2002-06 MINI Cooper Non-S Clutch Replacement Part 1 of 2

[@jimmachen5095]

i have been a mechanic for 40 years ,this is the best video i have seen and best of all no back ground music ,,,,,,,great job

[@willeaton3759]

Agree with the majority of comments, superb and informative video. It is nice to find someone who does not feel the need to give their life story at the beginiing and does not need us to listen to muzak in the background.

[@Drones-eye]

Mod Mini you are an absolute star. Im in the UK but have used your vids to work on my daughters Mini on numerous occasions. I love a bit of amateur mechanics but without these tutorials I would be unable to do a lot of the work. Many thanks..

[@Bbadger81]

This video deserves to shared, it's one of the most comprehensive I've seen do far.

[@marcosd999]

You sir, are a legend. I've just completed a 6 speed conversion on my R50 and followed your vids pretty much to the tee. Absolutely great instruction, thank you.

[@seamuswibben13]

I cannot recommend this video more. The clutch went on my mothers 05 mini base. I ordered the parts and literally just followed the video step by step and completed the job with minimal hiccups. Any issues that I hit I was able to solve by reviewing some of his other clutch videos. 10/10 and thank you so much for making this video. I would not have had the confidence to do this job if it was not for this video!

[@frankgarofalo2224]

Thanks! Your video is so good I’m taking this project on myself and saving $2500!

[@geirlundahl1829]

Thanks you for a thorough and well made guidance. BMW in Norway wanted £2,200 for the job. (Madness) Bought the clutch for £100 and fixed it myself. To evenings, and the job was done. :-) This video helped me a lot, and made me use 2 evenings instead of 4. THANKS

[@charlottemonk4547]

Thank you, you are the man, i watched your video and just followed the process you had and it was easy.most garage mechanics want £ 300 to £ 500 for this job just to fit a £ 80 clutch kit, saved loads of money. Many thanks again

[@benkr5870]

you are a girl and you did this job ? and its normal the price they ask

[@peterhewins4986]

man deserves a medal very informative and no fast forward bits ive done this on numerous occasions and agree with everything he says only difference is i take out the radiator just for easier access

[@ModMINI]

I took out the radiator for my Cooper S video, and people are commenting that I shouldn't take out the radiator :P

[@seriosertyp8145]

Thanks for saving me tons of money.

[@sub-ohmenthusiasts1243]

Hi There, from across the Pond in the UK 🇬🇧. I just wanted to make a comment. I recently had to replace my Gearbox and Clutch and Rear Oil Seal. Your video Help Massively. As I do most of the work on my vehicles. Iv never had to change a Gearbox and Clutch. Your Two part Vedeo was a great help in me doing myself and save a lot of money as it cost between £350 to £450 to get it done at a independent Garage. Im even happy to say, I was able to centre the Clutch disc by hand on the first go, with your tutorial. So I want to say a BIG MASSIVE THANKS!!!! GREAT TUTORIAL, AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. YOUR CHANNEL IS THE ONE I COME TO FOR HELP WHEN ANYTHING GOES WRONG WITH MY CAR.

[@stevecollin6980]

Great step by step video I used this today and completed a much daunting clutch install on a mini cooper after hearing all the horror stories it was great to watch this video step by step throughout the install thanks for this mate

[@chandlermayberry1038]

Used this guide when I was 17 on my first Mini with a blown clutch, using it again when I'm 22 for another Mini I just bought with a blown clutch. Thank you for the guide!

[@c8specialist]

Thank you for this excellent video, I just replaced the clutch on my son's 2002 Mini Cooper and following your fantastic instructions made it really straightforward. The most awkward part was clipping back in the spring clips on the 2 gear linkages, very fiddly! Also anyone doing this needs to take care when removing the ball joints, even using the right ball joint removal tool as in your video it is easy to damage the rubber seals - I replaced both ball joints just to make sure while the car was off the road. Thanks again Mod MINI for this super work!

[@user-px1wj2uv3r]

I miss my 1992 Ford mustang right now REALLY bad. Dropping the transmission in that takes an hour at most. Thank you for being so thorough, I can plan this job much more accurately now.

[@ModMINI]

We all miss how easy it was to repair our 1970s/1980s/1990s cars...

[@jonyusko5155]

This was an exceptional video on the process. Very thorough. I followed to a tee. One tip that I found to make life easier when re-installing the bellhousing. Get it close then buy/use two or three M12 x 120mm cap bolts to thread through the trans into the block to help hold and align it before mating them up. Getting the transmission lined up back into the input shaft was a bit of a chore. Other than that -- this was perfect.

[@viv9776]

Excellent and very informative video, i have never changed a clutch on a car before but this video gave me the information and confidence i needed. It took me a good while longer to do but I got there with the help of this video. Thank you

[@ModMINI]

Always nice to hear a success story! Ås far as clutch jobs go, this is not an easy one!

[@kurtishansen]

Just wanted to say thank you. These videos are amazing. I used this one along with some others to do some major repairs to my MINI and breathe new life into it. Not only is my car in much better shape, but I have a better understanding of how my cooper functions and I'll feel totally comfortable making other repairs in the future. Would not be able to say that without you. Thanks again!

[@jamesfield6568]

so basicly you have to remove the car from the clutch

[@nickgregory1893]

James Field 😆🤣🤣

[@ModMINI]

Step 1: Remove car Step 2: Remove clutch Step 3: Assemble in reverse order

[@patron_rex14]

I’m dying bro 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@chocolatethunder6191]

😆😆😆

[@grantsage1761]

i guess Im asking the wrong place but does anybody know of a method to get back into an instagram account?? I somehow forgot the password. I would love any tricks you can give me.

