So I've gotten pretty good at pulling Mini Coopers apart lately...

[flatlander937]

This is the second one in a month. I had to pull a 6spd transmission on an "S" model last time... learned how to get the front clip and all that stuff off pretty quickly.

This particular one is getting a new(used) engine due to low compression on cyl 4(scored cylinder walls)... I had the engine+transmission out in about 4hrs(drive)

It is kinda nice that you don't need to mess with the power steering at ALL... it's an electric pump and everything stayed on the firewall/subframe. I got away without pulling the subframe on this one by just dropping the engine a few inches then rotating everything counterclockwise and pulling it out engine first. They're really not too terrible to work on... just so much stuff to remove to get at what you need.

Honestly... to replace the starter it is almost easier to pull the motor to get to it than it is to drop the sub frame to gain access to it. Especially if you factor in that it won't need aligned by not dropping the subframe. (boom06) On the S model that I did the clutch on last time, I dropped the subframe and kept the motor in the car, only pulling the transmission. It was honestly harder to do because of the angles you needed to get everything out at... but also the 6spd is considerably bigger than the N/A 5spd this one has. Not sure if pulling the engine+trans would be possible like this in a supercharged Mini.

 

[flatlander937]

Here are pics from the "S" model clutch job... there was considerably more crap on the ground, partially because it's supercharged, and partially because the sub-frame had to come out to facilitate the trans coming out at an angle. Also had to use the goofy 3-point support and put the aluminum cross brace back on the front because there is nowhere to put that support otherwise.

 

[JReichle1]

Looks like you know what you are doing... A lot of parts come off just to drop the engine. Looks like more work than a Honda/Mazda...

 

[flatlander937]

Looks like you know what you are doing... A lot of parts come off just to drop the engine. Looks like more work than a Honda/Mazda...

Definitely more work than a Honda/Toyota/Mazda.

I did recently do a clutch on a MS6 though... and I would say that it sucked more than the N/A Mini... and about the same level of crap to take off/time to take doing it as the supercharged Mini... It's AWD though so of course there will be more to remove. The Mini it is all just bodywork to get the stuff out of there.

The single best thing to do on anything like this is to keep ORGANIZED! I have a plastic roll cart with literally 15 or so post-it notes with nuts and bolts on top of each of them labeled in the general area that they came from("exhaust" or "bellhousing" or "bumper cover" for instance). Depending on what it is, sometimes I'll remove a part and put a nut/bolt right back where it belongs just a few turns in so it won't get lost as long as it won't interfere with removal... such as ground bolts/nuts.

At home, I have about 40 empty cups of "Parkay" spreadable butter(about 4in diameter or so) that I got from a neighbor a long time ago... those things come in so much handy for keeping hardware straight.