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Engine problem

3K views 36 replies 4 participants last post by  JTownPBX 
#1 ·
Hi Mini Cooper r 56 engine light come on loss of power codes where management control 1105 and code mid cylinder 1 cleared codes drove next day all good for 20 miles the light on loss of power codes were management control and intermittent mis fire 1 3 4 cleared codes car running fine light back in again mid fire in 1 management control and knock sensor on start having this problem after I filled up at supermarket maybe bad fuel? Or I fitted a k n air filter? Read about coils but I would be able to drive 20 miles if faulty coil ? Will change plugs to see if that helps any information would be great not away to pump cash in to a 1200 motor
 
#2 ·
super market fuel on turbo r56 engines dont do well, need 97ron min super market are around 93ron if that, my cooper s would do same thing when used low ron fuels
 
#4 ·
when fitting filter did you keep the breather system intact
 
#6 ·
super market fuel the only one i use is tesco's and the premium one the others just have very low ron rating ,, could stick can of injection cleaner in the tank perhaps,
another common thing is breather pipe from rear of rocker cover goes to bottom of inlet manifold they split check to see if its a corrugated pipe or not, if corrugated then its the old style and they always crack and cause such issues ,, also check the oil filler cap the rubber seal is sealing,,
after that need to live data it and see what is doing what
 
#8 ·
yes that pipe will give misfires on all cylinders normally as its effect fuel to air ratio as pushes unmetered air to inlet, will also after a while throw 02 sensor plausibility codes and maf plausibility,,, what can do is have car running on idle and doing what its doing and undo oil filler cap if car stops then its not that if car carry on running and misfiring i would say it is something to do with the pcv valve in rocker cover or and that pipe broken,, they all go that ways some as early as 50k most do 100k or so,, just need to rule that out first,,, would also when car hot fond a long hill so can run all way down on the over run and then at bottom of hill hit throttle if get a puff of smoke would say valve stem seals have gone hard and the oil crud could of effected the exhaust valves and causing misfires ,, link below for what they get like
 
#9 ·
yes that pipe will give misfires on all cylinders normally as its effect fuel to air ratio as pushes unmetered air to inlet, will also after a while throw 02 sensor plausibility codes and maf plausibility,,, what can do is have car running on idle and doing what its doing and undo oil filler cap if car stops then its not that if car carry on running and misfiring i would say it is something to do with the pcv valve in rocker cover or and that pipe broken,, they all go that ways some as early as 50k most do 100k or so,, just need to rule that out first,,, would also when car hot fond a long hill so can run all way down on the over run and then at bottom of hill hit throttle if get a puff of smoke would say valve stem seals have gone hard and the oil crud could of effected the exhaust valves and causing misfires ,, link below for what they get like
It is smoky when it starts to misfire but have read that that unburnt petrol caused by misfire but if it was valves would that not gradually get like that or does it just happen no smoke problem before
 
#10 · (Edited)
though the application is a non-turbo it does still fall under the highest compression ratio in a mini cooper. Or at least I think it is at 11to 1 compression ratio. Meaning that it stands a chance of detonating in the combustion chamber more times then not. In perspective 13 to 1 your pretty much using Airplane fuel.
Misfires can be something like a pvc breather hose. They tend to crack if they are the original more times than not. And the re vision is better then the older version of PVC but the lock collars break easier. WILD!
In some situations you have to cut that sleeving back on the PVC to inspect the entire hard plastic PVC line.
Catalytic convertor can do it. Someone brought a Oxygen sensor. Though it was literally the first time I ever heard that was the fix.
Oxygen sensors I have stood by over the years they are double robust for the application in the Mini Coopers in my opinion. It's the catalytic convertor itself that tends to go out first. And the O2 sensors are still good to go after.
So I will say from the other testimony I just read about the chances of the O2 failing is 10 percent chance.
the knock sensor. they are cheap enough. Crank sensors are cheap enough also. You could probably get both those
sensors for under 70 dollars U.S. after shipping.
But that is not how I have seen stuff get solved with these little gems called the mini Cooper.
Misfire is old spark plugs in some cases.
These spark plug are application specific for the non turbo mini cooper and will not work on the forced induction types in the second gen cars.
Gun accessory Art Electric blue Auto part Metal

