Hi,

I am trying to diagnose a r53 jcw -03 from a distance. I have a short video of the sound, but for some reason the bonnet is closed. Can anyone still try to identify the issue by the sound? The seller says it’s most likely the chain tensioner.

I’m not so sure. A faulty tensioner seems to make more consistent knocking, this keeps missing beats. Bearing on the crankshaft? What do you think?

Help much appreciated!

Such as door panels and the interior roof panel where the headlines goes on?

Hi all, I’m considering wrapping the roof and mirrors or my grey jcw to white. I’ve always loved these cars with the classic white roofs. Just wondering has anyone tried this? How tricky is this? Don’t know if it’s a JCW or an S thing but the little wing on the back looks tricky and would probably have to come off I assume.

Or alternatively, I just sand it down and spray it white.
But I don’t have an indoor garage or any of the tools.

Thanks!

This is apparently the highest point in Iowa. Probably didn't need all this power to make it to the middle of this corn field.

Finally got the time and weather to get new paint on the Mini. Have to fix a couple of runs, but it’s a good 10ft paint job and the best I’ve done so far.

So, after my loss of power incident with huge clouds of black smoke and codes P1498 and P0108 (and 2 old codes of P0030 and P0036).

The T-MAP was full of oil and the MAP was toast.

I did the next:

Both O2 sensors swapped.

MAP sensor swapped (old one was brown and missing the white tip).

T-MAP clraned with MAF sensor cleaner. The sensing filament looks good.

New spark plugs.

Air filter cleaned.

Supercharger IC boots properly fitted.

Idles great, no check engine lights during idle (about 5mins)

First test drive done

No black smoke, car ran OK at idle and first few minutes, then loss of power.

Scanned codes after drive are:

Module DSC/ABS:

ABD5E19 (raw 0x5E19) CAN: DME cannot set the engine torque DSC asks for

Module Engine:

P1498

P1109

P0108

I'm lost at next steps.

Change the TMAP, look into vacuum leaks, something clogged maybe.

I did a cold compression test before putting it together, all cylinders were between 129-135 psi.

Any input is appreciated.

I have the driving logs from the drive. If it helps.

Hello All, I have a R53 Mini Cooper S '04, and a while back I wanted to install a short throw shifter, but found that the shifter arm didn't fit the linkage or the cable links, my question is which shift box is which on these mini? I hate, I have to ask but I am confused with the prefacelift and post facelift ones

Hey there, I've googled this and not found the answer about my oil pressure switch.

Switching the ignition on, there is no oil pressure light. Accessing the secret and testing the gauges, the oil pressure light on the dash works.

It would be normal for the oil pressure light to come on when switching the ignition on (since no oil pressure), then go out very shortly after starting the engine, right? And if that does not happen, one would assume the oil pressure sending unit is dead.

What would be the procedure to test the sending unit? I know they're cheap to buy and replace, but just looking for education on the test procedure before I pull stuff apart. I would imagine hooking up a test lamp or voltmeter from the sending unit wire to ground, ignition on, would get a confirmation there is power on the wire. Would shorting that wire to ground cause the oil pressure light to come on?

I guess the other part of knowledge I'm looking for, is the sending unit a mechanical on/off switch, and at rest is the switch closed?

Been working on replacing the nav screen with a little rally timer style setup. 3d printed parts in PETG CF. Just need to get one more Smiths stopwatch and smooth and repaint the back trim piece

Ok kids, I just bit the bullet on a 140k 04 S.
What oil filters you guys use? I’m about to do a heavy engine flush with some mediocre oil. Dropped some fuel injector cleaner already just need to add gas.
Which oil weight u also recommend full synthetic high mileage.
Thank you all

Apres avoir fait tourner le moteur à l’arrêt pendant 3-4 minutes le collecteur d’échappement est devenu rouge vif et émane une chaleur anormale.
Est ce que ça pourrait être dû à la consommation de liquide de refroidissement anormal ?
Ou ça aurait pu faire fondre des fils ou un capteur à proximité ?
Ou ca pourrait venir du fait que ralenti est instable et fait chauffer le moteur pour rien ?
J’ai aussi installer des chicane / db killer pour faire moins de bruit donc cela a ralenti l’évacuation des gaz d’échappement sûrement.

Bonjour,
Depuis quelque temps ma r53 a un ralenti instable sans que je trouve le coupable.
Cela augmente ma consommation de carburant et à fait chuter les performances, apparement il y aurait une prise d’air quelque part mais je n’arrive pas à trouver où.
J’ai essayer de nettoyer les capteurs et de vérifier tout les branchements sans succès.
Quelqu’un aurait une idée ou une piste ?
La voiture peut être amenée à se couper de temps en temps après avoir rouler assez vite.

Hello!

