So after my first trip to the dyno which was a flop, I figured out how to put Austin in dyno mode so we could get the chart done. Then it was back to the dyno for Mini JCW F56 Dyno Part 2.
Before we jump into dyno tings, I’m curious. Complete the poll below and let me know what you guys think is more important…. Torque or horsepower? You can also drop a comment below to tell me why you chose one over the other.
Dyno Mode Activate
Now lets get on with dyno tings as promised. Below is a really quick video showing how I put Austin in Dyno mode. As it turns out, this works for all model minis and BMWs as well.
Mini Dyno: Take two
Once the mini was in dyno mode. I was ready to go… again. But was Austin?
We calibrated the RPM gauge with the dyno at 3000RPM. We did the dyno twice; first in 4th gear and again in 3rd. The pulls were clean with little error. Watch the video below to see how much power Austin made.
Soooooo, yes yes, I was a little disappointed with the power since on paper the Mini should make up 228hp/320nm from factory. However, there may be a bunch of factors that contributed to Austin not getting full power, including gas type, drivetrain loss etc etc.
I will be speaking to my next bestie (GOOGLE) about ways to get maximum power from Austin without doing a stage one upgrade. I know I want to try Boostane to see if that will make a difference and maybe do a Mini JCW F56 dyno part 3. If you know any tricks to power up without an ECU upgrade, drop a link below.
I will keep you guys posted on the results of the poll and what I’ll be doing next with Austin.
If you haven’t done the poll, it’s not too late or you can comment below and let me know what you guys think is more important…. Torque or horsepower?
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Happy Revving!!!
Horsepower is more important. If my understanding is correct then torque really describes horsepower kinda like how quickly the max can be reached.
Torque!!! Famous saying: “Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races”.
Nice blog with the inclusion of the video of the Mini. Torque is more important to me, this is what gets u up and going from the start and out of corners, also based on how horsepower is calculated it is derived from Torque.
Torque, simply, is the ability of a vehicle to perform work — specifically, the twisting force applied by the crankshaft.
Horsepower is how rapidly the vehicle can perform that work.
Reference: https://youtu.be/mRROa_plpTc
Check this out re your Mini: https://www.encycarpedia.com/mini/15-john-cooper-works-hatch
HP = (RPM * T) / 5252, where RPM is the engine speed, T is the torque, and 5,252 is radians per second.
But you still did not say which one is more important to you..
15% loss from crank HP to wheel HP is actually good for an automatic transmission. This tool does rough estimates (https://www.mk5cortinaestate.co.uk/calculator4.php) and it calculated 191hp at the wheels. Also the type of Dyno can make a difference.
I just got a 2019 JCW and I’m loving it. Probably not too much you can do to gain power without a tune. Boostane works… but will only give you real results along with a tune. If you have access to 93 octane fuel, you’re good and it won’t be worth the price for the tiny bit of performance gained.
To answer your question… The most important thing is how the car performs which is a combination of torque HP and everything else. HP as a number is only good for telling other people how much your car makes 😉 So I guess it’s more important… since nobody but truck enthusiasts are impressed with torque.
The JCW Mini is in my opinion perfectly powered. Sure more power would be nice… but can it handle more? You can drive this thing to the limit, it handles amazingly, and I have yet to find myself needing more power. It’s not going to be a monster on a drag strip… but it will whip around a track beautifully.
Enjoy it!
PS. Keep making videos, the auto world needs more diversity. Happy to have found your channel and blog!
Thanks for this very detailed response. I’m yet to try the Boostane but I will try it soon. Unfortunately, we only have access to up yo 90 Octane in Jamaica so we have to use various octane boosters to get to 93.
Happy to hear that you love your JCW, I am absolutely in love with mine. Its sooo much fun to drive. I’ve taken is to a local circuit track and the performance was amazing. Hoping to have some videos and pictures of our next track day.
Enjoy your JCW as well.