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It is fairly common to hear from people who think that simply installing a bigger camshaft, a smaller supercharger pulley, a high flow exhaust or a better intake will be “THE” answer to more performance. The often-used statement that the internal combustion engine is a simple ‘air pump’ never seems to get the point across. The engine is really a complex number of components that MUST work together to produce the power to turn the crankshaft, which turns the transmission, which turns the wheels, which move the car. It is simplistic to think that changing one component without considering the rest will result in the optimum performance increase.

A factory engine design team makes a major effort to make all things work together well, while working within cost, performance, drivability, reliability and emissions design constraints. They establish a target for performance and each component is chosen to optimize towards that point. If they target to have “X” horsepower, they can then adjust each and every component to that point. Everything from boost pressure, throttle body port size, exhaust system, valve sizes, etc. all are established to meet the target. Changing any one of the many options may indeed gain some performance, but the result is by no means optimized.

Going back to the 'air pump' analogy, let's consider the single most popular upgrade done to the Mini Cooper "S": increasing the boost pressure. There is no question that there is horsepower to be gained by simply increasing the amount of air being forced into the combustion chamber. While the factory must be conservative in their choice of components and thus will always build-in a margin for error in favor of reliability, there are real engineering limits to what we can expect from a single simple component change. Increasing boost pressure consumes horsepower and generates heat which must be dissipated by the intercooler. The capacity of the stock intercooler on the MINI is easily exceeded, negating the potential gains of increased boost pressure. The real question regarding performance enhancements, is how to know when we exceed the point of diminishing returns, where we no longer achieve optimum performance from an upgrade.

The MINI supercharger might be thought of as a multiplier. It takes horsepower to make it rotate and in return it forces more air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber, which in turn results in more horsepower. The intent is to get more than you give.

But increasing the air out of the pump is only the first step; you then have to get it into the combustion chamber, and to do so you have to pass it thought the ports of the cylinder head and then past the valves. As we increase the blower’s output, we can quickly approach or exceed the head porting design limit established by the factory. Getting back to a more optimum balance of components will have many beneficial results. If we make it easier for the supercharger to deliver the desired amount of air, it will work less and since the basics tell us the work equals horsepower, we will consume less horsepower for the better results. And if the pump is not working as hard it also can deliver a cooler air mixture, which results in a more dense mixture, which again equals more horsepower.

So what can we do to the cylinder head to regain some of the balance of components? Air flows into the valves by ways of ports. The shape and size of these ports control flow and velocity. These are the two critical components of port design. The optimum design will yield the highest flow (volume) of air while maintaining the highest velocity (speed). If you think of the port as a straw it is easy to understand that as the diameter is increased the flow will increase but with the same input pressure, the velocity will have to decrease. The result of flow and velocity might also be thought of as low RPM verses high RPM performance. You need the velocity at low engine speeds to produce the HP but if the volume is not there at the high RPM, the engine will not achieve maximum horsepower and torque. This is why we leave porting to the professional with access to the proper flow testing equipment. An amateur with a die grinder will tend to make the ports way too big, drastically dropping the intake charge velocity and ruining power (not to mention ruining the head).

When building a full race motor. it is not uncommon to give up low end performance in favor of total HP at high RPMs that can be maintained on a race track. Since most of us also want to be able to use our cars on the street or least need a wider RPM range, then we MUST balance Flow and Velocity.

This is the real ‘art’ required to get the optimum performance from a port job. As we have probably already increased the pressure from the blower (with a 15% reduced pulley) we now must modify the cylinder head to again re-establish that optimum balance of flow and velocity. The ‘art’ typically requires not just an understanding of how to do it but also often requires a number of hours of very intensive hand operation with high powered die grinders followed by hand sanding to finish the job.

Why isn’t this level of attention given at the design and manufacturing process? While the factory engineers well understand the benefits of porting cylinder heads, it is one of the engineering/cost compromises that must be made in modern production engines.

The general practice In cylinder head porting is to carefully reshape by hand both the intake and exhaust ports to enlarge them slightly while straightening out the airflow path and reducing obstructions that result in any sort of pumping loss. As you reduce the turbulence you increase air flow. This is also a balance as a perfectly smooth mirror finish port wall can result in a loss of performance if the fuel atomization is compromised. Most cylinder head tuners will leave the intake port looking rougher than the exhaust for just this reason. It is very common for a good porting facility to test both their progress and their finished product on a flow bench. This device is the best way to quantify the gains, short of putting the head on an engine and engine dyno to prove the results. A good port technician can establish a baseline on a flow bench and then be able to do many ports and heads to the exact results that can be verified on the flow test bench.

