One-wheel drive is a bummer, and a surprising number of cars are, essentially, one-wheel drive. As long as you're not breaking traction it's not a problem. However, in a higher-horsepower front-wheel-drive car that's constantly shifting its weight around a race track, an open differential is unforgivably bad. Our 2005 MINI Cooper S, though armed with a suite of John Cooper …
"...the easiest way to do the job is to remove the entire nose of the car and pull the engine out completely."
Yipes! It's statements like that which scare me away from buying a MINI.
That scared me too. But the next statement (had the MINI's block on the ground in about an hour) would indicate maybe its not so bad. I'm still looking for the right one, and I guess if it had a OS Giken that would add considerable amount of points to what I would consider the "right" one.
I've pulled the transmission from a MINI to do a clutch job (and again to replace a transmission). Removing the engine is NOT required... nor would I say it would make the job faster or easier. Done per Bentley, you don't even have to drain the coolant.
I have heard from several people that transmission access can be gained without removing the engine, but the removal certainly worked in our favor considering the Powerflex bushing/mount installation. The engine removal was astonishingly easy for our experienced technician, and gave us great access for photos, too. . If I'd been doing it in my own garage on jackstands, I'm sure I wouldn't have been as eager to take everything apart.
I was planning on buying the Torsen for my SVTF but I don't like that it becomes an open diff once a wheel goes airborne. I would assume that cause a weird "catching" sensation once the tire hits the ground again. But darn it, that OS Giken piece is way over budget for me.
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