I've been working on MINI's for the past 12 years (I have 2) and I can say you've done a good job with this one. Anyone that owns a MINI and has mechanical problems, or looking to buy one and might have reservations about the mech side of it, use these videos! If you can use hand tools, these will help you. MINIs are tons of fun, keep them running!
I just dropped my 2008 mini cooper s to my regular shop to get my clutch replaced. Watched this whole video and wow, i wish you were doing my clutch. Proper job !!!
Yep, good alignment and slowly, slowly is the way to go. A friend of mine did neither of those, he failed to centre the clutch correctly, then used the bolts to try and force the gearbox and engine together. Doing that he managed to take a big chunk out of one side of the brass bushing that supported the input shaft. He learnt the hard way, so good advice all round, Eric.
Ive seen your channel forever subscribed a year or so ago. I used to specialize in mini copper and wish i was there with you from nostalgia alone not to mention i have learned alot from you and also look up to you wish you the best and look forward to the completion of the mini series
The easy access to every bolt just made it such a nice job, just imagine the struggle doing 90 degree turns under that tiny car. Much better with the engine out :-D. As i'm no mechanic, i only remember the clutches with the damper springs in the center, i've helped with clutch replacements on very old cars.
zx8401ztv - Yeah, with the engine out if you are doing this yourself. It just makes me glad I don't have a Mini. I look at the cost of a shop replacing a clutch in my Honda, then look at this Mini, and I could only imagine the labor cost alone would make me cringe..
I like the Mini series because it shows how some cars are bad quality and others good. And clutch replacement/any engine trans work is interesting to watch
Great job as usual sir, watching you before work every Friday. I’ve done clutch’s twice on the last 4 years as a tech, my first one I had to do twice because I put the springs facing the wrong way after putting every bolt back together and the subframe, I push the clutch in nothing happens LOL.
Seems it's a common rookie error - and we were all rookies once. After the second time I had to re-pull a gearbox and flip the clutch...I decided to be more careful and double-check before buttoning everything up. Seems to work better that way - and causes a lot less blue language. :-)
aussiebloke609 yup I did the same thing on the second clutch, you live and learn even though blue language is there either way in the shop or at least in my shop, I just hope I never have to do them again I don’t like fixing manual transmissions but I sure like driving them
Liking this 'mini' Mini Series, Eric...always good when things come apart and go back together like that. I guess that, what with the cost of parts etc for a BMW product that if you are going to 'do those things that need doing' the end expenditure is always going to be a bit larger. Experiencing a similar story with my daughter's LandRover but it's been fun doing 'greasy and oily' stuff...and far cheaper than putting it into a 'shop' where you may not get the conscientious service you think you are getting...Keep doing your thing!!
6 ปีที่แล้ว
As always you make it look so EASY, and all the sludge.....has magically disappeared.
When I did the 90° I lost track. And ended up buying new bolts. Make sure you mark them with a white paint marker and and use those marks for your 90°’s
I love EricTheCarGuy, the videos got so much better since the beggining. The light, the angles. I always enjoy every single upload! Keep doing what you love ;))
Hi Eric here in Europe there are some companies that sell single mass flywheels for the N14! I work a lot with these R56 and they are a pita to work with but are fun to drive!
Great vid. Good tips on greasing the input shaft. Not only is it a high-temp grease, but it's also a high-pressure grease. I use that on the pivots for the clutch arm rather than anti-sieze. Just a thought.
Sounds like a good idea. I always used to use moly grease (molybdenum disulphide) because it handles the heat well, and you need only the thinnest of smears for it to work, so it tends to not collect all the dust and crap over time. It used to be the go-to grease for brakes, too - until everything changed over to silicone. Not sure how it handles pressure, but the clutch pivot generally doesn't have extreme levels on it, and it seemed to work pretty well (never had a wear problem, anyway.) :-) Just don't get it on your hands, or you'll be washing with pumice for 30 minutes afterwards...and you'll _still_ have greasy fingers. Ask me how I know. :-D
Hi there, i am all the way from Recife in Brazil South America, and I really liked your video, very informative and all, thank you for sharing it with us, we all know how hard it is to install a new clutch on a car, congratulations very very cool video…!!!
no eric... you should have done the rear main seal while you were there... you know its going to start leaking as soon as the mini goes back into service..........
In a perfect world, I would have. However, I would have lost a day of production waiting for the seal to show up. Something I simply couldn't afford. It wasn't leaking and I stand by my decision. Thank you for your input.
