Well, tonight, I did this:
2008 Mini Cooper S
Automatic
runs, but not by much.
oil everywhere.
Hard miss, rough idle... but a good starting Budget $900
Well, tonight, I did this:
2008 Mini Cooper S
Automatic
runs, but not by much.
oil everywhere.
Hard miss, rough idle... but a good starting Budget $900
Pics from the ad.
Tomorrow will be big, as I wrench on it for the first time.
Thinking if it is fixable with budget left over, cheap (bigger) chineese turbo and sticky tires...
Are there specific classes this year?
Obligatory night time on the trailer, at the gas station pics...
You can see the various awards here:
In reply to Tom Suddard :
Thanks Tom!
Title is accurate!
In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :
Thought so... :)
In reply to a_florida_man :
Cool. It'll be great seeing you again.
Stampie said:In reply to a_florida_man :
Cool. It'll be great seeing you again.
Likewise.
That's really what this car is about, part of the price of admission to the best weekend of the year!
My posting skills are rusty ! ;)
Great score!
That looks like great fun. Attempting to open the hood almost breaks that trim piece every time. I glued it back on with lots of liquid nails glue.
You will find working on these to be a little different, step one, remove the front of the car. Actually not that difficult, but all the little plastic trim fasteners can't be reused, but they are cheap, just need to have some ready for putting it back together.
Interesting.
Cut the roof off. Less weight = more speed.
Nice score!
Wait you bought your car already? Way ahead of me.
Ok, so here's a little more info on the car:
2008 Mini Cooper S
R56 N14 1.6L Turbo 172hp/177ft*lbs
76,950 Miles
Automatic
The Bad:
As mentioned before, multiple misfires, rough idle, low power, evidence of blow by.
The Good:
Recent (57k miles) replacement of timing chain parts by Mini (BMW) under a recall.
New water pump and auxillary water pump by the dealer.
New tires ,Yokahama 
TW700 
New Rear Struts
New AC parts (air is cold)
Decent Paint, Nice interior.
Diagnostics:
Multiple misfires
#1 Spark Plug Like new NEVER Fired.
Spark on all cylinders
Compression cyl #1 is ZERO, all others about 150.
My bore scope only looks down, but I can see the piston and other than LOTS of carbon it looks good.
I set the engine to #1 compression (valves closed) and pressurized the #1 cylinder.
No woshing air sounds out of the exhaust or intake.
A little air blowing out of #2 spark plug hole, and more air blowing in the crankcase.
Hoping for JUST a blown head gasket.
Ordered the tools to hold the cams and do all of the timing set stuff.
Will tear down this weekend.
Automotive vibes for no metal damage appreciated....... 
Anyone out there been down this road with an N14 engine?
Hoping I can tear it down, de-carbon the heads (due to direct injection the valves get nasty), slap a $40 head gasket on and stay in the sub $1k class.
If I am so lucky I will then take the NEXT year to plan the real upgrades, ie wheels, tires, bigger turbo?, suspension.
Once again I have bought a challenge car that I don't want to absolutely maul, but then again that's probably for the best as I don't REALLY have time for the BIG projects.
The other up side to the mini is that it has caught the eye of my oldest son and he is really excited about the car AND the challenge.
Id pay more than $2000 for that alone.
I had that happen with a completely different turbo engine. The head gasket failed between two cylinders, odd you only lost one cylinder, although the gasket could be failed at just one cylinder.
Will be interesting to see what it looks like inside after you get the head off.
TED_fiestaHP said:I had that happen with a completely different turbo engine. The head gasket failed between two cylinders, odd you only lost one cylinder, although the gasket could be failed at just one cylinder.
Will be interesting to see what it looks like inside after you get the head off.
Yes, it will. Fingers crossed!
I wish I had one of those fancy sideways and backwards looking bore scopes...
Have to wait for the alignment tools to tear it down properly.
I hope the head and block are ok, if they aren't, "I'll loose the shop...!"
Sorry, couldn't resist.
In reply to a_florida_man :
I don't know why but I love seeing the evidence of head gasket failure. I think it's the satisfaction of saying yep look right there. That's the problem.
In reply to Stampie :
Its always nice to have a culprit. When you don't you have to hope the brain-hamster wants to take a run on the wheel and that's never a reliable thing.
Update on diagnosis thoughts:
Actual compression was #1 0 lbs, #2 180 lbs, #3 175 lbs, #4 175 lbs.
Since the #2 compression is fine, I think the air coming out of the #2 spark plug hole (from #1 cylinder) was recirculated through the exhaust manifold and through the open adjacent #2 exhaust valve.
I think the #1 cylinder will have burnt / broken / or fouled exhaust valves.
That is actually a better scenario I think...
Thoughts?
wouldn't you have had air sounds in the exhaust doing your pressure test if the exhaust valve was burnt?
I guess you have to get the head off to look either way.
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah, I listened at the exhaust tip for air sounds, but with a turbo and two cats in the path, it could be muted pretty well.
Maybe even a bent exhaust valve(s) due to excess carbon?
Is the car already saying watch out for cones??
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