As for while you are in there items, replace the cooling crossover pipe on the back of the motor under the intake manifold. It is plastic and shocking no one, it degrades really quickly.
Sean
As for while you are in there items, replace the cooling crossover pipe on the back of the motor under the intake manifold. It is plastic and shocking no one, it degrades really quickly.
Sean
In reply to smokeysevin :
Thanks Sean, I noticed that pipe and was considering it for sure.
Luckily along those lines a lot of work was done at a Mini dealer in 2017 (reciepts in glove box), including the thermostat housing which is evidently a big deal as well on these cars.
That looks pretty lucky to me! What's your process for decarbonizing the valves?
Clean up will just be disassembly and lots of wire wheel action.
On closer inspection this valve was burnt, not broken. I've never seen such a large percentage of valve burn away before. Wow.
I think that the burnt valve issue here is directly related to the carbon issues these engines tend to have.
A lot of that seems to get blamed on the direct injection.
On the back sides of the intake valves, that makes sense.
Everywhere else, not so much.
I found that the PCV equivalent on a Mini N14 is basically integral to the valve cover, and it can't be cleaned.
This car has a new valve cover assembly and an expensive aftermarket crankcase oil vapor catch can.
I think a past owner or mechanic was trying to combat engine fouling. A number of the service receipts in the glove box were related to oil consumption and blue smoke.
From looking at the tops of the pistons, I am pretty sure that the rings, ring grooves, and oil return holes are probably going to be nasty as well.
With all of this in mind, In an attempt to combat the engine cruds... Im going to decarbonize the head, pistons (pulling them from the short block), and exhaust manifold.
I'll be deleting the catch can for budget recoup, but in the long term, it's likely to be re installed.
Thoughts?
In reply to a_florida_man :
Do not decarbonize the pistons. The ring seal will disappear and oil consumption will go up, not down. Leave the bottom end together please. You can scrape the piston crowns, but leave them in the bores.
In reply to TurnerX19 :
I get what you are saying, but I'm probably expecting more fouling than you might be.
I'm betting the oil rings are nearly seized and the oil return holes are plugged.
If upon inspection, its not that bad, then yes id likely leave it alone.
The N14 engines were notorious for carbon buildup on the intake valves and timing chain tensioner failures which would result in valves getting intimate with the pistons. There's an updated valve cover which is much better at separating the oil out of the crankcase blow-by, sounds like you might already have that, and check that the timing chain tensioner has been replaced.
IIRC the #1 cylinder was especially bad for carbon build up on the intake valves, which would result in a lean condition leading to burned exhaust valves. (My car had the N18 engine which had changes that resolved the carbon buildup and timing chain problems.)
With proper maintenance and the updated valve cover the N14 engine can be reliable - sounds like you scored a good deal.
realoem.com is a great reference for parts.
a_florida_man said:I think that the burnt valve issue here is directly related to the carbon issues these engines tend to have.
A lot of that seems to get blamed on the direct injection.
On the back sides of the intake valves, that makes sense.
Everywhere else, not so much.
I found that the PCV equivalent on a Mini N14 is basically integral to the valve cover, and it can't be cleaned.
This car has a new valve cover assembly and an expensive aftermarket crankcase oil vapor catch can.
I think a past owner or mechanic was trying to combat engine fouling. A number of the service receipts in the glove box were related to oil consumption and blue smoke.
From looking at the tops of the pistons, I am pretty sure that the rings, ring grooves, and oil return holes are probably going to be nasty as well.
With all of this in mind, In an attempt to combat the engine cruds... Im going to decarbonize the head, pistons (pulling them from the short block), and exhaust manifold.
I'll be deleting the catch can for budget recoup, but in the long term, it's likely to be re installed.
Thoughts?
Cool Project. I know people who have had very good luck with Seafoam. Supposed to decarbonize like heck. Maybe regularly add some to fuel. Maybe soak pistons in it while apart.
wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L) said:Cool Project. I know people who have had very good luck with Seafoam. Supposed to decarbonize like heck. Maybe regularly add some to fuel. Maybe soak pistons in it while apart.
I think I remember that seafoam is ethanol, naptha, and a small amount of other volatile hydrocarbons.
It used to work to help clean and reduce pinging due to the ethanol raising the octane, but now that all gas has it...
I'd just skip the middleman and pour acetone on top and give it a light scrubbing.
So I have a LOT of posting to catch up on.
However I am proud to say we will be there tomorrow!
Good work! I can't wait to hear the rest of the story.
2002maniac said:Good work! I can't wait to hear the rest of the story.
Well, here is the ending... still need to backfill.
I swear, I'm still tired from Saturday.
As one FloridaMan to another, I meant to track you down and say howdy. I meant to track down a bunch of folks. 2 days isn't long enough.
In reply to Mr_Asa :
Agreed! Always a great group of folks.
Not a bad one in the bunch...
And I hate general population crowds.
Great work. Would love to hear what all had to be done to fix!
In reply to a_florida_man :
Im in Gainesville, Fl! Nice to see another person from up here connected to GRM.
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