I would only replace the seal if it was leaking or looked hardened and brittle If you replace it but you do not get it in perfectly then you do the job again.
I love that super high temp urea grease from honda. that's exactly how I did them at honda and now where I am too. kids in the shop look at me like I'm crazy using it, but never had any issues using the urea grease
I came on here before doing the clutch on my sons R56 One D. It has done 165,000 miles, and the pedal went hard so had to be stripped. If found this was because the release arm snapped. The clutch plate and pressure plate were actually still very serviceable, and would easily have done more than 200.000 if driven in the same way, had the release arm not snapped. My son says the replacement clutch is a lot lighter now, so it maybe that as the plate wear occurred the force to release the pressure plate increased and was a factor in the release arm snapping I would advise anyone doing their clutch to also fit an new release arm. You don’t want to do this job twice. The release arm is pressed steel, and it seems from reading on the net they are prone to snap and not expensive. (the release arms are listed from various sources from £25 to £45) As described its certainly not an easy job, because there’s a lot crammed in a small car. but I’ve done worse jobs too, if you have decent tools and just take your time its well within the DIY scope Noting some comments about Mini’s having weak clutches , ours would have done well past 200K had the arm not snapped, and my wife’s R53 Cooper S has done 120K and seems fine. Like all cars the clutch life is affected by the driver more than anything else
WD Hewson Vibration Dampener or Vibration Damper. I think the first one is correct. Harmonic Balancer. U r rite/right/write, the English language is tricky
The second definition of dampen/dampening is to make less strong or intense. The technical term Damping is any effect that tends to reduce the amplitude of vibrations. Big thing here is that dampening is a verb and damping is a noun. Damping would be the technical description of the process while dampening is a reference to the action of a process. I'm not an engineer or mechanic, so I don't know how functionally these terms are used. But it seems like both terms may apply for different aspects of a subject. Any English professors here that can clear this up? The English language is straight up kookeydooks.
Seems like most companies anymore forget the clutch alignment tool when you buy a clutch and flywheel kit. A buddy of mine is swapping his volvo 850r from an auto to a manual and his kit didnt come with an alignment tool. Also goes for another buddy with his bmw e30.
Hi there, i am all the way from Recife in Brazil South America, and I really liked your video, very informative and all, thank you for sharing it with us…
Nice video! I think the pilot bearing on those models is in the transmission input shaft (built into the nose) which is how BMW has been doing it on their later models. It's a pain to replace and it seems like most people leave it be unless its bad. A few other things to note (again based on BMW experience, but they look the same on the MINI): the clutch pivot pin is plastic and a common failure item that should be replaced while doing the clutch. The OEM pin is only a couple dollars or aftermarket brass and steel pins are offered for a premium. Next, you should pay attention to the TOB orientation as some can snap in two different ways as they can be spec'd for multiple models. Finally, BMW has a special clutch alignment tool (Germans love their special tools!). I usually see the plastic tool included with the clutch kit as you said, but it doesn't fit on self-adjusting pressure plates (the lock plate gets in the way) making the special tool very nice to have. It's something to keep in mind if you do a newer BMW clutch.
not sure if I mentioned this already because I brag about it to everyone but pacific clutch and brake resurfaces these flywheels and pressure plates and even rebuilds the clutch disc. I ve done 2 of these clutch jobs the clutch came out great
They've had single mass conversions since at least 2013 btw, but I think was only OS Giken and maybe clutchmasters mainly. Now there are a few kits using Aasco flywheels that can use stock non-sprung discs, or few others using slightly different but similar flywheels that use custom disc and pressure plates for different clamping pressure, etc. Depending on what country you live, there also seem to be preferred smaller outlets providing OEM swaps like Aasco's. I've found 2-3 manufacturers in US and handful of others around the world, but Mini owners typically exist to be milked for profit so they'd rather you buy a 'custom' kit for 1400 than get the flywheel for 400 and standard clutch kit for 200 :D
Love your work mate I really appreciate your style! I hope you don't take what some of the gutless/brainless knob jockeys say here too seriously: because you're awesome dude!
Dang I wish I had my own garage so I could properly do work on my mini, there’s only so much you can do on the side of the road or on a very sloped drive way lol, good video btw
Watching these videos helped me to decide to never own a mini after its lease period. I'll stick with semi easy to work on cars that I know well like 928s and 944s. This thing just looks like a nightmare for a DIY'er.
