JCW Tuning Kit

For as long as I own ICE cars, the exhaust will always be something I pay particular attention to. For the Mini I wanted something that would suit an OEM+ build and thankfully one of the best exhausts for the Mini is the factory John Cooper Works (JCW) Pro exhaust. It's sold as part of the JCW Tuning Kit that includes a tune to add around 20HP and a lot more crack and pops. Seeing as how I've already added power via the JB4, this is a bit pointless so I'm not taking the car to the dealership to get the ECU reflashed permanently. This is not a one person job that I wanted to tackle in my garage so I enlisted the help of SJF and Jenna. 

JCW Pro Exhaust Installed - 2-25-2023

The stock exhaust is a pretty big unit that goes all the way from the downpipe to the tips as one piece. Removal was pretty straightforward minus the clamp that bolts the front of it to the flex pipe that had a bit of rust requiring some heat-based persuasion. It eventually came loose without falling apart which was important since the kit didn't come with a new one. 

Factory Exhaust

Factory exhaust removed

Factory exhaust removed

I don't think the new exhaust weighs any less than the stock one but I'm not a fan of overly quiet boring looking exhausts. Next up was the pretty straightforward effort of bolting on the new exhaust and lining up the Carbon Fiber tips.

JCW Pro Exhaust Bolted In

That mechanical process took roughly an hour. The next 3+ hours was spent on the wiring. A good chunk of the trunk trim had to be removed so the valve control module could be bolted into place. The wiring loom had one connector going to the valve control module, a wire with new grommet and connector that went to to the valve, one wire for ground and another wire that you had to snake through all the trim alongside the inside of the body to get to the fuse box in the front. 

Valve control module installed

Exhaust Valve Connected

The fuse box is behind the glove box so you had to remove two screws holding the panel covering the bottom part of the glove box then lift the left corner of the fuse box so that the whole thing released from the mount. This was necessary since there were two wires that needed to be connected to the fuse box from the back of the panel. There's these blue plastic locking pins that hold the wires in place so to connect the new wires, you had to disconnect the sub-panel attached to the main fuse box and pull the blue locking pin out. The instruction say to connect the read cable to fuse plug F74 then put the provided fuse into that spot. It then said to connect the black cable to fuse plug F59. The problem with F59 is that on my car something was already plugged into it. Upon looking up the fuse diagram, it turns out that F59 is for "Camera-based driver assistance systems" which my car is equipped with. Thankfully, it turns out F57 is not used for anything so we wired up the black wire to F57 and put in the 3Amp fuse there instead.

Black wire in F57

Red wire in F74

We then affixed the provided JCW Tuning Kit badges.

JCW Tuning Kit plate for engine cover

JCW rear badge

The valve is activated via a bluetooth "loud button" that comes with a foam mount you're supposed to put in one of the cup holders. I didn't like this since I use my cup holders quite a bit so I got a 3D printed mount from AdditiveAuto on Etsy that places the button just under the start/stop button instead making for a super clean install.

Loud button mounted

Double press that button and "track mode" gets engaged opening up the valve to effectively make the exhaust a straight pipe bypassing the muffler. In sport mode with the valves opened up there's some very nice overruns and crack and pops on throttle lift off at higher RPMs. It's can get pretty obnoxious but it sounds really good. There's absolutely no drone on the highway and it's very mellow when just cruising around but if you are aggressive with the throttle, it makes some pretty glorious and aggressive sounds. Certainly one of the best 4-banger sounds out there.

First start up

911 Maintenance - Oil Change

It's been a pretty decent winter where I've been able to take Scarlett out a few times when she'd normally be tucked away. That said, we're almost at March and it's time to get some fresh oil in her before the official driving season starts again.

Oil Change

Still looking decently clean under there

Fresh Oil - 2-24-2023

Ugh, looks like I only put 1500 miles on her last year. That's really sad. I'll try to take her out more this year. 

Maintenance Update:

Mileage: 171,009

- 11.5 quarts Driven GP-1 20W-50

- Mahle OC54 oil filter

JB4 Tune - More Boost

Usually a tune goes somewhere in the middle of my build list but given how easy it is to put a tune on a Mini Cooper S and immediately get gains even in stock form, I didn't see the need to wait for other mods to be installed. The 2019 Mini Cooper S runs a BMW B48 engine which is shared with a number of BMWs such as the 2 and 3 series (maybe even some of the X series?)...except it's detuned from the factory. Burger Motorsports JB4 Tune is a nice solution as it's a piggy back that leaves no permanent changes to your ECU. It's also very likely that my ECU, being a 2019+ is updated and locked from the factory, meaning I'd have to ship it out in order to get it reflashed if I went with a reflash based solution instead. I'm going for an OEM+ build this time around so I'm trying to make minimal changes or at the very least, make changes that are super easy to reverse, so the JB4 was the right match for my needs.