This is one of those parts where I look at it with a forced induction car and am jealous. That has been my take on the non turbo versions of mini cooper. They have there specific aftermarket parts.
Another thing you can look into is something like
And take the valve cover off the engine; is what I would do(it's easy enough). Then just wipe the valve cover gaskets off and apply with two fingers in with lube and the other hand holding the gaskets and wipe O-ring silicone grease. IF I needed to know for a fact I don't want a air leak I would even wipe a thin coat of O ring grease on the intake pipes before band clamping them down. If that's the case.
I would use it on the intake manifold if I remove it on the O ring gaskets there also. Air tight means air tight.
The gaskets around the spark plugs tend to create all kinds of leaks oil leaks included; in between the valve cover and cylinder head. O ring grease is easy and takes care of all the outer perimeter gaskets for the engine. Unless the rubber O rings are too far gone! But they make that brand new hermetic seal.
I would buy One new coil and swap it out between all four cylinders before deciding which coil to pull out of the engine. After I would find that one weak coil and pull it out that cylinder I pull it from most of the time is not gonna have the good graces to have that new coil on it. I will then swap another old coil and put that on it. Favoring the number 2 cylinder in my car. Most of the time the 4 cylinder is the one creating the problem in mine, but the point is not to directly replace the weak coil cylinder it came from with a new unless it will not quit misfiring unless you do.
The reason why I am spending time talking about 1 Coil in a 4 mis fire situation as this thread is talking about. Is because Seems to me sometimes 1 coil can wake up the entire coil system and clear up all the misfires. Because a new coil reduces the electrical load and increases the grounding to the engine block. There fore If I did buy a new coil and swap a old one out. I would keep the old coil. For years to come or until I could put in back in the car in multiple situations to verify it is in fact dead.
One coil saves money then buying a set of coils for three hundred dollars U.S. when On is about 45 dollars. And the rest of that money can go to fix the problem if that does not. Meaning The vanos solenoid being clogged up and requiring a new one. Or a PVC Breather hose that lead to the Intake Manifold.

Another thing that used to be real popular and some part supply stores in your local area carry is spark plug or die electric grease. I know first hand that does not work on plugs and had a 2 fold problem on the inside of the coil. Taking a scotch brite lightly and de greaser can help bring back the grounding ability of a coil on the outside metal band the connects with the cylinder head. And die electric grease can be cleaned out of a coil. Storing the coil for further evaluation after being replaced.
Not good to run that stuff on mini cooper engines in the 2nd generation.
 
#11 ·
though the application is a non-turbo it does still fall under the highest compression ratio in a mini cooper. Or at least I think it is at 11to 1 compression ratio. Meaning that it stands a chance of detonating in the combustion chamber more times then not. In perspective 13 to 1 your pretty much using Airplane fuel.
Misfires can be something like a pvc breather hose. They tend to crack if they are the original more times than not. And the re vision is better then the older version of PVC but the lock collars break easier. WILD!
In some situations you have to cut that sleeving back on the PVC to inspect the entire hard plastic PVC line.
Catalytic convertor can do it. Someone brought a Oxygen sensor. Though it was literally the first time I ever heard that was the fix.
Oxygen sensors I have stood by over the years they are double robust for the application in the Mini Coopers in my opinion. It's the catalytic convertor itself that tends to go out first. And the O2 sensors are still good to go after.
So I will say from the other testimony I just read about the chances of the O2 failing is 10 percent chance.
the knock sensor. they are cheap enough. Crank sensors are cheap enough also. You could probably get both those
sensors for under 70 dollars U.S. after shipping.
But that is not how I have seen stuff get solved with these little gems called the mini Cooper.
Misfire is old spark plugs in some cases.
These spark plug are application specific for the non turbo mini cooper and will not work on the forced induction types in the second gen cars.
View attachment 280012
This is one of those parts where I look at it with a forced induction car and am jealous. That has been my take on the non turbo versions of mini cooper. They have there specific aftermarket parts.
Another thing you can look into is something like
And take the valve cover off the engine; is what I would do(it's easy enough). Then just wipe the valve cover gaskets off and apply with two fingers in with lube and the other hand holding the gaskets and wipe O-ring silicone grease. IF I needed to know for a fact I don't want a air leak I would even wipe a thin coat of O ring grease on the intake pipes before band clamping them down. If that's the case.
I would use it on the intake manifold if I remove it on the O ring gaskets there also. Air tight means air tight.
The gaskets around the spark plugs tend to create all kinds of leaks oil leaks included; in between the valve cover and cylinder head. O ring grease is easy and takes care of all the outer perimeter gaskets for the engine. Unless the rubber O rings are too far gone! But they make that brand new hermetic seal.
I would buy One new coil and swap it out between all four cylinders before deciding which coil to pull out of the engine. After I would find that one weak coil and pull it out that cylinder I pull it from most of the time is not gonna have the good graces to have that new coil on it. I will then swap another old coil and put that on it. Favoring the number 2 cylinder in my car. Most of the time the 4 cylinder is the one creating the problem in mine, but the point is not to directly replace the weak coil cylinder it came from with a new unless it will not quit misfiring unless you do.
The reason why I am spending time talking about 1 Coil in a 4 mis fire situation as this thread is talking about. Is because Seems to me sometimes 1 coil can wake up the entire coil system and clear up all the misfires. Because a new coil reduces the electrical load and increases the grounding to the engine block. There fore If I did buy a new coil and swap a old one out. I would keep the old coil. For years to come or until I could put in back in the car in multiple situations to verify it is in fact dead.
One coil saves money then buying a set of coils for three hundred dollars U.S. when On is about 45 dollars. And the rest of that money can go to fix the problem if that does not. Meaning The vanos solenoid being clogged up and requiring a new one. Or a PVC Breather hose that lead to the Intake Manifold.
Just fired the car up no lights on but smoky out of tailpipe put hand over pipe getting suction could be valves or misfire I’m going check plugs and coils tomorrow and breather hose if start checking off what you and Mike said and take it from there
 