[@peterhewins4986]

and if youve done it yourself and saved a fortune the bloke deserves some respect buy one of his tee shirts

[@ModMINI]

Buy 10!

[@franko6862]

an excellent guide done very well. I thank you particularly because grazzia to this guide I managed to redo the clutch of a mini cooper without wasting time to look first thing to dismount and how to do. thank you

[@mattfield914]

All respect to guys like this doing such comprehensive videos. Hats off to you sir.

[@sanzsanz18]

I couldn't find a better video than this, i follow the same steps and my mini cooper is back in bussiness, thank you very much, you save me a lot of $$$ , 04/24/2018

[@ThugaNasty]

I used this video as guidance to remove/reinstall the subframe on my R50 to replace front sway bar bushings. Thanks for the help! Surprisingly, everything went pretty smoothly.

[@ericmiranda9841]

Dude I admire you. I would never try this, without the removed wheels under the car. For added safety. Great job and great video....

[@leehoward7316]

Honestly i know its been said so many times but this video is fantastic, im going on to part 2 tomorrow only thing i wish i had is a transmission jack... many thanks again!!

[@robertstancliffsr9575]

Very good video which reminded me to be very gentle with the way I use my clutch.......

[@bretagneescapee9199]

Well done an excellent guide saved me a whole lot of head scratching did it on my drive on my own no real problems removing the plastic wheel arches is a good idea as it allows you to see much more

[@ModMINI]

Not necessary but many people say it is helpful to remove the wheel arch.

[@vickimiller7165]

Mod MINI I have a 2002 Mini and have a problem with it moving. Was accelerating hard in first and when I hit second it suddenly quit moving forward. The shifter will go into all gears including reverse but won’t engage. Checked the shift cables which are fine. With the car running you can hear something rotating beneath the car that doesn’t stop even when you engage the clutch. I know that’s not much information but wondered if you could diagnose it based on that info? I am capable of doing the work myself but need advice on determining the mechanical issue before taking the car apart. Thanks!

[@sub-ohmenthusiasts1243]

Just wanted to say thanks for the Video. Have trouble with my gearbox. To save Money im removing it myself. And your video 1 and 2 help a lot doing that.

[@got2bharmony]

Great video very professional job and well filmed too. I have just completed disassembly of a RHD (UK spec) Cooper and couldn't have done it well without your guidance. I'd recommend removing the gearbox end support bush before attempting to split the bell housing as it will definitely foul. I also found that the gear change selector fouled an A/C pipe when trying to remove the gearbox, so beware of this as once it catches up it's a devil to free. Just to confirm that removal of the steering column from the rack is the same for a RHD vehicle. (there's more room on that side providing you remove everything as directed in this video).After disassembly I found a failed thrust bearing, the bearings hadn't come out of the race yet but they would have if the car had been driven any longer. I'm not convinced that the thrust washer design (Valeo replacement is identical to factory fitted one) is robust enough for this car to make it past 125,000 miles, which is daft because the quality of build of the car apart from this would enable this car to go for 150,000+ miles if driven sensibly. About to watch part 2 and complete my job. I'm a bit worried about the amount of greasy deposits in the gearbox housing suggesting a leaking oil seal on the box main shaft. Although not part of the clutch replacement, I have a worn track-rod end joint to replace and I could not believe how incredibly seized the track-rod end was. Heaven knows why this was impossible to turn, even with the subframe off the car. I ended up having to buy the entire track-rod assembly which will hopefully be easier to remove at the track-rod end.

[@ModMINI]

Good working. Use heat (propane or MAP torch) to loosen the outer tie rod (track rod) ends. Get them really hot and they will come loose. The clutch throwout (thrust) bearing is pretty reliable on these cars, I've only seen one or two fail. They should last the life of the clutch as long as people don't keep their foot on the clutch pedal while waiting at red lights.

[@ig6713]

I'm preparing to do this job on my 2003 after being quoted a range from $1500 to 2500. Wish me luck!

[@ThomasGillot]

Looks like I am going to have to tackle this job. Seems like a nightmare, but still doable. Thanks for the comprehensive video.

[@Whappers1]

I wish you were based near me so you could work on my car. I don't trust a lot of the mechanics to do a good job but it's clear you know what you're doing. :)

[@michaelwest4620]

Good video but not sure if you have to remove lower ball joint nut & tie rod on both sides wasn’t clear on that could you let me know cheers Michael

[@ModMINI]

It needs to be done on the other side or the subframe will be hanging and won't come out...?

[@garylarson4589]

Wow great video!! Thanks for taking the time to show the right way. You made it much easier than the waste of money I spent on the Mitchell info. Can't wait to watch the 2nd part and do the re-install. Blessings to you!

[@buckwlkr]

Great videos!! Ok question... I bought a used 2002 minit was in too many often individual and noticed there's a black hard plastic line running across the top of the transmission about about 3/8 diameter OD. It Appears to be broken off about halfway across the top of the transmission. What is this line?

[@crisXblue12]

Very good video, a question though, where can I get the lower ball joint removal tool, thank you

[@ModMINI]

amzn.to/1njXYY8

[@crisXblue12]

Thnx

[@chris23mecca]

Is there a video on replacing and bleeding the slave so annoyed on this model where it’s located underneath the battery? That is the model that I am working on that is mine I’m poor I need to help. I feel that the Silla Noyd itself is too short and that there is a longer one only about seven eights of an inch longer but please verify that it’s a different size

[@jacobwardrip3470]

Thank you for this video! I'm doing the same job on my r50 right now

[@alishafieyan2441]

Excellent video! Had a great time taking the transmission out to replace the clutch. I found out that my R65 Midland '02 transmission needs to be rebuilt. Can you refer me to a video that is half as good as yours that can help me rebuild the transmission

[@lordpalfdeflapdrol828]

Goeiedag zou je ook kunnen zeggen of na het vervangen van de koppeling deze bij optrekken en afremmen een krakend geluid mag maken of wat dat zou kunnen zijn Ik heb de auto nu 3 keer teruggestuurd naar de garage maar ik denk dat Ja in de steekassen iets niet goed zit

[@murrayhalsall3167]

Very useful. Thank you very much for posting these videos. I had the crack in the clutch release fork too (I think you have another video on this). All sorted now. Thanks for the help.

