Advise needed on a 2008 Cooper S

817 Views 47 Replies 5 Participants Last post by ExclusiveWorkshops, 2 h ago

SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · 16 d ago

Good morning Ladies and Gents,

I have posted this also in the new members area as i am completely new to this forum so Hello 😁.

So i am new to the mini world and as per the the title i am in need of a little help. So i have now just bought a mini through Copart as a project to put on my YouTube channel. So as you can imagine i currently don't know to much about the car as it is coming tomorrow but all i know is the reason it was them on a auction was due to mechanical that is all the sheet said. So i was hoping you amazing people could give me some info on the common problems of what i could be looking at. It is a 2008 Cooper S which does run and drive. But i am thinking it has to be something a bit big to be not repaired and instead sent to Copart so as much information on the types of problems would be amazing.

My friend who used to be in the mini world said that it could be valves due to them being clogged with carbon. I believe he said about a cylinder issue also.

Thank you very much for taking the time to give me some advise of what to look for prior to the car coming and if you want to see the mini projects journey stay tuned to my YouTube channel as i will be doing lots to it

.

https://www.youtube.com/@sparrowscarprojects-em3fe/featured

Thanks very much Ladies and Gents.

P.S i am in the UK and not Spain like my profile says 😂🤣. I have no idea why it has done that or how i can change it so that is also another question 😁.

Sparrow

21 - 40 of 48 Posts

SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #21 · 12 d ago

I know you guys said about the valves and valve seals but as my pressure was good that would tell me that the valves are fine, right?

SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #22 · 12 d ago

Just wondering guys has anyone used the Lohen timing chain kit? I got a quote from Mini and it was £345 but was missing a couple of items that Lohen have in their kit.

www.lohen.co.uk

Febi Bilstein MINI N14 Timing Chain Kit For Cooper S & JCW

Features OEM spec timing chain kit Save hundreds compared with MINI prices Required if your chain rattles

www.lohen.co.uk

ExclusiveWorkshops

· #23 · 12 d ago

SparrowCarProjects said:
I know you guys said about the valves and valve seals but as my pressure was good that would tell me that the valves are fine, right?

basic pressure perhaps

there is more to these in that the exhaust valves are known to pit up and the stem seals are known to leak by, also the valve guides are known to wear, it is also known at least to some of us on here that the oil control rings are junk,

stem seals or oil rings will not really be revealed in comp or leak tests, and the chances are it's unlikely that pitted ex valves would,

in use the pitting causes hot spots on the seats, and can lead to burnt out valves these are also known for, add to this lot the other known conditions of carbon build up and deposits over injector nozzles or around ring lands, one can see potential for pre-ignition and piston failure earning the term 'chocolate engine', which they actually are not, it's just consequences, often linked to owners past or present whether budget related, head in the sand, tuning a tired base, plain old abuse, and sometimes the standard of work done if or when it actually is,

in addition there is head/cam journal wear, rectangrings, oil pumps, sensitivity to coolant issues and more often mentioned somewhere,

if you're interested in minimums, sure just focus on core pressure for now and work around that, Mike or I will mention other stuff we are used to seeing, he more than I certainly on NA cars, and he will tell you more about the electrical side of it and the diagnosis of, I do other mechanical stuff not just on these, essentially the car just needs running and identifying with any symptoms but ideally not deferring attention to them if you hope for it to last reasonably well, that's all the mention of other stuff is about, the longer game, not just this week etc ;O)

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SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #24 · 11 d ago

ExclusiveWorkshops said:
basic pressure perhaps

there is more to these in that the exhaust valves are known to pit up and the stem seals are known to leak by, also the valve guides are known to wear, it is also known at least to some of us on here that the oil control rings are junk,

stem seals or oil rings will not really be revealed in comp or leak tests, and the chances are it's unlikely that pitted ex valves would,

in use the pitting causes hot spots on the seats, and can lead to burnt out valves these are also known for, add to this lot the other known conditions of carbon build up and deposits over injector nozzles or around ring lands, one can see potential for pre-ignition and piston failure earning the term 'chocolate engine', which they actually are not, it's just consequences, often linked to owners past or present whether budget related, head in the sand, tuning a tired base, plain old abuse, and sometimes the standard of work done if or when it actually is,

in addition there is head/cam journal wear, rectangrings, oil pumps, sensitivity to coolant issues and more often mentioned somewhere,

if you're interested in minimums, sure just focus on core pressure for now and work around that, Mike or I will mention other stuff we are used to seeing, he more than I certainly on NA cars, and he will tell you more about the electrical side of it and the diagnosis of, I do other mechanical stuff not just on these, essentially the car just needs running and identifying with any symptoms but ideally not deferring attention to them if you hope for it to last reasonably well, that's all the mention of other stuff is about, the longer game, not just this week etc ;O)

Thank you so much for all this great info. So i am planning on keeping it quite a while as now my partner has fallen in love with it 🤣. So from what i am reading you would advise to do the below?

Apply the cam shaft tool to check the timing.
Change the cam chain and tensioner
change the valve stem seals
Do you think it is worth removing the head to do all this?
also a question with regards to removing the crank bolt. The chap in the video had a tool will i need that or can it be down without?

ExclusiveWorkshops

· #25 · 11 d ago

I wouldn't necessarily do stem seals just yet, the information is just that they are a known vulnerability, see how it does for oil use perhaps, if I did do them it would only ever be with the head off, as said, the valves pit up anyway, also the guides might be shot, pointless doing this stuff in situ as many do, no way to assess the other points, cheapest isn't necessarily best.

