and applied a fix (that didn't require any hard parts) that didn't work. It's also a bit of a joke that you we are charged $xx dollars per hour for a tech to recode the car when they connect it, get it started and they walk away to do other work until the car is done. If they were wrong with the diagnosis, they need to own up to it. That's just my .02 on it. Another night? Did they find more?

Adding any additive to the gas tank isn't going to help with the carbon build up. Because of the direct injection, the fuel/air charge never passes through the intake tract or over the intake valves. The problem is worse in the 2nd Gen cars vs. the 1st Gen because the turbo seems to have more oil vapor blowing through. I do agree that the service done by the dealership is more extensive than what's done just by pouring the Seafoam into the intake, they do actually pull the intake manifold off and they do a media blast with the ground up walnut shells so it's very effective. The key is to do Seafoam treatments more often. My "schedule" on Archie and what I'll do with Merlin is a Seafoam treatment before every oil change - and I don't follow the dealers suggested interval. I change the oil every 5-7,000. I do the Seafoam the day before or the day of the oil change just to eliminate the chances of oil contamination. Catalina - you should make sure that they DO NOT charge you the $199 to reprogram the car because it obviously didn't make a difference. As far as the excessive carbon build up, I think I'd lay some of that on the strange noise you had and the fix that your dad found for it. Even synthetic oil can start to cook when it's too hot.

Bring the Justa! It's still a MINI!

Hey everyone, if you have a GoPro, could you plan on bringing it and shooting video of the run? Lona and I will have laptops at the lunch stop and we'd like to get copies of your video. We are planning a video that we'll put together and post online so everyone will be able to get to it.

Looks like Merlin found a new friend to play with while I went to work today. I parked in the Pentagon City Mall parking garage this morning and when I returned, this Yellow Clubbie was backed up almost into the pole! Yikes! I think it had Delaware plates but I still tagged it!

Just one quick comment to add to what Katie and Haemish said. As soon as the "need a place" and "have a place" threads open on NAM - subscribe to them and use and email address that you see OFTEN. If you do that, the threads will email you when there's something new. If there's ever a year to make it for the Dragon, this will be it since it's the 10th anniversary!

I've got a D700 and a D40x if you'd like to go out and shoot with a Nikon to see how they work. Ali and I joke around about Nikon vs. Canon and it's all good fun but, to be honest, there's so little difference between what either camera is capable of, it's just a matter of personal choice. I actually used to shoot with Canon's but what turned me off was when Canon released new bodies that wouldn't work with their older lenses. With Nikon, I can grab almost any vintage (I said almost, there are some exceptions) Nikon SLR/DSLR lens and use it. Even the old school manual focus, manual Fstop lenses will work on the newest DSLR body. For me, that's a big selling point because I don't have to unload a bunch of perfectly good glass if I upgrade camera bodies. What's really cool is that I can take my 70-300mm zoom from the D700, put it on the D40x and, because of the cropped sensor, it becomes a 105-450mm zoom. Basically, any lens from the D700 is increased by 1.5x when it goes on the D40x. I don't have to buy two sets of lenses that way.

I've got some sweet dry look carbon fiber vinyl that we can wrap that with. It'll look awesome and I bet it'll double the quality of the video that you get!

"whispering to Ali" ------ When Alan's daughter starts doodling and drawing, they will hang them on the fridge and at work to show off the art.

Why? My "old school" method not good enough for you film snobs? It's got light leaks, chromatic abberation and totally unlimited zoom and depth of field and I'm not even going to get into how much easier and cheaper is is for developing. Within SECONDS, this artwork can be hanging on your fridge! Mark my words, in the next couple of years, even Alan (Scavenger) will be showing off similar works of art right there in his kitchen!

Okay, Okay I can put the digital down for a while. Here's a picture of my "pre-digital" gear so can I go with you guys? I got a quick picture of Merlin just to make sure that they still worked - what do you think?

Ali - he's a recent convert to the mirrorless cameras from Nikon. Although I do like that nice looking new Nikon mirrorless, I don't know if I want to spend a grand on what is, essentially, a point and shoot with detachable lenses.

Hey - The Smithsonian called, they want their artifact returned!

You don't even know the can of worms you've opened up with that question man! It's like asking Haemish if runflats or non-runflats are better....

I'd be interested in that 11-16 but I suspect both of the lenses are DX and I'm an FX kinda guy.....

And that my friends is why we have "Mental Health Professionals...." Thanks Celia!

Welcome to the club! Not much else to add except we look forward to meeting all of you soon!

Thanks Dallas! I'll make sure my laptop is in the car.

Laura, Kinda late to chime in. I'd say yes to the Xenon's, heated seats, auto AC, dimming mirrors and I'm starting to really appreciate the automatic lights and rain sensing wipers. My 09 MCS didn't have the mirrors or wipers so that was a new trick to get used to. I would also say yes on the 17" wheels. The slight improvement in ride comfort doesn't make up for the difference in the handling and looks of the 17's.

Looks like one rear window and both panes in the moonroof?