Sorry to see the Mini is costing so much, but it's awesome to see how these are put together. If only we had those electrical connectors but none of the other issues! lol
i payed 55 for a fiat stilo 1.2 job for that clutch kit brand without the flywheel gotta say the bearing was rubbish so i got an replacement you would love living in uk cant believe the prices over there
funny you would post this today had 2 clutch jobs on freightliners this week wish the pressure plate on them was that light instead of the 100 lbs ones i do.
I just did this on a R55 Clubman S last week.. The car had 80k miles and the clutch was DEE-STROYED... Come to find out, current owner bought it from a guy who used to auto cross the crap out of it. I did mine w/o removing the engine, and w/o removing the subframe; I just loosened the rear subframe bolts, and removed the front two, which gave me about 8" or so of clearance. Either way, not a job I plan on doing again, any time soon.
6:08 something about the hole comment reminded me of "the little brown eel comes out of the cave, swims into the hole, comes out of the hole, swims back into the cave again." lol
Every time I hear Eric mention the N14 engine I have to remind myself that he's not talking about the 14 liter Cummins N14 that came in a lot of older semi trucks.
clutches in the uk very rarely come with a flywheel alignment tool but I got a valeo clutch and flywheel for £520 for the same mini so it seems a lot cheaper than you're $1300. we have a universal alignment tool that we use.
I enjoyed you having difficulty with the 90 degrees on the flywheel. I had same experience. Thank you for sharing the link for the dual mass flywheel I gave you and sorry I didn't know you could have used it earlier.
Hello. Love ur videos. My transmission exploded on my 2003 mini cooper r50 (5 speed midlands). My mechanic has a 6 speed conversion kit for 2700$. Would u recomend it? My concern is 1- reliability down the road. 2- will the performance get better or worse? Thank u.
Vauxhall Astra B/Opel Kadett C used to have an access hatch under the bellhousing to get to the clutch assembly. Piss easy job. Obviously someone at GM/Opel/Vauxhall realised they weren't making enough money from clutch changes and so it was deleted and you then had to physically remove the transmission... that sucks...
You have to be pretty careful of the Clutch fork in the Mini. I have an 2010 R56 S which at the time had 117,000 KM on it and one day I couldn't get it in gear. Bought it brand new clutch and single mass fly wheel expecting that to be the problem. When my mechanic opened her up he found a broken clutch fork which was bent to the point that it couldn't push the clutch spring anymore. Love my mini, but the engine is a nightmare.
It is strange why they don't include an alignment tool with the kit. I had the same issue and resorted to using one of my other alignment tools with tape wrapped around the pilot end to center it. Not perfect but it worked. Oh and don't put that disc in backwards! It will jamb against the guide tube for the release bearing and then things get very difficult to take apart. Yes, I managed to do this...:(
Whenever I don't have a spare rear main seal, I need to replace it; whenever I do have a spare, I don't need to replace it; it's like a $3-$5 insurance policy. *HOLY SACKS OF BALLS, $1,300 FOR A CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL* I was pissed at the $500-$600 I spent on a Subaru OEM Clutch and flywheel.
I know this was posted 3 years ago but my 2012 mini clutch is soft and needs to be replaced. I’m ordering from Rock auto. It’s been a nightmare since I bought it from a lying or shall I say “fact omitting” dealership but I do love it. After spending $1200 for alternator and $1100 for coils I’m buying the parts & bringing them to be put in. Any ideas on best clutch? Kevlar or organic better? They are $200+ price difference. It’s already got 142,000 miles so I don’t need another 140,000 out of it. Cross that bridge if we see 2023...😬
A tip for you whenever you have bolts that require a further 90° torque. I make a small mark with a silver or white marker at 12 O'clock on all the bolts ... then when you done they should all be at 3 O' clock.
How to replace a clutch on a Mini: Throw it out and buy another. These are basically German Saturns but harder to work on and everything costs 3x as much.
the center clutch disc springs do something else. they reduce impact loads on the entire drive system, especially the transmission. Nice to see the mini has a outboard replaceable clutch slave cylinder. I HATE the slave cylinder built into the throw out bearing.
On my 2005 Cooper s I had the flywheel shaven down at a local carquest for about $40. I only had to buy the clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing for about $130.