[@golfernst]

excellent video! You have helped me many, many times! THANK YOU

[@Pakamoute]

Your videos are awesome, thanks a lot !! I made a 6 pages guide (in french for me) with each subtleties to know what I need and to be sure to do the correct job on site :-D

[@alexek7]

What is the spec for a 2005 r50 (non s) clutch? Number of teeth and profile? Can choose between 17 teeth or 18 teeth, which one is it?

[@agsmith001]

nice job. i was watching to see if you have to drain the radiator. i had my '03 R50 in for a clutch and it came back with no coolant!

[@ModMINI]

It's possible to do it without touching the coolant.

[@johntoon7172]

What size is the bolt you used to hold the metal plate for holding engine with chain.

[@cjparr]

Thanks for posting this great video. About to watch part 2 to see the complete procedure.

[@printjunky]

Opportune timing and an incredibly well-done video. Just about to dig into my girlfriend's Mini and sort a slipping clutch. This should be fun, and a bit of a departure. My daily driver (and regular patient) is a 42 year old Land Rover, of which I know every bolt, screw, and wire like the back of my hand, inside and out. Any insight on important differences on an 07 non-S, 5spd? Thanks very much for any additional hints/tips.

[@ModMINI]

Shawn Eldridge 2007 MINI Cooper is completely different, but similar to other front wheel drive cars. The major steps are the same as in this video, specific disassembly will be different.

[@printjunky]

***** I've only found one notable difference with the 2007 R52 5-speed Convertible so far. If you don't mind, I'll post a picture of it (and any other differences I find) when I'm done, along with any notes I can think of. I'm just about to start cracking bell housing bolts (only starter and heat shield left before that). What is your opinion on going in and changing the rear main while I'm in there? Car has 55k on it, with no known oil problems of any kind -leaks, loss, etc. The bottom is pretty much pristine, in fact. But I have no problem pulling the flywheel to do it. Part of me thinks "might as well." And part of me thinks "If it ain't broke (and potentially has several tens of thousands of miles of life left ...)

[@ModMINI]

Shawn Eldridge Depends how long you plan on keeping the car. You might be better leaving as is, but it's not hard to replace. Stock ones start leaking after around 120-150K miles.

[@melinw.9907]

Hello, I have asked you a couple questions before on my 2003 Mini and you gave me some great advise so I wanted to pick your brain on this: My 2003 MCS just had the radiator replaced AND reservoir with New BMW coolant and Oil Change about 6 months ago but it started overheating about 1 month ago. I pulled over and ended up having to add coolant to it. (since the radiator work it has not acted up nor indicated it needed any fluids} The oil at this point was very thick! We didn't see any water or fluid in it though. Its not blowing any kind of smoke. It drives just as hard and smooth as it always has. However, I cant seem to drive it more than 15-20 minutes, or sit at a stop light for more than 1 minute now without it overheating. I spoke with the garage that did the work and he troubleshooted with me over the phone saying it doesnt sound like the thermostat, that I must be losing fluid somewhere, although i dont see any visible leaks on the ground, nor do I smell anything, yet when i check the fluid its bone dry! Can you pick your brain and throw out some kind of possibility of this? Im terrified it needs a new head gasket now and I'm prepared to pay for that but for my curiosity and posture when I go to speak my mind with this dude I'd like to have some valid responses not just an emotional outburst!! :) thanks!

[@ModMINI]

Sounds like bad head gasket or if you have a Cooper S, the oil/water heat exchanger on the back side of the block has failed(it's attached to the oil filter housing). Not sure what you mean by thick oil. Water and oil mixed results in an emulsified mess that looks like chocolate milkshake. Replace or test the heat exchanger first before investigating head gasket or head. Head failures are rare but can happen if allowed to get too hot. I am aware of at least a couple instances where it was just the heat exchanger.

[@wilowb01]

Mod MINI --we checked the oil and yep, it was a chocolate milk - snotty mess. I'm not sure how to proceed now...i drove it down the street to see reaction sound root causes...seems just as strong as always sounds normal no smoke...but snot in chocolate milk oil. shame cause only 100k miles on this lil Mini Cooper S. in your opinion is it worth fixing or replacing engine?

[@ModMINI]

Do what I said below. Replace oil heat exchanger. Drain and fill engine oil 2-3 times until it runs clear. If problem comes back, replace head gasket. Avoid driving or only drive gentle for now. Engine is probably fine.