JB4 for B36/B46/B48 Kit with Optional JB4 Wireless Kit

I ordered the kit along with the optional JB4 Wireless kit that allows you to connect to it via Bluetooth using the JB4 Mobile app so you can see various engine parameters, update firmware and select engine modes. The wireless module isn't pre-installed even if you buy it directly from Burger Motorsports so the first task was to open the very nice aluminum case all the electronics is packed in and connect the wireless module. It's pretty straight forward, just remove the 4 screws hold it in place using a 3mm hex wrench, connect the D-pin connector and screw it down with the provided screws then reseal the case.

JB24 Wireless Module Installed

Next up was to remove the air intake duct so you can remove the connector for the MAP and TMAP sensors, connecting it to provided wire loom instead and then plugging the loom back into the sensors. To remove the connectors, just slide the white clip down to unlock it then I just used a small flat blade screw driver to just push the tab away from the sensor and the plug just slides right out. If you're fighting it, then you're probably pushing the tab towards the sensor than away from it (lesson learned lol). I then used some zip ties to firmly secure everything together so nothing was just dangling around.

MAP sensor piggy-backed

TMAP sensor piggy-backed and loom zip-tied to
factory wires for an OEM look

Next you just had to remove the battery tray cover so you can place the JB4 unit in the space between the battery and under the windshield wiper motor. I was going to zip tie it in place but it's so snug in there, it's not going anywhere even if you wanted it to. 

JB4 housing shoved under the wiper motor

For the ODB2 connector (so it can read the CAN bus and use that to get all kinds of useful data), there was a convenient rubber grommet in the firewall you can just take to feed the wire from the OBD2 cable to the engine bay. The instructions didn't say to put the grommet back after you go the wire through but it didn't seem to make sense to just leave the whole there so I cut a slot in the grommet and reinstalled it for a cleaner install.

Grommet to firewall removed

OBD2 cable fed from under the dash and
grommet slit and reinstalled

OBD2 connector connected and excess wire
zip-tied out of the way

At this stage, the JB4 should just work so I turned the ignition on to power the unit up, connected to it using the JB4 Mobile App (which I still find strange that you had to pay for separately), had it downloaded the latest stable firmware for the Mini and uploaded it. The process took a short 3 minutes.

Updating the firmware

Tune map selection

By default, it is set to Map 1 which is ideal for a stock car. It's got a small bump in boost pressure (+4 PSI to be exact). This should give me about an extra 40hp or so in sport mode on pump 93. 

Slot cut to route cables through

I used a Dremel to cut a little slot in the factory plastics under where the rubber hood trim gasket goes, routed the rest of the cable by the intake box and put all the plastics back on. I think the install is nice and clean and very OEM. To an untrained eye you probably couldn't even tell the car is now just "almost stock". 

Panels back on the car, looking OEM - 2-20-2023

Clean install

Clean install

The car is definitely peppier in sport mode and you can even hear some crackles as you downshift via the paddle shifters through the stock exhaust. It's not obnoxious but something you do notice a bit especially when getting onto highway off ramps. Drivability is still very good especially if you dial it back to "green" or "mid" mode. The bonus of having the JB4 mobile app is I can display a number of gauges pulling data from the OBD2 connector straight to my phone for both viewing and data logging. 

JB4 Mobile App

Now I just need my intake and exhaust to arrive so we can switch to Mode 2 and and have a bit more fun. Unfortunately, the auto transmission can really only hold about an additional 60hp so that will keep me honest and not allow to me to get nuts with power adders. It's interesting, though not surprising that these engines dyno higher than their advertised power figures. That seems to be a very BMW thing. While this won't get me to the same power levels of my IS38 powered MK7 GTI, it'll at least start getting close.

Interesting video of a 2-Door Cooper S (same engine) on mode 1 JB4 tune

Arturito - 2019 Mini Cooper S Iconic

My wife and I have been talking about Minis since last year. Her Jeep is definitely her style but I've wanted her to also know what it feels like to drive a nice handling car. Problem is she doesn't drive stick and, well, all my cars are manual. It couldn't be just a plain old boring car. We both like cute little cars with character so a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon an Electric Blue 2019 Mini Cooper S in Iconic trim with the automatic transmission at Jack Daniel's Porsche. Spoke with Marc, a fellow NEDC member, who works in sales there and got the deal done.