From 2016 to 2018 ... I owned a 2011 Mini Cooper S.... I got it at 44,000 mi and it was one owner and very clean. I liked it a lot... BUT ... during the time I owned it, I had 3 check engine lights...limp in mode twice.... it just could not stay out of the shop. My opinion of these , is they are designed to suck money out of the owners... and well designed at that.. The $1300.00 clutch kit only furthers my belief. I could buy a new one every year if I wanted, but I don't believe in literally throwing my money away. Screw that. You can see my vid of me and my Mini if anyone cares to. I was following a semi at 80 some mph at night on I -90 .
Kind of strange. You would think they would use parts that are cheaper to produce and use (other then the timing chain guides). After watching what you have done on this mini cooper. It just blows my mind how expensive it is to repair anything on this car. And that's not just how expensive the car is to buy new
I'm getting ready to do this job on my own 2011 MCS, however with a Stage 3 clutch kit and a single mass flywheel to handle the power I'm making. I'm not removing the whole engine, though. Would you say this is a situation that requires a transmission jack if you are not removing the engine? I was planning on lowering it out with a regular jack.
Thanks for the input. Also I'm guessing you talked to Chad over at Detroit Tuned. He's a wealth of knowledge on the brand, however I don't know why he says single mass flywheel clutch kits aren't possible with this engine. As I said I got a single mass kit, it's from JM Turbo Coopers who make a lot of high performance aftermarket Mini parts. They make kits for both N14 and N18 motors.
Hey Eric, just an update on this from a while ago. Bit the bullet, bought a transmission jack. Clutch swap was rough but I got it done, your videos were extremely helpful and were my primary go-to for reference. Used my floor jack to support the engine and the transmission jack to get the trans in and out. Getting them mated back up was a huge PITA but they're mated back together now.
I've sold a lot of clutch kits made by Valeo, LuK, Sachs and none of them contained the aligment tool. Actually, the only one I've seen with it was some (probably) chinese set by Delsah. It was for Skoda Felicia 1.3L :P
I've been working on MINI's for the past 12 years (I have 2) and I can say you've done a good job with this one. Anyone that owns a MINI and has mechanical problems, or looking to buy one and might have reservations about the mech side of it, use these videos! If you can use hand tools, these will help you. MINIs are tons of fun, keep them running!
I just dropped my 2008 mini cooper s to my regular shop to get my clutch replaced. Watched this whole video and wow, i wish you were doing my clutch. Proper job !!!
Oooooooo 😮 I like how you mated the engine and trans on the bench! Using the crane to line things up is a genius move! 👍👌
It really did work out. Thanks.
Yep, good alignment and slowly, slowly is the way to go. A friend of mine did neither of those, he failed to centre the clutch correctly, then used the bolts to try and force the gearbox and engine together. Doing that he managed to take a big chunk out of one side of the brass bushing that supported the input shaft. He learnt the hard way, so good advice all round, Eric.
Ive seen your channel forever subscribed a year or so ago. I used to specialize in mini copper and wish i was there with you from nostalgia alone not to mention i have learned alot from you and also look up to you wish you the best and look forward to the completion of the mini series
Eric as put so much time and effort into this PROBLEM CHILD.
The easy access to every bolt just made it such a nice job, just imagine the struggle doing 90 degree turns under that tiny car.
Much better with the engine out :-D.
As i'm no mechanic, i only remember the clutches with the damper springs in the center, i've helped with clutch replacements on very old cars.
Yea, it's much easier to do this job with the engine/trans out of the vehicle. Honestly, I don't think they were that difficult to remove.
zx8401ztv - Yeah, with the engine out if you are doing this yourself. It just makes me glad I don't have a Mini. I look at the cost of a shop replacing a clutch in my Honda, then look at this Mini, and I could only imagine the labor cost alone would make me cringe..
Every Friday is like Christmas - you wake up and see a new EricTheCarGuy video!!!
Until you realize... oh, it's just another mini video... Nooooo!
I like the Mini series because it shows how some cars are bad quality and others good. And clutch replacement/any engine trans work is interesting to watch
Couldn't agree more. Long live ETCG.
This video inspired WAY too much confidence in me that I can actually do this.
Great job as usual sir, watching you before work every Friday. I’ve done clutch’s twice on the last 4 years as a tech, my first one I had to do twice because I put the springs facing the wrong way after putting every bolt back together and the subframe, I push the clutch in nothing happens LOL.
It takes a real man to admit mistakes.
Seems it's a common rookie error - and we were all rookies once.
