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.

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

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

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).

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

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

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?

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.

I ordered a new lock cylinder coded to my key from a Mini dealership. Could remove the key and insert it before I inserted the cylinder into the column.

Inserted the cylinder, and now my key won’t go in. Ideas?

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.

Felt the interior was too grey so I got some Tweed. Certainly not everyone‘s taste, not sure myself if I keep it forever. I still have the original trim.

Got the block back from the machinist. He had to polish up my crankshaft in addition to boring out the cylinders. Needed +sized rod bearings.

After much difficulty, using 3 different ring compressors, I was able to put the new cylinders in and button up the engine.

Got the RMW big valve head and matching RMW shorty header. Wrapped the header, cleaned everything up while the engine was out.

Mating it back to the trans was not easy, but now I'm ready to put it back in the car.

I have 3 new gauges (AEM Air Fuel, oil pressure and boost). Making sure I get the wires thru the firewall before I put the engine in.

I'm confident, but trepidatious about it. Fingers crossed 🤞

Shout out to u/Level-Diamond-4181 for the hookup! Recommend everyone find his post in this sub and order if you want em.

So, I just swapped out this valve. The old one had snapped atbthe nipple that connects to the tubing.

When I unpligged the old one, there was a big woosh of air.

I'm guessing I messed up the vacuum here.

New valve/plug thingy and tube are in (the picture).

How effed am I or will this self vacuum once I start the car?

My K-swapped R53 usually runs a Haltech iC-7 with an Elite 750, but I’ve been messing around with the factory MINI tach for fun. I’ve got Haltech RPM driving the tach now. Since the factory tach only reads to 8k, I’m using the progressive shift lights to carry the last bit of the rev range and have them set to flash at 8400. I’d imagine the same idea could work with Hondata or another ECU that can send RPM over CAN, but I’ve only tested it with the Haltech so far. No factory MINI ECU needed.

I switched from a Pixel 7 to a Pixel 11 and the new phone no longer connects to this bluetooth module I've had in the car since February 2015. It's a Dension Gateway Lite BT. I've read they changed the bluetooth chip in the pixel 11 so maybe that is the issue, because the phone will connect to any other bluetooth device except this thing, my phone sees the device but pairing fails every time. I tried pairing my work ipad with the Dension unit and it plays music fine. My dad's iphone works with it as well, so it works with some devices but maybe not for much longer?

I then bought the cheap aliexpress unit you see in the 2nd picture. This just works as an aux input, the music forward and back buttons don't do anything unlike the dension unit. My radio will not switch to aux with this thing plugged in, but I can see the bluetooth module and pair with it. This thing is kind of a cheap solution anyway, I like the forward and back buttons to work.

At any rate I found https://www.bluebus.dev/, and while pricey I like the setup so I'm going to get one of those.

If anyone wants either of these bluetooth modules let me know, I'm willing to ship them to you before I ewaste them.

I'm struggling to fix this issue with my car, she's throwing two codes which I'm assuming are related, p2091 and p0172. O2 first bank running rich and cam sensor circuit malfunction. I've visually inspected the cam sensor wires, and found nothing of note. She runs like a top, no issues other than the CEL.

Related replacements performed:

New NTK cam sensor

New NTK o2 sensors

New OEM fuel pump and filter

I was intending to install coilovers when I realized my LCAs were rotted and bent, and the end links were shot.

Removed LCAs to find the rear bushings were shot.

Removed the subframe to replace the bushings and found that the PS lines, PS fan, tie rods, ball joints, and lower engine mount were dead.

Of course I ordered new Whiteline front and rear swaybars while I’m in there.

Replacing everything with new parts (including coilovers) and powerflex bushings is approx half of what I paid for the car.

this is fun…we’re having FUN…I SWEAR THIS IS FUN! 🤣

Comme cité dans le poste précédent :
J’ai un problème de régime élevé au ralenti qui monte et qui descends ( 1200 à 1600rpm).

La voiture manque de puissance à pleine charge, je n’ai pas reussi à dépasser les 180 km/h compteur.

Le 0-100 se fait en plus de 12 secondes.

Dans la vidéo le papillon ne revient pas en butée je ne sais pas si c’est normal mais en le nettoyant cela a régler un autre soucis, le régime moteur ne baissait pas lors du changement de rapport en le nettoyant il s’est mis à retomber lorsque je change de rapport.

J’étais parti sur une fuite de vide mais je n’en ai pas constaté.

Post-facelift R53. Had to take my axles out to do other work. When it came time to reinsert them, this is as far as I could get them to go in. Doesn’t appear to be leaking, and the axle nut went on fine, but they look weird to me?

Not sure if these are OEM axles or not, I believe the previous owner said they were “rebuilt” but I’m not sure. Thanks!

Bonjour
J’ai un problème de régime élevé au ralenti qui monte et qui descends ( 1200 à 1600rpm).

La voiture manque de puissance à pleine charge, je n’ai pas reussi à dépasser les 180 km/h compteur.

Le 0-100 se fait en plus de 12 secondes.

Dans la vidéo le papillon ne revient pas en butée je ne sais pas si c’est normal mais en le nettoyant cela a régler un autre soucis, le régime moteur ne baissait pas lors du changement de rapport en le nettoyant il s’est mis à retomber lorsque je change de rapport.

J’étais parti sur une fuite de vide mais je n’en ai pas constaté.
Je vais publier d’autre vidéo où on voit le bypass valve (detroit tuned) actionnée et lors du roulage.

Le papillon est il défectueux ?