ExclusiveWorkshops

· #26 · 11 d ago

I also wouldn't do the cam chain without the oil pump chain usually

no need for the holding tool imo, if that's what you refer to, just use the lock pin making sure it is in place correctly

mike1967

· #27 · 10 d ago

SparrowCarProjects said:
Thank you so much everyone for all the comments.

So from what you have all said to replace the chain and bits from what i have seen i need to follow this video am i right?

But you also recommend to drop the sump and clean the oil pick up?

drop sump and chain oil pump chain at same time as cleaning it out, of any timing chain plastic broken off it can get lodged in oil pump pick up and restrict oil pressure ,, i've seen a lot do that trick and hurts the crank

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William_Oliver_123

· #28 · 9 d ago

Once the battery is charged or replaced, I will eagerly delve into the codes. The absence of any chain rattle was music to my ears. However, upon removing the oil cap, I did notice some unsavory gunk. It appears that the vehicle has been stationary for quite some time.

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GEOFFSNOOK

· #29 · 9 d ago

Also they suffer with condensation if only used on short Runs I believe

SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #30 · 8 d ago

mike1967 said:
drop sump and chain oil pump chain at same time as cleaning it out, of any timing chain plastic broken off it can get lodged in oil pump pick up and restrict oil pressure ,, i've seen a lot do that trick and hurts the crank

Thank you for the message. I have now decided to give the engine a full going over and taking the engine completely out as I believe it will be easier than being on mu back on my gravelled drive lol. I am also planning on removing the head to give it a full going over as I have the engine out.

SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #31 · 8 d ago

William_Oliver_123 said:
Once the battery is charged or replaced, I will eagerly delve into the codes. The absence of any chain rattle was music to my ears. However, upon removing the oil cap, I did notice some unsavory gunk. It appears that the vehicle has been stationary for quite some time.

Yes I believe the car has been sat for many months.

SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #32 · 8 d ago

GEOFFSNOOK said:
Also they suffer with condensation if only used on short Runs I believe

I can imagine that is what has happened to this as its only done 55000 miles.

mike1967

· #33 · 8 d ago

no need to remove engine if have good oil pressure and crank is good, they refresh with block in car easy,

SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #34 · 7 d ago

mike1967 said:
no need to remove engine if have good oil pressure and crank is good, they refresh with block in car easy,

I guess the only thing I am thinking of is to give it a good once over and to also have space lol. Where she is now jacked up there's not a huge amount of room underneath and being on my back doing it doesn't sound like fun ha ha. Might just be quicker taking it out than to do it lying down.

So you believe that the misfire on cylinder 1 and 2 would be down to the chain?

mike1967

· #35 · 7 d ago

I do all these on the floor but inside a unit where its dry you just find a way ,

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SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #36 · 2 d ago

mike1967 said:
I do all these on the floor but inside a unit where its dry you just find a way ,

Thank you for all your help so far mate and everyone that has commented.

So the engine is in and I am going to do it with it in. I do have a couple more questions

1) Is there a torque for the crank bolt?
2) Is there also a torque for the oil pump sprocket bolt?
3) To change the oil pump sprocket do you remove the pump?

mike1967

· #37 · 2 d ago

3

can undo oil pump sprocket easy if drop sump first and before disturbing timing chain crank bolt undo the single torx bolt for it,

below crank bolt process

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ExclusiveWorkshops

· #38 · 2 d ago

3

I do all of them on the floor, outside, axle stands etc.

every one of them is an engine out if getting rings, honed at a machine shop, most having bores measured, often out of spec and needing a re-bore anyway, if not sleeving

they are quite modular and it's just doing most of the same work pulling the whole thing, it can be easier pulling the sump with them in situ only to get all of the old oil out with the motor in place then refit the sump loosely when removing the unit, but really, to me at least, motor out is a no brainer, less hassle, don't rush them, clean more including the bay etc and just better access

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mike1967

· #39 · 2 d ago

in a perfect world where costs are not a issue full rebuilding them like exclusive does is br far best way to get a engine to last another 10 years , rebore plus 4 new pistons £600 ish regrind crank and set of bearings £ 450 new cylinder head £800 for bare head plus cost camshafts further £400 £230 for lifter posts, oil seals £70 stretch bolts £100 ish, timing chain full kit and oil pump chain kit £450, head gasket set and head bolts £200 , oil pump £ 368 for genuine , oil filter housing £200 , then the time labour on that must be a good 40-50 hours as long as all goes well on first start ups, , many people who find me to do refresh work ie make good whats there, ie as long as not oil pressure damaged or cooked the bores tend to be ok ok on a under 100k engine as does the crankshafts , trouble when have a car worth 3k and costs 5k to fully rebuild it, then its a just like the car more than its resale value as many people do even on the refresh stuff,
I do a lot of very old vintage cars from brass time span for a collector near me and many of the parts cannot be bought so have to be made or resurfaced to be used again,, funny what you can learn when honing by having something in front of you that cannot be messed up , been hand honing for years and never had issue with any of it,, diesels dont do well on worn bores and honing need reboring petrols not so much, I've lost count the cars that I have refreshed and honed and 300 miles later put on dyno and pushed so hard for a over hour and give no issues,, of course all engine rebuilding machine shops will tell you its their way or no way etc, thats good for business , this all said on a car that has been oil pressure damaged or so cooked it dropped the valve seats out chances are head will be destroyed and crank will be done ,, and to be honest having anything like machined shopped and expense's just better go find a better used engine and refresh based on costs and even if were going to push the boat out and fully rebuild something that might not need it all doing anyway is right back to that question, is ot a waste to just do things just in case or not,

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SparrowCarProjects

Discussion Starter · #40 · 2 d ago

Thank you guys I am going to start it shortly wish me luck 🤞

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