The next step in the process is to get the air past the valves. There are two levels of performance that can be considered. The first hurdle is how to get the best flow from stock valves. The more important hurdle is how to balance increased pressure from the supercharger by increasing the size of the valves. It has been proven that 50% of the gain typically found in cylinder head tuning is achieved by the simple process of doing a high performance valve job. The factory again accepts compromise for cost and manufacturability, and thus you will find single angle valve seat in a production head. These are typically a wide area 45-degree cut on the edge of the valve and corresponding seat area in the head. These are easy to do and as the valve size, etc. has been designed for x-horsepower there is no need for the factory to spend more money.

Just as we reshaped the ports of the cylinder head to improve flow, we can do the same with the seat area of the standard size valves. A ‘multi-angled valve job’, typically 3 or 4 angles will result in smoother transition for the air and greatly enhance flow, while maintaining adequate valve seating area for the necessary dissipation of combustion heat. This precision process is considered standard practice in performance tuning shops.

Multi-angled valve seats are one improvement that does not require the trial and error ‘art’ that is found in cylinder head porting. Requesting a 3-angle valve job should be considered the minimum that you would ask from your machine shop. Typical 3-angle valve jobs include an angle cut on either side of the actual sealing area of the valve seat. The high accuracy required of this technique means that the seat area is kept to a minimum (often less than half of the original seat area). The net result is that the gasses are encouraged, or funneled, through the valve-to-seat opening. The flow increase is dramatic. The intake seat width is typically about .040” while the exhaust is kept a little wider (.050”) to allow for better heat dissipation. It is critical that the corresponding cuts in the valve seats be matched and thus it is important not to switch valves between cylinders.

A 15% pulley reduction increases boost by 10%, from a max pressure of 10lbs to 15lbs. As a positive displacement pump this means you get a higher velocity of air sooner although not much increase in flow or volume. Porting and a good valve job will still leave you short of the needed improvements to reach optimum potential provided by the pulley size reduction. The next logical step is to increase the size and lift of the valves. Again, this must be done with the understanding the need to balance flow and velocity. Remember that we have said the flow is more important at high RPMs while velocity is critical at the lower RPM. Since the blower upgrade mostly produces more velocity, then in order to keep this balance the focus needs to be on flow. This is best accomplished with increased valve sizes. Another compromise that we must keep in mind is the need to keep the correct ratio between intake and exhaust flow. In the ideal cylinder head the exhaust should flow at about 70% of the intake. This balance is maintained both in port design and in valve sizes. For the MINI we have discovered that by increasing the intake valve size by 2% and the exhaust by 6% we not only can regain the ideal balance of intake verses exhaust, but the increased flow (combined with a top quality porting job and valve job) allows you to get much closer to reaching the potential benefits of the reduced the pulley size.

While all this head work provides great benefit in and of itself, a performance camshaft, with properly engineered duration, overlap and lift, will put the finishing touches on your re-engineered, high performance MINI cylinder head. With other engines, the available space above the head allows for many variations in camshaft design. Discussing these choices and the resulting performance and drivability impacts is a subject for another paper at another time. Suffice it to say that for the MINI, the physical limitations of the camshaft area on top of the head limits the performance gains and potential impact to drivability. These limitations include taller lobes interfering with the metal spark plug tubes, and the need to maintain the stock base circle diameter of the lobes because of the integral rocker-arm/hydraulic lifter design. As a result, there is very little difference in performance between the camshaft upgrades we are aware of for the MINI.

We hope this discussion has shed some light on the 'why's' of cylinder head work, and you can now decide whether to trade in your stock head for a ported cylinder head, or undertake the project yourself with the help of a local 'head guru', or leave the pursuit of serious power to more hard-core enthusiasts. Whatever your choice, you are sure to have many happy motoring miles ahead of you!

Part No Applications: NME6026, NME6010, NME6001, NME6045, NME6026

Don Racine
Article Date: Dec 30, 2005
Car Accociations: NEW_MINI
Hits: 16727

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When ordering, recognize that some products sold by Mini Mania may not be approved for highway use on public roads. These products are designed for show, off road driving or racing applications only. It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that their vehicle meets all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Buyer assumes all liability and risk associated with the use of high performance products and holds Mini Mania, Inc. harmless of any associated liability.

