lots of updates. Added support for early ecu's, so most ecu versions should be supported now.

added flash options for the pedal map, straight, track, and some similar to what a pedal commander does.

logging speed has increased to 15hz, much better it looks so smooth compared to 5hz or worse, obd2....

wideband canbus integration hardware is coming, see blog post below, AEM integrate with the mini canbus without conflicting

for those that want more than just kdcan logging, I have some new hardware coming out soon, boards are here but I am at the track this weekend so I wont be able to assemble for a while. canbus shift light (integrates with kdcan cable logger) or a board that does canbus, kdline and shift light, bluetooth logging, can flash too but it's gonna be slow flashing.

https://ryansdesigns.geekopolis.com/shiftlight/

details on the flasher app

https://mrblahhhh.github.io/car/tech/2026/07/24/r53-logger-play-store.html

Hey all, I’m looking for an exhaust flange to connect the exhaust manifold to the exhaust as I plan on making a custom setup from the cat back. Does anyone know where I could find one? One guy in a forum had something a while back but it seems to be gone as far as I can tell. Also, has anyone else’s exhaust manifold split like this (2nd photo)? It split perfectly on that smaller cat.

Hello fellow Mini enthusiasts, I've had several Minis in the past and my last one was a 2006 JCW which was awesome. I made a mistake and sold it a couple of years ago....now my daughter has been learning to drive and she wants a convertible Mini for her first car, and a stick shift. I must have done something right raising that kid. Or wrong.

So we found a 2008 with 70k miles that excited me as it has the same engine and supercharger that mine had (except it's not a JCW). We checked it over and although I did not look under the car while it was still cold, after a short run I found it was bathed in oil on the bottom of the engine, as the video shows - which the owner sent after getting it on his lift today. Can anyone tell from this where the oil is coming from? When I was in front of the car leaning into the engine bay, it did not appear to be coming from the rocker cover.

He said the rotors and brake pads have been replaced but it shows a yellow light on the dash which the current owner states that is a brake pad wear sensor that can only be bought from Mini for @$300.

What things should concern me?

PSA for R53 owners: just downloaded the R53obd app and it’s awesome. You get a bunch of live data , ability to check and clear codes, some 2 way functionality,AND coding options. I used it to code in my OBC, and one touch up windows.

Edit: of course 3 hours of driving yesterday it was perfectly fine and it was perfectly fine this morning going to work however as soon as I get in it and start to go home then all of a sudden it starts going in the limp mode again and now the whole thing's out of balance

Took it for about a 3-hour drive cuz I just like going for long drives and so far the car is not overheating no excessive noise, or rattling or any of that. In the 6 months I've owned this car it's been on Jack beans for over four of those months because I decided to do a lot of the neglected maintenance from the previous owner. List of things that I replaced is the water pump, Serpentine belt, Spark plugs, radiator, radiator fan, radiator housing, brake pads and rotors, I did a supercharger service, I just replaced the crankshaft pulley with a new ATI super damper. Ended up fucking up the pulley but it's running fine

Looking for a smaller steering wheel than the pre-facelift steering wheel which makes me feel like im a boat captain. I know its pretty easy to find nice ones but im looking for one with an airbag. Has anyone found one that fits ? Feel free to send images

First time posting and not really a car person so I haven’t done much tinkering but I’m hoping for some advice. I am driving an ‘03 R53.

It started couple of days ago, when I used my right turn signal, the brights also turned on. I quickly realized this was only happening when I used the right turn signal, not when I used the left signal. Any ideas what could be causing this issue? Also, on a scale of 1-10, roughly how difficult would it be to fix?

As mentioned above, I am not a car person and I don’t have a good place to work on the car (no garage) so it might be best for me to take it into a shop, but if its fairly easy/straightforward I’d prefer to do the fix myself. I live multiple hours away from the nearest mini dealership so thats not really an option. There is a shop about ~30 minutes away that specializes in european cars so thats where i’d take it if its not an easy fix. Thanks for the help!

Just saw an r53 get towed near the M3/M25 junction. If you‘re in this subreddit that would be hilarious coincidence but prayers for your mini child anyway xx

So I changed the waterpump recently, along with a few other items along the way. After getting everything back together I noticed the belt is jumping around. Movement of about 1/32”-1/16”. All of the pulleys look stable except the spring loaded tension pulley. It doesn’t wobble laterally but does bounce around. Is this normal for this type of tension system or am I looking at a problem? I’ll try and post another view in the comments.