After the second time I had to re-pull a gearbox and flip the clutch...I decided to be more careful and double-check before buttoning everything up. Seems to work better that way - and causes a lot less blue language. :-)
EricTheCarGuy yes sir especially when them good old boys still talking about it 3 and half years later LOL
aussiebloke609 yup I did the same thing on the second clutch, you live and learn even though blue language is there either way in the shop or at least in my shop, I just hope I never have to do them again I don’t like fixing manual transmissions but I sure like driving them
Thanks Eric what a joy to watch you in action
Liking this 'mini' Mini Series, Eric...always good when things come apart and go back together like that. I guess that, what with the cost of parts etc for a BMW product that if you are going to 'do those things that need doing' the end expenditure is always going to be a bit larger. Experiencing a similar story with my daughter's LandRover but it's been fun doing 'greasy and oily' stuff...and far cheaper than putting it into a 'shop' where you may not get the conscientious service you think you are getting...Keep doing your thing!!
As always you make it look so EASY, and all the sludge.....has magically disappeared.
Hearing that torque wrench click..is the sound of pure joy :) Love your videos,Eric!Greetings from Norway,Stefan :)
You the real deal Eric.Thank you so much for making these videos.
Eric I don't have a mini but I learn alot of usefull stuff from your videos. Stay dirty my friend
When I did the 90° I lost track. And ended up buying new bolts. Make sure you mark them with a white paint marker and and use those marks for your 90°’s
Jeremiah Thomas Or buy a digital-angle torque wrench
I love EricTheCarGuy, the videos got so much better since the beggining. The light, the angles. I always enjoy every single upload! Keep doing what you love ;))
Hi Eric here in Europe there are some companies that sell single mass flywheels for the N14! I work a lot with these R56 and they are a pita to work with but are fun to drive!
You do an excellent job explaining your work. Thanks.
Great vid. Good tips on greasing the input shaft. Not only is it a high-temp grease, but it's also a high-pressure grease. I use that on the pivots for the clutch arm rather than anti-sieze. Just a thought.
Sounds like a good idea. I always used to use moly grease (molybdenum disulphide) because it handles the heat well, and you need only the thinnest of smears for it to work, so it tends to not collect all the dust and crap over time. It used to be the go-to grease for brakes, too - until everything changed over to silicone. Not sure how it handles pressure, but the clutch pivot generally doesn't have extreme levels on it, and it seemed to work pretty well (never had a wear problem, anyway.) :-)
Just don't get it on your hands, or you'll be washing with pumice for 30 minutes afterwards...and you'll _still_ have greasy fingers. Ask me how I know. :-D
Disposable car.
Invaluable Eric.
i love the mini series.
loving the old school style ETCG videos!
Hi there, i am all the way from Recife in Brazil South America, and I really liked your video, very informative and all, thank you for sharing it with us, we all know how hard it is to install a new clutch on a car, congratulations very very cool video…!!!
Thanks Eric for all the videos. I'm working on my Mini and this was a good reference video
no eric... you should have done the rear main seal while you were there... you know its going to start leaking as soon as the mini goes back into service..........
It's German, you know it still has oil as long as it's leaking.
honhon05 it's fine he's selling it so it will become somebody else's problem. That's the glory of buying second hand cars.
In a perfect world, I would have. However, I would have lost a day of production waiting for the seal to show up. Something I simply couldn't afford. It wasn't leaking and I stand by my decision. Thank you for your input.
true..... its just usually when your there and you hold off it usually starts happening right after... just because.
I would only replace the seal if it was leaking or looked hardened and brittle If you replace it but you do not get it in perfectly then you do the job again.
OS Giken makes R56 kits with SS or aluminum single mass flywheel. Game Changer for built motors. Been running my Giken GT clutch. Worth It.
I love that super high temp urea grease from honda. that's exactly how I did them at honda and now where I am too. kids in the shop look at me like I'm crazy using it, but never had any issues using the urea grease
one of the best mechanic to watch
Thank you Eric, loving the mini series!!!
Love Eric the car guy, always has great content on his channel
Shifting smooth . ETCG makes it look easy!
I came on here before doing the clutch on my sons R56 One D. It has done 165,000 miles, and the pedal went hard so had to be stripped. If found this was because the release arm snapped.