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Products distributed by Mini Mania, but manufactured by others, are subject to their respective manufacturer's warranty. Contact that manufacture directly for warranty support. If results are less than satisfactory, we want to know! Contact us and we will be pleased to intervene on your behalf.

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Warranty backed performance

Mini Mania™ Limited Warranty The Mini Mania limited warranty is in effect for at least the remaining portion of your original
new car limited warranty, often longer since it extends also for one year or 12,000 miles after you purchase the Mini Mania part or component. This means more miles, more coverage, more assurance that your MINI stays at peak performance miles beyond anyone else in the industry. Mini Mania stands behind its warranty. We have been in business since 1974. Mini Mania's customer service extends beyond the sale of the product. Our product warranty offers our customers the peace of mind that only product warranties can offer. Our intent is to back our products in a manner that protects you against product defects and damage caused
by failure of a Mini Mania component. The Mini Mania warranty is intended to cover Mini Mania and/or ULTRIK manufactured products when they are used in the manner for which they were originally designed. Most Mini Mania parts and components will not impact your new car warranty. The warranty does not cover products subjected to improper installation, modification, misuse or customer neglect.

For MINIs covered under the Original Manufacturer's New Car Limited Warranty

If your MINI is currently covered by the new car limited warranty issued when the car was originally purchased,
Mini Mania will warranty its Mini Mania and/or ULTRIK branded performance upgrades for the remaining term of the new car limited warranty up to 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Mini Mania warranties are transferable to subsequent owners of the car providing that the car falls within the original manufacturer's new car limited warranty criteria. To obtain service under the warranty, the vehicle must be transported to an authorized Mini Mania dealership or
MINI dealership who will obtain authorization from Mini Mania to make the requested repairs. The facility will, with-
out charge to the customer, either repair or replace the defective Mini Mania and/or ULTRIK branded part and/or the original vehicle manufacturer's part at the sole discretion of Mini Mania if it is determined that the Mini Mania and/or ULTRIK branded part caused the failure of the original vehicle manufacturer's part. Parts replaced by Mini Mania become the property of Mini Mania and/or the original vehicle manufacturer. In all cases, customers understand that a reasonable time period must be allowed to initiate and make warranted repairs to the vehicle.

For MINIs no longer covered by the Original Manufacturer's New Car Warranty

The Mini Mania limited warranty covers Mini Mania and/or ULTRIK branded products for two years, or 24,000 miles, from the date of the purchase, whichever is greater. Mini Mania's limited warranty is transferable to subsequent owners providing proof of original purchase can be presented. Mini Mania does not cover products subjected to improper installation, modification, misuse or customer neglect. In the event of a warranted claim, Mini Mania will, at its sole discretion, either replace or repair the failed component upon receipt of the Mini Mania and/or ULTRIK branded part. Labor charges associated with repair or replacement of a Mini Mania component will be reimbursed at the Mini Mania authorized standard rate based upon Mini Mania's schedule of flat rate labor costs. Mini Mania will not be responsible for consequential effects or damage to other components or systems. The defective Mini Mania part must be presented to Mini Mania or Mini Mania representative to verify defect and authorize repair or replacement.

Mini Mania's Limited Warranty Exclusions:

• Any vehicle operated in any competitive event; • brake rotor warp; • custom-designed competition parts; • damage attributable to negligence, improper installation, improper treatment or treatment contrary to the instructions in the owner's manual from the original vehicle manufacturer or Mini Mania's product instructions; • damage due to the failure to perform maintenance services at the specified intervals or in accordance with the instructions in the owner's manual from the original vehicle manufacturer or Mini Mania's product instructions; • damage occurring through corrosion resulting from weak or improper coolant; • damage resulting from environmental influences, flood, accident, fire damage, or road salt corrosion; • damage resulting from the unauthorized modification of a Mini Mania part or assembly; • damage resulting from the use of improper or contaminated fuel; • damage resulting from the use of other manufacturer's products in conjunction with Mini Mania products or systems; • damage to a component or assembly due to the installation of replacement parts with specifications that differ in any material respect from the original vehicle manufacturer's or Mini Mania parts; • damage to a Mini Mania component as a result of a collision or improper collision damage repairs; • damage to the clutch due to power shifting or abuse; • drive-belts; • engine damage resulting from altered boost pressure beyond that provided by Mini Mania products; • friction materials; • incidental and/or consequential damages, including loss of time, inconvenience or loss of the use of the vehicle; • light bulbs;
• maintenance services and parts when replaced during maintenance such as spark plugs, lubricants, fluids, engine tune-up parts, replacement of filters, coolant and refrigerant; • mechanical adjustments or repairs which result from normal wear and tear; • towing charges; • return shipping charges. This warranty shall be null and void if the vehicle identification number has been altered or cannot be read; if the odometer has been replaced or altered and the true mileage cannot be determined; if the vehicle has been declared a total loss or sold for salvage purposes; or if the vehicle has been used in any competitive event.