[@wilowb01]

Mod MINI hello again! So we ended up parking my Mini for almost a year and getting a new Toyota 4Runner. HOWEVER about 2 weeks ago my husband tackled the Mini in a deep dive project fix and YOU WERE RIGHT! we replaced that "water/oil heat exchanger" part for $135.00 and replaced the fluids & oil and made a few test runs and it worked! I have driven it to work and back a couple times now in heavy traffic and it just purrs along! I CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH! YOUR ADVICE IS WORTH YOUR WEIGHT IN GOLD, TRULY! My husband said if you lived closer we'd have to take you out to dinner!! I was at a loss and you gave me some hope that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. THANK YOU! So we are keeping our eye on the fluids and the way it runs, but so far it's all good! Is there anything firther you might warn about after having replaced that part and had ot overheat a bit? YOU ROCK!! ---- update: today (8.03.2017) I drove it to work again, 3rd time now, heading home I stopped at the light to get on the freeway and I noticed the needle going up! Yep got hot again. Pulled into a gas station and as I drove the needle immediately went down to normal. I decided to creep home stayed under 70mph. We checked the oil and there was water in the oil again. Sooo...I guess it's the head gasket...?? I'm so bummed... Damn!

[@miguelaceves1010]

Hi! I have a 2004 mini cooper and my transmission still makes a strange noise like when you have metal with metal ... I just replaced all the ball joints, CV axels, and it continues to be the noise, disassemble the clouth and it is a little worn but there is no signs of broken metal and my question is if something in the transmission inside the gear could be damaged? I would appreciate an opinion, I'm from California

[@ModMINI]

How does the fluid look?

[@thomasmoxon3423]

Love the videos. I’ve lowered the subframe to replace inner and outer ball joints and front rear wishbone rubber now my car shakes on acceleration at about 45mph but stops when I take foot off of acceleration pedal. Have you got any tips that could help please.

[@dreadpiratekiel]

At 9:42 you start talking about the differences in the transmission in the 06. I'm looking to replace my clutch on my 06 R50 and would like to know if you have any tips on the differences. I've used your videos for so much, thank you for the quality content.

[@ModMINI]

It's pretty much the same thing, the slave cylinder and shifter cables are different, nothing you shouldn't be able to figure out.

[@dreadpiratekiel]

Mod MINI thank you for the instant reply, holy crap.

[@summse83]

Can i drop the subframe only a little bit for a complete replacement of the control arm bushings without disconnecting everything? I only want to drop it to have better access to the screws...so i can remove the whole control arm.

[@ModMINI]

summse83 possible but it is easier just to drop it completely. You need several hundred lb-ft to loosen.

[@topdog19945]

I just got my 2005 convertible from my mechanic after having the clutch, air filter, and serpentine belt replaced and I noticed a few things. It's a struggle to get it into first gear or reverse compared to before. I also noticed it's extremely rough and I have stalled a lot because of it. I noticed it engages a lot quicker. Will these problems go away after its broken in or did my mechanic do it wrong? The clutch he installed has a model number MU72260-1. Is this a street or high performance clutch? He claimed he test drive it himself to make sure everything worked properly but it feels a lot different with it being harder to put it into gear. There's no grinding noise either.

[@ModMINI]

Jesse Hooton Was it notchy before the clutch replace? I think the 5 speeds are harder to push into low gears than the 6 speeds. That part number appears to be an OEM equivalent. The possibilities, other than clutch, for putting into gear are clutch slave cylinder needs to be bled, clutch slave cylinder is worn, or the throwout bearing release fork is bent.

[@topdog19945]

***** my mechanic said he fixed the throwout bearing but I'll have to ask him if he bled the cylinder. And it wasn't notchy before it was replaced. It's only notchy when the engine is running and the car is at a stop. It's not as hard to shift when the engine is off. Also I believe my rotors have become warped but I don't know what ones. How can I test which ones are warped? Also if my mechanic didn't bleed the cylinder, is this something I could do myself? Same thing with the rotors. Because my parents just paid almost $1800 for this repair because a few other things were fixed. We're on a tight budget at the moment and I need a car to get to and from school and other places and my mini was in the shop for over a month.

[@ModMINI]

Jesse Hooton Those are all symptoms of bad hydraulics, throwout bearing shorter than necessary tolerance or bent release fork. If it wasn't notchy before, it shouldn't be notchy now, but I can understand if the mechanic wants to charge for following up. Sounds like the right part was used, and I don't know if bent release fork was an issue on the 2005-2006 R50. Easiest thing to check now is hydraulics. Also, what gear oil was put in the transmission? Wrong viscosity oil or oil without necessary friction modifiers can cause the synchros to not work as well and result in notchiness/difficulty to get in to 1st or 2nd when at a full stop. Hydraulics are not easy to bleed. You need to fully compress the slave cylinder and then press the clutch pedal ONLY when someone is cracking the bleed valve (and when the rear of the slave cylinder is pointing up) or do a pressure bleed, (again when rear of cylinder is pointing up.)

[@topdog19945]

***** thanks and when I drove home yesterday, everything was fine. The notchiness in the transmission is gone and it turned out, I was engaging the clutch a little too quickly. I had my mechanic check it out and everything checks out alright.

[@aarontaroyans1560]

Hi. Thanks for your helpful video. I just did a clutch job on my 07 base model cooper and i'm I have one 13mm bolt left over that I can not figure out where it goes. thinking that most bolts are torx and only hex one was for starter, I've looked everywhere and I can't find where this one 13mm bolt goes. i'd appreciate any help.

[@ModMINI]

There are a lot of 13mm bolts on these cars, but if it's a long one, it goes into the starter from the bell housing side on the top of the transmission. Just under the thermostat housing.

[@aarontaroyans1560]

Mod MINI thanks for your response. That starter bolt is in already. This one is 55mm long and it's about half way threaded. I'm pretty much giving up at this point since I've been looking everywhere on the car and googling around diagrams but can't find anything. If it rings a bell please let me know. Thanks again.

[@HarisGacevic]

This video was an absolute life saver. Thank you for this amazing, all-encompassing video. Couple of snags along the way, quite a bit longer than it took you but got the car back together! Thanks for the video, truly appreciate the knowledge you have sent our way!!!