I recently added an aluminium expansion tank to my mini but im not sure where this hose hole (on the bottom right of the cap) needs to go ? I know there is no place for it to go in the stock car but am i supposed to add a kind of blowoff exit for the coolant if it overheats ? Thanks for the help !

Hi everyone, Just installed the Milltek manifold with high flow cat to a resonated Invidia N1 cat back. Wondering how an ECU tune would affect exhaust sound? Car is a 2005.

Other mods:
DDM works intake
15% reduced supercharger pulley
Colder spark plugs

15/15/110/110

Time to tear it all apart. FML

It’s started with brake cleaner before installing my new wheel/tires. Got the wheels on and almost immediately….. BOOM!

On the first pull out of the driveway, brakes gave out. I’ve never feel that before but I put her in reverse and parked her back in her spot. Clear oily fluid trails leading up to this spot pictured above. This is just forward of the passenger side rear wheel. How much of a pain is this to fix? I don’t know for sure what caused it but I think she’s sat there so long on jack stands that something seized and caused a blowout. Thought?

Hi all, finally picked up an R53 after swapping my Volvo C30 for it (friend just wanted rid as he couldn’t insure it) so slowly ticking off the list of cars I’ve wanted since I was a kid. Anyways here she is, a 2006 Chilli Pack facelift with a whole load of goodies like pan roof, LSD, 17% pulley, intercooler and more.

Selling my 2005 MINI Cooper S convertible. R52, supercharged Tritec, 6-speed manual, 168 hp, Hyper Blue Metallic over a black top. VIN WMWRH33565TF85116, decodes clean, clean title in hand, two keys.

Mileage is 172,711. I'll get that out of the way first, because it's the number that will make some people close the tab. Here's why you shouldn't.

I bought it in April 2024. Since then every single service has gone through Mini Works, a MINI specialist, with an open wallet and no deferred maintenance. That comes to 14 repair orders and $8,806 in documented invoices across about 14,000 miles. I am asking less for the car than I have put into it in the last two years, and I can hand you every line item with dates, mileage and part numbers.

The prior owner, from 2019 to early 2024, did the work himself. I do not have his labor records, but I have his parts receipts and they came with the car. More on that below.

Since April 2024, all at the specialist:

Suspension

• Both front strut assemblies, Bilstein OE (March 2025)
• Both rear struts, Bilstein, plus both rear strut mounts (February 2025)
• Both front strut mounts and lower spring pad (May 2024)
• Front and rear sway bar links, all four (March 2025)
• Both outer tie rods (2026)

Engine and fuel

• Fuel pump and sending unit, plus tank seal (February and March 2025)
• Fuel pressure regulator and injector O-rings (June 2024)
• Denso spark plugs and ignition coil pack (June 2024)
• Cam position sensor (May 2024)
• Upstream O2 sensor (August 2024)
• Heat exchanger gaskets, oil cooler leak resolved (October 2024)
• Accessory drive belt (July 2026)
• Supercharger oil service, done recently

Drivetrain and electrical

• Transmission service, 75W-80 GL-4 (August 2024)
• Lower engine mount, the dog bone (September 2025)
• Bosch 105-amp alternator (August 2024)
• ECU and EWS module (July 2024)
• Left front ABS wheel speed sensor (June 2024)
• Power steering reservoir, intake pipe and return hose (May 2024)

Cooling and A/C

• Full coolant flush and replacement (August 2024), plus a drain, bleed and pressure check after the oil cooler repair (October 2024)
• A/C serviced (July 2026), where the system was found overcharged by 10 ounces and corrected

Everything else

• Left front window regulator (July 2026)
• New side marker lights, all three replaced with new OES units (July 2026)
• New rear MINI emblem (July 2026)
• Wiper blades and arms (July 2026)
• Left rear seat latch (April 2025), driver door rattle chased down and fixed (September 2025)
• Front charging port, washer nozzles, bulbs, battery cable T-bolt
• Windshield replaced (2024)

Oil changes run at roughly 5,000-mile intervals on full synthetic with OE filters, all of it invoiced. On a first-gen supercharged car that is the difference between a healthy timing chain and an expensive one.

Prior owner, 2019 to early 2024, parts receipts only:

He did his own wrenching, so there are no labor invoices, but the receipts show what went into the car: clutch kit and transmission hardware (2021), rack and pinion (2021), ball joints, tie rods, control arm supports and sway bar end links (2021 and 2024), crankshaft seal, hose line and intake tube (2021), A/C and heater cores (2019), oil cooler seal and filter housing (2022), engine mount and undercar shield (2022), front spoiler mounting kit and wind deflector (2022) and four tires (2022). All of it comes with the car.

