Auto Transportation

Posts Tagged ‘heat’

Mini Cooper Accessories to Enhance Performance

While the natural draw to the Mini Cooper for the enthusiast is in its obvious European styling, there are loads of aftermarket upgrades that make the car just more fun to drive through added boosts to the power load and in some cases even result in better fuel economy.

To add a noticeable punch to the acceleration of your Mini Cooper, the installation of a high quality turbo kit will satisfy your need for power in a small package. Mini Cooper short shifters are an accessory that will improve on the shifting ability of your vehicle, making your gearshifts smoother and dramatically impacting the ability to accelerate.

Without spending a lot of cash or time, the Mini Cooper owner can immediately add 35 H.P. to the engine performance. All it takes is about $200 in parts and a couple hours of your time.

To easily add an extra 10 to 12 H.P. on the Dyna Flow of your Mini Cooper, install a free flow racing filter kit. An easy install for the do it yourselfer, expect this upgrade to only take about 30 minutes to complete. This simple performance enhancing intake system accessory will lower the air flow restriction into the supercharger, resulting in more efficient air compression into the engine. End result: a noticeable kick behind the accelerator.

To pick up another potential 20 H.P. on the supercharger, adjust the pulley ratio by installing a smaller pulley to increase the RPM of the supercharger. Be sure to modify your exhaust system to compensate for the increase in back pressure and engine heat. Supersprint is known for being the leading supplier of street legal aftermarket exhaust systems that will give the deep throaty sound that the street rod enthusiasts love, while staying within noise level limits in sound emissions.

Installation of a high performance camshaft will increase horsepower and torque throughout the RPM range without requiring the disassembling of the motor.

To gain an additional 20 to 30 H.P. in the range that you drive the most often, consider cylinder head replacement to high performance stage 1 or 2 cylinder heads. The increase in airflow will max out at 20% and interport relations between intake and exhaust will be optimized for maximum power and improved combustion. If considering to implement this upgrade, larger injectors may also be required to compensate for additional power gains.

To improve on the safety as well as performance of your Mini Cooper during cornering, the installation of a precision steering amplifier is a must. A PSA will improve the suspension by reducing the characteristic roll center movement of the Mini Coopers, resulting in better handling and feedback to the driver.

To further improve on cornering, especially over uneven road surfaces, the installation of a carbon fiber strut brace will ties the two front upper strut towers together, resulting in an increase in front chassis rigidity and quicker steering response. In addition to the handling and safety performance enhancements, a carbon fiber strut brace is also an impressive looking accessory – which never hurts either!

The cooling system in your BMW is not hard to keep running efficiently, but if you ignore it you are risking serious and expensive problems in the future. Occasional attention to the BMW parts that control the temperature of your engine will keep it running smoothly.

Why Engines Need To Stay Cool

An engine in its simplest form is a heat reservoir and a cold reservoir. Energy naturally flows from hot to cold and the engine converts some of that energy to move your car. The greater the temperature difference between the hot and cold reservoir, the more efficient the engine is.

That description is fine on paper, but real engines use real materials and those materials have temperature limits. Your cooling system carries on a delicate balancing act, keeping the engine hot enough to run efficiently but cool enough not to degrade the fittings, gaskets, oil and otherBMW parts. If the cooling system isn’t well maintained the engine won’t run as well.

The Anatomy Of Your BMW’s Cooling System

Three systems of BMW parts make up the bulk of your cooling system: the water pump, the hoses, and the thermostat.

The water pump keeps the coolant moving through the engine. Despite its name it isn’t actually pumping just water since water isn’t efficient enough to cool today’s high performance engines. Instead your engine is cooled by antifreeze. Despite its name, antifreez protects against both freezing and boiling. Pumps are driven by a gear or belt that runs off the revolution of the engine and some have secondary electrical pumps for additional cooling.

The term “hoses” refers to a collection of BMW parts that also includes valves, the radiator, and the expansion tank. This array of fluid paths allows the coolant to come into contact with as much of the engine as possible. The more contact, the more efficiently it cools.

Your engine doesn’t have just one thermostat but a number of temperature sensors located throughout the engine. In this context it also refers to valves controlled by the thermostats. These valves control flow ofcoolant so that it is circulated only as the engine needs it. Ideally the engine should heat up quickly and then use coolant to maintain optimal operating temperature.

Maintaining The Cooling System

There are a few steps for owners to take to ensure the BMW parts responsible for keeping the engine cool run in top condition.

Routine maintenance includes replacing the coolant at specified intervals. Because the coolant is exposed to such great heat it breaks down over time. It also picks up impurities from the engine. For this reason, the coolant should be replaced as specified in the maintenance manual.

Hoses should be checked every six months for cracks or leaks and if any are found they should be repaired or replaced immediately. In the absence of visible damage, all hoses should be replaced every few years.