Making The Mini Cooper R50 FASTER! R53 Intake Manifold Installation

[@athousandtinycobras4349]

Cool. I have a R53 throttle on my R50. It fits on the stock intake, but you have to enlarge the throttle's mounting holes so they mate up with the intake. I used a R50 throttle body spacer as a guide so I could check my progress as I went. So, I've got the R53 throttle with a 1" spacer mounted to the stock R50 intake. I used a 90-degree elbow for the vacuum line connection, as the connection's in a different place on the R50 throttle than it is on the R53 throttle. My car makes 145bhp. Planned future modifications are a ported head and, if it will pass emissions, an individual throttle body kit (e.g., Jenvey). That's about as fast as a R50 could ever be (and pretty expensive, too!) but, if all I cared about was horsepower, I'd just go out and buy a Dodge Hellcat (screw the R53)! For me, the fun is in the tinkering, and, of course, the driving. Cheers.

[@wheelie157]

bro , what other mods do you have on your cooper? (performance wise )

[@chukcommander]

Yes please more info on this

[@derekbond3512]

Well done so far , it's good to see what you can achieve when you give it a go. Many things have been created by us in our sheds, its what us Brits are renowned for, good on yer.

[@minimanadam]

If anything the r53 supercharger manifold is gonna make your car loose power in ALL rpms except for maaaaaybe above 6k you might make a few extra hp and tq. No WAY those runners are tuned correctly for the na engine , if anything you need a much much larger intake to hold air to send in the engine as soon as you hit the throttle .

[@IntegraDIY]

This will definitely make more power at wide open throttle. Which is the point of the install. For an NA engine, longer intake runners create more low to mid range torque, shorter runners has less low to mid range torque and power, but higher top end torque and power.

[@minimanadam]

@@IntegraDIY Your 100% wrong... long port bigger Manifolds provide much much better downlow power AND are always better on n/a engines. If it was better for the na engine mini wouldn't have wasted 100s of millions of production of the plastic mani for the na engine.. even porting and welding on a bigger extension on the r53 Manifold ( like sneedspeed sells and how I port them ) you need to increase its size to allow better low end power.. I guarantee it ONLY gains power above 5000rpm and the little time that engine spends there its overall LOSING power because every where else in the powerband is down on more power than it gained in its best rpm range.. I build these engines man , check my channel. My minis are no punk

[@MichaelPeel]

Just a question on the vacuum lines. Where did you run your brake booster line? Also what did you do with the other crankcase line that you broke? Thanks

[@geka6687]

Hello, I still need to install the brake booster tube with a T. Since I made the mod I can't activate the traction control. The light comes on and is always deactivated, I cannot activate it even by pressing the button. and the rpm oscillates a little

[@irae969]

Hello Chistian, great video. I would like make the same to mi mini R50, could you tell me how long the aluminum addition is? And what do you need to change or adapt to make everything work correctly? Thank you

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Hello! Great glad you would like too i made it 20mm thick, but you probably could go as little as 10mm I had to make sure all the vacuum lines were connected and cut the handle on the dipstick slightly

[@zackaldridge2497]

Where do you run the brake booster line?

[@jasonpage4001]

Hi mate. I’m planning on doing this to mine. But I have a question? The back hose that’s hanging next to the throttle body, whereabouts did connect that to? Cheers

[@Christian_Rutherford]

I ended up routing it underneath with a T piece

[@ashleybartram6935]

​@@Christian_Rutherfordwhere did you put all the breather pipe send a picture on what you did to the pipe work thanks

[@ashleybartram6935]

Where did the break booster pipe go from the breaks on the manifold as I got r50 doing the same as you

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Hello, sorry I don't have any pictures but you just join the vacuums together with a T piece

[@ashleybartram6935]

So join the all together with the pipes which gose on the nipple which is on the end mate

[@Christian_Rutherford]

@@ashleybartram6935 yes, perfect

[@ashleybartram6935]

@@Christian_Rutherford thanks mate perfect

[@ashleybartram6935]

Where did you run your pcv pipe to mate

[@sambono5112]

Good vid👍👍 following this when I do mine

[@theilluminatimember8896]

Why not go with the r53 throttle body as well?

[@christopherlocke6115]

Mate great video , I'm in the same position as you , not many people want to mod these engines but I'm interested in how much power can actually be had from one of these , im well up for a turbo conversion

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Yeah they're great cars and I would go the NA route but think turbo is just going to be so cool! Considering making some more turbo manifold and sell them on!

[@christopherlocke6115]

@@Christian_Rutherford I will be following very closely mate, I think your do well selling them if you do make them, will you change the internals when you turbo??

[@MichaelPeel]

@@Christian_Rutherford if you start selling turbo kits I'll buy one. Was thinking of taking my mini to Autofashion but not sure if they are still around

[@MrFurious_666]

Hi Christian, this one of the mod i would like to test, got some R50/53, one is a Cooper with a S front face for the air (like you explain at the end of the video) and some other mods. (cam for 3000-4000rpms), 1mm panished cylinder head with a specific chain tension bolt and bbio ethanol with S 330cc injectors and remap of course) Would you able to supply the adapter ? If the connector is the same, perhaps a S throttle (bigger), it can be rescale and managed in the ecu

[@jonny2legs77]

Did you ever solve the breather problem. Out let from head and the vac line for brakes???

