Shiseiji Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 After reading through some posts I guess my 23.1 mpg in the city is average. Poor baby hardly warms up on the daily drive to work, so I am not too surprised at the soot but wanted to ask about other's observations. Nothing visible in the exhaust gas so it probably isn't a major fuel system malfunction. Planning on the Seafoam treatment through the PCV hose soon. I read where a member did a coil and plug change @ 75k. I have 56k but am wondering if maybe I should go ahead to see if that helps. Realized I am going to have to plan a weekly high speed run just to keep the catalytic from premature failure Ron '08 Chili Red MCa R56 [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAST060 Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I run BLUR hard EVERYDAY! High RPMS keep her out of the Service Bay, for the most part. I had to learn that the hard way. Open that MINI up!:motor: https://www.instagram.com/smokiendabandit/ 2009 MCS, HzB/B, CWP, PP, "BLUR" MOTORING ID: SOAR143 - MINI Community Service 2013 JCW GP, Thunder Grey, "SMOKIE" MOTORING ID: FAST060 2014 MCS Clubman, Highclass Gray, "THE ADMIRAL" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGGRRR (Ali) Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I run Tigger pretty hard, but I can see my new exhaust is covered in soot. I'm not sure what causes it. After getting the new exhaust my mpg did go up a bit. It used to be when I was driving average city miles that my mpg was always just below my average mph. So if I averaged 21 mph I would get 20 mpg. That now switched and my mpg is a tad above so if I'm averaging 21 mpg I'm getting about 21.7 or 22 mpg. The exhaust tips, totally black on the inside and the exhaust is less then a month old. Tigger 2006 the cabrio and Riversong the 2014 Countryman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OXSpeed Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 I run BLUR hard EVERYDAY! High RPMS keep her out of the Service Bay, for the most part. I had to learn that the hard way. Open that MINI up!:motor: What he said. best thing you can do beside change your oil more often then recommended [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Improve the drive http://www.oxspeed.com (443) 377-3332 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poison Ivy Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 What he said. best thing you can do beside change your oil more often then recommended Or she... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OXSpeed Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 lol whoops sorry [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Improve the drive http://www.oxspeed.com (443) 377-3332 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGGRRR (Ali) Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 What he said. best thing you can do beside change your oil more often then recommended I change the oil every 5,000 miles. When I got the new exhaust the inside of the tips were black in 3 weeks. does that seem normal? Tigger 2006 the cabrio and Riversong the 2014 Countryman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OXSpeed Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 yup. dinasour bones are dirty when they burn. unfortunately your only option is to clean them. BTW we haven't forgotten about your tuning question were putting something together for you [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Improve the drive http://www.oxspeed.com (443) 377-3332 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGGRRR (Ali) Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 yup. dinasour bones are dirty when they burn. unfortunately your only option is to clean them. BTW we haven't forgotten about your tuning question were putting something together for you I actually like em dirty, they make Tigger look tough. I just wanted to be sure it doesn't mean there's something wrong Tigger 2006 the cabrio and Riversong the 2014 Countryman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiseiji Posted April 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Thanks so much everyone. Insane week, hope no one felt their reply was in vain. So far "she" has a title, not a name (heresy I know): "The MINI." Soot "generally" implies an incomplete burn/wasted gas. But that is also "usually" seen with black smoke, white being oil burning. Back in my old air cooled VW days one wanted soot as the fuel was a critical part of the cooling. Nice white exhaust tips soon equaled burned exhaust valves. LOL, that was also when one could lean out the idle, change jets, or check for carb body wear. Showing my age . . . Those of you who got new exhaust systems, did that include the catalytic? I know from experience performance will really drop off when they get clogged, another reason for watching the buildup in the exhaust. And obviously many will notice the difference when they are replaced. Ron '08 Chili Red MCa R56 [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGGRRR (Ali) Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Thanks so much everyone. Insane week, hope no one felt their reply was in vain. So far "she" has a title, not a name (heresy I know): "The MINI." Soot "generally" implies an incomplete burn/wasted gas. But that is also "usually" seen with black smoke, white being oil burning. Back in my old air cooled VW days one wanted soot as the fuel was a critical part of the cooling. Nice white exhaust tips soon equaled burned exhaust valves. LOL, that was also when one could lean out the idle, change jets, or check for carb body wear. Showing my age . . . Those of you who got new exhaust systems, did that include the catalytic? I know from experience performance will really drop off when they get clogged, another reason for watching the buildup in the exhaust. And obviously many will notice the difference when they are replaced. I got a Cat Back, so I believe that's all behind the catalytic converter. Tigger 2006 the cabrio and Riversong the 2014 Countryman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiseiji Posted April 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 Yep. My '98 Explorer went well over 100k before I had to change the cats. Unless this soot deal turns out to be something bad for the cat, I expect the MINI will do at least that as I believe they are required to for all the emissions devices except, IIFC, the EGR valve. R Ron '08 Chili Red MCa R56 [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmcveay Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 The soot is actually a little bit fuel and a little bit oil. Yep, you have your original catalytic converter Ali. That's why it's called a "Cat back" exhaust. I don't think any of the aftermarket exhausts, even the turbo back models include don't have cats. 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon "Homer" 2012 MB/CR JCW R55 "Merlin" Sold 2009 LB/LB R56 "Archie" Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichSperry Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 Well.... Sort of. With the R56, (non JCW) all of the turbo back exhausts do away with the second cat in the middle of the car.' The JCW didn't have one from the factory. The soot is normal for a forced induction car. Tuners keep the AFR lower when the cylinder pressures are highest to prevent detonation and help keep things cool in there. The last thing you want is to run lean at max loading. Melted pistons, broken rings, distroyed bearings are no fun. No matter where you go, there you are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
