[mini-is-4-me]

I had a first generation Mini Cooper S. I loved the car but it was on a lease and at the ended up taking the car back and gave me $2,000 because it had appreciated. I'm looking to buy a (new) used Mini S. and I have some technical questions because it doesn't look like these cars are showing up as "reliable" as when I first bought mine lots of technical problems before they even get to a 100K. Well, as compared to Honda';s and Toyota's I have owned and still own. I don't want to spend a lot of money. This MINI will be my go-to 2nd commute car so I'm looking for one in the 2008-2012 range. Since I will have a backup vehicle, some downtime on it will be ok.

1. One used Mini that I looked at had a lot of oil which looked to be leaking from the large square metal box in front of the transaxle on the engine. This was an automatic transmission version. Does anybody know what this is? It is directly below the Oil filter and the car salesman that there is only oil coming from there because when you change the oil filter it all spills there. I can clearly see oil coming from the oil pan too which is on the other side -- so the oil pan gasket is shot on that side.
2. Another one I looked at the person says it needs a new High Pressure Fuel Pump. That one only has 80K miles on there so that is not a lot of miles to already lose the fuel pump. However, I watched some videos and that looks like a very easy thing to fix and replace yourself.
3. When does this car schedule need Timing Change maintenance as compared to what really happens? New Timing Chain, guides, timing tensioner, etc.
4. What other major maintenance points are critical and or common failure points on a MINI-S by 100K miles?

Thank you for your assistance in advance.

 

[mini-is-4-me]

Well that is what I thought from what I read. However, I called the mini dealer (https://www.miniofaustin.com/) service and talked to a service mechanic and they said the timing chain in "normally maintained cases" requires zero maintenance for the life of the car. He said as long as you keep oil in the car, it will be fine. He said there was an original issue with the driving chain but it was recalled and had to do with the tensioner failing prematurely. He said if your car had this issue, it would be fixed free. He did say if you don't keep oil in the car, it will cause premature failure of the timing chain. Apparently these cars use oil just like gasoline. He said people let the oil get too low and this causes the chain to fail.

What do you mean engine flush seafoam. Seaform is a fuel additive. Are you adding seafoam into the crankcase?

 

[mini-is-4-me]

Well I told the mechanic virtually all of the same thing. I literally said, "ok, now you are scaring me that you don't know much about the car since you can go to Google and search for mini timing issues and they are all over the web". I said just go google, "Mini Death rattle" He said, "obviously you don't know anything about the car because that issue was fixed in a recall." I do know EVERY car that I have ever owned from timing belt to timing chain required replacement between 75K and 120K and it was a part of the scheduled maintenance. I ask him that as well, "What is the timing chain replacement on the schedule?" His answer was, "Never, the chain will last the life of the vehicle with proper maintenance and oil". I do find that a little weird since that is not the case with every other car. They act like just because it is a chain it needs no maintenance. However, chains stretch with heat and use.

You are the one that wants to argue with me. I'm just echoing what the "expert" said. He is mini dealer service manager and works on 3 or 4 minis per day. I really have no idea.

I saw the sea foam use in the oil between 100-300 miles though on their website.

 

[mini-is-4-me]

Dealers are not experts. That’s a fact.

Well changing the timing chain looks like a job that I don't really want to try because I doubt I could get to the bottom sprocket without doing way too much removal for my liking. However, I can replace the valve gasket which appears to be a common failure point and does give you access to see the timing chain. Is there anything there to inspect that would give rise to suspicions of an oncoming failure. If the top guide on the chain looks good, then it should be ok correct? If the top chain guide looks overly worn, then there would be a possible impending failure?

 

[mini-is-4-me]

the bottom sprocket gets fitted with the timing chain and guides as a cassette unit, so you click both guides together on their centre pivot and push new chain between then and then put bottom sprocket on to chain and then pull the chain tight as to hold sprocket in place while dropping the chain and guide and sprocket in from top of engine , the bottom sprocket has a boss that is help in place by a 18mm clockwise threaded stretch bolt, the encams and crankshaft is locked with special lock tools while chain gear is being fitted so all sprockets are free wheeling on with bolts hand tight and 1/4 turn loosened then insert the dummy pertenion tool where the chain tensioner normally goes to preload the chain to mimic the tension given by the sprung tensioner when thats done you can then do up crank bolt to 40nm and cam shaft bolts to 20nm each this should hold the timing in place then rotate by hand the crankshaft 4 turns and relock the engine off if locks fall in to place then add 90 plus 90 degrees to each cam shaft and 120 degrees to crankshaft bolt, thats how you time one its not hard its just process and understand dont get a secondhand chance if time it wrongly so check and recheck. like said i have done thousands over the years peugeot citroen have revised their service plans to 100.000 miles must have a chain still not good enough see way to many fail or run wrong well before then

It is scary to me to start that and not be able to finish it. You have to be able to get to the bottom though to be able to rotate the crankshaft and you also need another tool to be to rotate the crankshaft. For example, "rotate by hand the crankshaft 4 turns". How do you know you got 4 full turns? If you mess up the timing, the engine broke.