The clutch plate and pressure plate were actually still very serviceable, and would easily have done more than 200.000 if driven in the same way, had the release arm not snapped. My son says the replacement clutch is a lot lighter now, so it maybe that as the plate wear occurred the force to release the pressure plate increased and was a factor in the release arm snapping
I would advise anyone doing their clutch to also fit an new release arm. You don’t want to do this job twice. The release arm is pressed steel, and it seems from reading on the net they are prone to snap and not expensive. (the release arms are listed from various sources from £25 to £45)
As described its certainly not an easy job, because there’s a lot crammed in a small car. but I’ve done worse jobs too, if you have decent tools and just take your time its well within the DIY scope
Noting some comments about Mini’s having weak clutches , ours would have done well past 200K had the arm not snapped, and my wife’s R53 Cooper S has done 120K and seems fine. Like all cars the clutch life is affected by the driver more than anything else
Dampening is the process of adding water.
Damping is progressive attenuation of a process
Seems hair splitting, but such is our language
Excellent point.
Crap! I've been saying it wrong this whole time. TIL.
WD Hewson Vibration Dampener or Vibration Damper. I think the first one is correct. Harmonic Balancer. U r rite/right/write, the English language is tricky
Hewson is correct. To an engineer its a damper.
The second definition of dampen/dampening is to make less strong or intense. The technical term Damping is any effect that tends to reduce the amplitude of vibrations. Big thing here is that dampening is a verb and damping is a noun. Damping would be the technical description of the process while dampening is a reference to the action of a process. I'm not an engineer or mechanic, so I don't know how functionally these terms are used. But it seems like both terms may apply for different aspects of a subject. Any English professors here that can clear this up? The English language is straight up kookeydooks.
Seems like most companies anymore forget the clutch alignment tool when you buy a clutch and flywheel kit. A buddy of mine is swapping his volvo 850r from an auto to a manual and his kit didnt come with an alignment tool. Also goes for another buddy with his bmw e30.
Hi there, i am all the way from Recife in Brazil South America, and I really liked your video, very informative and all, thank you for sharing it with us…
love that series :D great job man!
Nice video! I think the pilot bearing on those models is in the transmission input shaft (built into the nose) which is how BMW has been doing it on their later models. It's a pain to replace and it seems like most people leave it be unless its bad. A few other things to note (again based on BMW experience, but they look the same on the MINI): the clutch pivot pin is plastic and a common failure item that should be replaced while doing the clutch. The OEM pin is only a couple dollars or aftermarket brass and steel pins are offered for a premium. Next, you should pay attention to the TOB orientation as some can snap in two different ways as they can be spec'd for multiple models. Finally, BMW has a special clutch alignment tool (Germans love their special tools!). I usually see the plastic tool included with the clutch kit as you said, but it doesn't fit on self-adjusting pressure plates (the lock plate gets in the way) making the special tool very nice to have. It's something to keep in mind if you do a newer BMW clutch.
Love the mini series! Also hope we get to see you fix up that old mustang one day!
Just fine, useful, helpful, and very easy to understand, thank you EricTheCarGuy 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽🙏🙏🙏🙏
I wud loose my mind to this Mini 😂 but. Fixing it for a good cause so stay strong and keep going love all ur builds 😀😀
clutch replacement/any engine trans work is interesting to watch
whittled down more than a few broom sticks back in the 80's for a guide tool ;-)
Man your editing skills have dramatically improved from when you first started. bravo.
Click. Click. Click. Click. hehehehe.
Thank you!
not sure if I mentioned this already because I brag about it to everyone but pacific clutch and brake resurfaces these flywheels and pressure plates and even rebuilds the clutch disc. I ve done 2 of these clutch jobs the clutch came out great
They've had single mass conversions since at least 2013 btw, but I think was only OS Giken and maybe clutchmasters mainly. Now there are a few kits using Aasco flywheels that can use stock non-sprung discs, or few others using slightly different but similar flywheels that use custom disc and pressure plates for different clamping pressure, etc. Depending on what country you live, there also seem to be preferred smaller outlets providing OEM swaps like Aasco's. I've found 2-3 manufacturers in US and handful of others around the world, but Mini owners typically exist to be milked for profit so they'd rather you buy a 'custom' kit for 1400 than get the flywheel for 400 and standard clutch kit for 200 :D
Eric The Car Surgeon..! 👍👍👍
Love your work mate I really appreciate your style! I hope you don't take what some of the gutless/brainless knob jockeys say here too seriously: because you're awesome dude!
Thank you very much for that.
Some commenter's are not clueless.
