liquid in cylinder, and engine won’t start, rough crank

2150 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by mike1967, Jun 21, 2020

GS_SMS

Discussion Starter · Jun 20, 2020

Hey there Mini Community, new to this site. I’ve had a 2006 convertible cooper for years now and I’ve had some issues over the winter, now that I have time to fix them I need some help.
1) engine was overheating and has had a new water pump installed as well as some coolant hoses
2) engine would make a faint clicking noise while it was running (I thought maybe was a timing chain tensioner getting loose)
3) after the cooling repairs were done the engine stopped running shortly after, it will crank and try to start but it cranks rough and there is no chance it will start.
4) I have inspected the spark plugs and looked in through the cylinders with a flashlight to see some sort of liquid down in cylinder 1 and oil on spark plug 3

any help or advise would be great! I would like to keep the car, I am able to fix it if I can find out what’s wrong with it. I don’t want to just tear into it, never worked on a mini in this depth before.

buying a new engine (or used) is an option if anyone thinks that is the best route (about $600 for a used running engine)

thanks everyone and cheers 🤙🏻
-GS_SMS

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Paulo663

· #2 · Jun 21, 2020

Really hard to tell, could be a number of things.
Oil on spark plug will most likely be a worn rocker cover seal - not big money to replace.
Liquid in cylinder could be coolant, they do suffer from head gasket failure - would be able to confirm if you had a pressure test equipment.
Ticking noise could be worn timing chain adjuster or guides, also could be worn cam shaft.
Could just pull the head off and inspect, then price up cost to repair, then make decision which way to go - repair or replace motor.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

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Cosmic73

· #3 · Jun 21, 2020

Is there oil in coolant? Cream on the oil cap? Just to rule out head gasket.
I would then do a compression test.

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k3fus

· #4 · Jun 21, 2020

No mayo does not rule out head gasket failure, only oil and water mixing. Gaskets go between cylinders and between water ways and cylinders.

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GS_SMS

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 21, 2020

Paulo663 said:
Really hard to tell, could be a number of things.
Oil on spark plug will most likely be a worn rocker cover seal - not big money to replace.
Liquid in cylinder could be coolant, they do suffer from head gasket failure - would be able to confirm if you had a pressure test equipment.
Ticking noise could be worn timing chain adjuster or guides, also could be worn cam shaft.
Could just pull the head off and inspect, then price up cost to repair, then make decision which way to go - repair or replace motor.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

sorry about that! Forgot to mention I took it to a Mini dealer and they said there was low compression on all four cylinders, around 80-90PSI in all of them.

And yeah the ticking noise I assumed through something minor research was the timing chain tensioner, I guess they are hydrologic and can get jammed or stuck closer to there isn’t any tension (or very little) in the chain.

thank you for the response!
-GS_SMS

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mike1967

· #6 · Jun 21, 2020

no chain tension not really hydro just a strong spring do have a oil inlet hole but the force comes from the spring, do another compression wet ie add oil to each bore just before the tests if it jump to over 150psi then its rings , if dont then valve s or timing chain so badly stretched etc, ticking noises can be injectors or even broken piston rings or even vvt springs worn etc,

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