Electric Blue 2019 Mini Cooper S Iconic - Arturito - 2/8/2023

It was very well optioned and being offered for sale at a reasonable (i.e. not inflated) price and with just 65,476 miles, fit our needs precisely. This will likely replace my GTi as our "daily" since the number of cars we have is getting out of hand and more importantly, there's a lot of overlap between the two. 

Not a Porsche

There was a minor crack at the top of the windshield so part of the deal was this was to be replaced and it was.

New windshield

The driver side fog light also wasn't operating. This turned out to be a corroded connector and they replaced that too.

Driver side foglight working again

They also cleaned the car up nicely and got rid of the scuffs on the wheels. That was nice of them but we all know these wheels are getting replaced anyway. They took care of the registration for me which I only cared about getting done right away so I could order the custom plates for it. 

Sweet interior

It's a fun car to drive. Certainly nowhere near as fast as my MK7 GTi and I'm semi-sad it's an automatic even if it has the flappy paddles but if this makes my car enjoy driving more then it's a big in in my book. My wife chose the name Arturito which comes from how Spanish people call R2-D2 (we're clearly big Star Wars fans as the Jeep is is also named after a droid, C1-10P, aka Chopper). 

Arurito - R2-D2

Houndstooth reupholstered seats

When I installed the DSC sport controller in February of last year, I accidentally grazed the seat cushion of my GT2 carbon seats with the soldering iron and burned the alcantara a little. I had been trying to reach Heritage Upholstery who made them for me back in 2019 to see if they could fix it but was getting no responses. Eventually, I decided I wouldn't redo them in alcantara. It gets dirty pretty easily and I wanted something to give the interior a bit more pop. Going with my whole black/yellow theme, I decided to order some automotive-grade houndstooth pattern cloth from Upholstery Supply USA in yellow. Not knowing how much I'd need, I ordered 3 yards which was clearly too much but I'd rather have too much that too little. I then reached out to J&E Upholstery in South Plainfield who was recommended to me by a friend who recently had his S2000s eats redone. 

Reuphostery complete - 1-21-2023

I dropped it off before Christmas and told him to take his time since he was busy and I was going to be out of town anyway. By the time I got back he had completed the covers and it came out great. The pictures don't really do it justice. I find yellow is hard to photograph sometimes especially when it comes to color accuracy but you get the idea. I think it really adds to the richness of the interior especially combined with the few yellow accents I already had before.

Reupholstered cushions installed

Reupholstered cushions installed

Reupholstered cushions installed

Houndstooth pattern is fairly common option in Porsches for people that want something not plain but it's typically done in white and black. I really like this yellow and black version and suits my aesthetic well. Yes, I know this does remind a lot of people of S2000 CR seats but the pattern and color are quite different. That said, since I have extra material left over, I may redo the covers in Bumblestook to use this cloth over the yellow Tomcat cloth that I previously used.

Remote Start for the JK

After my wife's Jeep's doors basically got frozen shut a few weeks ago, I decided to stop procrastinating about putting in a remote start system so that it could be warmed up from the inside even if we can't get in. Picked up a Kleinn plug-n-play unit and took under an hour to install taking my time. I didn't have any issue getting the plastic panel covering the steering column unlike others have described for the 16+ JK so I consider myself lucky. 

Lower plastic panel removed to access wiring

Remote start module

After following the instructions carefully, to pair the unit with our keys, three clicks of the lock button starts it up right now. 

Fun at The Glen with S2K Takeover - Setting a new PB

October at Watkins Glen can always be a bit of a dice roll. You know it's going to be gorgeous because upstate NY in the Fall is always a spectacular sight but the weather can either be amazing or completely terrible. Either way, I was determined not to miss the only trip up to The Glen with S2K Takeover. My original plan was to take Bumblestook but with recent issues including the leaky catch can drain line, I wasn't sure if I'd have time to fix so I started getting Kay ready. I ended up resolving all my issues with Bumblestook but I was now also curious how Kay was going to do. 

Watkins Glen International - 10-18-22
Photo by: Peter Levins

My last trip up was in the summer of 2020 which now seems like an eternity ago. Since then, I had replaced the MCS dampers with Bilstein B16 damptronic coilovers and had a GT3 brake master cylinder installed. I also fitted the DSC sport controller and 3-axis accelerometer to make the most use of the active dampers. And most recently, I had switched from 235/265 Advan A052 tires to 255/295 Bridgestone RE71RS. 