If your clutch alignment tool is too small, just use some tape to get it thick enough
Dang I wish I had my own garage so I could properly do work on my mini, there’s only so much you can do on the side of the road or on a very sloped drive way lol, good video btw
hey Eric thanks for making a video like this I was able to work on the car cause of you. Thanks
Everytime I see the caption "mini timing belt replacement" or "mini clutch replacement" I think you're replacing parts on a miniature model. Lol
I appreciate your admiration of the electrical snaps - apart from that the engineering/longevity seems weak -I'm not buying one.
A lot of these videos can go into the asmr playlist
Great video Eric love the mini project the transmission is so tiny
Watching these videos helped me to decide to never own a mini after its lease period. I'll stick with semi easy to work on cars that I know well like 928s and 944s. This thing just looks like a nightmare for a DIY'er.
Sorry to see the Mini is costing so much, but it's awesome to see how these are put together. If only we had those electrical connectors but none of the other issues! lol
Great Video Eric! Nice Editing too 👍
i payed 55 for a fiat stilo 1.2 job for that clutch kit brand without the flywheel gotta say the bearing was rubbish so i got an replacement you would love living in uk cant believe the prices over there
funny you would post this today had 2 clutch jobs on freightliners this week wish the pressure plate on them was that light instead of the 100 lbs ones i do.
I just did this on a R55 Clubman S last week.. The car had 80k miles and the clutch was DEE-STROYED... Come to find out, current owner bought it from a guy who used to auto
cross the crap out of it.
I did mine w/o removing the engine, and w/o removing the subframe; I just loosened the rear subframe bolts, and removed the front two, which gave me about 8" or so of clearance. Either way, not a job I plan on doing again, any time soon.
6:08 something about the hole comment reminded me of "the little brown eel comes out of the cave, swims into the hole, comes out of the hole, swims back into the cave again." lol
Every time I hear Eric mention the N14 engine I have to remind myself that he's not talking about the 14 liter Cummins N14 that came in a lot of older semi trucks.
A great video ... good job and remarks. Regards from Germany!
clutches in the uk very rarely come with a flywheel alignment tool but I got a valeo clutch and flywheel for £520 for the same mini so it seems a lot cheaper than you're $1300. we have a universal alignment tool that we use.
I enjoyed you having difficulty with the 90 degrees on the flywheel. I had same experience. Thank you for sharing the link for the dual mass flywheel I gave you and sorry I didn't know you could have used it earlier.
Thank you Eric. I did this job myself a year ago and got some confidence watching your videos. I appreciate it!
I would have done all the seals, but that's me.
Good work, stay safe and dirty Eric.
thanks for video
Just a little house cleaning
So casually
For a solid flywheel see.....CLUTCH MASTERS.
Hello. Love ur videos. My transmission exploded on my 2003 mini cooper r50 (5 speed midlands). My mechanic has a 6 speed conversion kit for 2700$. Would u recomend it? My concern is 1- reliability down the road. 2- will the performance get better or worse? Thank u.
Vauxhall Astra B/Opel Kadett C used to have an access hatch under the bellhousing to get to the clutch assembly. Piss easy job.
Obviously someone at GM/Opel/Vauxhall realised they weren't making enough money from clutch changes and so it was deleted and you then had to physically remove the transmission... that sucks...
What's up Eric you're funny brother love your videos Man😎👊👍👍
Richard Quinones he is not your fucking mate
You have to be pretty careful of the Clutch fork in the Mini. I have an 2010 R56 S which at the time had 117,000 KM on it and one day I couldn't get it in gear. Bought it brand new clutch and single mass fly wheel expecting that to be the problem. When my mechanic opened her up he found a broken clutch fork which was bent to the point that it couldn't push the clutch spring anymore. Love my mini, but the engine is a nightmare.
Just got a mini , what’s this clutch job gonna cost ? Do you have a ruff estimate? Thanks man
11:16 $1300 clutch! 🤢
Eric I've never had a clutch here in the UK come with an alignment tool, eyeball it! fingertip method
It is strange why they don't include an alignment tool with the kit. I had the same issue and resorted to using one of my other alignment tools with tape wrapped around the pilot end to center it. Not perfect but it worked. Oh and don't put that disc in backwards! It will jamb against the guide tube for the release bearing and then things get very difficult to take apart. Yes, I managed to do this...:(
Whenever I don't have a spare rear main seal, I need to replace it; whenever I do have a spare, I don't need to replace it; it's like a $3-$5 insurance policy. *HOLY SACKS OF BALLS, $1,300 FOR A CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL* I was pissed at the $500-$600 I spent on a Subaru OEM Clutch and flywheel.