 

[mini-is-4-me]

you rotate the crankshaft clockwise only with the 18mm bolt that is back in the crankshaft ie bottom sprocket boss bolt. thats how you turn the engine, put a tipex mark on crankshaft then turn it so mark passes another mark on casing 4 times, the crank shaft is locked by a pin in the flywheel and also can use this to lock it when doing ot up, must replace all bolts for sprockets as stretch bolts, the camshafts must be held with narrow 27mm spanner and not use lock tools to hold them as will throw timing off and also will damage the cam locks, below link is lock kit

BMW MINI N13 and N18 CAMSHAFT TIMING LOCKING TOOL KIT - PETROL CHAIN | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BMW MINI N13 and N18 CAMSHAFT TIMING LOCKING TOOL KIT - PETROL CHAIN at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

The crank shaft is way at the bottom of the engine though. How can you even see it down there from the bottom of the car? I believe the vids I see say that changing the chain requires removing the passenger wheel and splash guard. A lot of work.

I've seen the kit on Amazon.

Amazon.com: TIMING TOOL SET FOR BMW N12,N14 MINI COOPER: Automotive

Buy TIMING TOOL SET FOR BMW N12, N14 MINI COOPER: Timing Belt Tools - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

They also have the full set including sprockets.

Amazon.com: AUTOMUTO Timing Chain Kits fits for Mini R56 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Cooper Coupe R56 N12B16A,Shipping from US Warehouse: Automotive

Buy AUTOMUTO Timing Chain Kits fits for Mini R56 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Cooper Coupe R56 N12B16A, Shipping from US Warehouse: Sets & Kits - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[mini-is-4-me]

you rotate the crankshaft clockwise only with the 18mm bolt that is back in the crankshaft ie bottom sprocket boss bolt. thats how you turn the engine, put a tipex mark on crankshaft then turn it so mark passes another mark on casing 4 times, the crank shaft is locked by a pin in the flywheel and also can use this to lock it when doing ot up, must replace all bolts for sprockets as stretch bolts, the camshafts must be held with narrow 27mm spanner and not use lock tools to hold them as will throw timing off and also will damage the cam locks, below link is lock kit

BMW MINI N13 and N18 CAMSHAFT TIMING LOCKING TOOL KIT - PETROL CHAIN | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BMW MINI N13 and N18 CAMSHAFT TIMING LOCKING TOOL KIT - PETROL CHAIN at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

Ok, I just watched this youtube video.

You have to pull the motor mount. That is WAY BEYOND scary. Even in this video, you can see this guys engine shift and nearly bend out the other side of the engine mount destroying it or part of the car and the engine hitting the ground.

This is way too difficult of a job for the home mechanic with limited tools.

 

[mini-is-4-me]

Yeah, I think the water pump at around 80K is always a good investment. However, I know how to check a what pump, they tend to fail around the front seal/bearing so there is a lot of play there may also be small water dripping. I think they tend to last 100+K but for a couple hundred dollars and you are already there is seems to be a no brainier at that point. The scariest part is removing the engine from the mount and or later get the motor lined back up to the mount. I saw a video of this on you-tube and the engine shifted, which was scary as well. Also, I would think it makes sense to remove the oil pan since you could drop stuff in there by mistake anyways while working on this area. Does that not make sense?

It would 3+ weekends to do this for me.

 

[mini-is-4-me]

very easy to line up engine mount again always bolts the mount to engine first and have engine jack up high enough so dont touch the chassis member and is very easy to get bolts in do them all the time never have a issue plus so much easier to jack engine upwards when replacing water pump, the pumps dont just fail on bearing they also fail on impeller as its made out of plastic not metal, there is a revised water pump ie black body type after 2010 also there is a recent upgrade on thermostat housing thats needs a wiring link to change from two two plugs to one 4 way plug , its same on peugeot citroen as well as same engines.

Supposedly the car I am looking at they already replaced thermo and housing.