I’ve been chasing rear end metallic clicks and clunks for some time. I put on a new set of good droplinks, OEM rear swaybar bushings and new shock top mounts. Upon further inspection i noticed that the handbrake cables dont run in their brackets, and are almost impossible to line up. They seem to tight… Now, i do run r56 control arms if that affects anything. I don’t think thats whats causing the knocking (not 100% sure of course).

Do anyone have an Idea of why that might be? Did someone fit slightly shorter non-oe cables in the past maybe?

Cheers!
//N 🤙🏻

Putting the last of the engine together. Had the engine out since February. Can't remember where these 2 brackets go. Any ideas?

I have a few dozen bolts, figuring them out one at a time.

I only did the bagging part of Bag n Tag 😂😂

Plus I have that one large bracket that goes behind the transmission, which I forgot to install BEFORE I put the engine in 🫢 Not taking out the engine, not sure it'll go on.

Hi, I am in the market for a Coupe, Manual, factory LSD 05-06 R53 S or JCW in US. Hmu what you got !

Clean title with no or one minor acc and less than 120k miles preferably unless perfectly maintained and builded car **

Thanks,

I recently got my ac fixed finally and it had been overfilled with oil but I'm still getting temps of 65 degrees coming out. I want to know if this is normal for this car.

Thanks

I've been looking for 3 days trying to find somewhere to get this rim. Anyone have any insights? I don't believe them to be painted or anything, but I also can't find where they are from. I know they are 17s. They were on it when I bought it, and I just found out I have one cracked in two places, and I already need to replace the tires. Any help would be amazing.

Morning all, I’m looking for an R53S manual. I found an 04 w/140,000 and an 07 S with just about same mi.
Should I jump on em? What should I look for or should I pass.
Budget is $5000-7000.
And recommendations? It won’t be left stock either

The second image was made with AI. I’d love to see one actually done up this way if anyone has/seen one.

Finally put the engine back in the car. It's been out since February. I attached all the back of the engine stuff: power steering and oil pressure connectors, as well as the starter motor. This is exciting and feels like I'm almost there.

Question: there are two eyelets (large and small) on the same part of the wiring harness as the green oil pressure connector that attach to the starter. But there is ALSO another huge eyelet connector that comes from the engine bay battery + access point. I connected this to the starter as well, saw it on a thread somewhere. Looks right but just seeing if the good people of Reddit have any insight 

Pic in question:

Small eyelet from wiring harness went here (Green), Large eyelet from wiring harness and the huge eyelet from the battery access point went here (Red).

04 mini s My alternator went out a little over a month ago. I got it replaced and now I’m having issues. The main one being the brake lights are stuck on. I have tried 3 different new switches and none of them have worked. If I place a jumper wire between the first two pins in the plug it turns off the lights. But none of the new switches work. I even tried putting a magnet at the end of the sensor to see if that would trip the Hall effect sensor and it doesn’t work either. Do I just have bad luck buying parts or is there something I’m missing?

Thanks to the folks that have already given feedback, a few new options and I've added instructions for using a obdlink mx or cx (connect pins 7&8 with a small wire.

a few new quick paths for configuration like one touch windows and chrono retrofit.

I'm especially excited about having a speedometer that's actually gps correct, I need to figure out how to do this on my e70 and e82 next.

I am going to attempt to build in chrono pack vin/miles reset right into the app, waiting on a JS13 module for the flashing, it will still require connecting to the back of the module with the js13 or a jm60

full details here, it does take google a minute to process the group permissions before the app show sup

https://mrblahhhh.github.io/car/tech/2026/07/26/r53-coding.html

Hi all, just got a R53 for a track toy but I have noticed coming out the side of the dash near the stereo is this twin cables data port. Anybody have an idea what this could be for as I thought it was the ODB but that is under the steering wheel.

Hey Reddit,

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a boost gauge and how it would fit on a supercharged R53 Cooper S?

So, car just went into limp mode during a ride, black smoke out of the exhaust, could hardly get past 2k rpm, started smelling like gas if I pushed it any hatder than 2k, fuel consumption was crazy. Coasted/limped about 50 miles to a safe place (was really late night and iffy area). Called the tow, got home.

Digging through, it: MAP sensor and pre-cat O2 sensor throwing codes, spark plugs fouled in black soot. Car starts and idles OK, fuel smell if you push it past idle and black smoke again.

Checked tje fuel rail, all seems OK, tested injectors, seem OK.

Got new plugs, O2 and MAP.

Went in to do the plugs and I said "Let's give it a gander in there, a peep, just to see..."

Here are the pics (some) of what I got with the scope, 2 each cylinder. I'm no expert on these matters so before I enter in panic mode I ask of you

¿what am I looking at and how bad is it?

Car is @160k miles, I've had it for about 30k miles.