General

The duration of any implied warranties, including the implied warranty of merchantability, is limited to the duration of the express warranties herein. Mini Mania, Inc. hereby excludes incidental and consequential damages, including loss of time, inconvenience, or loss of the use of the vehicle, for any breach of any express or implied warranty, including the implied warranty of merchantability, applicable to the product. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, or the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. This warranty applies to all Mini Mania and/or ULTRIK branded products purchased on or after July 1, 2004. Mini Mania, Inc. reserves the right to modify this warranty at its discretion and without notice. Mini Mania™ and the Mini Mania logo are trademarks of Mini Mania, Inc. ULTRIK and the ULTRIK logo are pending trademarks of Mini Mania, Inc.

Rev. 20041028A  

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Mini Mania, Inc. has been supplying parts and accessories Mini owners for over 30 years and we are proud to continue to offer you the best guarantee in the market. QualityProducts sold or designed by Mini Mania are chosen for the quality of performance, looks and price. If for ANY reason you are not 100% satisfied we gladly accept the product back within 15 days of purchase for a full refund. Please see our full Return Policy below for details. ServiceOur 12,000 sq ft warehouse, a staff of 25 experts in their field, 12,000 parts number kept on hand, and $1,000,000 worth of inventory assures you of the utmost in service.


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We offer the best product at the best price available on every item in our store. All prices are listed in U.S. dollars. We do not have a currency converter in our store, but several Web sites provide this service. Orders placed at minimania.com will be charged in U.S. dollars. If you live outside the U.S., this charge is converted by your bank into your local currency and should appear on your credit card statement in that currency.

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PRODUCT RETURNSWe at Mini Mania value your satisfaction. We back up every sale with our Satisfaction Guarantee: If you're not fully satisfied with our products or service, we'll refund the purchase price.Please follow the instructions below carefully to ensure your return is accepted and processed promptly:1. Returned items must be in original condition, in original packaging, unused, uninstalled, unmarked and re-salable, with all documentation and packaging intact to be eligible for refund or credit.Electrical Components, VHS Tapes, DVDs, Software or Software Devices, Books and Special Order or Custom Built Items are not accepted for return.2. Call Mini Mania right away for a Return Authorization Number (RA#), with invoice in hand. Mini Mania will refuse unauthorized returns. If possible, speak with the Sales Tech who took your original order. A return authorization number will be provided for eligible returns.3. Include a copy of the original invoice in the box, including the completed return form included with the shipment. Write the RA# on the return form, and on the shipping label. Do not include the name of the Sales Tech who provided the RA# unless instructed to do so, or return processing may be unnecessarily delayed.4. Mini Mania must receive returned items within 15 days of your original receipt of the product to be eligible for a full refund. Items received between 15 and 45 days from date of receipt, or received without a copy of an Invoice, Return form and RA# are subject to a 15% re-stocking fee, and are eligible for store credit only. Returned items are subject to inspection prior to issuance of refund or credit. Credits or exchanges cannot be issued for used or incomplete returns. Items determined as ineligible for credit can be shipped back to the customer upon request, at customer’s expense. Unclaimed ineligible return items will be disposed of after 30 days.5. Send your package pre-paid, insured and traceable to: Mini Mania, Inc. Attn: Returns Dept. 870 Gold Flat Rd., Suite A Nevada City, CA 95959Package your return merchandise carefully. Credit will not be given for returned merchandise damage incurred in transit. No UPS Call Tags will be issued. With the exception of returns caused by our error, shipping costs for returned items are the buyer's sole responsibility. We do not accept returns shipped to us "COD Freight", nor do we pay outgoing freight charges.Please allow up to 3 weeks for your return to be processed and credit applied or refund issued. Credit may take up to 2 billing cycles to appear on your Credit Card statement.Refused shipments returned to Mini Mania do not automatically qualify for credit.

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