[@MoAli-wm4of]

Can anybody kindly suggest anything which is relatively cheap yet useful that would be made accessible while doing this clutch replacement? Many thanks.

[@lefebvreyves35]

i really thank you for this vidéo and the second one it really help me for changing my broken gearbox (even if it's on english lol i'm french)

[@ModMINI]

Yves Lefebvre Thanks, glad it was helpful.

[@trantothebao]

What kind of Air compressor and impact gun is that? Really interested in getting. I'm getting so tired of turning wrenches. especially on this Mini i'm doing for a friend... I have to say, i'm never touching FWD again!! haha

[@ModMINI]

It's a Harbor Freight compressor and a Craftsman impact gun, but just about any reasonably priced setup will work fine. Minimum tank size would probably be around 15-20 gallon. Don't fear the FWD!

[@vickimiller7165]

I have a 2002 Mini which I wondered if you can help me diagnose what may have happened. I was shifting it from 1st to 2nd gear while having it floored and suddenly it quit moving. Will shift into all gears but won’t move. Checked the shift cables and they are fine. Whether the clutch is engaged or not, you can hear something rotating beneath the car when it running. Any ideas what may be wrong with it? Thanks for any help. I live 2 hours from the nearest mechanic and I’m capable of fixing it.

[@ModMINI]

Sounds like blown clutch.

[@vickimiller7165]

Mod MINI While I’ve got it apart, would you suggest that I replace everything? Pressure plate, throw out bearing...

[@nightslinger3350]

Thanks a lot for this Tutorial. I have a 2005 Mini One with 90hp. Does it come with a simple fly wheel or a two mass fly wheel?

[@ModMINI]

Pretty sure it's a simple flywheel.

[@oceankluszczynski7242]

Hi my husband has a 2005 N/A (non-s) Mini Cooper and bought a stage 2 clutch kit everything is going great he went to replace the throw out bearing and it’s bigger than the original and it won’t even fit in the release arm (fork) can you give him some suggestions maybe it’s the wrong year clutch he said it maybe a o6 clutch kit they they are a little diff in some parts idk he’s just at his end and I feel bad for him he can’t figure it out at all please and thank you

[@ModMINI]

Sounds like you got the wrong kit for the transmission. There was a design change in July 2004.

[@trantothebao]

***** Is there anything I could use to hold the outer ball joint from spinning? My Electic impact gun is huge so i can't use it there. Jackstands is already at Max. I've tried using the breaker bar and etc... it got loose a bit but now the bolt is free spinning with it. I've tried putting the Alan key in the middle while using one of my special socket/ratchet still not working...

[@ModMINI]

Bao Tran Tightening or loosening? Tightening: Use your floor jack and a block of wood to press it into the seat. Loosening: There is a female hex indentation on the ball joint itself. Put the appropriate hex (allen) wrench in that hole while you rotate the nut off with your box wrench or ratcheting box wrench. Oh, just noticed that is not working. Why not? If all else fails, grind it off with a wheel grinder or of course you can separate the ball joint from the hub using the two 13mm bolts.

[@brucelwiley416]

I replaced my clutch using your instructions. I tore down day 1 and reinstalled day 2. Now the car won't crank. I have checked everything. Any ideas?

[@ModMINI]

Ground strap next to engine mount or connections to starter?

[@roughlyEnforcing]

hey man i'm dong this on a 2009 JCW and can't get the driver's side CV axles to come out of the trans... im really frustrated. Can you give me some advice ?

[@ModMINI]

I've never pulled an axle on a Gen 2 MINI. I suppose it's similar, you just have to pop it. Use a pry bar and smartly pop. If the circlip is stiff, it might help to rotate the axle about 90 degrees at a time.

[@acykat2069]

You have any experience with the Valeo kits and single-mass flywheel conversions? I'm looking into one for my R56.

[@ModMINI]

Hello. I have done plenty on the R53 and all are happy with the setup. I have one now myself. I don't have experience with the R56 but can't think of a reason to not go with the setup.

[@acykat2069]

***** Thanks, it looks as if JM Turbo Coopers in AZ makes a steel flywheel and a kevlar clutch kit that I'm ordering. I really wish I could test drive various clutches to see which I prefer, changing them out is pretty expensive.

[@willhelmet4350]

Awesome videos from you, they’ve been very helpful. I’ve got a question, about diagnosis. I’ve a 2005 non-S cooper. I don’t know whether it’s the slave cylinder or the clutch, or maybe something else. I was driving it fine, stopped at my house for an hour, and left again. Right down the road it lost all acceleration power. The RPMs would increase but it wouldn’t go any faster than about 10 mph, in first. I tried second, same thing. Then when I pulled it off the road to check it out it stalled. It turned back on right away and I drove it back to my house slow. I turned it on a couple days after and it made a squealing (kind of like an alternator, maybe it’s not related). Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[@modernNeanderthal800]

I am currently dealing with EXACTLY the same problem. Please let me know how things turned out. I'm replacing my clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing in hopes that does the trick. I did find that my main linkage bushing was shot

[@The1stDukeDroklar]

Had the throw out bearing replaced at a shop. A month later the head gasket blew. The car sat for about 6 months. Replaced the head gasket based on your other video (which was awesome, thanks) and it works fine now. However the clutch pedal goes to the floor and remains unless I physically pull it back up. As I pull it back out, if I let go at about 1/4 up, it will slowly pull itself back to the floor. If I pull it all the way back up, it stays. Brake fluid is full. No leaks under car. Air in the line? Bad cylinder? Bad Karma? Lol If it's air in the line and it worked fine prior to sitting, does that mean the cylinder needs replacing anyway because it is letting air in slowly over time?