Wow thats nothing like my Mini engine in the 70’s
That was before Germany ruined them!
The germans and the French
Springs on friction plate = dampen gear (dis)engagement, DMF = dampening in gear also.
I like ur videos, not the car! Who the fudge needs a dual mass flywheel on a Mini!?!
I know this was posted 3 years ago but my 2012 mini clutch is soft and needs to be replaced. I’m ordering from Rock auto. It’s been a nightmare since I bought it from a lying or shall I say “fact omitting” dealership but I do love it. After spending $1200 for alternator and $1100 for coils I’m buying the parts & bringing them to be put in. Any ideas on best clutch? Kevlar or organic better? They are $200+ price difference. It’s already got 142,000 miles so I don’t need another 140,000 out of it. Cross that bridge if we see 2023...😬
A tip for you whenever you have bolts that require a further 90° torque. I make a small mark with a silver or white marker at 12 O'clock on all the bolts ... then when you done they should all be at 3 O' clock.
How to replace a clutch on a Mini: Throw it out and buy another. These are basically German Saturns but harder to work on and everything costs 3x as much.
🥲things I wish I knew before buying a mini
the center clutch disc springs do something else. they reduce impact loads on the entire drive system, especially the transmission. Nice to see the mini has a outboard replaceable clutch slave cylinder. I HATE the slave cylinder built into the throw out bearing.
On my 2005 Cooper s I had the flywheel shaven down at a local carquest for about $40.
I only had to buy the clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing for about $130.
eric did the new wheel have that play as the old one did
I hear people talk about how they don't need alignment tools. I don't even see how they can trust it without one.
Thanks Eric!
From 2016 to 2018 ... I owned a 2011 Mini Cooper S.... I got it at 44,000 mi and it was one owner and very clean. I liked it a lot... BUT ... during the time I owned it, I had 3 check engine lights...limp in mode twice.... it just could not stay out of the shop. My opinion of these , is they are designed to suck money out of the owners... and well designed at that.. The $1300.00 clutch kit only furthers my belief. I could buy a new one every year if I wanted, but I don't believe in literally throwing my money away. Screw that. You can see my vid of me and my Mini if anyone cares to. I was following a semi at 80 some mph at night on I -90 .
Don't do as Eric does and draw the transmission to the engine with the bolts. Make sure it mates up before tightening the bolts down.
Yeah that made me cringe.
@@humidbeing I simply use BIG Channel lock pliers OR a couple of C clamps.
You actually change the dual flywheel to single mass but you need to use the r50 bolts.
Kind of strange. You would think they would use parts that are cheaper to produce and use (other then the timing chain guides).
After watching what you have done on this mini cooper. It just blows my mind how expensive it is to repair anything on this car. And that's not just how expensive the car is to buy new
I'm getting ready to do this job on my own 2011 MCS, however with a Stage 3 clutch kit and a single mass flywheel to handle the power I'm making. I'm not removing the whole engine, though. Would you say this is a situation that requires a transmission jack if you are not removing the engine? I was planning on lowering it out with a regular jack.
It will be tricky, but you can probably manage it. It would be safer with a 'buddy' or a transmission jack as you mentioned.
Thanks for the input.
Also I'm guessing you talked to Chad over at Detroit Tuned. He's a wealth of knowledge on the brand, however I don't know why he says single mass flywheel clutch kits aren't possible with this engine. As I said I got a single mass kit, it's from JM Turbo Coopers who make a lot of high performance aftermarket Mini parts. They make kits for both N14 and N18 motors.
Hey Eric, just an update on this from a while ago. Bit the bullet, bought a transmission jack. Clutch swap was rough but I got it done, your videos were extremely helpful and were my primary go-to for reference. Used my floor jack to support the engine and the transmission jack to get the trans in and out. Getting them mated back up was a huge PITA but they're mated back together now.
I've sold a lot of clutch kits made by Valeo, LuK, Sachs and none of them contained the aligment tool. Actually, the only one I've seen with it was some (probably) chinese set by Delsah. It was for Skoda Felicia 1.3L :P
"No point in wasting more break clean..." - The moment a tear rolls down SMA Eric. O.s cheek...
Any tips on how to tell if your Mini Cooper clutch is failing? Thanks
11:10 for the most satisfying click* sound you will ever hear.