Watkins Glen International

The event was on a Monday and Tuesday so I got there on Sunday evening to get registered and inspected so it would be one less thing to take care of in the morning. The first day had a thread of rain in the forecast so it was largely overcast the whole day. It did drizzle a few minutes here and there but not enough to actual really wet the track or cause any issues. 

Watkins Glen International

I took it a bit gingerly the first two session since I had done so many changes I wasn't sure how she'd feel. I was pleasantly surprised by how awesome she felt. The dampers felt incredible in sport mode. It kept the body super controller, resisting diving under braking and soaking up curbing where I felt comfortable driving over as much of it as I wanted knowing it wouldn't upset the car at all. The brakes were predictable with incredible pedal feel and the tires were consistent lap after lap.

Watkins Glen International
Photo by: Dennis Um

Unfortunately I misconfigured my AIM SOLO2 DL data logger when I left so it wasn't reading my OBD2 port and wasn't triggering since I had configured it to only start recording after 25000rpm and a speed of greater than 15km/hr. Thankfully, Steve Jin let me borrow his laptop and I was able to reconfigure it to use the correct OBD2 setting. For reference, you need to set the ECU to OBD_II - ISO9141-2 for the 987.1 Cayman S. The other Porsche options are for later generations. Now I was able to see if I as improving my lap times but I was terribly disappointed. Despite the car feeling excellent, I was lapping a 2:23-2:24, a whole 3-4 seconds slower than my previous trip up. It didn't make sense, these were ideal conditions to set personal best times. We had cool temperatures and I had arguably a better setup this time, why was I slower?

Watkins Glen International - 10-18-22
Photo by: Peter Levins

Day two rolled in and the morning was exceptionally frigid at just 36F when we got to the track. I was extremely timid, worried that the cold was going to cause my tires to slide a lot. The Glen doesn't exactly have a ton of runoff area and I wanted to end the season on a high note, not on top of a flat bed. While it was a bit sketchy the first session, the cold turned out not to be an issue and the temperatures eventually started to rise anyway but the wind was incessant. 

Trying to get warm
Photo by: Ben Tiu

S2K Friends
Photo by: Ben Tiu

Was supposed to be the yellow S2K bay lol

I went even slower, putting down 2:25-2:206 lap times. To be fair, I had a lot on my mind with issues at work I was dealing with from my laptop track side but I still shouldn't be this slow. I went to lunch and when I came back, it had at least warmed up to the low 50s. I was having a lot of fun but I was determined to at least feel like I had put some effort in. I looked at some videos, discussed the track with friends and understood where I was losing all my time. I had a plan of action and went out for the first afternoon session and said if I didn't go faster I'd just pack up and go home. It's generally a bad idea to be on track while having your mind elsewhere so if I couldn't get my head out of my ass, I knew it was time to go before it would turn into an inevitable accident.

Watkins Glen International
Photo by: Peter Levins

I set my cold pressures to 29psi all around and took off. The two areas of focus would be turn 1, carrying more speed after the front straight, and slowing down less going into the bus stop and being more aggressive coming out of it. A few people had started to leave at this point so I had more clear track to just focus on my own driving and not worry too much about cars in front or behind me and I started to see the lap times drop. This gave me new energy and focus and ended the session finding 5 seconds from yesterday by getting into the 2:18 territory. 

Watkins Glen International
Photo by: Peter Levins

She was feeling fantastic and things finally clicked in my head. I knew the car had plenty of grip. The Cayman is such a perfectly balanced sports car, able to rotate so effortlessly at speed while being extremely stable and having the weight in the right spot to have plenty of traction when you get on the throttle. I decided to push harder on my final session. I had lap after lap of pure open track and I was able to set a fast time, and do a cool down, then do another fast lap to optimize my tire temperature. The times kept dropping and I finally ended the day with new my PB of 2:15. 

Watkins Glen - PB - 2:15

I was super happy. I had significantly improved on my previous time by 5 seconds and the car was in great shape with zero incidents. I'm confident the car had at least another 5 seconds in it. Reviewing my data, I was able to sustain almost 1.5Gs on the new tires setup and there were plenty of spots where I could've been more aggressive. That's fine though, I love having room to improve. This isn't a race for me. I go to these events to improve my own driving and to build my confidence so as long as I'm going in the right direction with each event, that keeps me excited to do more. It's too easy to go from a great day to a terrible day at The Glen so I'm satisfied making incremental improvements. As always, I had a terrific time with friends and I'm looking forward to coming back again next year. Big thanks to S2K Takeover, NorthEast Track Club and Metro Track Addicts for making this event possible.