[@derekholland9091]

I done the same thing to my R50. But i did a much nicer job. Even machined and tapped the intake manifold so it could take the vacuum lines properly. I also used an R53 throttle body .. Shame i cant post a photo.

[@m-smoothfpv]

Does it actually make much of a difference in power?

[@derekholland9091]

@@m-smoothfpv It made a little more power top end of rev range .. i only done it because it made it look and sound nicer.

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Very nice, id like to see i this, dm me through instagram instagram.com/christian_rutherford908/

[@surferboy9943]

Hi how did you fix that with the original air box? Do you have some pictures maybe?

[@SIMOHDTV]

Quick question where did u put the vacume for the brake booster

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Hi there I just used linked it to the throttle body vacuum port

[@alanfreeman4789]

@@Christian_Rutherford where abouts did u put it ??

[@GarthDoran-qy1er]

Did your standard cooper ecu still work or wat way u go about it

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Yes it all works, may run a little richer though due to increased air flow

[@Hosteggy]

a bandsaw would do wonders. Grinders suck at getting through thick aluminum.

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Thanks, I wish I had at the time! Watch some of my later videos I've got alot more gear now👍

[@kuiperroerdink1670]

How did it run once put together?

[@WillFlores1]

Did you replace the crankhose breather?

[@sasaberbat7767]

Super Broo 🏆 👍👍👏Tell me which engine oil to put in my R50 on the watch is 213,000 km

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Maybe go with something a little thicker like 10w 40 👍

[@lawlessr5053]

Hi mate where did you get the stainless block from?

[@MrTyedajuiceman]

Have you had any issues since you did tha mod

[@jasonpage4001]

Would you recommend this mod? As I’ll be doing the same and putting the r53 throttle body on too!

[@PuertoRicoVIVE25]

I was thinking why he just didn't put a R53 throttle body and make more air flow in?

[@Christian_Rutherford]

i wasnt sure if the throttle body would be accepted by the ecu in stock form

[@Didledoogal]

Did it run alright after? No need for a tune?

[@Christian_Rutherford]

yeah all good

[@kallumsteward9444]

Where could I get the adapter for the throttle body from thanks

[@alexwilson3689]

I'm going to be selling them soon as I saw this and decided to use it on my mini I cnc machine mine so it's perfect

[@Kieranrura]

Alex Wilson any news one when these will be for sale?

[@alexwilson3689]

@@Kieranrura hopeful in the next 2 months but due to covid 19 it's been hard to get the manufacturing process happen I will be making a Facebook for this product I will give you its info when it's done and on there it will have some more details on when to expect this to be ready and the different options we will be supplying

[@lawlessr5053]

Alex Wilson I’ll buy one of these are made

[@alexwilson3689]

@Stef Bredenhoff I have one made still waiting to get it fitted just to check space been difficult to get stuff done with the lockdown and plases being closed they will be up for sale by next month maybe before

[@Blue48185]

How much faster. Changing manifold

[@madfortar2008]

I like this mod. Good work If you could do this again would you do anything differently? Did the map sensor and throttle body work as normal?

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Just need to extend the wires that need to go to the throttle body, I still need to do this, bit everything else works great

[@jonny2legs77]

Anyone building the adapter plates yet?

[@daysend1341]

If you make them let me know where to buy one at! Great job

[@jonny2legs77]

R53 owners club sell them think there around £70/80

[@minimanadam]

Got some valve ticking going on

[@Kieranrura]

Hey mate 🤙 good vids I also have an R50.. have you noticed a significant difference in power ?

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Cheers! Yeah it picks up alot more above 5,000 rpm, where the standard manifold starts to lose power up there looking to get the cooper s front plastic facia piece because the intake hole is right where my air filter is!

[@Kieranrura]

Chris' Bliss Builds nice one sounds good.. are you considering on making the mounting plates? I’d be interested 👀👀

[@ChromeFusion]

@@Kieranrura I'd 100% buy it if he made it

[@710FarZa]

@@Christian_Rutherford id buy too if we could get a PM r50 2003 mini cooper too upgrade manifold for turbo

[@Blue48185]

You give me template size or diagram

[@Ben_dillon]

Did this on mine. Tbh ur better off running the stock intake, u have no low end power, acceleration is shockingly bad (almost like it was a 1L) and it has a massive flat spot between 3k and 5k rpm where I can’t accelerate. Idk if I did something wrong but it also idled like a dog😂

[@Christian_Rutherford]

Hi Ben, this wasnt the same as my experience, the car seems better in the higher rpms, also idles just fine, maybe you have an air leak?

[@JD-uo7go]

How much $$$ you can sell me one same adapter ,??

[@ChrisCox-mk1pu]

1320 sell them.....just got one last week, and they're around £50 !!😁

[@Christian_Rutherford]

im not sure, i can get some quotes

[@willocqgregory7392]

Salut Jolie adaptateur tu peux m'envoyer 1 SAIT bien passé, ell6 donne mieux le métal et plus Jolie merci de nous appelons à prendre soin de nôtre mini . A bientôt jatten votre raisons amitié greg

[@ashleybartram6935]

Wher did you put the pcv filter pipe thanksdid you just blank the pcv

[@Christian_Rutherford]

@@ashleybartram6935 I ended up installing a catch can

[@ashleybartram6935]

Where did you pipe the oil cach tank up to mate as you got a in and out pipes on the cach can