[@ModMINI]

The1stDukeDroklar replace space cylinder and bleed.

[@The1stDukeDroklar]

Sure enough. I watched your other video on slave cylinder replacement (so I could locate it lol) and it started leaking after pumping the pedal several times. Must've been damaged when it was towed. Thanks for your answers as well as the most thorough and well made videos I've seen on youtube.

[@shabmehtabuddin8138]

Mod MIni, Can you share what tools used in the video. Such as the impact drill and the attachments. I also saw a craftsman 12v nextex used. Do you find having those options during the removal speed things up. Please advise. Thank you in advance.

[@ModMINI]

+Shab Mehtabuddin 8, 10, 13, 15, 16, 18mm sockets and wrenches, torx 30, Ridgid 18v impact driver. I think on the Cooper non-S the drain bolt is 17mm. Floor jack, engine support bar, transmission jack, assortment of pliers and screwdrivers. I think I included links to some of the more unusual tools in the video description. The battery impact tools are nice to accelerate things here and there (to skip over a lot of hand-threading) but are of course not essential.

[@dsstaley]

This is a great video. Well done, good explanations. If you're looking for another idea for a video you might consider making a "What to look out for" video for buying used Minis.

[@bobbambach5577]

I ordered the SACHS replacement pressure plate which has 12 fingers or teeth on it which goes against the throw-out bearing. The 2002 MINI pressure plate I removed has 18. Will this make a difference? Is more amount of fingers/teeth make a smoother release? or is the 12 finger/teeth unit fine?

[@ModMINI]

It should be fine if it was engineered to go on the same car. Every clutch/pressure plate manufacture does things a little differently; the number of teeth should make no difference - when you add up the pressure exerted by all teeth for each kind, they are probably the same.

[@bobbambach5577]

***** OK thank you. FYI the clutch pressure plate appears to have a manuf code date MINI 19/04/02 European so April 19 2002. At 112000 miles could that be original to this 2002 car?

[@michaelwest4620]

The bolt you took out the 02 sensor to hold engine with what size was it

[@ModMINI]

Not sure I understand the question

[@joantrma1238]

hi bro mini one 2006 cvt transmision service plis!!!

[@anthonysun3606]

minute 11:27 not in the right hand drive. correct ?

[@anthonysun3606]

I mean, it's in right side (driver side), correct?

[@johngarcia7116]

Can you tell me what thread pitch 2 bolts are that you thread in to hold the radiator up? Also can you give me the thread pitch of the bolt that you are using to hook the chain up to the strut bar to support the engine?

[@ModMINI]

I believe M6x1.25 for the modular frond end. Same for the bolt in the side of the head. MAyyyybe a M5. The modular front end bolts are the same as the one 13mm nut on each side of the bumper visible when bonnet is opened. Take off that bolt and take it with you when bolt shopping.

[@mikegarrison4727]

M8 is what you need. I bought some long M8 bolts (M8x125 I believe) from Lowe's for $4 a bolt (yikes), but they fit perfectly. I picked up some M8x250 washers while I was there just to make sure the rad didn't come off. Thanks a ton Mod MINI for all your help! I can't wait to get motoring again in my R50.

[@kylewinland9667]

I have a 05 r50 clutch changes gears fine. But there is insane noise loud winding noise under load but as soon as I let off the throttle the noise goes away or if I press down the clutch the noise also goes away. Transmission was rebuilt 10k miles ago the noise then was definitely a bad bearing sound but this is a smooth grind noise under load. Any ideas ?

[@ModMINI]

Sorry, but that's probably transmission. Rebuilds don't always go as planned.

[@kylewinland9667]

@@ModMINI any recommendations on where to find a rebuild kit ? Late 2005 base model. Thanks for any suggestions.

[@MegaMoe1965]

Hello, i wanna first thank you for the work that you do and also for putting this video up. I am right now in the proccess of changing my own clutch for the same car and year. Before the clutch stopped working the tranmission was making some type of swirlling noise when its in gear so at first i changed the axles to see if itll go away but it didnt so then i watched your videos i thought itd be the throw out bearing that was making that noise but as i have just brought down my transmission to see what stopped the clutch from operating the throw bearing looked to be in its place with out any damage. I took out the cluch pressure plate as well as the clutch disk but, now im not sure on how tell whether if my clutch is bad from looking at it, any help please?

[@ModMINI]

If it is worn down close to the rivets and there are no more radial grooves left, it is time to change the clutch. If you have a midlands 5 speed (2002-2004 R50), the noise you are hearing is probably the transmission. It needs new output shaft bearings (and possibly also differential and input shaft bearings).

[@MegaMoe1965]

just went to a mechanic down the street and he told me it could be the pump and i showed him my clutch he said its almost brand new.

[@jfbrotbeck]

Very comprehensive video. I'm on my factory clutch after 142K miles on my 2005 R53 Cooper S. Waiting with baited breath for it to give up the ghost. You may have changed my mind on what type of gloves to wear while doing this type of work. Nitrile/Latex/etc always rip at the worst time. Do you wash the same pair over and over, or just trash them after several jobs?

[@ModMINI]

Wear until dirty, maybe wash once, then toss them or use to soak up spills

[@modulation007]

You Sir are a God among men.

[@realismartinez001]

I recently purchased a 2006 r53 jcw and since I bought the car I noticed the clutch pedal was pretty stiff, since I've never drove a mini cooper before I thought it was normal till last night, it happened smartly the same thing that happened to the car in the video the only difference is that my clutch doent make any wierd noise. so you think is time for a new clutch

[@ModMINI]

Well if the clutch is not functioning property and you confirm the hydraulics are good, all the other components are inside the bell housing. Note that this video is for an R50, which has a different clutch and transmission altogether. Throwout bearing failures are less common on an R53 but they can happen.