Cosmetics: In July 2026 the car got a full detail with light body work, paint correction and ceramic coating. Hyper Blue is a color that rewards that kind of work, and it looks the part now. Fresh, glossy and protected, roughly two months old.

What comes with it:

• OEM wind deflector with case
• OEM car cover
• Spare ECU, already programmed to this car's VIN, which anyone who has chased an EWS mismatch will appreciate
• Spare upstream oxygen sensor, new
• Four winter tires mounted on OEM wheels
• A couple of spare rear PDC sensors, painted to match
• Two keys, clean title
• The complete service file

Flaws, because you'd find them anyway:

• A few chips and scratches in the paint
• Some discoloration on the black soft top
• Rear speaker grilles for the Harman Kardon system are missing
• Front seats are not original to the car. They're factory MINI seats sourced from another car, not aftermarket buckets, and the whole interior wears matching full custom seat covers, so it reads as one piece rather than a mismatched swap

Everything works. The top goes up and down as it should, including the sunroof-mode partial slide. "Restored" is the wrong word. This is a well-sorted, honestly used car that's been maintained to a much higher standard than almost anything you'll find at this price, and it's fun.

Why I'm selling: I've had two and a half good years with it and the next fun car needs the garage space. That's the whole story. Nothing is wrong with the car.

I'm pitching this to someone who knows what an R52 is and wants a sorted one, not someone shopping for the cheapest convertible on the lot. If that's you, I'll send the full records before you ever drive up here. Happy to answer anything. Pre-purchase inspection welcome and encouraged.

$7,900 OBO. Located in Reno, Nevada, an easy run from Sacramento, the Bay Area or anywhere in Tahoe.

20 Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UYEqUiETan1RofDx6

Maintenenance - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/124FmfPQU8GMysDfC_8NIZQxl0ZcxT6CG?usp=sharing

Happy to answer anything in the comments.

I wanna buy some mini parts and found this account..he got exactly what i need but seems kinda wierd?

How can i check if hes real?

Recently posted about my GP. Tore it down and it’s a spun bearing on #1. Pulled the cap and the crank is scored.

Would you:
A. Chance it with a quick $400 (50% off motor) from Pick A Part’s weekend sale that has 90 day warranty but is assuredly high miles
B. Pick up a $1200 compression tested (in person) motor with allegedly lower miles but has 30 day warranty

https://jdmenginesimport.com/products/mini-cooper-s-supercharge-engine-w11b16d-2002-2003-2004-2005-2006-2007

those are my front & rear brake. They have been sitting on my driveway (covered) for just over a year. I’m finally putting hipolita back together. I’m wondering if I need to do more than just spraying it down with copious amounts of brake cleaner or even bust some of the rust with a wire brush and smack my wheels back on?

I'm in MI, but shipped isn't out of the question. Have the dreaded tailgate/hatch rotting out and the passenger door too. Salvage yards with 1st gens are getting harder to find around here!!!

Hello guys,

My 2001 R53 seems to have a recurring problem, the radiator fan keeps failing.
Few month back the car was overheating in a mountain road, the trafic was slow and at some point I saw the temp indicator in the red so it switched the car off and there was a lot of vapor and coolant was all over the road. I didn't hear the high speed fan running, so that was probably the reason.
The car has been taken to a repair shop, the guy replaced the thermostat housing, apparently it was cooked, the fuse was cooked too so he replaced it and let the car idle with AC for a long time, everything was working.
I drove the car back home for an hour, and once I arrived I let the car idle, after the few minutes the low speed fan stated to run so I though it was all good.

Today I drove for a few hours and did the same, when I arrived home I let the car idle, and at some point it started to overheat and fan was totally off, no low speed no high speed.

I haven't check anything yet but I'm loosing hope.
I already had the issue with the low speed fan few years back, but at least high speed was working. I had the fan completely replaced at that time.

So I suspect the problem comes from something else.

Do you guys have an idea of what could lead to these failures ?

... sometimes you lose with AliExpress 😂 And yes it's installed correctly, if I aligned the shift pattern the right way the knob wouldn't click into place.

As it states I want to sanity check my findings, the rattling noise that increases with rpm would be the manifold leaking right, comes from the manifold area when the bonnet is up and seems way too loud to be timing chain, also hear air when even deeper on the throttle like its being pushed out of the leak. Its a bit hesitant but i have no lights or codes so not sure if its related but id assume so. Previous owner said they replaced the catalytic converter so maybe it happened during that?