The Independent American Magazine for all Mini Owners
Issue link: http://mc2.epubxp.com/i/33537
Too Much Ambient Noise I have a 2010 MINI Cooper with Bluetooth and when I call any- one from a highway that is not smooth the receiver of my call can’t hear me clearly. It is so bad that they can’t understand me and I have to pull over. I have tired turning off the air conditioning and fan, the sunroof is closed and windows are up – all to no avail. My car also has the Harmon Kardon stereo. MINI service says that the problem is caused by ambient noise. I’m not sure I totally buy that excuse. Can you help? Arthur Porter Placerville, CA Playing With Tire Pressures I have researched new tires a lot, but believe I still may have messed up. I went with 195/60R15. The ride is smooth and so quite that it is almost unreal. On the other hand, the tires do not feel as stable in the turns as I thought they would. Upon doing more checking, I realized that in going to the wider tires, like 205 and 215 everyone had actually dropped their side wall height and diameter by as much as .25 where I seem to have increased it by .13. I realize that they are going to feel odd at first, so is this all in my head, or did I make a mistake? Jim Smith Fairfield, PA Tech Tip: About once a week, I get a question that goes like this: “I have a check engine light. What does it mean and how can I make it go away?” And I always write that I can’t answer the question without more information, like what is the code that was thrown. Anyone who owns a modern car and does any work by Matt Richter Technical Editor it MUST HAVE a scanner for the car. All of them can do basic code reading and clearing, and the more expensive ones actually give text explanations instead of just the code letter and number. You can also access Freeze Frame data, which is: the speed, RPM and engine load when the code was logged. Some are even coming with ABS or Airbag code reading as well, and if one really wants to do a lot of diagnostics at home, you can buy software that can also talk to other systems in the car. The two scanners I know of that talk MINI are AutoEngineuity with BMW Extensions and Bavarian Technics. Each has their pros and cons, but both let you “talk” to pretty much any subsystem in the car. Now, some codes go away on their own, some don’t. It depends on if it’s an intermittent event (like an occasional misfire) or something that is always there, such as a shorted out sensor. Magnetic Plug I would like your opinion on using a magnetic drain plug for the supercharged engine. Are they of any value or should I put that money toward other items that might do more? MNCRYSS San Ramon, CA 14 www.mc2magazine.com the doctor is in ph Th th er on e is on the is on e passen side. I did th e th is is, I h lin th in ave n basic steps ar er place. If you h e dr , pop ou a bit of efor pr o idea, bu is on my w e to r iver side, r g you can do to he modu ide of th ger s if t it’s pr t th e-c oblem on sever to get mor f t, bu al of th e detailed in ave th t it’s doable. Th e f n e M u str e micr ect thy alar e ar on actor emove th e w m system, r ch a f n e’s ‘08 C oph e small h on e, u e to th er lu ou e w plu ir g the mic, an g thixin s on f sin ir INI fs. ction or u ms. Sear e h ow-to ou ou tin e w etty easy to move it to th elp. Th le u bman an om u te th r e Blup at th d it h g f e, r d pop it back in e w elped some. Th p in th e r oof iver e e h h y ead- ir e to ir e ew of th g th or e takes e f u ms etooth micr! W e dr o- The idea behind these drain plugs is that small ferrous m addi i ea tl sh ti good i n th on avi ear by gettian gs w magn gs can be gen g i s u e case! So yes, th dea th al w n sh acemen avi et i n r epl on mi good is, as th drve i ssi i at some trese ar sed. Th t dr ai . On th dea to pl n pl e M l n il be dr n on smi aw to th s actu g i ssi ey can be u cal ypi e good i er n thated. T ace ons ten ese gear 45 Eaton su u n to the gear al f a str y h e magn s. Th ave magn s i et an s su l i sed an e oi deas, i ypl l pan an , i e w ar er l e i d to eat th n th e back, wemsel per y th d al ch h ger e th d n ch a on ot cau ace th sed as aan e u n th at metal g , qu ey ar so i obabl mp t’s pr ater pu e tr ves u y a p! se ets tyai l s - feeling of very crisp turn in. That said, I think that going away from r F irst off nl h u-fats i an si hp w s dl th a bi e, ch n icr v n it wears away in a couple hundred miles) but more than anything el , the run-flats do have stiff sidewalls, and t em u e can do to i es f ig an t of mol i s on e of th d th eck y ou il il mpr gies u p a bie w eas m br ov So Ji It tu r accu much happi iey sh cel s th i p qu rs ou n a u ate gau . M te n t th ge, Ji er afai r d to pl t an a few PSI will give a bit crisper turn in. In general, higher pressure w e bes e tr d r r progress but found that the tires still were not giving satisfactory f re pressure ay thazy can be l acti el r tie pr on of ou eas t th n e gas mi es l igs on . R r car em th e on th s sr ed ti oke ou r t of tr n th ear i acti u ues an d ch eage an d i on working with front/rear tire pressures, one can bias the handling a bi t th e pr es at Ji m s vers donat i e pr m ou y wth a f l ’s prettl d. A set o d r ay ar l y ef d w ou f essu n on abou e gau ue gau r ed i ’t real ost dri rf ties th i difference in ride and handling eal ect tu th th n ew PSI mor n i r i ge w t 36 PSI col as 5 P , an ter of th e censr f y ge, an as mak f SI of s ! W s too “sofue. Not on l y use tit” or l esr n an e pr e ti d r r . otati ues a bi es on of th sr l at, bu ven t by e car t! It can make a r . So, don ’t be eal n th an d make th e trou g o u r at makes th ge th e ti e ti e r p too mu ead.d w es ponch y d a bi ou may n ig s t. G oi t f as n i mpror a bi r ov em a bi p a bi t ( t s lck, n g u e bot th i ey p ter bu t oti ce d an s m eduh i th a n as me, m , w uh ome e.el r d w c tech M cal qu e.com, an att “D r mc2magaz ty an n ci i . Obn . Y d be s er. xs es i d s ti tate i n on ” R s i ter i ch n y ou r qu oe c ou can con y s h appy to an octor at: s ame,l n w ser y ue to i r tact thclde y e D ou nu ou taf r fl r M @ u INI f his gives the e h th