[@realismartinez001]

+Mod MINI thank you for replying. I'm about to DIY hopefully everything goes smooth like in your video. once again thank you for your help

[@efrahernandez3646]

Hi my friend,you mention something about the other mini having a different design of the transmission, is it possible to make the swap or do they fit no matter the design, please let me know somebody is selling me one different design and says thet it fits,and I need to make sure before buying

[@ModMINI]

You can swap transmission but need all the other parts as well to make it work. axles, shifter cables, hydraulics, clutch, transmission mounts etc.

[@efrahernandez3646]

@@ModMINI thank you SR, this info is very valuable for me and for other people, and thank you for replying,

[@johanndupreez7736]

Thank you very much for this share. Helped us a lot.

[@moonbeaddesigns9622]

hey there, i was wondering what would resurfacing the flywheel possibly effect? I did the clutch job about 10 months ago and resurfaced my flywheel as well. In first gear im having trouble with slow take offs and my mini jolting and vibrating. it happens mostly nearly every time i start moving from first gear to second gear. if i take off quickly this problem doesnt happen. one mechanic told me that it was because my flywheel was resurfaced and material was shaved off and now the distance to contact with te clutch is greater or something like that. should i go ahead and get a new flywheel to fix the problem. thanks:)

[@ModMINI]

+eric knowlzy I suppose a bad flywheel resurface could cause that, as well as any oil or other contaminants on the flywheel, pressure plate or clutch disk. I don't know if extra distance could cause that but I suppose it's possible, especially if it is not totally true.

[@mattcreekmore2396]

I was on my way home today and I was going from stop to go at a red light and when I went to take off my car jerked a little and then I started getting lots of noise in the bell housing. Is it a clutch issue or a throwout bearing. I'm looking to change clutch anyways if I have to change the throwout bearing. Thanks. My car is being towed home so I can work on it. Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks again.

[@ModMINI]

Inside the bell housing? You're going to have to pull the transmission no matter what. Who knows what you'll find until you take it apart. It could be disk, pressure plate or throwout bearing. No way to know until you open it up.

[@mattcreekmore2396]

When I pulled over and stopped the rattle would stop when I pressed on the clutch but started Back when you started to move again so I called a tow truck.

[@mattcreekmore2396]

Got the car home and took a video of the sound someone told me to check axle bolts but there is nothing loose and the sound it coming from where the clutch is located. I don't know how to pm on KZbin if I run into something I can't figure out. And what's the best transmission fluid to use for my 2004 mini cooper base pre 7/2004. Thanks

[@toyotoe3732]

Thank you for this excellent 2 parter.

[@acholzmann]

I see you have OR plates on that Cooper, are you close to the Portland Metro? I've gotten a quote from my own Mini Mechanic, but I definitely want to shop around.

[@ModMINI]

Seattle area.

[@petermoger8135]

My car has a strange metal cage contraption around one of the shift cables (the one which sits with the flat side horizontal) and I am not sure how to remove it. Okay. Still not sure what the cage is for, but, prying really hard did the trick and didn’t break it. So that’s good.

[@ModMINI]

Gen 2 cars have those. Push down slightly on the clips on the bottom and push back toward the rear of the car. It keeps the cable from popping off the linkage.

[@petermoger8135]

Huh. Mine is a 1st gen. 02 base, with the slave on top. But the tranny was replaced by an independent mechanic before I got into wrenching. Maybe somebody modified it.

[@mikeflores7313]

Hello, funny that I can across your video. I have the same color, year and model. I recently had the clutch pedal feel somewhat hard and when increased the pressure on the clutch, the salve cylinder jumped off the lever fork. I replaced and bled the slave cylinder but the clutch lever for is stuck away from the slave . What is causing this?

[@ModMINI]

Dark silver + white is the best! The release fork should be freely movable by hand when the slave cylinder is not pushing against it. If it is not, you probably have some physical damage to the throwout bearing or pressure plate springs. Hard to say for sure without removing the transmission and visually inspecting the parts. Unfortunately there is no way to get a camera or scope in there. Do you have an X-ray camera? :)

[@mikeflores7313]

No i don"t have a camera, and the release fork seems stuck.I took out the slave cylinder and the fork stayed stuck away from the slave cylinder. I've looked at your video like 5 times and its pretty good. I just haven"t had the time. Thanks.

[@ModMINI]

Mike Flores It should move at least a tiny bit if I recall. Try turning over the engine by hand and listening for dragging/scraping. I'm guessing the fork is hung up on the pressure plate or the throwout bearing came off the fork.

[@JEL-zt2yq]

Does anyone know the torque of the transmission bell housing screws? Thanks in advance. PS: Great Video, it really helped me a lot

[@matthewdelia906]

What do you think of a 2004 mini cooper s in silver with black stripes and black hardtop? really wanted to find a good cooper s in grey but only find this mini

[@ModMINI]

2005-2006 are the best years but 2004 is not bad. I have a 2004 Cooper S. Take the time to find the best car you can afford. Have it mechanically checked out by someone who knows MINIs if you can. Other than CVT transmission issues on the Cooper non-S, some of the most common problems are power steering pump and power steering fan (which is covered by extended warranty on most pre-2005 models), thermostat gasket leak, various oil leaks, worn suspension parts (struts and front end ball joints/bushings).

[@matthewdelia906]

***** Since i live in Malta there are no mechanics that specialize in MINIs should i take it to someone who knows german engineering? Thanks for the feedback

[@ModMINI]

Matthew Delia A mechanic experienced in German engineering is better than not-German engineering. But might not know the specific things about this car.