#17 ·
its not foam its just called that is a petrol based cleaner , pull the inlet manifold aay from head and feed that red pipe it comes with and give a spray in each port, do same with exhaust,, or can run car when cold at 3000 revs and spray in to the throttle body and while spaying it will white smoke turn engine off and leave to soak for a while is another way to do it,
 
#19 ·
yes not to bad 5x 13mm nuts from the top will need deep socket, then drivers wheel off and reach in under the inlet manifold there is a single 10mm bolt at the bottom
 
#20 ·
more likely to be exhaust ports at fault on those from oil seep from stem seals and exhaust valves get very hot as well and cooks it hard to valve seats
 
#27 ·
that lucas one works fine with both hence why added the link . there are other brands that do same trick all it is ,is a polymer that makes the rubber seals swell up and go soft,
 
#28 ·
Hi mike a wee update on car replaced spark plugs very oily and not tight put in a can of wynns seal additive would have had to order the Lucas one so car not smoking and no misfire and codes after a half hour drive no problem dodged a bullet but what about the oily plugs maybe be past owner being a bit made with oil 😂😂
 
#29 ·
you say oily plugs is that oil built up in plug hole if so then rocker cover gasket rubber seals leaking oil from the rocker cover to spark pug holes,, just check you have no leaks pull coil packs and have a look in at plugs should be no oil in here,
 
#31 ·
#32 ·
#37 ·
I know where your at there. Can't shore it up enough. That's why I am going through all this vacuum hose stuff. In the winter it is important for the turbo charger to at least be operating at it normal capacity. That turbocharger is what heat up quick. but it can only do that when it gets a purchase on the engine. Not when the engine and the turbo are running side by side. It's a twin scroll, and the engine is dependent on the turbo. So when the turbo is running good it heats ALL the coolant quick within 5 minutes or so and maintains it. When it's running side by side it is half warm. Now bear in mind this is after a radiator fan, and thermostat housing that is working perfect.
So yea I have heat. but I want that turbo to have a good purchase on the engine and the throttle in this cold! It absolutely freeedddzzzing! here.
I sense my heater core is new from last year. and only about 3000 miles on the engine rebuild; I am going to install a new Heater thermostat rather. Than like a evap or outside temp sensor. I am going to post it in a thread here on the forum when I get around to it. It's pretty simple. but it will show other people there is a heater core temp sensor in a R56. I had to wait almost a month for it. But I have it.
I also have been driving it in the cold here. Sense it is rebuilt. It's kind of trippy I dont see any other mini R56's out here in 20 degree weather. I kind of wish I had the cold pack version intake manifold; maybe I will buy one some other time for winter gear for the car. But it runs great even in the cold here. Hard core snow little car icy snow flakes melting on the windshield. Nothing new to me. When I bought the car new it was a outside car for about 4 years. Ran fine........Under warranty o course!
 
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