[@1SonOfMoon1]

Hi. My Mini Cooper sometimes makes a scraping sound when it's in first gear and sometimes second and it only goes away when I push in the clutch pedal all the way. Once I let go the noise comes back. Any idea what this might be? Thank you

[@kliunkisrc1]

Hello, i have the same problem, i think it is one or some bearings in gear box. Maybe you fixed that, already?

[@1SonOfMoon1]

laimis RC I haven't fixed it yet. I think it works fine its just an annoying sound when I'm at a light and stuff

[@mike3133f]

Can the axles stay installed when removing the subframe on a R53? Just swapping the control arm bushings with stock.

[@ModMINI]

Sure, they are not connected to it in any way...

[@mike3133f]

Mod MINI thanks! I had read several posts that were very vague as to yes or no.

[@mbfeldhs]

What a great how to! This will be a good time to replace my leaking power steering pump also. Does the 03 mini non S have a dual mass flywheel?

[@ModMINI]

No. Dual mass is in S only.

[@drewericksen]

hello. I have a 2004 Mini Cooper S. In the past two weeks it start to get more difficult to get into gear until yesterday i cannot move it into any gear with clutch fully press down. the pedal does not seem to engage until there is only an inch left. seems weird that this all transpired in a few week period. any ideas? thank you

[@ModMINI]

I can't say for sure without seeing the car but it's a very simple system, and your problem is either clutch damage or failure in the hydraulic system. Look for moisture on the clutch slave cylinder. If there is any, replace and bleed the system. If still not working, suspect the clutch/pressure plate/throwout bearing/clutch release fork. The only way to inspect those components is removal of the transmission.

[@drewericksen]

+Mod MINI Thanks!! tge slave cylinder is what I thought as week since I had no slipping prior. just went from being hard to get into gear to impossible in two weeks.

[@drewericksen]

+Andrew Ericksen sorry for the typos.

[@sexymikeization]

Halfway through getting the transmission out and I must say. You make this look a hell of a lot easier then it really is lol. I'm glad I'm doing it myself though because I found that my shift cable Bushings were cracking Andy tie rod ends were rusting away so gonna change those when I'm at it ! Mine a 2003 r50. And your videos are keeping it on the road, so thank you. Do you have arena tips for changing front and rear control arm Bushings ? Mine are shot

[@ModMINI]

Front control arm bushings - replace at the same time you are dropping the subframe. The bushing brackets are right there. The same bolts hold on the brackets and the front sway bar. Rear - I've never seen the rears go bad but basically remove the rear wheel and everything connecting to the control arm, then the bolts holding the bushing bracket onto the body, replace bushing bracket (you might need to press the new bushing into the bracket) and assemble in reverse order. I've never seen a bad rear control bushing though.

[@sexymikeization]

***** Thanks so much! I know the fronts are bad. I just assumed the rears were as well so I bought them with the fronts. I'll just not worry about changing the rears for now.

[@cschmahl84]

looking for some info on replacing 2008 mini cooper non s clutch. Is it the same procedure as the 2002-2006 models? i cant seem to find any videos like yours with my year. am i the only sucker that bought this particular year and cant find out how to do my own work?

[@ModMINI]

cschmahl84 I get asked this nearly every week. Not same procedure. Similar but not same.

[@cschmahl84]

i don't want to pay nearly 2k for a mechanic to do this work. do you know of anyone who has performed a video like yours with a base model 2008 R53? i would assume the basics should all be the same. i watched another person perform a clutch replacement on the 08' S model and they had to remove the radiator hoses and drain the system to do it. from what i can tell from looking at my mini top side it looks to be plenty of room and not as crammed like the S model with the intercooler and turbo and such.. thank you for the quick response. last post was 2 years ago, so i wasnt sure i would get a response.

[@ModMINI]

Watch my other video for R53. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmTXYoCloNGWf9U but it sounds like you are talking about an R56, not an R53. The R56 requires radiator hoses removed. It has more room but still requires subframe removal (or front end service mode and complete drivetrain removal - pick your poison) to get the transmission out. If you are just replacing the clutch and not the flywheel, it is technically possible to do it by just pulling transmission back and then pushing the engine as far to the right side of the car as possible, but almost no space and you have to be able to work with one hand and think outside the box for dealing with tight space. I would not recommend this method unless you have done several clutch jobs in the past and/or like dealing with unconventional problems.

[@cschmahl84]

ok, so you're saying dont cut corners to try and prevent from pulling car apart to get the job done? that makes sense i would want to follow your "informational" methods to get it done. and for some reason i was thinking mine was an R53 when in fact you were correct, it's an R56 as the 2007-2013 base model hatchbacks are R56. i clicked on the link you posted for me and it shows the removal of the radiator hoses. so this would be correct in my case for the R56? I have already had to replace the thermostat and built in sensor myself and removed most all the stuff you removed from the top right side of the engine excluding any of the the front bumper and subframe. so it looks be be just few more steps from there to clear the path of taking the tranny apart and replacing the clutch. the kit will come with the alignment tool but from what i saw in your video is that even with that tool it could still be millimeters off and not be correct?...how much would you typically charge for this service?

[@ModMINI]

I suppose you could work around them but I don't. They just get in the way. I did a base Cooper R56 job last week and the alignment tool actually is useful for that one. Send me personal message from my channel page if you want to discuss having me help you with this job. (Channel Page...About...Send Message)

[@lutzbauer7943]

Thank You very much for this perfect video! Greatings from germany, Lutz

[@I69Sk8er69I]

The videos are amazing. Thank you so much.